The Detroit Pistons needed more playmaking and shot creation behind Cade Cunningham, and their answer was drafting Ebuka Okorie with the 17th overall pick. The 19-year-old guard was more of a score-first option in his lone season at Stanford. Detroit’s shot creation issues are well documented. It was a significant reason why the Pistons were upset by the Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs. An undersized teenage rookie isn’t solving that problem.
Draft experts questioned Okorie’s passing, defense, and shooting. He is just over 6’1 without shoes with a 6’8 wingspan. Pistons fans should expect him to be a negative defender as a rookie. He had 1.9 turnovers to 3.6 assists in 35.1 minutes per game last season. Making the step up in competition should only create more turnovers and further draw into question his playmaking chops.
The Pistons have a role available, but their sights should be set on winning a championship. They were the top seed in the East last season and are coming off a playoff disappointment. This is no longer the young team looking to make a name for themselves. The Pistons should be looking to win, which means they can’t count on Okorie to solve a massive problem.
Pistons can’t expect Ebuka Okorie to be their secondary creator
Cunningham had to create everything in the playoffs as Jalen Duren struggled. Cade's 31.5 usage percentage was the fifth-highest in the NBA and went up to 34.7 percent in the fourth quarter. If Cade wasn’t creating, Detroit wasn’t scoring. They need someone to turn to when the opposition is selling out to stop Cunningham.
Okorie was elite at getting downhill and creating paint touches in college. The Pistons were wise to pick a quick-twitch athlete capable of creating shots for himself, but there is a reason he slipped into the middle of the first round.
Rookie guards rarely impact winning, especially in the postseason. Banking on Okorie to be a shot-creator in year one for a championship team is a mistake. The Pistons should bring him along slowly and use him in a lesser role.
Pistons don’t have an answer
The Pistons' additions were John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris. The four players combined to average 5.2 assists per game last season, with Prince leading at 1.8 each night. None of those players are suddenly becoming the secondary creator in Detroit. The Pistons improved their shooting, but left a gaping shot creation hole.
Fans thought they would try to add a second star. This was the franchise’s chance. The Pistons have to give massive raises to Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson over the next two years, which will make the team expensive quickly. Detroit is betting on Cade. He is one of the best players on the planet, but the superstar still needs help.
Okorie may grow into this role. The Pistons clearly believe in him, but they can’t expect a 19-year-old rookie to change their fortunes. This should be a development year for him to learn the ropes. Detroit should be building him up, but they can’t bank on him to fill this hole.
The Detroit Pistons failed to address their shot creation issues behind Cade Cunningham, and they can’t think Ebuka Okorie is the answer. The first-round draft pick was an elite college scorer with playmaking questions. They need to give him time to develop and should still be searching for a secondary creator.
The Pistons want to win the championship and still have a gaping hole. It is on the front office to fill it before the trade deadline. If not, Detroit likely repeats their playoff disappointment.
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