Following some more terrible luck in the NBA Lottery, the Detroit Pistons will select No. 5. Here’s who ESPN’s first mock draft picks are. Despite having one of the highest odds for the No. 1 overall pick, the Pistons were once again unsuccessful in the NBA lottery.
In the 2024 NBA Lottery, the Detroit Pistons upset the odds by dropping to fifth overall. The conclusion was not ideal for a squad that had the league’s worst record during the 2023-24 season and is in desperate need of a top pick.
However, now that the Pistons know where they will be picking, they must capitalize on the opportunity. ESPN’s first mock draft after the NBA lottery had the Pistons picking Matas Buzelis from the G League. Here’s what they said about the pick.
“The Pistons are the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting team and have one of the league’s worst defenses, so they may be drawn to Buzelis’ combination of perimeter shooting, explosiveness, defensive versatility, and youth. He made 45% of his 3-pointers as a high school senior, but that percentage dropped considerably with G League Ignite. Buzelis appears to be a good match positionally with the rest of Detroit’s core, and he is the type of player who doesn’t require plays called for him but still has a lot of potential to develop. – Givony”
The Pistons’ long-term strategy must be to build the roster around Cade Cunningham. He had a really good season and appears to be an All-Star in the league. Matas Buzelis appears to be a good fit for the Pistons because he fills several needs.
Despite the importance of 3-point shooting in today’s game, the Pistons were one of the league’s worst teams at both hitting and defending it. That is a formula for disaster, and it needs to be handled.
Buzelis is a very enticing prospect in this year’s draft, standing 6’10” and capable of shooting from beyond the arc. While the Detroit Pistons are surely frustrated that they did not receive the top pick in the lottery and fell several spots, they still have a chance to choose an impact player in the top five.
