Are the Pistons zeroing in on LaMelo Ball?
On the heels of a report that Detroit is eyeing a move up the draft board to the No. 2 pick, the Pistons were one of three teams Ball worked out for Thursday in Southern California, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
The other two teams in attendance were the Warriors and Hornets, who hold the Nos. 2 and 3 picks in the draft, respectively.
The Pistons are slated to pick No. 7, by which point Ball will almost certainly be gone. But Givony notes their "presence at the workout might be an indication they feel they have the assets to trade up on draft night," which comes Nov. 18.
Ball has also worked out for the Timberwolves, who hold the first overall pick, and he's met with the Bulls, who are picking fourth.
Considered the best point guard in the draft, Ball and the Pistons feel like a natural fit. The team has a long-term need at his position and a head coach known for developing young talent. Ball could learn the NBA game under the tutelage of Derrick Rose in his first season, while growing with the Pistons' burgeoning core.
Ball's outspoken father has already named Detroit as one of the ideal landing spots for his son, who's part of a trio of players likely to be drafted in the top three, along with Georgia G Anthony Edwards and Memphis C James Wiseman.
Ball also spent the past several months in Detroit training for the draft under the guidance of one-time Piston and Detroit native Jermaine Jackson, which did not go unnoticed by Pistons general manager Troy Weaver.
"I'm always happy to hear players embrace our organization, our city. That never goes unnoticed," Weaver said last week. "I know people around him, his trainer is a Detroit native, so I'm sure he's well-versed in the city from traveling around, being with his trainer and hearing different things. "That's always a positive when prospects speak highly of the city and the organization."