The Official 2015 NBA Draft Thread II

[jfuchs91]

This will be a lengthy post, but I want to project the future of the Pistons as it pertains to this specific draft. I'm not a Pistons fan per se, but think the organization has great promise going forward. Tom Gores is surrounding himself with great basketball minds and the team is building a winning infrastructure. Combine that with a promising young core, and I think the Pistons can build something special.

In my opinion, it'd be foolish to trade the eighth pick unless Detroit gets a haul they couldn't refuse. With a weak Eastern Conference, the Pistons are hoping to make the playoffs this year. Given the expected development of the young roster, the weak East, and glimpses of how the team played last year, that's a very attainable goal. However, the endgame is ultimately to build a contender that will compete for titles perennially. The Pistons could make the playoffs next year, sure, but they are still a couple years away from making some serious noise, and they shouldn't sacrifice their bright future with a "win now" mentality; that's how teams stay mediocre.

Personally, I think the Pistons have one of the brightest young cores in the league. Detroit is building around two players - Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson - and hoping that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can turn into a starting caliber 3&D guy. To build a long-term contender, the Pistons will likely build around Drummond and Jackson, with some considerations for KCP's contributions.

Andre Drummond is a potential mega-star. He's so young and possesses physical tools that few players in the league ever have. He's arguably the most physically dominant player in the league when you combine his massive physique with his elite athleticism. Fans may bellyache about his poor free throw shooting or defensive inconsistencies, but from a scouting perspective, it's clear that Drummond is an elite talent and clearly should have been the #2 pick in the 2012 draft behind Davis. He's a franchise player and someone who's going to be a nightmare for opponents in a few years. Those saying he's just a DeAndre Jordan clone are off-base; he's more in the mold of a prime Dwight Howard, but Drummond is bigger, a better athlete, and has a better attitude. Working with Howard's old coach, SVG, Drummond can become one of the very best and most dominant players in the league. Fans may get impatient easily, but the wait will pay dividends in a big way. There's too much talent here.

Reggie Jackson has shown he can play at an all-star level. His numbers down the stretch last season were eye-popping, and if he can ever become consistent with his outside shot, he can become one of the best lead guards in the league. Where Jackson really excels is at getting into the lane and creating for his teammates. He's got great size and length to go with incredible quickness. He seems like he'll blossom under the tutelage of Van Gundy, who is known to run a PG-friendly system.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope needs to show he can become more consistent, but what I like about his game is his commitment to defense. He's a strong perimeter defender, and while he's shown some promise with his shot, has been a disappointment in that area. However, it's important to remain patient with young players. He'll never be a star, but 3&D guys are becoming a growing commodity in the league, and that's exactly what KCP is on track to become.

Jodie Meeks and Spencer Dinwiddie are the only other players under contract past this season, and besides maybe Quincy Miller, the rest of the roster doesn't really play into Detroit's long-term plans.

Fortunately for the Pistons, this year's draft is deep with wings and power forwards of all varieties. This will leave the Pistons with the luxury of not only selecting the best player available, but also likely someone who will be a superb fit with their current roster composition.

In all likelihood, the Pistons will select one of the following players with their first pick: Kristaps Porzingis, Justise Winslow, Mario Hezonja, Stanley Johnson, Willie Cauley-Stein, Devin Booker, Myles Turner, or Frank Kaminsky. I'll touch on each prospect about how I think they'd fit with Detroit in their long-term plans:

Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis is the man of mystery in this year's draft. To many, Porzingis appears to be a boom-or-bust pick, and I can understand the hesitation of Pistons fans to draft a European big with a lottery pick.

However, from a sheer fit perspective, there may not be a better pick in the draft for Detroit. Porzingis is known for his versatile, high-level shooting (spot up, off screens, etc.), but his projected weakness is being physically overwhelmed in the paint. Both his strengths and weaknesses actually fit into Detroit's offensive philosophy and personnel.

Van Gundy loves to spead the floor on offense, and Porzingis provides spacing at the 4 spot. Any team would love spacing like that, but especially the Pistons. A less crowded paint means fewer people to battle Drummond on the boards, and Drummond is one of the best offensive rebounders the game has ever seen. At the same time, I can imagine Jackson running pick and rolls with Drummond (easy lobs or open rim for Jackson) or pick and pops with Porzingis. Offensively, Porzingis could develop into a lethal fit.

