Remember that a few years ago the NBA changed the top of the lottery. The top 3 teams all have the same odds now. The only difference between us at #2 and Houston at #1 is they have an artificial stop so they can go no lower than #5…we have a stop at #6 and the #3 team has a stop at #7.
Summer league might actually be really fun to watch.
Bey-Hayes-Cade-Stew-Sekou
Also I’m interested to see a Hayes/Cade combo in the backcourt.
Future seems bright.
On a side note, Luka Garza is this years Darko.
Now that’s what I call irony. He would’ve looked good in a Michigan uniform.
I feel like they moved up quite a bit the Darko year? Am I crazy? Either way this is refreshing and exciting. Detroit Sports has been as dismal as its ever been in my life. All 4 teams.
They did, but that was from another team as a result of the Otis Thorpe trade
Ahh thank you! That was bugging me!
How do you figure? Garza will likely go 2nd round, not 2 overall.
NBA bust, doesn’t matter where he goes.
He can score. He’s going to be really, really hard to hide on defense though.
He’s kind of a poor man’s Frank Kaminsky.
Bust is dependent on expectations which effects draft position. 2nd rounders in the NBA can’t be busts, they are just guys that didn’t workout.
It would be like calling a 7th round pick in the NFL a bust. Nobody expects Garza to be a good pro so somebody will take a late flyer.
Why are folks talking about 2nd rd. picks in this thread?! The Pistons just landed the top overall pick and they will now have a young and exciting core group that looks like this:
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Killian Hayes…these two will really be combo guards.
SF Saddiq Bet…a legit player. There is real talent there.
PF Jerami Grant. This kid can also play.
C Isaiah Stewart and Mason Plumlee. Masin was also pretty good last season.
That is a legit core group. Josh Jackson is a fine depth wing player, Saben Lee and Cory Joseph can round out the guards as depth guys, Hamidou Diallo is a solid depth player/fringe starter the Pistons should be able to re-sign and then the Pistons have Sekou Doumbouya as a bench PF. Jahlil Okafor is a fine #3 center if they want to keep him.
There is a lot to like about that young core. Starting with 6’8" Cade Cunningham, a guy who can play point and take over offensive games. Killian looked better as a combo guard later in the season. Saddiq has legit game, Jerami is really good and then we have two solid centers. That is a club that is worth watching.
No crazy high-priced free agents needed now. Let the young guys grow together.
That would be something lol
Although I’m one of the few who believe drafting Darko was a blessing 
It basically forced us into dealing for Sheed in my opinion. And even if we went with Bosh, who knows if he would have made an immediate impact with that squad, or even meshed well.
Sheed was the spark that ignited the championship run. I’d trade the 2nd overall pick for that anyday.
Yeah… I remember that one time… at bandcamp… where the Pistons FO said they couldn’t spend on another big name FA because they were saving to resign Ben and Chauncey… 
First off, it’s because we have 3 of them and Troy will have hit on his first 5 straight draft picks (counting Cade), and second, it was because I joked about it since we already know who our 1st rounder is.
If you’re looking for immediate contributors Chris Duarte should be an excellent 3 and D guy on the wing. He’s 24 or otherwise he wouldn’t sniff the second round.
Filip Petrušev was Gonzaga’s best player in 2020 and is only 21. He’s not overly twitchy or long. Just a damn good, skilled Euro big.
I think both of those guys could help a good bit next year.
If you’re going upside maybe someone like Isaiah Todd makes it into round 2.
They are 2 years and one superstar free agent signing away from being right up there w Philly and Milwaukee. Nets to me will be a non factor in 2 years given Durants health, Hardens rule change issued and Kyries overrated game and mental illness issues. They better win it next year.
Pistons? They need Karl Anthony-Townes to push Beef Stew to the bench.
Townes Grant Bey Cunningham Hayes w JJ, Beef, Lee and a veteran Microwave like Clarkson or Lou Williams type guy could be a top 4 team in 3 years.
One of the guys that works for me is a big Milwaukee Bucks fan. I was telling him the other day that the Pistons would have a playoff roster right now if they would have kept some of the players they’ve traded.
Dinwiddle, Middleton, Rose, Griffin, Drummond, and whoever else combined with Jeremi Grant…we’d be competing!