2024 NBA Mock Draft: Pistons drop, Spurs reach with the #1 pick

The Detroit Pistons are just four games away from finishing the season with the worst record in the NBA and guaranteeing themselves a top-5 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. 

That’s about the only guarantee you can make about a draft that is so wide open that you won’t find two mock drafts whose top-3 guys are the same. 

Regardless of where the Detroit Pistons choose, trading the pick will be an option, though in this draft, anything outside of the top two or three isn’t going to have as much value as it might have in past years. 

Unfortunately, our first spin of the Lottery Simulator yielded the worst-case scenario for the Detroit Pistons, which is falling to the 5th pick, just as they did last season.  

The Spurs get the #1 for the second year in a row in our first 2024 NBA Mock Draft, and they could reach for need. 

1. San Antonio Spurs select Nikola Topic 

Has any team ever drafted for need with the first overall pick? That might happen in the 2024 NBA Draft, especially if the Spurs land the #1 choice. It makes sense for San Antonio, as they already have their franchise centerpiece in place in Victor Wembanyama and now have to build around him. They desperately need a point guard and Topic might be the best one in the draft as a big 6-foot-6 creator who is crafty around the rim. He’s not a great outside shooter or defender, but the Spurs mainly need a point guard who can draw defenders and throw lobs and Topic is very good at both. This would be a reach for the Spurs, and they would likely be able to trade back, pick up an asset and still take Topic, but for pure need alone, he is their guy. 

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