Porzingis has some work to do on his body, but some of his rebounding concerns are offset by Drummond's dominance in that area. Despite his lack of strentch, Porzingis has great lateral quickness for his size and can also provide some shot-blocking. It's still to be seen how well Porzingis can guard the 4s of today's game, but if nothing else his height and length will cause some problems.

Porzingis would be a long-term play, but he's arguably the best fit for the Pistons.

Justise Winslow
Winslow would be a great pick for the Pistons. He already possesses an NBA body, and if nothing else, can provide defense right out of the gates. Detroit has desperately lacked a SF in recent years, and Winslow can fill that hole.

While I still have some questions about his shot, he's simplified his technique in his one year at Duke, and showed some promise in terms of his long-range shooting. It's also worth noting that Winslow is a very good athlete and a terror on the break. The Pistons are currently loaded with good, young athletes, and they could have a very exciting brand of ball with a Jackson/KCP/Winslow/Stretch 4/Drummond core.

Mario Hezonja
Now admittedly, I haven't seen much of Hezonja outside of highlight videos. However, a few things are clear: he is a very good athlete, he's got a feathery shooting stroke, and he's not lacking in confidence.

There are some concerns over his attitude, willingness to defend, and his offensive game outside of shooting. However, those are often common traits among young players. It's tough to get a feel for these Euro players with the lower exposure in the US, but from what his skillset is, he'd be a great fit for the Pistons. He brings great size on the wing with strong athleticism and shooting. Shooting and a small forward are major needs, and Hezonja fits both.

Something I find interesting about Hezonja is that he was formerly Arn Tellem's client. I wonder if this will have any impact on how the Pistons view him. Clearly Tellem will have a pretty good understanding of what kind of player he is.

Stanley Johnson
Early in the season, it looked like Johnson was playing his way into being a top 3 selection in the draft. However, as the season wore on, some of his deficiencies became clearer.

Johnson has a football player build to go along with good athleticism. Some question his height for the 3 position, but he's a big dude. His overall size is certainly adequate to play the SF. What I like about Johnson is that he plays hard. This is as much of a skill as anything; look at Draymond Green. Johnson is committed to playing defense, and he can bully his man on both sides of the floor. I'm a firm believer in defense and toughness winning games, and Johnson has the hard-hat mentality.

His biggest knock is his offensive arsenal, and specifically his shooting touch. He shot a respectable percentage at Arizona, but his mechanics are questionable and it's doubtful he has consistent touch from NBA range early in his career. Shooting is something that can be fixed, but it's also something that SVG values. Stanley Johnson would be a fine player for the Pistons, but he may not be the best option at the given time.

Willie Cauley-Stein
Cauley-Stein intrigues me for the Pistons. On the one hand, WCS' skillset largely mimics that of Drummond's, and in that sense he may be redundant. However, I'm interested to see how the two would play together. They would be two of most mobile and explosive bigs in the NBA, and their rim protection would be unbelievable.

On top of that, Cauley-Stein is heralded as a lockdown, versatile defender, and every team can use more defense. WCS with Drummond could own the paint on defense and the offensive glass.

The worry here, of course, is that Cauley-Stein doesn't project as much of an offensive player. His touch around the basket is suspect, and despite some recent videos, it's still unknown if he can ever develop a reliable in game jumper. If Cauley-Stein never developed much of an offensive game, Detroit's spacing would be pretty bad between he and Drummond.

The upside with WCS on the Pistons is very high, even if he's not necessarily the best "fit."

Devin Booker
In their latest mock draft, Sports Illustrated has the Pistons selecting Devin Booker with their top pick. Booker wouldn't be a bad selection for Detroit, though he is strictly a 2, and the Pistons already have both KCP and Meeks at the position.

Booker has one of the purest jumpers in the draft, but it's unclear what situations he can get his shot off. He showed at Kentucky he can be a good catch-and-shoot guy, but is he capable of creating his own shot? Does he have the footwork to hit shots coming off of screens? While his jump shot is appealing, especially to someone like SVG, it's unclear whether Booker is just strictly a catch-and-shoot offensive player, or something more. With the crowded roster at Kentucky, it was tough to get a clear picture of Booker's game. In that sense, I think there's a case that he can be a steal, or someone who may be overdrafted.

