The Detroit Pistons walked away from the NBA Draft Lottery with the 5th overall pick, not the selection they wanted, but a spot where they can still find a star.
There have been plenty taken with the 5th pick, so hopefully Troy Weaver can make the most of a less than ideal situation.
Detroit also has the 31st pick in the NBA Draft, a spot where they have a good chance of finding an NBA rotation player at least, as this is draft that has a lot of players in the same tier.
The Pistons need improvement in pretty much every area, but defense should be a focus, as Detroit was at or near the bottom of the league in every defensive category. They especially need help on the wing and could look to find a defender with their 2nd-round pick.
Detroit Pistons draft: Arthur Kaluma
There is no guarantee that Arthur Kaluma will even be in the 2023 NBA Draft, as he has also entered the transfer portal and still has a chance to return to school.
Kaluma is a big, athletic forward who has the length to really be a disruptive defender in the NBA. He defended all five positions in his sophomore season at Creighton in which he averaged 11.8 points and six rebounds.
He only shot 31 percent from 3-point range, but he has good form and there is hope that he will continue to improve. If he does, Kaluma could end up being a steal in the second round, as he has the physical tools to be a very good defender and does a lot of other things well.
He’s sneaky good with the ball, and as a cutter off of it, as you can see from these highlights from the African FIBA World Cup Qualifiers:
Because of his size (6-foot-7, 220 lbs.) and defensive potential, he could be an OG Anunoby type player who can defend the entire perimeter and knock down 3-point shots, a prototype for what a lot of teams are looking for.
We’ve seen how important versatile wing defenders are in the playoffs, so prospects like Kaluma will get a look even though they have some clear offensive shortcomings.
If Kaluma wants to return to school, he has until June 1st to make his decision.