The Detroit Pistons have two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft and hope to walk away with two future stars.
Landing the first pick overall would give the Pistons a chance to revitalize their franchise with Victor Wembanyama, but Detroit also has the 31st pick, which could prove to be very valuable as well.
The 2023 NBA Draft may not be deep with projected stars, but it is a solid group and there won’t be a whole lot of difference between having the 15th pick or the 31st, so the Pistons can definitely find a player with that 2nd-round pick.
It’s still too early in the process for Detroit to worry about fit, so they will likely just take the best player available with both picks, and that could mean adding a big power forward in the second round.
Detroit Pistons draft: Noah Clowney
Noah Clowney is a player that I have seen mocked to the Detroit Pistons in the 2nd round across several sites. Many think he is a borderline first-round pick, so it makes sense to see him at the end of the first or at the beginning of the second.
Clowney is a 6-foot-10 power forward who is a plus athlete and profiles as a guy who will be a very good rebounder and shot blocker at the next level.
For him to really make it in the NBA, he’ll have to improve his outside shooting, as he hit just 28 percent of his 3-point shots as a freshman in Alabama, playing alongside projected top-3 pick Brandon Miller.
Clowney did take about half of his FG attempts from beyond the arc, so he is comfortable shooting from there and has really nice form for a guy who is nearly 7-feet tall. If he gets up to league average as a 3-point shooter, he is going to have a long career in the NBA, as he can do everything else you’d want from a modern power forward.
He’s big enough to defend the paint and protect the rim, but quick enough to step out on smaller forwards on the perimeter. Defensively, his absolute ceiling compares to someone like Jaren Jackson Jr., a guy who can disrupt shots all over the floor.
Clowney still needs a lot of polish, as his handles are raw and he needs to put on some strength, but as you can see from these highlights, he looks perfectly comfortable from 3-point range, the trait that will ultimately determine what he can be in the NBA:
The Detroit Pistons could use a big power forward who can stretch the floor, and if Clowney pans out, that’s exactly what he will be.
Detroit would be wise to replace Marvin Bagley III with a guy who can actually shoot and/or defend, as right now MBIII is a traditional center that they are trying to pigeon-hole into the PF slot with little success.
If Clowney falls to the Pistons, he’s a guy who fits into Troy Weaver’s vision and could end up being a steal in the second round.