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and the highest we've picked was 7th... whats going on here??

I honestly don't care that much about our draft positioning. The only player I feel like we really missed on by not tanking is Anthony Davis.

In 2010: Monroe was a great pick, but we couldve had George- the best player from the draft class and he went 11th. While I love John Wall, Id rather have Monroe than Turner/Favors.

In 2011: Knight was just a solid pick, but again, we could've had Kawhi Leonard who went 13th? Irving wouldve been great, but we were better off with Knight than Williams/ Kanter

In 2012: Davis would've been a game changer but we still got a top 3 player from the draft in Drummond at #9. Certainly most would rather have Drummond than MKG and Beal.

In 2013: KCP has been solid and I don't think Bennett/Oladipo/Porter have looked better or have more upside than KCP

In 2014: Losing the pick sucks but I'm glad we lost in 2014 than if we had to give it up this year. Either Wiggins or Parker wouldve been a dream come true but losing the pick isn't devastating.

At the end of the day unless there is a guy with sure fire superstar potential such as Anthony Davis in the draft theres no reason to tank because great players can be found later in the lottery. We've done well in the draft TBH, certainly better than some other teams that have had high draft picks but nothing to show for it.

DCintheD wrote:and the highest we've picked was 7th... whats going on here??

We never committed to a plan. Joe kept vets he should have dealt at the deadline and made flashy signings in the summer over addressing team needs. We were never among the teams who shamelessly committed to tanking and our coaches knew they were just keeping the seat warm for the next guy so they worried about padding their resumes with as many wins as possible. We went through an ownership change that locked up roster moves while it was in process and then had a new owner who wanted playoff revenue.


It's been the same story every year. Fall out of it late in the season but keep running out our best guys every night, which results in picking up late victories against teams shamelessly tanking or resting starters for the playoffs.

princeofpalace wrote:
In 2013: KCP has been solid and I don't think Bennett/Oladipo/Porter have looked better or have more upside than KCP

I know you are trying to prove a point and I largely agree with it, but you are crazy if you don't think Oladipo hasn't both looked better or possesses more upside than KCP.

The Penguin wrote:

princeofpalace wrote:
In 2013: KCP has been solid and I don't think Bennett/Oladipo/Porter have looked better or have more upside than KCP

I know you are trying to prove a point and I largely agree with it, but you are crazy if you don't think Oladipo hasn't both looked better or possesses more upside than KCP.

Yeah I thought the same thing. I'd say they possess similar upside but Oladipo looks better so far.

Even if you do think that Oladipo has much higher upside than KCP, my point still stands IMO. Pistons have done very well for themselves in the 7-9 range.

The really sad part about looking over those drafts is that most of the lottery teams are still lottery teams. Multiple years of lottery picks just isn't a good rebuilding plan. You basically have to luck into a superstar or you are likely to stay in lottery limbo for years. Sure Oladipo is looking better than KCP, but Orlando as a whole is in horrible shape. They have only won 22 games this year and might even come back less talented next year.

The pistons problem wasn't that we didn't have good enough draft picks. We had a franchise center fall right into out laps. The problem is that we squandered all our other chances to build with either bad trades or bad signings.

I wouldn't go with "much higher upside," but clearly Oladipo has looked better. Both defend hard and Oladipo has been the better scorer. KCP might do better on a more balanced team, and there appears to be some recent evidence to support this. However, I agree that the Pistons have done well for their draft position. It's a new regime, and we can only see where SVG's leadership takes us. A little ironic that the lowest of these picks looks to be the monster in the making. Not greatly so, as at the time of the draft opinion on Drummond ranged from "next big thing" to "weak minded head case."

princeofpalace wrote:I honestly don't care that much about our draft positioning. The only player I feel like we really missed on by not tanking is Anthony Davis.

In 2010: Monroe was a great pick, but we couldve had George- the best player from the draft class and he went 11th. While I love John Wall, Id rather have Monroe than Turner/Favors.

In 2011: Knight was just a solid pick, but again, we could've had Kawhi Leonard who went 13th? Irving wouldve been great, but we were better off with Knight than Williams/ Kanter

In 2012: Davis would've been a game changer but we still got a top 3 player from the draft in Drummond at #9. Certainly most would rather have Drummond than MKG and Beal.

In 2013: KCP has been solid and I don't think Bennett/Oladipo/Porter have looked better or have more upside than KCP

In 2014: Losing the pick sucks but I'm glad we lost in 2014 than if we had to give it up this year. Either Wiggins or Parker wouldve been a dream come true but losing the pick isn't devastating.

At the end of the day unless there is a guy with sure fire superstar potential such as Anthony Davis in the draft theres no reason to tank because great players can be found later in the lottery. We've done well in the draft TBH, certainly better than some other teams that have had high draft picks but nothing to show for it.

Oladipo was my consesus #1 in that draft. We coudl've had the Greak Freak too, he is going to be a star, he is everything you want in a SF too, but I really like KCP too

princeofpalace wrote:In 2010: Monroe was a great pick, but we couldve had George- the best player from the draft class and he went 11th. While I love John Wall, Id rather have Monroe than Turner/Favors.