He showcased better athletic numbers than most expected, and that better-than-expected athleticism may raise his defensive ceiling. Ultimately, Booker is an intriguing pick, but like WCS, may not be the best fit for Detroit.

Myles Turner
Turner is a player who was highly touted out of high school, and declared for the draft after one ho-hum season in college. In some ways, that's similar to Drummond.

However, unlike Drummond, Turner isn't known for his elite athleticism. Instead, Turner stands near 7 feet tall and has an intriguing skill set. Turner has some range on his jump shot and is also a good rebounder and shot blocker. In my estimation, he's the perfect big for today's NBA.

Now, Turner does not come without caveats. He's young and raw. He is still learning defensive rotations and as a result gets caught looking on defense at times. Additionally he is a good athlete, but not a great one. He lacks explosion, but is still a good rebounder due to his wide frame and willingness to box out.

Turner may not produce right away, but in the right system and the right organization, he could blossom into a very good player. He may be a bit of a reach given where he's projected to be drafted, but Turner would be a great fit on the Pistons.

Frank Kaminsky
What to think of Frank the Tank? He had an incredibly impressive college career, and is the reigning college National Player of the Year. He's a 7 footer with range, passing ability, and good scoring instincts. He's someone who has skills that can contribute right away.

The problem is, who does he guard? Kaminsky lacks the strength to bang in the post against centers, but also lacks the mobility to guard the modern day 4s on the perimeter. He has short arms for his height and doesn't project as a great defender.

There's no doubt that Kaminsky has a polished offensive game, but how much of that will be diminished playing against superior size and athletes at the NBA level? If nothing else, Kaminsky would give the Pistons a stretch-4, which is something they value. He's a smart player and great passer for someone of his size. I do think he can be a double-digit scorer in the NBA, but the questions about his man-to-man defense may limit his upside.

[MotownMadness]

^^^Good post man

[c-dot]

IMO, Johnson is being overhyped based on his raw college stats and his weight. He's a tad short for a SF, only has average length and reach for a SF and isn't overly athletic. He's jumper is improved but his form is horrible and he doesn't project to be more than an average shooter at the next level. Despite Johnson's tremendous size level at the NCAA level, he couldn't finish at the hoop in college, so he is likely to struggle further in the NBA.

Johnson's performance in the tourney was an eye opener. He couldn't compete in games that really mattered. Thats what largely turned the tide for me. I think Johnson will be a solid, if unspectacular SF at the next level- we could certainly do worse, but I also believe we could do much better.

I honestly belive the same thing and have the same worries but I think Johnson can be a solid starter and give us at least Harrison Barnes type production but Booker and Hezonja aren't even better than KCP IMO . I really would prefer Anderson TBH, but I know we won't pick him.

[mercury]

jfuchs91, you get an "A" for effort brother... it take balls to analyze another team on their forum (considering we watch them everyday)... but there's not much to argue with here... looks like you're paying attention.

[zeebneeb]

Very nice write up, much appreciated! Alot of people on the outside don't know, and haven't seen drummond, and Reggie play. They only know what they have read. It is truly a special kind of chemistry that happened, and it happened quickly. It's ultra dynamic, and really awesome to see. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but it's very rare to see that kind of bond, between a pg, and center like that.

As for kcp, people, we need to slow down, and give the kid a chance. He had a great run of games before he got that thigh contusion, and he was really starting to come out of his shell, offensively. It takes time for players to find thier place, and groove. I really believe that he is starting to understand that he has the green light on offense, and when he goes for it, good things happen.

This is his third year, and it's his time, along with drummond, and jackson. If those three play up to expectations, then we could start role players at the sf, and center position.

With that said, they won't be playing with role players, and that's why I am so excited for the upcoming year. Full year under stan, and a full year of chemistry.

Gonna be fun.

[Blkbrd671]

Right now I'm still holding out hope that WCS goes somewhere in the first 7 picks.

