The Detroit Pistons have the worst record in the NBA again, which means they will have maximum odds for the #1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft barring a huge turnaround in their season.
But we are all aware it doesn’t matter, as the Pistons had the worst record last season and dropped to the 5th pick, and the odds of that happening again are higher than them getting #1.
It may not matter in this draft anyway, as there isn’t a clear favorite and mock drafts have been all over the place, with no consensus on anything. There is even more uncertainty due to several of the top prospects coming from overseas, so many American fans have not even seen these guys play.
If the Pistons were to buck the odds and land the top pick, as they did when they drafted Cade Cunningham, they would have options.
Detroit Pistons options with the #1 pick
The Pistons could certainly just add another young player to their already young team, as teams rarely trade the first pick and most of the time they have, it hasn’t worked in their favor.
The whole point of tanking is to get repeated chances at landing a future superstar, and even though this has been billed as a “weak” draft, it will almost certainly produce a couple.
The Pistons could also package their pick in a trade, though they are not allowed to move it until draft day because of the restrictions on the pick they owe the Knicks.
Even in a draft that is perceived as weak at the top, the #1 pick will have value, especially if the Pistons were to package it with one of their young players. If there is a star available this offseason, that’s the start of a very good trade package.
But what if the Pistons really like one of the players in the draft? Here is a hypothetical in which Detroit keeps the #1 pick and trades one of the young players they already have instead.
The Detroit Pistons take Alexandre Sarr with the #1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft
The closest thing there has been to a consensus in this draft is Alexandre Sarr, who currently plays for the Perth Wildcats. He’s been impressive in a good league and dominated the G-League Ignite. If you watch these highlights, you can see the vision.
Sarr is 7-foot-1, and is currently thought of as a defensive prospect, as he is a very good shot blocker and can switch on the perimeter. He also projects to have an outside shot, as he can knockdown 3-pointers, so even though he’s not a Victor Wembanyama level unicorn, he’s not a traditional center and plays more like a giant wing with a 7-foot-5 wingspan that he can use to affect shots all over the court.
Sarr is only 18, so he has plenty of room to improve, and he’ll need to, as we are talking about a guy who is only averaging nine points and four rebounds a game while playing 17 minutes. But he’s also getting just under a block and a half in that time, so the defense definitely projects.
When we see the impact Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are already having defensively, Sarr is an appealing option for a team that is terrible defensively and needs that anchor.
If the Pistons got a shot at him, would they see Sarr as a power forward who could play with Jalen Duren or would Duren suddenly become expendable?
As good as Duren has been, his defense is still very much a work in progress, as he can’t switch on the perimeter and doesn’t block many shots. Sarr projects as the better defender even though he lacks Duren’s strength and rebounding prowess.
Sarr is the type of big man who better fits the modern style, as he protects the rim and should eventually be able to spread the floor. Troy Weaver hasn't seemed to have caught up to this trend, so it's as likely he'd see Sarr as a complement to Duren, but this scenario could also make Duren trade bait.
If so, they might be able to use him to trade for a star wing who better fits their core and could make them competitive right away.
Trading Jalen Duren to the New Orleans Pelicans
There will likely be All-Star level players available this offseason, so having Duren or the #1 pick as trade assets could help the Pistons land one.
There are already rumors that the New Orleans Pelicans could trade Brandon Ingram this summer, and he’s the type of young veteran who would fit in with the Pistons core.
He’s only 26 years old, and even though his game does have some flaws, he has shown he can be a stretch four who can get buckets all over the court. He’s a consistent scorer just entering his prime, so the Pistons could eventually lock him up and get all of his best years.
A lineup of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Brandon Ingram and Alexandre Sarr has a lot of appeal, as they’d be long, athletic and have three scorers surrounded by elite defenders.
Sarr is still a teenager, so likely isn’t ready to take on full-time duties as an NBA center, so the Pistons would have to look to free agency to land a veteran or two to help his progress.
The Detroit Pistons are high on Jalen Duren, so I don’t think they have any interest in trading him, but a prospect like Sarr could change that, as he better fits the profile of a modern NBA center and the Pistons need defense more than offense at this point.
The Pelicans are set to lose Jonas Valanciunas in free agency this summer and may like the idea of pairing Zion Williamson with Duren in the frontcourt. Duren fits the timeline of their young core and the Pels would save some much-needed cap space.
Would Duren plus a future pick and maybe another player (Marcus Sasser perhaps) be enough to move the needle for the Pels? Ingram has only one year on his contract after this, so it would be difficult for them to find a better offer.
This is all a wild hypothetical of course, which would have to start with the Pistons going against 86 percent odds, but it’s something to think about, as there are questions about whether the current core is a great fit together and a lot of the answers hinge on Duren’s defense.
If the Pistons could upgrade their defense and shooting at center and land a star wing, they’d have to at least consider it.