FanPost

NBA Draft 2017: Who should the Pistons target?

After writing my first fanpost last year about who the Pistons should target in the 2016 draft, I enjoyed it too much to just do 1 article. So lets dive in to some Detroit Basketball!

fbfebc96-b6c7-475c-922c-d50abc1eaa78.nba_1_1280x720.0.jpg

After becoming the 8th seed and putting up a competitive series to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 playoffs and acquiring some new faces to improve upon that team, The Pistons took a step backwards after being expected to take steps to become closer to playoff contenders. Instead, Detroit finds itself back in the lottery for the 6th time since 2009. And this off-season brings in many questions such as will Kentavious Caldwell-Pope return to Detroit or will the nucleus of Drummond and Jackson be broken up for good? The latter seems a little too extreme but if that were to happen, how would we prepare for these scenarios through the draft?

Detroit has only 1 pick this year and that is a first rounder projected to be the 12th pick by DraftExpress. I will pick 2 prospects for a 1st rounder and 2 for a 2nd rounder if the Pistons acquire one before or during the draft.

For the 1st round pick, if the Pistons need a replacement for KCP, a great choice would be Luke Kennard, the 6'6" 202 lbs sophomore from Duke. After staying one more year in Durham to work improve on his game, and it paid off. Averaging 19.5 PPG, 2.5 APG and 5.1 RPG and a 24.7 PER, he became a key part of the Blue Devils' success while winning the ACC Tournament MVP, 1st-team All-ACC,and a final-five candidate for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year. Kennard evolved as not only a scorer but also as a playmaker who found ways to space the floor and get his teammates involved in the offense, A huge need for the Pistons.

CSP_1046.0.jpg

The downsides on Kennard is his lack of length, athleticism, and questions about his ability to defend the NBA 2-guard. Kennard, who at 6'6" and a 6'5" wingspan, does not show the length valued by NBA teams across the league. And his lack of athleticism also puts him at a disadvantage at guarding 2-guards in the NBA. Kennard's NBA comparison is a Kyle Korver type player. Someone who lives on the perimeter and isn't the best NBA defender. The Pistons could easily slide Kennard into the backup 2 spot and can have Stanley Johnson defend the tougher assignment.

A great choice as well for the Pistons 1st rounder is Justin Jackson. This kid could flat out ball for Roy Williams' North Carolina Tar Heels. Averaging 18.4 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 4.7 RPG with a 21.7 PER. Jackson decided to stay in college for 1 more year to focus on refining his game for the NBA. After finishing his college career with a National Championship, He is more than ready for the NBA. He spent vast amounts of time and effort improving his jump shot and he proved it by setting the UNC record for made 3's. Also, with his 6'11" wingspan, he has the physical tools to play strong defense on many NBA caliber guards and wings.

1806263_1280x720.0.jpg

There are still doubts about Jackson, especially if his jump shot will continue to have success at the NBA level. But NBA GM's should take a chance on an experienced college player who played in a winning environment and will bring that winning culture with him to the NBA.

If the Pistons were to acquire a 2nd-Round pick, a decent late 2nd rounder would be Sindarius Thornwell from South Carolina. He went on an absolute tear in March, ending his season with 21.4 PPG 2.8 APG and 7.1 RPG with a 30.6 PER. He was the star of the Gamecocks, winning the SEC Player of the Year award, he improved his game all throughout his 4 years in Colombia, SC. He improved his jumper, shooting 47.1% from 2 and 39.2% from 3. While his 2PT percentage doesn't look great, he can be very versatile inside the arc, be it from posting up, coming off screens, or in transition. Throughout the NCAA Torurnament, he was known for his lockdown defense and electric scoring, which he could bring to the NBA.

IMG_2938.0.jpeg

What might prevent the Pistons from taking the senior small forward is his lack of explosiveness and average quickness. These 2 traits makes him prone to attempting to draw contact and get to the free throw line instead of being isolated and beating his man 1 on 1. In my opinion, a senior player with experience can easily help a team if used properly.

Finally the last player I selected is Edmond Sumner the 6'5" 170 pound sophmore from Xavier, hailing from Detroit Michigan. Sadly, his redshirt sophomore season came to an end after tearing his ACL vs St. Johns. He averaged 15 PPG, 5 APG, and 4.3 RPG with a 21.3 PER. He helped Xavier stay in contention before his ACL tear. If the Pistons believe his leg will rehab well and recover fully, then why not take a chance.

edmond-sumner-xavier-musketeers-1300.0.jpg

His explosiveness was his game. If his knee does not come back at least close to what he was before, his limitations as a shooter, finisher and decision maker will catch up to him. But with elite physical tools and potiential, he is worth the risk in the 2nd round for a project point guard for the future.

So those are my picks! Please leave a comment below and thanks for reading!

FanPosts are user-created posts from the Detroit Bad Boys community and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all fans or the staff at DBB. The DBB staff reserves the right at any time to edit the contents of FanPosts as they reasonably see fit.