The Detroit Pistons walked away from the 2023 NBA Draft with two players who should be able to help them right away.
They swung for the fences with Ausar Thompson at five, a high-end defensive prospect and one of the best athletes in his class.
Detroit then traded up to the 25th pick to grab Marcus Sasser, a tough 3-and-D point guard from Houston who showed big-time leadership while leading one of the best teams in the NCAA last season.
Thompson’s defense should play right away, and Sasser is an experienced 22-year-old floor leader who could immediately provide the Pistons with some defense and shooting off the bench.
So will they both be in the rotation to start the season? Here’s what the Pistons’ depth chart looks like as of right now.
Pistons depth chart after the 2023 NBA Draft and before free agency
I am going to assume that the Pistons exercise their team options on Alec Burks and Isaiah Livers for the purposes of this. Detroit will obviously still make some additions in free agency and trades, so this isn’t the final product, but will give you an idea of what they are working with heading into free agency:
- Cade Cunningham/Killian Hayes/Marcus Sasser
- Jaden Ivey/Alec Burks
- Ausar Thompson/Isaiah Livers
- Bojan Bogdanovic/Isaiah Stewart
- Jalen Duren/James Wiseman/Marvin Bagley III
There are 12 spots currently filled, though we can expect some of these players to be on other teams by the beginning of next season.
There are at least three questions for the Detroit Pistons as they head into free agency.