My post on the Pistons board (they have a thread about tanking to keep their pick)
Bobcats fan here. I want your pick to lose protection and carry over to 2015 as a top-1 protected pick as I don't envision a draftee necessarily. Instead I look at the pick as more of an asset in general. I am greatly outnumbered on my board due to fans' perception of Drummond combined with some scarring from the Blazers tanking last year to keep their pick (they selected McCollum) and becoming a powerhouse team literally overnight.
I don't see any immediate help on your horizon.
The top-5 of this years draft may provide instant impact. Beyond that, these rookies need at least more than one year to develop and potentially help you improve. But will it be more than your competition? The teams ahead of the Pistons can stay ahead next year because they will be drafting comparable players in the 8-15 range. Not much separates those players in terms of talent. So while the Pistons could really stand to improve by developing a player like Tyler Ennis the next 2 or 3 years, other teams can also improve by drafting players like Gary Harris, Marcus Smart, Doug McDermott etc.
I look at other teams and see clearer paths to improvement. The Hawks get back Horford and they're the nearest playoff spot. The Bobcats could have nearly 20 M in cap space, a Blazers 1st anywhere from 21-24 and let's assume a significant trade asset in a top-1 protected Pistons pick. Kemba is also improving and Clifford has the allegiance of the team and players collectively buying into the team concept. The Nets have all kinds of money and talent (granted, old). The Knicks are due for a correction and being in a big market kind of puts pressure on them to make the right moves (thus the hiring of Phil Jackson). The Cavs have loads of talent and will draft near the Pistons (or win the 1st overall pick again).
So who are the Pistons most likely to catch above them? I don't see it.
I consider Jennings and J. Smith unmovable and I consider Monroe's value limited if he signs and offer sheet and becomes a rental.
Tank at will.
Furthermore, I don't like Gary Harris and consider Vonleh to overlap with Zeller. Gaining the pick next year with top-1 protection I feel improves its value and forces us to address SG with a legitimate fix, not a draftee.
We need to put on the full court press for Lance Stephenson. Keep in mind, we are one of the teams the Pistons will be gunning for to reach the playoffs. The Hawks are the only team I can see falling but as mentioned above, the Knicks and Cavs have just as much of a chance at improvement as the Pistons, if not a better one.
It has been written...