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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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  3.  <title>Detroit Bad Boys -  All Posts</title>
  4.  <subtitle>A community of Detroit Pistons fans since 2005</subtitle>
  5.  <icon>https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48119/detroitbadboys-fave.png</icon>
  6.  <updated>2024-05-01T10:18:00-04:00</updated>
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  9.  <entry>
  10.    <published>2024-05-01T10:18:00-04:00</published>
  11.    <updated>2024-05-01T10:18:00-04:00</updated>
  12.    <title>Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast</title>
  13.    <content type="html">  
  14.  
  15.    &lt;figure&gt;
  16.      &lt;img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-i44Pl0k2EUId7VSehRLKed1cmY=/150x0:1770x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73320012/Pindown_Article_Cover.0.jpg" /&gt;
  17.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  18.  
  19.  &lt;p&gt;Join us live Thursday at 6 p.m. ET to join the conversation.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="2YI5sP"&gt;It’s mailbag time. &lt;/p&gt;
  20. &lt;p id="tn9YNJ"&gt;Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Podcast. Please submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/therealwesd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@TheRealWesD3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and/or &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/blakesilverman"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@blakesilverman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;p id="9lSbOk"&gt;Join Wes and Blake on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET where we’ll discuss the past week of Pistons basketball. Send in any questions you have to hear answered on the show. Of all the names associated with the Pistons’ lead executive role, who’s the best fit? Which 2024 &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft"&gt;NBA Draft&lt;/a&gt; prospect is the best fit for the current roster? Which trade target is the most gettable this offseason?&lt;/p&gt;
  22. &lt;p id="IfAGYp"&gt;The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms Friday morning.&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;h2 id="yQN4p2"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  24. &lt;p id="hNWBTA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When: &lt;/strong&gt;Thursday May 2 at 6 p.m. ET&lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p id="xGTS0X"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I61Od8cuYyw"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p id="8zj1ZK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to submit questions:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  27. &lt;ul&gt;
  28. &lt;li id="xjtcQU"&gt;Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.&lt;/li&gt;
  29. &lt;li id="BWKcci"&gt;Twitter: &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@detroitbadboys&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/blakesilverman"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@blakesilverman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/therealwesd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@therealwesd3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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  32. &lt;/li&gt;
  33. &lt;/ul&gt;
  34. &lt;p id="0PIeXl"&gt;As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.&lt;/p&gt;
  35. &lt;p id="g5qgpc"&gt;Listen to the show’s recording Friday morning wherever you listen to your podcasts.&lt;/p&gt;
  36. &lt;ul&gt;
  37. &lt;li id="6OtJrK"&gt;&lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pindown-a-detroit-pistons-podcast/id1542163027"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  38. &lt;li id="zHHlfr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/78T3xbrlmUQsNdQkLQp97d"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spotify&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  39. &lt;/ul&gt;
  40. &lt;h2 id="YEs2kE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Last Week’s Show:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  41. &lt;div id="NHyvxB"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/egXjcO3pwtc?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  42.  
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  45.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/5/1/24146267/questions-pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast</id>
  46.    <author>
  47.      <name>Blake Silverman</name>
  48.    </author>
  49.  </entry>
  50.  <entry>
  51.    <published>2024-04-30T16:40:35-04:00</published>
  52.    <updated>2024-04-30T16:40:35-04:00</updated>
  53.    <title>Tim Connelly, Jon Horst, Dennis Lindsey on Detroit’s radar to take over basketball operations: report</title>
  54.    <content type="html">  
  55.  
  56.    &lt;figure&gt;
  57.      &lt;img alt="Oklahoma City Thunder v Denver Nuggets" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q2EbpFjXGyJYNrvXLDEJW_PmnaA=/0x0:4076x2717/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73318536/506051464.0.jpg" /&gt;
  58.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  59.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  60.  
  61.  &lt;p&gt;JJ Redick, whose former agent is Arn Tellem, also could be candidate for a front office role&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="Y8V1YS"&gt;The Detroit Pistons formally announced they would be hiring a president of basketball operations on April 15, but there have been scan updates since. Presumably, the team is working with its national search firm to identify an extensive list of candidates, and will eventually reach out to a select few for initial interviews. &lt;/p&gt;
  62. &lt;p id="L73GQF"&gt;Now, there are some more names emerging as potential front runners, with &lt;a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-nbas-annual-coaching-carousel"&gt;Marc Stein reporting&lt;/a&gt; that a couple folks whose teams are still in the playoffs are among those on the top of the list. &lt;/p&gt;
  63. &lt;p id="8u3cwz"&gt;Stein reports that the Pistons would “naturally have interest” in Minnesota’s Tim Connelly should Connelly exercise his opt-out clause amid ownership turmoil with the Timberwolves. Before the Wolves were among the title favorites this season, Connelly spent years building a title-contending and eventually title-winning team in Denver. &lt;/p&gt;
