The search for a new president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons continues, but the organization still has some important work to do in a week's time.
The 2024 NBA Draft Lottery and Combine begins Sunday in Chicago, and Detroit may be the center of attention in the Windy City. First, the Pistons are most likely to have the No. 1 pick for the fourth year in a row.
Moreover, the intrigue surrounding his soon-to-be-appointed team president is too big to ignore. Whoever the owners hire to fill the role of director of basketball operations will have the freedom to clean house, team officials said. The Athletic, that person has not yet been placed and is unlikely to change within the next week. As I mentioned before, I think recruitment will begin from mid-to-late May. General Manager Troy Weaver and his staff are continuing business as usual during this search, but they are doing so with the understanding that no one's future with the organization is guaranteed.
It is understood that Weaver will continue to conduct interviews with prospective clients until instructed otherwise.
Who is that prospect?
This draft class has been labeled as one of the worst in recent memory, as many executives and scouts do not believe there is true star power at the top. Opinions vary. Some clubs I've talked to don't think players selected early are worth the relatively high rookie salaries. Some clubs I spoke to suggested that a top-three pick in this draft would allow them to acquire a good player or maintain good trade value. Some executives view the No. 1 pick in this class the same as the No. 5 or 6 pick in a “normal” draft.
Perhaps more than any other class in recent memory, the top of the 2024 NBA Draft truly is “beauty in the eye of the beholder” — and no one sees anything other than a handful of “sevens.” right.
Either way, the Pistons have to do their homework in case they keep their top-five pick instead of trading it. So here are his seven prospects who I think will be serious contenders in the top five (although, of course, we don't know who the president of basketball operations will be). Oh, and Detroit also has his No. 53 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, so I'll briefly touch on some names to watch at the combine in that range.
Top 5 prospects
If Detroit gets the No. 1 pick
Alexander Sarr | 7-1 Big | 19 years old | Perth Wildcats
Although Sarr is not the unanimous No. 1 pick at this point, he appears to be the favorite. If his ping pong balls are good, I think he will definitely be a top prospect for the Pistons.
In my opinion, Sarr has the highest growth potential of any prospect in this class, and he has improved tremendously this season playing overseas. Defensively, Sarr has a chance to be special. He is good at defending in space for his size. He can fly all over the court and stay in front of smaller players. At the rim, Sarr is an intimidating presence because of his length. And even if he's not blocking shots, he's probably sabotaging them.
Offensively, there was some fun and interesting stuff from Sarr with the ball in his hands in both transition and half-court settings. Also, I believe he has shown enough touch to be a legitimate shooting threat at some point in his career.
But ultimately, Detroit will likely choose Sarr as a defensive piece. This team is in dire need of elite rim protection in the frontcourt, but are there any better prospects in this class who could check that box and develop into more than just a lob threat on offense? I don't know.
If Detroit chooses 2-3
Stephon Castle | 6-6 Wing | 19 Years Old | Connecticut
For a roster that needs more defense with wings and high-IQ players, Castle makes a lot of sense for Detroit in this range. Oh, he's already a winner.
Castle is a guard/wing hybrid whose IQ, size, defensive versatility, and tenacity are somewhat reminiscent of the Orlando Magic's Anthony Black. At the NBA level, I see him as more of a secondary ball handler than a lead guard, which would be a great fit for the Pistons with Cade Cunningham leading the offense. One of Detroit's biggest problems is the current lack of a wing-sized second playmaker with guard skills. Author Thompson will get there someday, but his handle isn't solid enough to be the lead ball handler for the majority of games yet. Castle could help fill that hole for Detroit.
Castle's shot is a concern, and it's unclear whether the Pistons can afford to force another young, unproven 3-point shooter into the rotation. If Detroit can rebuild the roster this summer through trades and free agency, Castle's fit could start to make more sense and be more patient with him as a shooter.
This team needs to get even better defensively, and that can only happen by acquiring players who take pride in that. Castle isn't a perfect fit, but I see him as an upside swing that could impact the game right away.
Cody Williams | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Colorado
This will be a sign of further improvement for me.
