Pistons draft: A potentially elite wing defender for the 2nd-round

Most of the NBA Draft focus for the Detroit Pistons has been on what they will do with the 5th pick.

Take the best forward available, trade the pick, move up, move back, pretty much everything is on the table for the Pistons.

They also own the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and there are a lot of intriguing prospects mocked in that range, so Detroit should be able to at least find a player to fill one of their two-way spots.

They are hoping to hit a home run, and could look to bolster their wing depth with a 3-and-D type prospect.

One such prospect is Julian Phillips, who just completed his freshman season at Tennessee. It’s still possible that Phillips will not be in the draft, as he has entered the transfer portal, and has until May 31st to decide whether to go back to college.

But if he does stay in the NBA Draft, he’s projected to go in the range where the Detroit Pistons will be choosing with the 31st pick.

Detroit Pistons draft: Julian Phillips

Phillips is a guy I have liked from early on, as he is a very athletic 6-foot-8 forward who actually takes pride in his defense.

He’s got a very raw offensive game, and is more of a slasher than a guy who is going to take 3-point shots. He shot just 23 percent from long range on 1.4 attempts per game. Shooting is an area that young players often improve over time, and his form isn’t terrible, so there is hope he can eventually be a league-average 3-point shooter. He did shoot 82 percent from the free-throw line.

But If Phillips makes it into the NBA it will be because of his defense, as he has the size, length and athleticism to defend all over the floor. He has a high motor and hunts the ball on both ends, with potential as a weak side shot blocker as well as an offensive rebounder.

He averaged just 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds but impacts the game in a lot of ways and could eventually be a defense/energy guy off an NBA bench. His potential as a defender makes him worthy of a 2nd-round look (if he stays in the draft) and if his shot develops, he could end up being a steal.

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