Possibly the biggest change this season for fans of the Detroit Pistons is that they aren’t constantly reading mock drafts or checking the lottery odds.
For the last five seasons, this has been the time of year when Detroit started running out glorified G-League teams in an effort to lose as many games as possible and position themselves for maximum chances for the 1st overall pick.
Not fun times.
The Pistons are currently the 6th seed in the East, so if the season ended today, they wouldn’t have a 1st-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as it would go to Minnesota as the 20th pick, a result the Timberwolves probably didn’t consider when they traded for this pick as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal.
The unexpected turnaround for Detroit has had big ramifications on their near-future draft status as well as their ability to make trades in the upcoming offseason.
Trajan Langdon has also managed to bag a few more second-round picks, so even though the Pistons aren’t likely to have a 1st-rounder this year, they are in better shape than they were at the start of the season.
Detroit Pistons draft picks by year
Here is a breakdown of the Pistons draft picks as they stand right now:
2025:
1st: 1-13 (own); 14-30 (to Minnesota)
2nd: Via TOR, would currently be 35th
2026
1st: Own (unless Minnesota pick not conveyed, then protected 1-11)
2027
1st: Own (unless Minnesota pick not conveyed, then protected 1-9)
2nd: Via DAL, via MIL
2028
1st: Own
2nd: Via CHA or LAC, via Miami, via NYK
2029
1st: Own
2nd: Own, Via NYK, via MIL
2030
1st: Own
2nd: Own, via MIN
2031
1st: Own
2nd: Own, via DAL
If the Pistons convey their first-round pick to Minnesota this year, then they then own all of their future first-round picks, which is a good thing, as Detroit has been hampered (thank god) in making trades involving draft picks.
They also have extra second-round picks in 2027 (2), 2028 (3), 2029 (3), 2030 (2) and 2031 (2) so Langdon has some draft assets to work with if he wants to pile them together for something more substantial.
The Pistons have the Raptors’ 2nd-round pick this year, which could be a valuable one, as this draft is deep and Langdon has found talent in that range consistently in the past.
There won’t be much difference between the 20th and 35th picks in this draft, so if you are fretting about the Pistons not having a 1st-round pick, don’t.
That 35th pick and a bunch of second-rounders could be used to move up in the draft if Trajan Langdon has a guy in mind and can find a deal, so there are ways in which the Pistons will walk away with a first-round talent in this draft anyway.
After the draft, the Pistons will then be open to trade any of their upcoming first-round picks starting in 2027, which would give them three future firsts to package in a trade. I have my doubts that Langdon will go that route, as a steady influx of talent is a necessity in the Apron era, as you have to have guys who contribute on cheaper deals to have roster depth.
But the possibilities are wide open, and for the first time since 2020, the Pistons will have full control of their picks as long as nothing catastrophic happens in the final 20+ games.