The NBA Draft is a week away and talks of who the Pistons might take with the No. 15 overall pick are heating up.
It’s no secret the team will not be landing an elite, "generational talent" type of player with the first pick outside the lottery. That’s the price you pay when you sneak into the playoffs at 41-41. Like it or not, that’s where the Pistons sit after making a playoff push and delivering Little Caesars Arena its first taste of the postseason.
The Pistons -- barring a trade up in the pecking order -- will not be getting their hands on anyone that would immediately make a major impact and transform the team into a contender. But that doesn’t mean there’s not a bevy of solid players that will be available at 15 that could become an integral part of the team within a few years.
With that in mind, here’s a look at six players who could be on the board for the Pistons’ first-round pick that Ed Stefanski and company should seriously consider drafting.
The Pistons are badly in need of some help on the perimeter, especially 3-point shooting. Johnson, standing at 6-foot-6, is a versatile player still sharpening several aspects of his game. While not the best in the class, he’s a solid shooter (38.1 percent last season at Kentucky), he can drive to the hoop from the perimeter pretty well and he’s a decent passer. None of those skills are over the top, but Johnson has earned a reputation as a hard worker with a lot of potential.
One of Johnson’s teammates could pique the interest of the Pistons offense, except this one is a much better shooter. 6-foot-5 Tyler Herro certainly had some ups and downs from distance last season for the Wildcats, but there were many nights he showed his potential to be a great 3-point shooter at the next level.
Did I mention the Pistons need shooters?
Johnson is regarded as the best shooter in the draft with real potential to stick around on an NBA roster – sorry, Fletcher Magee. At 6-foot-9, the Pistons would be getting plenty of length with the former Tar Heel, meaning he could stretch the floor with his lethal shooting. Johnson shot an eye-popping 45.7% on 210 3-point attempts.
Washington showed major improvement in his sophomore season, especially when it came to stepping out and shooting from behind the 3-point line. He went from shooting under 24 percent and hesitating to shoot from distance, to hitting on 42.3 percent of his attempts – with confidence.
Alexander-Walker would be a player that handles the ball a bit more than some of the other guards on the list, and that could be something the Pistons are looking for with the expected departure of point guard Ish Smith. While the 6-foot-5 former Hokie isn’t a pure PG, he’s capable of running the pick-and-roll and can shoot the deep-ball pretty well.
Of all the players on this list, Porter could be the most “boom-or-bust” option.
The boom? He’s pretty athletic, he shoots the deep-ball well (42% at USC) and can create off the dribble fairly effectively.
The bust? Porter was billed as a lock for the lottery before the season, but off-the-court problems (he served a suspension for personal conduct issues) and an injury led to an underwhelming season in LA.
The only thing we do know is the Pistons are in the midst of a pivotal time period in the franchise’s history. After really going into “win-now” mode with the Blake Griffin trade more than a year ago, the team is locked into two big contracts with Griffin and Andre Drummond. Both are All-Star caliber players, but they don’t have much wiggle room in free agency to boost the roster this summer. That means this year’s pick – especially given the pool they’re drawing from – may not be an immediate star, but could use this season as a developmental period to get ready for 2020-21 when the team has more freedom to bring in some pieces to start re-shaping the roster.