Right now its looking like the top guys are Towns, Okafor, Porzingis, Winslow, Muiday, Russell, and Hezonja, no no real order. Hoping WCS gets picked by a team deciding they're desperate for a rip protector so we can get one of those guys (Hezonja being the most realistic, Winslow or Porzingis also being possibilities at least in theory).

If not, Kaminsky isn't a bad Plan B.

Watching Kamisnky highlights last night and he's probably the perfect candidate for "compliment piece" to dre. Legit 7 fter who can score in the high/low post and shoot the 3. Turner is slighty more athletic but i don't think as fundamentally sound. This draft is turning crazy. Payne's and booker in the top 5? ...........i wonder how much of this is writers projecting story lines based off of simple workouts and team needs vs execs actual talk

[Blkbrd671]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/ ... -chad-ford

Nick (UT)

Myles Turner is known as a nice rim protector/defender, though when I watch him, his feet are really slow and he can't move side to side. Should I be worried?

Chad Ford (1:27 PM)

He's been working on it. Talking to his trainer in Vegas, he never really was taught how to run. I know that sounds weird, but when you watch him, it rings true. I'm told he looks dramatically better. It was just about teaching technique and getting his legs a little stronger. He's doing a big workout on Friday in Vegas in front of a ton of NBA execs. I'll be there. We'll see. If he's fixed that, he's a very intriguing prospect. The first 9 or so guys in this draft are very talented. I really like the draft the closer we get to it.

Not sure if I buy it. Hard to say either way without seeing him move in a basketball situation. If it is true I would still tend to lean towards Turner being more foa center prospect but it would add some intrigue as a potential pick for Detroit (as if we need any more of that for this draft).

Turner isn't in play due to his lack of lateral quickness vs the way he runs. We will draft someone that can play with Dre on both ends of the court. Unfortunetly Turner defends the perimeter like moose

[coordinator0]

Turner isn't in play due to his lack of lateral quickness vs the way he runs. We will draft someone that can play with Dre on both ends of the court. Unfortunetly Turner defends the perimeter like moose

The point of the quote was Ford saying he's heard Turner looks like he is moving a lot better. Like I said I'm not going to buy it until I see it but there will probably be some video of his workout Friday so that might give us an indicator of whether it's true or not. Even if Turner is moving better I'm still not a particularly big fan of him but that might make the possibility of Detroit taking him a little bigger.

[Blkbrd671]

Turner isn't in play due to his lack of lateral quickness vs the way he runs. We will draft someone that can play with Dre on both ends of the court. Unfortunetly Turner defends the perimeter like moose

The point of the quote was Ford saying he's heard Turner looks like he is moving a lot better. Like I said I'm not going to buy it until I see it but there will probably be some video of his workout Friday so that might give us an indicator of whether it's true or not. Even if Turner is moving better I'm still not a particularly big fan of him but that might make the possibility of Detroit taking him a little bigger.

they changed his running technique which is completely different from defensive stance and lateral quickness. He's not "just slightly slow" on the permiter, he's slow. It would take a miracle for him to all of a sudden have that quickness based of change in technique.

[tmorgan]

This will be a lengthy post... {snipped}

Well done! Are you trying to do this for every team? That's quite an endeavor.

Detroit's future is definitely getting overshadowed by the tank job in Philly, the young talent in Utah, Milwaukee, and Minnesota, and the impending rebuilding coming to the Lakers and Knicks. There are certainly teams out there in better rebuilding situations as of today, but there are two reasons to be optimistic in Motown -- Drummond is fun as hell to watch, and Gores/SVG know what they're doing. We're going to be good again, no later than two years from now; the only question is how good? Just playoffs good, or real contender good? Hard to say yet.

[coordinator0]

they changed his running technique which is completely different from defensive stance and lateral quickness. He's not "just slightly slow" on the permiter, he's slow. It would take a miracle for him to all of a sudden have that quickness based of change in technique.

I know this and was saying it even when you were a fan of Detroit taking Turner a few weeks ago. That miracle of him all of a sudden looking faster seems to be what Ford was hinting at though with the "I'm told he looks dramatically better" quote. The question he was responding to was in reference to Turner's trouble moving laterally. All we can do is wait and see if it's all hype or there's any substance to the rumor. But like I said even if it's true I would still rather take just about anybody else ranked in the top 12 or so over Turner. Portis, Hollis-Jefferson, Oubre, and maybe even Looney or Lyles too.