Williams is a big wing with long arms who will be a high-end role player, and I think he has the potential to be even more if he improves in his ability to create. Now, Williams can pressure the rim, pass and defend multiple positions. He finishes well with both hands and his length and size allow him to finish in groups. He's an efficient scorer, but he doesn't shoot a ton of three-balls, so despite his good shooting mechanics, there are some questions about how quickly his three-ball will translate to the NBA. is occurring.
Williams' defensive versatility is intriguing, as is his potential to become a point forward in the NBA with his smooth handling and passing. He's not very athletic, so that could cause problems early in his career, but given the length and IQ that Williams has, I think the Pistons would seriously consider him in this range. Enough to believe.
(Williams photo: Robert Goddin/USA TODAY Sports)
Donovan Clingan | 7-2 Center | 20 | Connecticut
Whoever becomes the new president will need to quickly determine not only whether Jalen Duren can transition into a rim protector early next season, but whether he's even part of the future at all.
If the answers to both of those questions are “no,” Clingan should be highly considered as a top-five pick for Detroit. He's probably the best interior defender in this draft right now, and he proved that during the Huskies' dominant run to another national championship. Clingan should be a top-tier drop coverage big man if he can stay healthy. He moves well for his size and is already more physical and bigger than most of the other top center prospects coming in recent drafts.
Given the shortcomings of this class, I would be very happy with a defensive-minded center who is low maintenance offensively but can pass and finish inside.
Matas Bouzelis | 6-9 wing | 19 years old | G League Ignite
Bouzelis is a strange player. That's because I see him as a late lottery candidate in most classes. I'm not in love with anyone in this class and the Ignite season was a mess so I can tell myself the positives about him as a top 5 pick.
He has great size and length for a wing, is athletic and doesn't need to impact the ball. If he's going to play alongside Cunningham, it's important that he can operate effectively in an off-ball role. Watching film, I like what I've seen of Bouzelis' defense off the ball, but I have questions about how he would hold the ball at the NBA level, especially early on.
Given the roster concerns mentioned above, I don't like Bouzelis' strength as a shooter as it pertains to Detroit. Bouzelis also needs to get stronger. It turns out that if he can do it sooner rather than later, it will help him solve his self-creative troubles.
If Detroit lands, pick 4th or 5th.
Dalton Knecht | Dalton Knecht 6-6 Wing | 23 years old | Tennessee
Knecht will never come close to being an NBA All-Star. It's also safe to say he'll be in the league for a long time. He exudes the vibe of a “high-end role player,” and the Pistons have very few of those players.
Knecht's upside isn't that high as I don't think he'll be a plus on-ball defender while in the NBA, but he doesn't have much on-ball defense and is better off-the-ball defenders like Tyler Herro or Kent. He'll be a bigger player than Beers Caldwell-Pope. Dribble creation? Sign up for this draft class.
Knecht is a bucket. A 3rd level scorer with a silky smooth jumper. He is an elite stationary marksman and his shooting from movement is very good. Around the rim, Knecht is a crafty finisher who uses his athleticism to his advantage. There's no question about Knecht's scoring impacting the NBA. He's also a good, willing ball mover.
Reid Shepard | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
I tend to gravitate toward high-IQ basketball players, and Shepard fits that idea.
He's a step ahead of most of the players he shares the floor with. He moves the ball and makes the right plays often. Shepard is also an elite shooter. Defensively, Shepard is very solid on the ball and pretty good away from it, but he can fall asleep at times.
Overall, Shepard is an interesting player, but one I would hesitate to put in the top three due to his lack of physical tools. He's short and lacks athleticism, so I'd really like to see him have more upside than a rotation player. To counter that, I'm inclined to bet on a smart player like Shepard breaking the ceiling as a prospect.
People to watch at #53
Outlook for the second round
If you're into the draft and are seriously interested in a player on the edge of this draft class, one that I personally enjoy scouting/watching is going to the combine but being a late pick. Here are some players who are expected to be. Perhaps they could be an option for Detroit at No. 53.
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- Coleman Hawkins, C/F, Illinois
- Tion Grant Foster, West, Grand Canyon
- KJ. Simpson, Colorado
- Ajay Mitchell, G, University of California, Santa Barbara
(Top photo of Alexandre Sarr: Colin Murty / AFP via Getty Images)
