Pistons Should Stick with Best Available in 2024 NBA Draft
A tale as old as time: the Detroit Pistons again find themselves in a precarious position.
Boasting a 4-37 record on the year — breaking the longest NBA losing-streak of all-time in the process — they’re again already looking to the future. A future with wins, playoff berths, All-Star bids and more.
But first, they’re going to have to amass talent, something they’ve attempted to do since trading off the win-now talent that earned them a 41-41 record a few seasons ago. And the best way to do that — regardless of what those calling for star-laden trades say — will be through the NBA Draft.
But it’s not as simple as selecting a player and hoping they pan out. There’s several routes you can take regarding the draft, even near the top, where the Pistons have resided for some time now.
There’s option A: choosing players you think complement the current core. And option B: opting for the best available in hopes they reach their full potential, and become a player that lets you choose option A in the future.
Detroit, undoubtedly, should choose the latter.
While the team's current players like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and more, are obviously talented, adding complimentary players can only get the team so far. From worse to bad. Potentially middle of the pack, even.
But in order to get back to real, true contention, they’re going to have to land a 1A-type player. Or another, if Cunningham continues to improve. An All-NBA, max contract player.
And going with the best available, regardless of fit, is their best path towards amassing those talents.
Be it a point guard in Nikola Topic, a hybrid big in Alex Sarr, a versatile forward in Cody Williams, the Pistons should draft the top player on their board and not look back.
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