The 2023 NBA Draft saw a whole new class of young talent join the league, including two more first-round picks for the Detroit Pistons.
In with the old and out with the new! Presuming Nikola Jokic is a bridge between the old guard as overseen by the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, and the up-and-coming new guard, just who will that new guard consist of? And not just which players, but which teams? What follows is a quick look at the NBA’s best young cores, excluding those who have already made their way into title contention.
We’ve ranked the top five young cores in the NBA using only players still on their rookie deals. How do the Detroit Pistons stack up?
Detroit Pistons: Ranking the top 5 young cores in the NBA after the Draft
#5 Charlotte Hornets
- LaMelo Ball
- Brandon Miller
- Mark Williams
- James Bouknight
- Kai Jones
- JT Thor
The Hornets sneak onto this list for three reasons: they look to have secured a dynamic duo, have a handful of rookies incoming, and lastly, the third reason we’ll get to a bit later. Let’s start with the dynamic duo: LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
Ball is one of the best point guards in the NBA, hands down. He’s a 21-year-old walking triple double. In the NBA, there is no substitute for superstars. LaMelo Ball is one.
For months we were told that the top of the NBA Draft was already set in stone. Victor Wembanyama was going first. Scoot Henderson would be next. That’s not how it happened, as Alabama’s do-it-all forward crashed the party. Miller is going to make a splash from the jump and his trajectory has him set for the stars. We could be looking at Paul George 2.0 here.
Add the likes of James Bouknight, Mark Williams and the handful of rookies bound for training camp, and the makings of a very competitive team crystalizes.
Oh, and the fact that owner Michael Jordan has relinquished control of the team can only help.