A week that once brought excitement and hope to Detroit Pistons fans now carries a different feeling: low-stakes curiosity.
For the first time in years, the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed can finally say it has escaped the NBA cellar.
Thanks to Trajan Langdon’s savvy deadline deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit enters draft night with the No. 21 pick, a selection that could hold value in a class loaded with first-round talent.
This year’s draft is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing
in recent memory, featuring elite prospects at the top and growing speculation that stars could be on the move.
So, for the fans who learned to love the draft during the lean years, don’t worry – we’ve still got you covered.
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
Washington will and should turn over every stone when it comes to making the right decision here – but all roads should lead back to Dybantsa. It’s hard not to get excited for everything he brings to the table as a prospect.
The freshman from BYU has the ready made talent to contribute immediately next season but also a ceiling that is as high as any. His 25.5 points per game led the nation and he does it in a variety of ways. He moves fluidly at 6’9 and uses his feet insanely well to get clean looks at the rim. The shot is OK right now but should improve quickly.
His frame will need to fill so he can be more physical at this level but the whole package is there. If the Wizards take Dybantsa, they’ll add him to an interesting roster filled with young talent and aging former all-stars (Trae Young, Anthony Davis). I’d be very interested to see how he fits alongside that group.
-Flores
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
There has not been a prospect more polarizing in quite some time. With a high school highlight tape that few can rival, Peterson came into his freshman season in the driver’s seat to go first overall. His alarmingly bizarre load management saga makes Dybantsa the safer pick at one, but there is no denying the overall talent here.
Peterson comes in with a case for the best shot making prospect since Kevin Durant and brings elite athleticism, coupled with flashes of great passing and defensive instincts. If questions about his character, competitiveness, and durability can be answered, then Utah gets the alpha scorer it needs to complete its rising young core.
-Sturm
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cam Boozer (Duke)
In one of the more loaded tops of the drafts we’ve seen in years, Boozer may have the highest floor. The question is whether the best version of him matches what you’d think of others at the top, and to me – it’s a no. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be a big part of winning teams.
A high level competitor at every level he’s played so far, he should come in and immediately make his team better in multiple ways. He’s not a physical specimen nor a freak athlete, but he just gets the job done on both ends.
Boozer brings in an old school style, often orchestrating the Duke offense with his back to the basket this season. A great passer, he’ll be able to quickly come in and make every shooter on the team a bit more comfortable.
The question will be how effective can Boozer be in the modern NBA with his style of play? He did not show much as an athlete or as someone who can find his own shot, but does Memphis just end up valuing the rest more? We’ll see.
-Flores
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)
Wilson is largely viewed as the last player in this draft with a realistic to good chance of being on multiple all-star teams. There is a lot to like starting with his measurables, as he has a legitimate argument as this draft’s best pure athlete at 6 ’10.
Wilson and North Carolina flamed out at the end of the year with injuries and a lack of team success, but there was a brief period in which there was real chatter about Wilson supplanting Boozer as the first big taken. He has shown enough glimpses of shot making ability and fluidity with the ball in his hands at his size to make GM’s salivate over what his ceiling could be. He also projects as a high-level rim protector with his length and leaping ability. There is a world where the freshman hits his ceiling and could be the best player in this class.
The problem is that Wilson possesses a distinctly lower floor than the other prospects in the top 4. He lacks a true skill that he can hang his hat on coming into the league, whereas Boozer (passing and post scoring), Dybantsa (dribble drive ability), and Peterson (shot making) all bring a real attribute that will translate from day one. Wilson got almost all of his points from rim running, transition, or posting up on the block in college. Post ups are a rarity in the NBA unless a player can prove it is an extraordinarily efficient play a la Jokic or Tobias Harris, so Wilson will need to show other ways to score early on. Additionally, he will likely need to add weight to his frame to play center full time, yet he does not currently shoot it well to be a consistent four man.
There will be questions of what the best lineup around him looks like. Simply put, Wilson is more of a blank canvas than many other prospects in this class. The Bulls will need to bet on their player development program to get the most out of him.
