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.
Pistons depth chart: What happens with Bojan Bogdanovic?
Ausar Thompson might already be the Pistons’ best perimeter defender, so it’s likely that he starts from day one unless they go out and get another starting-caliber wing in free agency who has more experience.
Ausar will likely just take the toughest defensive assignment on the perimeter, so you can forget about position, as you are who you defend and Thompson will likely defend 1-4 for the Pistons.
So where does that leave Bojan Bogdanovic?
Bogdanovic was the NBA’s worst wing defender last season, so acquiring Ausar Thompson is great for Bogs, who can now just be put on the weaker offensive forward. He had a hard time staying in front of wings, so it makes more sense to think of him as a power forward.
But he’ll have issues there too, so it’s very possible that Bogdanovic becomes a high-impact bench player if the Pistons go out and land another forward in free agency. It could also spell the end of Bojan’s time in Detroit, as he only has one more guaranteed year left on his deal and could be trade bait this offseason or at the deadline.
The Pistons also desperately need his shooting, so there is a world where they add another forward, keep Bogdanovic and just have more depth and variety. Either way, Ausar is good for Bogdanovic and will allow him to do his thing on offense without being a huge negative on the other end.
Detroit Pistons depth chart: What happens with Alec Burks and Killian Hayes?
Marcus Sasser is a guy who is ready to play right now. He is already older than Killian Hayes, has led a successful NCAA team as the floor general and can do some things that Killian can’t, namely shoot. Sasser was one of the best volume 3-point shooters in the draft, a guy who hit 43.7 percent on 8.6 attempts per game as a junior and 38.4 percent on 6.9 attempts as a senior.
He’s also an excellent free throw shooter (85 percent) so Sasser can fill it up from the outside. There is a chance that he will play alongside Killian Hayes, giving the Pistons a tenacious defense backcourt off the bench with Sasser providing some shooting.
Sasser can really play both guard spots, so he could spell both Hayes and Burks, as a super sub who comes in and disrupts the game with his defense and 3-point shooting. Sasser’s addition doesn’t necessarily mean anything for Hayes or Burks, but given that neither has a guaranteed long-term future in Detroit, Sasser gives them options.
Pistons depth chart: What about the big men?
As you can see from the depth chart, the Pistons will likely have one of Marvin Bagley III or James Wiseman as a third center this season. Given their injury issues, that may not be a bad thing, as they may never all be healthy at the same time.
If they are, there are issues, as there likely aren’t enough minutes to go around, especially if Isaiah Stewart also spends some time at center in small-ball lineups. Even if you see MBIII as a power forward (he isn’t), he’s still likely behind two guys fighting for minutes.
So for all of you complaining about Troy Weaver giving away a second-round pick to get Sasser, don’t worry, as Detroit could easily get it back and then some if they trade one of MBIII or Wiseman this offseason.