[sc8581]

Simply judging by this finals series, which player do you guys think would make the biggest impact if placed on either of these teams right now?

I haven't thought too much about it but right off the bat I'm thinking WCS myself.

[coordinator0]

This will be a lengthy post, but I want to project the future of the Pistons as it pertains to this specific draft. I'm not a Pistons fan per se, but think the organization has great promise going forward. Tom Gores is surrounding himself with great basketball minds and the team is building a winning infrastructure. Combine that with a promising young core, and I think the Pistons can build something special.

...

Very nice write-up and effort. I think the group of prospects you have Detroit likely picking from is spot-on. Assuming they stay at eight I doubt any of the other guys seriously work their way into the conversation.

Simply judging by this finals series, which player do you guys think would make the biggest impact if placed on either of these teams right now?

I haven't thought too much about it but right off the bat I'm thinking WCS myself.

I would go with Okafor. Neither team has a guy like him on their roster and he would present a pretty tough matchup either way.

[Blkbrd671]

they changed his running technique which is completely different from defensive stance and lateral quickness. He's not "just slightly slow" on the permiter, he's slow. It would take a miracle for him to all of a sudden have that quickness based of change in technique.

I know this and was saying it even when you were a fan of Detroit taking Turner a few weeks ago. That miracle of him all of a sudden looking faster seems to be what Ford was hinting at though with the "I'm told he looks dramatically better" quote. The question he was responding to was in reference to Turner's trouble moving laterally. All we can do is wait and see if it's all hype or there's any substance to the rumor. But like I said even if it's true I would still rather take just about anybody else ranked in the top 12 or so over Turner. Portis, Hollis-Jefferson, Oubre, and maybe even Looney or Lyles too.

This draft is going to be so crazy, there's so much talent in and beyond the lottery

[joedumars1]

Towns for both probably, WCS for Cleveland would be good too, but not so much for GS, they need low post scoring, Towns can brings that.

[Pharaoh]

The Finals are teaching us that:

1 - defense is still the thing to hang your hat on

2 - having versatile bigs that can switch on the perimeter is awesome

WCS is probably my wish pick right now. Get him in the gym straight after the draft and work relentlessly on his jumper

Dre, WCS, FA, KCP, RJ...

[joedumars1]

The Finals are teaching us that:

1 - defense is still the thing to hang your hat on

2 - having versatile bigs that can switch on the perimeter is awesome

WCS is probably my wish pick right now. Get him in the gym straight after the draft and work relentlessly on his jumper

Dre, WCS, FA, KCP, RJ...

The Refs are actually letting them tho, they're playing some rough and tough looking D, ever since Delly got put in the lneup. Chauncey was comparing it to our 04 team, the style. Not sure they let them go like that every yr

[Pharaoh]

Even if it's the refs letting them play "tough" defense is still king.

You can't rely on jumpers - gotta have a multi-pronged attack anyway.

With Dre in the paint we'll get some easy buckets.

Need a PnP player (WCS could be that), at least 2 players to create off the bounce (RJ & who) & shooters...

IF KCP takes a big leap this coming season we could have a very good & very young team...

[zeebneeb]

The Finals are teaching us that:

1 - defense is still the thing to hang your hat on

2 - having versatile bigs that can switch on the perimeter is awesome

WCS is probably my wish pick right now. Get him in the gym straight after the draft and work relentlessly on his jumper

Dre, WCS, FA, KCP, RJ...

See, it took me awhile to come around, but just the thought of the defense coming out of wcs and Dre is awe inspiring.

It makes me salivate at the thought.

[King Bugs]

Simply judging by this finals series, which player do you guys think would make the biggest impact if placed on either of these teams right now?

I haven't thought too much about it but right off the bat I'm thinking WCS myself.

For Cleveland, probably Russell, for better ball handling alone. Those guards are making stupid turnovers.

For Golden State... That frontcourt needs someone that's an actual offensive threat. Steph and Klay are too easy to defend since no one from 3 to 5 is an actual threat to hurt Cleveland offensively. That could be a lot of players in this draft.