In 2013: KCP has been solid and I don't think Bennett/Oladipo/Porter have looked better or have more upside than KCP

2010 also had Cousins and whether you like him or not he is a damn good player. Just as I did back then... I still would much prefer Favors to Moose. Much better PF defender and has developed a decent mid range game/jumpshot that Moose is still lacking.

2013 My 3 guys I liked... Oladipo, McCollum, Alphabet - Only McCollum has yet to show much but he was sidelined for his 1st season and is stuck behind Lillard. KCP has shown a lot though so I still have hope he becomes consistent.

Never wanted Knight FTM and was surprised Kawhi dropped like he did... ah well.

Drummond... I was all aboard and then some and was ecstatic that he fell to 9. So many salty Raps fans these days with the Jonas/Ross v Dre hyperbole lol.

I do agree with your premise though... there are always good players to be had as long as scouting does it's job properly.

Here is hoping we finally get lucky and land that top pick... would love KAT next to Dre up front. Winslow would also be awesome to add as would a couple others.

fingers crossed

Just like Oubre might be a great pick in the 8-10 range this year...

And Monroe is going to walk, and we'll probably trade Jennings(Knight) for pennies on the dollar to make this Jackson's team.

Kilo wrote:And Monroe is going to walk, and we'll probably trade Jennings(Knight) for pennies on the dollar to make this Jackson's team.

Hahahah true but still we have done well in the draft, where we have failed is via trades and free agency.

^And we are sorta screwed by the skyrocketing cap just when we have big cap space to make a free agency splash. Because if there was no cap skyrocketing, we could make a strong play for a top RFA and put their current team in tax hell if they matched, but with the cap jumping to $90M+ in 2016, teams with RFA's can match anything knowing that it would be one year of tax pain before being back under the threshold.

six straight trips to the Conf finals followed by six straight to the lottery.

BadMofoPimp wrote:six straight trips to the Conf finals followed by six straight to the lottery.

I miss those old days and that team.Who would of thought back when we won the champioship,we would be here and have gone thru all that.

the point I was trying to make is we're the most deserving of a top 3 pick, especially because we don't lose on purpose.

Yes, I'm implying the lotto is rigged and its time we get rewarded

DCintheD wrote:the point I was trying to make is we're the most deserving of a top 3 pick, especially because we don't lose on purpose.

Yes, I'm implying the lotto is rigged and its time we get rewarded

Point we are making is the Lotto is rigged and there is no Chance the Pistons will get a top 3 pick.

BadMofoPimp wrote:

DCintheD wrote:the point I was trying to make is we're the most deserving of a top 3 pick, especially because we don't lose on purpose.

Yes, I'm implying the lotto is rigged and its time we get rewarded

Point we are making is the Lotto is rigged and there is no Chance the Pistons will get a top 3 pick.

In my mind last year confirmed two things:

1) The lotto is rigged

2) We aren't a team the league wants to pick itself back up



Last year would have been the perfect year for karma/the league to reward us. We did not blatantly tank. We finally moved on from Joe. Wiggins & Parker perfectly fit what we needed and could pair with Drummond to give us two long term building blocks. We were a player of their level away from breaking the cycle and being a legitimate playoff contender this year.

Instead Cleveland bounced us out of our pick and made sure to provide enough firepower to lure Lebron back home.


Look back at the lottery again-

2010 - We finish tied with Philly, their set of balls bumps them from 6 to 2

2011 - We finish between New Jersey & the Clippers - The Clippers (aka Cavs) jump up to 1 (with 2.8% odds), the Nets jump up to 3

2012 - No team beat crazy odds, but the HorPellienets landed the most hyped superstar since Lebron when they had a "For Sale" sign sitting on the franchise.

2013 - We finish tied with the Wizards, win a coin flip to move the slot above them, their set of balls moves them to pick 3

2014 - Cleveland beats 1.7% odds to knock us out of our pick and move to #1.

Billl wrote:The really sad part about looking over those drafts is that most of the lottery teams are still lottery teams. Multiple years of lottery picks just isn't a good rebuilding plan. You basically have to luck into a superstar or you are likely to stay in lottery limbo for years. Sure Oladipo is looking better than KCP, but Orlando as a whole is in horrible shape. They have only won 22 games this year and might even come back less talented next year.

The pistons problem wasn't that we didn't have good enough draft picks. We had a franchise center fall right into out laps. The problem is that we squandered all our other chances to build with either bad trades or bad signings.

This is my biggest problem with the 76ers approach. You've got teams picking in the lottery every single year for years unable to make a team capable of competing for one of eight playoff spots in their conference while trying to win games. You are going to actively try to make your team incapable of winning games and it's supposed to be brilliant? Because you are stockpiling 2nd round picks?

They are trying to get rich by playing scratchoff tickets, every time they win $100 on one they just trade it for more tickets and they are supposed to be changing the game because they are giving handjobs behind the store for quarters to buy more tickets?