The Detroit Pistons will not be drafting Victor Wembanyama after dropping all the way to 5th in the NBA Draft Lottery.
It was a disappointment to be sure, but the world keeps spinning and there are still future games to be played. Let’s also not forget that former #1 pick Cade Cunningham will be returning (hopefully healthier than ever), so it’s not like the cupboard is completely bare.
Now comes the hard part for Troy Weaver, who is under pressure to put a competitive team on the floor after four years of tanking, player development and asset collection.
Luckily the Detroit Pistons will enter free agency with plenty of money, but they also have a lot of holes to fill, so I don’t envy Weaver’s job this summers, as he has a lot of work to do on this roster if they are really going to compete in the Eastern Conference next season.
Missing on the chance to draft a generational prospect is never fun, but if the Pistons make the right moves this summer, they could get into the thick of the play-in race and make the kind of improvement fans want to see.
Detroit Pistons in NBA free agency
Free agency is going to be a delicate balancing act for the Detroit Pistons. While they want to add impact talent, they can’t overreach to get it. There are players out there who may be available in free agency or trades and would be worth the price it takes to get them.
But there are other that the Pistons can’t overpay, as giving a big deal to the wrong player could significantly hamper Detroit’s ability to improve in the future.
Missing on Victor Wembanyama was not fun, but it was also expected, as Detroit only had a 14 percent chance to get the #1 pick, a fact that many of the “lottery is rigged” truthers (go away) conveniently ignore.
But there may be another “unicorn” player available who would also be a great fit on the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons: Pursuing Kristaps Porzingis in NBA free agency
One player to watch this summer is Wizards’ forward Kristaps Porzingis, who was the original 7-foot-3 unicorn in the NBA.
Porzingis has a player option for next season and has until June 21st to exercise it or he becomes a free agent.
He is due to make $36 million next season, so turning it down would be somewhat of a gamble, but considering he’s coming off his best season as a pro, he’s likely to decline the option in favor of a long-term deal.
There is every indication that the Wizards are going to offer him one, as they will be desperate to keep some talent around Bradley Beal. They can offer Porzingis a four year extension up to $180 million, making the total deal worth around $216 million, so he’d be leaving some money on the table if he were to go to free agency.
There’s also the fact that many other teams would have interest in Porzingis if he hits the market, as he averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season in 65 games, second-highest of his career. The big man shot just under 50 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent from 3-point range while blocking 1.5 shots per game.
When Porzingis is healthy, there aren’t many players with his combination of scoring prowess and rim protection, so if he does hit the market, the Detroit Pistons would not be the only team interested, but they are one of the few with the cap space to get him, though they would have to move some things around.
It’s hard to believe that the Wizards would just let him walk, so the possibility of a sign-and-trade is also there, which would complicate things significantly for the Pistons, though they could still potentially work something out around Bojan Bogdanovic.
It’s a long shot, but after missing out on Wembanyama, there might not be a better fit than Porzingis.
How Kristaps Porzingis fits on the Detroit Pistons
The best chance for the Pistons to get a shot at Porzingis is if the Wizards decide that finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference with both him and Kyle Kuzma is not a great sign that they should run it back.
The Wizards have been stuck in NBA purgatory (the Pistons know it well) forever, not good enough to contend, but not bad enough to get a top lottery pick. I have no idea why they think bringing back the same team (plus the 8th pick) is going to yield a different result.
There are few potential free agents who would be better fits on the Pistons than Porzingis, as he could immediately slot into the starting power forward spot and give them the kind of floor spacing and shot blocking that they need from the position.
He and Cade Cunningham in the pick-and-roll would be a thing of beauty, and he’d be a nice fit next to bruiser Jalen Duren, who could handle the physical defense around the rim, allowing Porzingis to roam as a shot blocker, which is where he excels. Porzingis fits with any of the Pistons’ bigs, and would allow them to put the kinds of jumbo lineups on the floor that Troy Weaver wants without having to go with two bigs who can’t shoot.
There are obvious questions about his health, but if the Pistons are going to land a top guy, they are going to have to take a risk somewhere. There is also the fact that he’ll be making around $45 million per season on his next contract, one that will take him into his 30’s.
But his game should age well, as he’ll always be able to shoot over defenders on the perimeter and block shots, which is all Detroit would need him to do.
The chances of getting Porzingis are low, but if there is an opportunity, the Pistons should definitely explore it, as a lineup that looks like this would be pretty appealing and might immediately make Detroit a contender for the play-in:
- Cade Cunningham
- Jaden Ivey
- Cam Whitmore
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Jalen Duren
Detroit should definitely have one eye on the situation in Washington, as we will know soon whether Porzingis plans to return or test the free-agent waters.