DBB on 3: The 2018 NBA Draft

No. 42.

That’s as high as the Detroit Pistons get to draft this year, barring some last-minute trade to get a higher pick. Not a very sexy spot to be, in but good players have been known to be had around there. Infamously for Pistons fans, that includes the No. 39 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Khris Middleton.

So here we are, hoping for some of the luck we missed out on with a couple recent picks (you all know who I mean...some will think of two names, some of just one). It may seem hard to get excited about a pick in the 40’s, but unless you’re into the World Cup, what the hell else is there to get excited about, I ask?

1. What’s your Top 5 Mock Draft order if all goes according to plan? Top 5 if things go nuts?

Ben Quagliata: I’m really lax on my draft prep this year, mainly because we have no first rounder, but I think the top five should be some combination of Luka Doncic, DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley III, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Mo Bamba, it seems like a big heavy draft at the top. The two I think could really shake it up by either dropping are Bagley and JJJ, and I could easily see a team taking someone like Trae Young at three or four.

Lazarus Jackson: If things go to plan, it’ll be DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr, Mo Bamba, and Marvin Bagley III, in that order. If things go haywire, Luka falls, Trae Young rises, Bagley rises, teams wake up from their Mo Bamba Fever Dream, and Memphis trades out of No. 4 anyway.

David Fernandez: Top five on coffee - DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr., Mo Bamba, Michael Porter Jr.

Top five on psychedelics - the Mo Bamba and MPJ train gets rollin’. All while Doncic gains another 15 pounds, and opposing GMs are terrified they’ll miss out on the next Steph Curry in Trae Young - Ayton, Bamba, MPJ, Trae Young, JJJ.

Steve Hinson: Ayton, Doncic, Jackson, Bagley, Bamba. But I think it’ll go nuts. I just don’t think the plan really makes all that much sense. I don’t think Ayton should go number one. A guy like him needs to play defense to really be a franchise player, and the Suns hired Doncic’s dang EuroBasket coach! He seems like the guy who can really bring all of that young talent together.

Sacramento will do something dumb like draft another player who can’t shoot. Then there’s the looming possibilities with all of these teams with top picks who could be talked into a trade and a guy like Kawhi Leonard on the market. It could get weird. Hopefully it does.

Jordan Bellant: Goes to Plan:

1. Suns - DeAndre Ayton

2. Kings - Luka Doncic

3. Hawks - Jaren Jackson Jr.

4. Grizzlies - Marvin Bagley

5. Mavericks - Mo Bamba

Goes Nuts:

1. Suns - DeAndre Ayton

2. Kings - Michael Porter

3. Clippers - Luka Doncic

4. Grizzlies - Marvin Bagley

5. Mavericks - Jaren Jackson Jr.

2. Who’s your guy at #42 in the “looks like he should be there” category and who is your “fingers-crossed-hope-he-falls” pick?

Ben Quagliata: I’m being sold on Jevon Carter, but Trevon Duval and Shake Milton are all good options. I wouldn’t complain with someone like Keita Bates-Diop or Hamidou Diallo as well. Draft.net has us with Rawle Alkins right now - not sure about another undersized shooting guard, although he is strong. If someone like Anfernee Simons or Moritz Wagner is there as well, they should be a pure BPA.

Lazarus Jackson: Devonte Graham is the guy who fits my Venn diagram of “looks like he will be there at 42” and “looks like a low rotation NBA player” because of his shooting ability and improvement in point-guardyness over his four years at Kansas. In my WILDEST dreams, NBA teams just, like, forget Elie Okobo (a guy who can score at all three levels, is learning how to pass, and has vast amounts of on-ball defensive potential) exists until 42.

David Fernandez: I’d be A-okay if the Pistons selected one of the point guards that should be available (Graham, Carter, Jalen Brunson), but also wouldn’t mind if we swung for the fences and drafted my boi Hamidou Diallo*. Early on, it was rumored that Jacob Evans of Cincinnati could fall to the second round, unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case, but if he’s there, DRAFT HIM.

Steve Hinson: Jevon Carter seems like a guy who is fun to cheer for, would be a nice pick. Fingers crossed: Jalen Brunson, of course.

Jordan Bellant: In both of those categories, I want Jevon Carter. I hope he is there and I believe he should be. I think he falls between 35 and 45. I am seeing Trevon Duval fall and I think that’s interesting. I think he has a really high ceiling, but drafting Duval probably means we would need to add an insurance veteran at point guard.

3. Who is the player potentially picked with our pick (No. 12) that you see being most complained about in future DBB Comment Threads as another nail in the coffin of the Blake Griffin trade?

Ben Quagliata: Miles Bridges. Michiganders are insufferably loyal to their schools and locals.

Lazarus Jackson: Oh god, please no.

If Miles Bridges is still there, I think there will be a vocal Michigan State contingent that always complains that Detroit could’ve had him. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has star potential and I think people would’ve liked him. Other than that... I’m not sure. This is part of the reason why I was fine trading the pick - I don’t LOVE many players I see in the 12-16 range of this draft; the Kevin Knoxes, Zaire Smiths, and Troy Browns of the world.

David Fernandez: Not very high on Kevin Knox, who I see at that No. 12 spot on a TON of different sites, but if Collin Sexton falls, I could see DBB Nation pulling their collective hair out once he suits up in the league.

Steve Hinson: I’m hoping Miles Bridges lands in Denver, I think that’ll be a great fit for him. But he looks like he’ll last past 12, should be one of the best values in the draft, and has the MSU connection. I think he’s very NBA ready and should have a solid rookie season. Even though he’s not particularly coveted by Pistons fans now, that won’t stop the lamentations from getting pretty obnoxious six months from now.

Jordan Bellant: No one really sticks out. My hot take about this draft is that I don’t think it’s very good. I see shades of the 2013 NBA Draft. That being said, I think Troy Brown and Robert Williams are really interesting prospects that should be available at #12.

(* This back and forth ensued after David’s mention of Diallo:

Laz: I 100 percent knew David was going to bring up Hami Diallo even though he has big blinking lights that say “DO NOT DRAFT”

David: IT’S THE 42ND PICK, THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN TAKE A SWING!

Ben: *whispers

I also brought up Diallo

Laz: Yeah as one of like eight other names

Ben: I haven’t done any draft prep so I panicked and started throwing out names don’t judge me.)

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What do you all think? Get your predictions in and time stamped so you can be cheered or jeered...we might just follow this up with a post draft grading session :)

1. What’s your top 5 Mock Draft order if all goes according to plan? Top 5 if things go nuts?

2. Who’s your guy at #42 in the “looks like he should be there” category and who is your “fingers-crossed-hope-he-falls” pick?

3. Who is the player potentially picked at our former #12 that you see being most complained about in future DBB Comment Threads as another nail in the coffin of the Blake Griffin trade?