The NBA Draft Lottery was last night and this Pistons didn’t have quite the luck they were hoping for dropping from #7 to #8 in next months draft.
However, that doesn’t mean the Pistons aren’t going to get a good young player to come in and help the team next season. Remember at the 7 spot last season the Pistons were able to get Greg Monroe who went on to have an excellent season with the team.
With that said here are 8 players the Pistons could take next month…
Bismack Biyombo – PF – Spain
6-9, 240lbs.
Positives:
Biyombo possesses good size and length for a power forward. He is very explosive in the paint and has good timing on his shot blocking.
Negatives:
Despite the positives on the defensive side of the ball, he offensive game is very raw. With that said he is below average at the line and turns the ball over a lot. There is also some speculation on how old he actually is. It is assumed he turns 19 in August.
Enes Kater – C/PF – Stoneridge Prep (Switzerland)
6-10, 250lbs.
Positives:
Kater is good at using leverage and not afraid to make contact down low. He has good hands for a big man and has expanded his offensive game.
Negatives:
Kater is not an elite athlete and does not have top-notch leaping ability. He possesses an inconsistent mid-range jumper and does not have the out of this world potential.
Jan Vesely – PF – Czech Republic
6-11, 240lbs.
Positives:
Vesely is a good athlete that has a good finisher at the rim. He runs the floor well, possesses a good motor and a decent ball handler for a big man.
Negatives:
Vesely needs to add strength to be successful at the NBA level. He lacks a great back to the basket game which could be remedied by seasoning.
Jonas Valaniunas – PF – Lithuania
6-10, 230lbs.
Postives:
Valanciunas is a very talented big man with a big wing span. He makes a living around the basket and because of this he is a solid rebounder and shot blocker. He runs the floor well for a big man, has a high basketball I.Q. and good motor.
Negatives:
At 6-10 and 230 he does lack strength. He also needs to improve his perimeter game.
Tristan Thompson – PF – Texas
6-8, 225lbs.
Positives:
Thompson is a very athletic forward with an excellent motor. He is a very versatile scorer and good shot blocker. Thompson is also awesome n the offensive boards.
Negatives:
Unfortunately for Thompson he isn’t dominant at any one thing. He is a bit undersized and still trying to develop his perimeter game.
Donatas Montiejunas – PF – Lithuania
7-0, 220lbs.
Positives:
Montiejunas is an athletic big man and an aggressive scorer. He has a nice frame and runs the floor very well. With that said he has a high basketball I.Q. and is a good shooter especially from mid-range.
Negatives:
Like a lot of young players coming to the NBA he needs to add strength. He lacks a lot of experience and needs to improve his consistency on the long-range perimeter shot.
Kawhi Leonard – SF – San Diego State University
6-7, 225lbs.
Positives:
Leonard is a hybrid forward with good length and a lot of energy. He spends a lot of time in the perimeter and has the ability to go down low.
Negatives:
For Leonard there isn’t one aspect of his offensive game that stands out. Because of his size and frame he will probably be a perimeter player exclusively in the NBA. Leonard also isn’t very disciplined on the defensive side of the ball.
Kemba Walker – PG – UConn
6-1, 172lbs.
Positives:
Walker is an excellent athlete that has speed and exclusiveness. He gets to the rim well and is able to find his teammates off penetration. He possesses a huge heart and is extremely clutch.
Negatives:
Walker is undersized at his position. He also has the tendency to score first and pass second which isn’t ideal for a point guard.
Here are the No. 8 picks from each of the past 10 drafts:
2010: Al Farouq-Aminu
2009: Jordan Hill
2008: Joe Alexander
2007: Brandan Wright
2006: Rudy Gay
2005: Channing Frye
2004: Rafael Araujo
2003: T.J. Ford
2002: Chris Wilcox
2001: DeSagana Diop
Source: ESPN.com, Mlive.com, NBADraft.com, DraftExress.com
