The Detroit Pistons have drafted what they hope will be stars in the first round of the last two NBA Drafts and have chance to do it again with the 5th pick this year.
But they also need to start finding talent later in the draft and even outside of it, as the top teams around the league are able to routinely find the gems, productive players on low contracts to complement their stars.
Detroit has the 31st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, a spot where they should be able to land a good player who can at least make the roster on a two-way deal.
We’ve looked at a number of possible prospects for the Detroit Pistons with the 31st pick, mostly wing players with defensive upside. Bobi Klintman does fit that profile exactly, but he could be a steal in the second round.
Detroit Pistons draft: Bobi Klintman
Bobi Klintman is a 6-foot-10 freshman forward out of Wake Forest who originally comes from Sweden. He’s tall, but plays more like a wing, as he is skilled with the ball for someone his size and doesn’t thrive on the interior against stronger players.
He’s lanky, and needs to put on some muscle to play the four in the NBA, but he has intriguing upside in one area, and that’s shooting. He knocked down 37 percent of his 3-point shots, a promising number for a near seven-footer.
He also has decent game off the dribble, so can attack close outs and get to the rim. He’s not a great finisher in traffic, but is more than just a catch-and-shoot guy as you can see in these highlights:
He only averaged 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds as a freshman, and his field goal percentage was not inspiring, but if he can knock down a high percentage of 3-point shots, he’ll eventually have a place in the NBA, as all teams are looking for players with size that can shoot.
He’s reminiscent of former Piston Christian Wood, another lanky big who likes to play on the perimeter. Klintman will have to improve his efficiency around the rim and get stronger to be able to defend in the paint, but his shooting upside and offensive skill set are intriguing for a second rounder.