Pistons aren’t ready to win yet, take the best player and worry about big man next draft
5 Likes
Right now the 2023 draft isn’t flush with terrific bigs unless you’re talking Wembanyama and he’s the consensus #1 pick. If the Pistons got the #1 pick it would probably happen because something went absolutely terribly wrong. Even if the Pistons just spent some of their 30+ mil and never moved Grant they shouldn’t be in position for the number 1 pick.
Will say I forget how good Keegan is sometimes…
4 Likes
I thinking finding a center should be the least of their concerns and reaching for Duren with Ivey and Sharpe on the board would have me pretty irate.
I will also eat my shoe if Stewart is ever a 4 for anything other than a gimmick.
4 Likes
If they trade Grant for Portland’s #7, I wouldn’t mind going for Duren there.
3 Likes
Neither would I. I just can’t see Grant fetching that price, but who knows.
Really impressed with Keegan’s shooting. Worried that he needs a lot of second moves to score in the BIG10, but he’s got a lot of skill and great balance once he starts faking and pivoting. Still, I put him at 5 (over Sharpe). If he can be a 23 percent usage player, it’s hard to doubt that he will be very efficient, winning player. Could he be 2nd best player in conference finals? Maybe? Although he seems more like the third in a big three. Jalen Brown vibes?
Is grant worth that much?
If the Blazers are trying to get Dame help quickly, then adding Grant is better than drafting a guy who may take a while. If they’re in rebuild-mode, then it makes little sense.
Yeah that’s too much for Grant. BUT, the rumors were that Portland was going to trade NO’s pick for Grant, but they made the playoffs and it didn’t convey. So they were willing to trade a late lotto. Might be able to trade Grant + a little extra for 7.
I agree with you, I just think #7 overall is a really steep price for what Grant is.
1 Like
Grant’s one of those half-notch-below-all-star players. Kind of like Tayshaun was, though a lot less hesitant to put up a shot. He’s a plus-defender who can get you 20-25 points a night. However, he’s not a good rebounder, and is a so-so passer. Also a bit of a ball-stopper, though he got better at that in the 2nd half of last season.
I think he can still help the Pistons. I like him, and especially appreciate that he came to Detroit instead of taking the same money to remain in Denver.
It’s mostly his contract and him playing PF instead of SF that puts his future in Detroit in question.
2 Likes
I really don’t think he’s a guy you want TRYING to put up 20 a game. He was a very efficient 18% usage guy, and has been a below-average 26% usage guy.
2 Likes
The case for Duren:
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The road to the finals goes through Bam, Embid, Lopes and Robert Williams.
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Don’t have to pay Ayton the max. Let Duren take his lumps guarding those guys in the playoffs for a year or two, and then he’ll be ready. Keep your cap space for one this is obviously a team on the rise.
This might be a no-brainer if Portland actually goes for grant for the seven.
I mean does the road go through Bam, Lopez (who is eliminated), Embiid (who is eliminated), and Robert Williams or does it go through Butler, Giannis, and Tatum? If anything, Lopez and Williams are sort of demonstrative you don’t need a stud?
6 Likes
Nor do I think Duren will be a stud center. He will be the kind of player who is elite at a role player level.
Let’s drop the “road goes through” terminology and be very specific, then. You need a big physical player to match up with those guys who also won’t get played off the floor in high pick and roll.
And, yes, two of those players are on teams that are out of the playoffs. They lost to the other two teams who have those players. And the two teams that were out absolutely dusted their first round opponents that did not have that kind of center. The teams that made it out of the first round had that kind of center.
I think all that says is that good teams have good players at every position. I wouldn’t describe Bam as a big physical Center anyway
3 Likes
Yeah the hallmark of Bam and Williams is their ability to play like a small ball lineup (they are the two centers who switch onto guards the most) without being small.
Lopez spent most of that Celtics series getting under 30 minutes because the Bucks couldn’t defend in a drop.
1 Like
If you want to reframe it then, I can deal with that. Good teams have good players at every position. Center is a position. Duren has all the physical attributes you’d want.
Nonetheless, scoreboard. You can draw a line between who has what at the 5 spot and who made it out of the first round of the eastern conference playoffs. Lopez in part makes up for it by being very nuanced in drop coverage and shooting 3s. But maybe you can next draw a line between who’s mobile at the position and who made it to the ECF. Both those lines would lead you back to Duren’s scouting report. If you’re talking about the 7th pick – not the 5th, where maybe Ivey or Murray or Sharpe are available – then Duren has to be in the conversation. Or maybe even the 5th pick. Those three wings all have more questions about their ability to play their position than Duren has about his.
@kturnup, you’re a hawks fan, right? Thoughts on Capela in this role?
I wasn’t really spelling on picking Duren, I just don’t think it’s good reasoning to pick him because the Bucks have Brook Lopez or Heat have Bam or whatever. You pick him if you think he’s the best player and since he’s so young I could theoretically get behind that but prob not at 5.
Capela is good. At his price he’s a great piece. We went to the ECF last year with him. I think our future Center is Okongwu tho