ESPN's NBARank Player Ratings (Pistons)

[Brapman]

We certainly shall see.

The Pistons have a chance to grow into an elite team. We could well become the best defensive team in the league, with the league's dominant C surrounded by super-talented F's in Monroe and Smith. We couldn/should own the paint and both boards. KCP could become a prototype SG, and a perfect fit for our team at both ends of the court - in fact, I expect that will happen over the next couple seasons. So that leaves PG.

If Jennings gets it - he's got high-end elite talent - we could become a complete and awesome young team, one that terrorizes the East for a lot of years if Joe makes the right trades, salary cap decisions etc.

So, I'm counting on Jennings seizing this opportunity, and under Cheeks and Billups tutelage, getting it big-time.

Again, we shall see. But it's pretty damn exciting to watch this.

[Snakebites]

Now that we know we have 3 players in the top 60, anyone want to take a guess as to where they will all rank?

[tmorgan]

Based on his picture on the main NBA page, Drummond is showing up in the 50's.

[Brapman]

Here's who's left: Horford, Millsap, Rondo, Deron Williams, B. Lopez, KG, Pierce, Al Jefferson, Rose, Noah, Deng, Irving, Dirk, Ty Lawson, Faried, Dre, Monroe, Smith, Curry, Iguodala, David Lee, Howard, Harden, Chandler Parsons, George, Hibbert, West, Paul, Griffin, Kobe, Gasol, M. Gasol, Conley, Z. Randolph, LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Sanders, Love, Rubio, Pekovic, A. Davis, Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson, Melo, Tyson Chandler, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Lillard, Aldridge, Batum, Cousins, Duncan, Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Gay, Wall.

58 players in the race for the top. Or the race for 3rd, I suppose behind LeBron and Durant.

[Brapman]

Here's who's left: Horford, Millsap, Rondo, Deron Williams, B. Lopez, KG, Pierce, Al Jefferson, Rose, Noah, Deng, Irving, Dirk, Ty Lawson, Faried, Dre, Monroe, Smith, Curry, Iguodala, David Lee, Howard, Harden, Chandler Parsons, George, Hibbert, West, Paul, Griffin, Kobe, Gasol, M. Gasol, Conley, Z. Randolph, LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Sanders, Love, Rubio, Pekovic, A. Davis, Jrue Holiday, Ryan Anderson, Melo, Tyson Chandler, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Lillard, Aldridge, Batum, Cousins, Duncan, Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Gay, Wall.

58 players in the race for the top. Or the race for 3rd, I suppose behind LeBron and Durant.

I'm thinking that the guys in color will be off the board soon. Not sure where our guys go, but perhaps soon also.

[Brapman]

Parsons, Batum and Anderson are off the boards now. Feeling pretty pleased with myself. Imagining you guys are starting to relate to me like some kind of god!

I'm hoping our guys go a lot deeper, but that's a list of a hellofa lot of good to great players, so I don't know.

[Brapman]

Down goes Gay! Down goes Gay!

#54 is next.

[Brapman]

Nuts, its Drummond!

[Snakebites]

We'll probably all think that Drummond is too low.

I certainly do.

But then, as fans of the team we're also more likely to project his long term potential onto this year than the ESPN brass is.

I sure as heck wouldn't trade Drummond for Nikola Vucevic, though. That's for sure.

[Brapman]

There are a few players on this list (of remaining guys) that I'd not trade Drummond for if I were looking solely at this season.

If I were projecting a guy for a franchise for the next 3 years, 5 years 10 years (take your pick), there are about 2 guys I'd trade Drummond for. He's going to own this league along with LeBron, Durant, maybe Wiggins.

[Snakebites]

Jefferson and Lee are both now ranked.

I'd be surprised if Monroe isn't within the next 10 based on that.

EDIT: And there he is at 42. Smoove is our best player?

[Brapman]

KG is at 41.

The one thing that bums me out a bit, is that Cousins is ranked higher. I wouldn't take Cousins on my team at all, and in no scenario on earth would I take him ahead of Monroe. I doubt any GM would.

I also bet Cousins won't still be in consideration for the U.S. National Team at the next cuts coming up early in 2014.

[Brapman]

Mostly, the list of players still available to come off the board are outstanding. I figured Smith and Monroe would get no lower than 30.

Again, aside from Cousins, a very strong case can be made for all the guys yet to be placed.

[Snakebites]

KG is at 41.

The one thing that bums me out a bit, is that Cousins is ranked higher. I wouldn't take Cousins on my team at all, and in no scenario on earth would I take him ahead of Monroe. I doubt any GM would.

I also bet Cousins won't still be in consideration for the U.S. National Team at the next cuts coming up early in 2014.

Yeah, that bothers me a little, too.

I'm not even sure Monroe is ranked too low. Cousins is just ranked too high.

[tmorgan]

We're all done with PIstons with Smith at #36.

[Snakebites]

4 in the top 70 but nobody in the top 30.

Other than Jennings being ranked so high that's fairly close to what I predicted. I also didn't think Smoove was our best player, but whatever.

[Brapman]

highly likely that Drummond will be top 20, possibly even top 10 next season. Monroe could easily move up too, as could Jennings with a solid season.