Why the Pistons should hope to lose their 1st-round pick in 2025

The 2025 NBA Draft is being hyped as a good one, with potential game-changers at the top, but the Detroit Pistons should hope they don’t have a pick. 

It seems counterintuitive for a rebuilding team to not want a draft pick, and if all things were equal, yes, it would be nice to add another talented player from a deep class. 

The Pistons do have a top-13 protected pick in 2025, the pick that has been hanging around their necks since Troy Weaver traded it to select Isaiah Stewart. It has passed through several teams at this point and is now owed to Minnesota. 

Trajan Langdon likely hoped his team would improve, make strides, but be just bad enough to keep that pick, as it would give them another shot at a future star. 

Detroit is currently the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference, though it is still too early to make much of that, but if things hold, the Pistons should be happy to finally convey that pick. 

Pistons draft: Losing the pick means there is progress 

If the Pistons had to convey their first-round pick, it would mean the team was in the play-in tournament, so it would be a clear sign of progress. 

And how many more young players do they need? 

A steady influx of young, impact (and cheap) talent is necessary in the NBA, especially under the new apron rules, but the Pistons already have five players who will still be on rookie deals next season. 

There is already going to be a minute's crunch for someone when Ausar Thompson returns, so it’s unlikely that another teenager next offseason would even make the rotation. Ron Holland II was one of the youngest players in last year’s draft, so the Pistons have a pipeline of young players. 

Of course, if you told me the Pistons could narrowly miss the playoffs, keep their pick, get super lucky and land the top overall selection like Atlanta did last year, I’d be all for it, but it would be more likely to be a late lottery pick if the Pistons do keep it the way things are going. 

With the Wizards and Raptors tanking, with the Bulls and Nets possibly joining them at some point, and with Philadelphia’s early collapse, the Pistons may find it hard to even stay in the top-13 of next year's draft.. If the draft were held today, they’d be sending the 16th pick to the Timberwolves. 

Not having an oustanding owed pick would also allow the Pistons to trade multiple draft assets if they wanted to make a big move next offseason.

The Pistons have a tasty second-round pick in 2025 

The Pistons own an unprotected second-round pick courtesy of Toronto that could lessen the blow if they do end up losing their pick in the first round. 

The Raptors are near the bottom of the East, and have had a ton of injuries, so if they tank away this season, that pick could end up near the top of the second round. 

Trajan Langdon has had success in that area of the draft, and it’s also possible the Pistons could use that pick along with another second-rounder or two to move into the first round if there is a team looking to avoid guaranteed money. 

So don’t worry about the draft, it will sort itself out, and we should be happy if the Pistons are finally competing for something other than a shot at the 5th pick, even if it means next year’s draft isn’t as exciting.