-Sturm
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
Wagler bursted onto the scene this season for Illinois to the surprise of everyone, maybe other than the man who recruited him, Brad Underwood. It’s rare these days to see a kid go from a 3-star high school recruit to consensus top-10 draft pick, but Wagler proved he was built for it every step of the way this season.
The freshman averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season and was the catalyst to their Final Four run. Another guy who doesn’t pop off the screen with his athleticism or frame, Wagler plays a methodical style that works so well because of his high level shot making ability. At 6’5, he can shoot over defenders but is also crafty enough to get to the rim without having blistering quickness.
His archetype will remind the Clippers of another tall, slender guard that they drafted and traded too soon in a package for Paul George in 2019. Not to say the expectations would match that of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coming in, but you’d think LA would want another shot if Wagler proves to be cut from a similar cloth. He’ll need to add some meat to the bones if he wants to score with the same efficiency as in college, but at this point, it’s hard not to believe in the kid.
-Flores
6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr (Arkansas)
The Nets have drawn unfortunate lottery luck yet again, as they sit on the outside looking in at the chance to draft one of the consensus tier one players in this year’s class. After taking several players who were more projects in 2025, look for them to take a swing on a player who likely possesses the most star potential in the draft outside of the top four. Not to mention, his college coach has a track record of churning out all-star guards.
Acuff is as dazzling of a scoring lead guard as we’ve seen in years, as he took college basketball by storm with a series of video game-like offensive statlines. If it all breaks right for Acuff, he could legitimately be the primary creator on a winning team.
The 2 main knocks on the Detroit native are his size and defense. Can he get his spots consistently against NBA size and length? Will his defense improve to be at least serviceable on that end? If those answers are yes, then you are looking at a legit offensive engine for an NBA franchise. A comparison I like for his ceiling is Allen Iverson with three point range. If the answer is no to one or both, then he may end up at a range between a Trae Young chucker type, to heatcheck bench guy. For the Nets – who have been floundering for years in a post Kevin Durant era – Acuff represents the best shot at them bringing in a star in quite some time. At this point in the draft, it may be worth the risk.
-Sturm
7. Sacramento Kings: Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
Sacramento would be happy to pick up a dynamic scorer like Brown after falling in the lottery this year. The back issues that plagued the start and end of his freshman season – and dropped him on draft boards early on – seem to be behind him.
The 20-year old averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists for Louisville this season. He’s advanced on offense, using his size and savvy to dominate ball screen situations. He can get hot at any time too; dropping 45-points vs. NC State by 10 threes in the process in his last game of the year before shutting it down. He can be chaotic at times with the ball offensively, so he’ll need to clean up some of the decision making at the next level.
The Kings are in desperate need of a youthful spark in the backcourt (or anywhere really). Brown has serious upside and may end up being a steal after it’s all said and done.
-Flores
8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings (Houston)
Flemings is a guy who flies under the radar a little bit compared to Peterson, Acuff, and some of the other freshman guards in this class. When you watch him play, his game is not the flashiest and he is a tad undersized for today’s point guard. But the guy is just flat out efficient. He can get to his spots with relative ease, and fills it up at all three levels. He boasts an incredible assist to turnover ratio for a freshman playing in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. He was asked to have the ball in his hands a lot and often delivered for a national title contender. Flemings has the feel of one of those players who we may look back on in a few years and go “how did he fall all the way to 8?”
The Hawks would be elated to get someone like Flemings here due to the optionality he gives them both now and later. The team took off after it acquired CJ McCollum, as he fit perfectly with their roster as a primary scoring option and secondary facilitator. With Jalen Johnson and an army of defenders in tow, the Hawks need a guard who can make things happen with the ball in his hands, especially with McCollum about to hit free agency. Flemings could feasibly step into the McCollum role if they wanted to use his salary elsewhere. Or, if they kept both players on the roster, he could become a part of a formidable three guard rotation along with Nickiel Alexander-Walker. He possesses the ability to play alongside either due to his defensive abilities.
-Sturm
9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries (Arizona)
When the Mavericks landed the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg last year, it accelerated their rebuild and shifted the timeline of the franchise. With a suddenly youthful roster, Dallas should prioritize adding players who can contribute immediately.
Enter Burries.
Burries appears to have one of the narrower draft ranges in this class. His polished skill set and NBA-ready traits should allow him to make an impact right away, making it unlikely he slips out of the lottery. Wherever he lands, he will likely have an opportunity to earn minutes early.
This season, Burries averaged 16.1 points while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range, helping lead Arizona to the Final Four. At the combine, he measured 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and projects as a starting-caliber two-way guard at the next level.
Burries was easily the best shooter on an Arizona team that struggled from the perimeter. He also brings a tenacious defensive mindset that should translate quickly to the NBA.
His limitations as a creator are worth noting, but he may never be asked to run an offense. Instead, his value lies in his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. A high-level two-way role player, with the potential for more, should be the expectation.
-Flores
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Yaxel Lendenborg (Michigan)
Though Lendenborg’s teammate Aday Mara has been mocked here often, it would be difficult to see the logic there for the Bucks regardless of whether or not they have Giannis Antetokounmpo on the team. Mara is the best rim protecting prospect in this draft, but does little else to boost Milwaukee beyond that.
The case for pairing Lendenborg with Giannis is fairly easy. He can guard all five positions, and showed some ability to be a secondary playmaker during his last collegiate season. His median projection profiles as a guy who can be a jack-of-all-trades wing who impacts winning at a high level in multiple ways. His three point percentage has gone up every year, and he boasts good mechanics on his shot. He rarely turns the ball over and passes the ball well for his size and position. There are few holes in his game, and he would be able to step in from day one as a high level role player on a good team. Simply put, he has the ability to make the Greek Freak’s life easier.
Without Giannis, Lendenborg still represents one of the best upsides at this point in the lottery for a team that would be looking to pivot into rebuilding mode. Despite being an old man by NBA draft standards at 24, Lendenborg is unique in the fact that he has not been playing basketball for very long, and only played one year of high level competition. Each year, he has expanded his game which one could reasonably predict should continue to happen in the pros. Two years ago, Lendenborg was viewed primarily as a center, last year he was a point-forward on a national championship team. If the Bucks decided to hit the reset button, Yaxel could be an interesting player to see what you have with the opportunity for higher usage. At worst, he could become a valuable trade chip down the line if he becomes less of a star and more of a role player.
The only concern with Lendenborg are recurring questions regarding his maturity. His best fit would be in an established organization like the Heat or Warriors for that reason, so this would be a big bet on Milwaukee’s culture. It may be worth the risk at ten.
-Sturm
Bonus
21. Detroit Pistons: Cameron Carr (Baylor)
Trajan Langdon has his work cut out for him in what will be the most important offseason for Detroit in decades. You’d have to think if the roster construction is a puzzle, this year’s pick would be just a smaller piece of it. But if Detroit stays at No. 21 and can land an immediate contributor, it could change their short term fortunes as well.
There may be a slim chance Carr ends up falling this far after a strong combine performance and skillset that will be hard to pass on. Last season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points per game on 49.4/37.4/80.1 shooting splits. His combination of length, athleticism and shot making are traits all teams covet in today’s game – especially a Detroit team that lacked offensive firepower in the postseason.
-Flores
Double Bonus – Pistons Mock Trade
Detroit moves up 6 spots to grab Morez Johnson (Michigan)
Detroit Receives: Pick 16
Memphis receives: Pick 21, two future second round picks, Marcus Sasser
Morez Johnson continues to move up mock drafts, and looks less realistic for the Pistons to draft at 21. As for why Johnson would be a good fit in Detroit, read more here. By making this trade, it allows the team the chance to move up and nab the former Wolverine. This in turn, gives Detroit flexibility to use one of Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart in a trade later this summer. As rumors linking the team to Trey Murphy III, Kawhi Leonard and others heat up, the opportunity to use one of its bigs in a potential deal in order to preserve other assets would be a welcome sign for Detroit’s front office.
-Sturm