  64. &lt;p id="79yEsC"&gt;Connelly is currently in the second year of a five-year, $40-million deal. However, there is remaining and potentially increasing hostility between current owner Glen Taylor and former future owners Alex Rodriguez and Mar Lore after Taylor abruptly pulled the team off the market and said the aforementioned investors had not met their obligations to take a controlling stake in the franchise. &lt;/p&gt;
  65. &lt;p id="b8nVjO"&gt;I would imagine it would be unlikely Connelly would be eager to leave a team in Minnesota that is so young and so good already, but the ownership issues present challenges, to say the least. &lt;/p&gt;
  66. &lt;p id="Hi26Y8"&gt;Another candidate high on Detroit’s list is Milwaukee Bucks’ general manger Jon Horst. Horst is a Michigan native who got his start in the executive ranks with the Pistons in the early 2000s. &lt;/p&gt;
  67. &lt;p id="2XZeN7"&gt;I will note that Horst was the primary name that emerged as soon as rumblings began that Detroit was reshaping its front office. A &lt;a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/4/29/24144232/joel-embiid-philadelphia-76ers-milwaukee-bucks-nba-rumors"&gt;new report from The Ringer&lt;/a&gt; also indicates that “there’s a real possibility that Horst will take the gig in Detroit.” &lt;/p&gt;
  68. &lt;p id="ZIPlsm"&gt;Why leave the Bucks for the dregs of Detroit? There is the local angle, of course, but also, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connell reports, Horst’s influence has dwindled in recent years. &lt;/p&gt;
  69. &lt;p id="AbgRSJ"&gt;Horst appears to be losing power struggles with franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo over head coaching decisions and is facing the prospect of navigating an older, declining roster and a potentially unhappy franchise player. &lt;/p&gt;
  70. &lt;p id="y19agF"&gt;Another name on Detroit’s radar is Mavericks consultant Dennis Lindsey, Stein reports. Prior to Dallas, he spent nearly a decade as a GM of the Utah Jazz.  &lt;/p&gt;
  71. &lt;p id="is5pCK"&gt;Another name “to monitor” is former player and current professional podcaster and media star JJ Redick. This wouldn’t be for the head coaching position, though, and could instead be a position in the front office “in the event he has any interest in a move to basketball operations.” &lt;/p&gt;
  72. &lt;p id="OF0Nks"&gt;This is not an uncommon feeler that former players send out to organizations as they are looking to get a foothold into organizational leadership. I recall Chauncey Billups talked about a willingness to join a front office prior to becoming an assistant coach. &lt;/p&gt;
  73. &lt;p id="bEOiMF"&gt;It should be noted, and I can’t emphasize how annoying this fact is, that Redick’s former agent is current Pistons chairman Arn Tellem. &lt;/p&gt;
  74. &lt;p id="QrsKWV"&gt;So there you have that. &lt;/p&gt;
  75. &lt;p id="lpU3EK"&gt;All in all, this is a strong list of contenders for the potential president of basketball operations role for the Pistons. Connelly would be an A-plus hire, and Horst wouldn’t be too far behind, it seems. Lindsey performed admirably as a GM of a small-market team in Utah and built several contending teams. JJ Redick ... has a podcast! Seriously, though, he could be a good coach or executive, I have no idea. Brent Barry went from Turner broadcast mainstay to an executive in San Antonio and is now the GM of its G League affiliate. &lt;/p&gt;
  76. &lt;p id="Wm6TiO"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  77.  
  78. </content>
  79.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/30/24145767/detroit-pistons-rumors-president-tim-connelly-jon-horst-dennis-lindsey-jj-redick"/>
  80.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/30/24145767/detroit-pistons-rumors-president-tim-connelly-jon-horst-dennis-lindsey-jj-redick</id>
  81.    <author>
  82.      <name>Sean Corp</name>
  83.    </author>
  84.  </entry>
  85.  <entry>
  86.    <published>2024-04-29T14:34:38-04:00</published>
  87.    <updated>2024-04-29T14:34:38-04:00</updated>
  88.    <title>2024 NBA Draft: Second-round sleepers that fill needs for the Detroit Pistons</title>
  89.    <content type="html">  
  90.  
  91.    &lt;figure&gt;
  92.      &lt;img alt="NBL Rd 12 - Melbourne United v Perth Wildcats" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FxpKAh1RF3hc6tLOgNF_qKhfZ0I=/0x0:4774x3183/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73315817/1876752484.0.jpg" /&gt;
  93.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  94.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  95.  
  96.  &lt;p&gt;The Pistons’ top-five pick brings all the value, but they can still find a diamond in the rough toward the end of the draft to help address needs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="Ugc3OA"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com"&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/a&gt; have an important draft ahead of them. After securing the league’s worst record, only the NBA’s highest honor, Detroit guaranteed themselves a top-five pick. No matter how the draft lottery plays out, the Pistons get to add a top talent or explore trading the pick to improve their roster immediately.&lt;/p&gt;
  97. &lt;p id="ErO8SJ"&gt;With many needs to address, Detroit can also sift through second-round talent to bring in intriguing players at much lower stakes. The Pistons haven’t added much talent in the second round lately, though. They didn’t draft a player in the second round during either of the past two drafts, most recently adding Isaiah Livers and Luka Garza in the 2021 draft, neither of who are still with the team.&lt;/p&gt;
  98. &lt;p id="2L9fYI"&gt;Detroit’s most recent late-draft success came in 2018, when they drafted Bruce Brown at No. 42 overall, their only pick that year. Well, we can all cringe at how that one turned out. Brown contributed much higher than his draft position for two seasons before Detroit traded him to Brooklyn for a bag of chips and he eventually went on to play a crucial role in the Denver Nuggets’ championship run last season.&lt;/p&gt;
  99. &lt;p id="pOxMDe"&gt;But, the past is the past. The Pistons have an opportunity to pluck a player in the second round this June, even though they don’t control their own pick. Detroit’s own second rounder, No. 31 overall, is now with the &lt;a href="https://www.raptorshq.com"&gt;Toronto Raptors&lt;/a&gt;. The Pistons do have the &lt;a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com"&gt;New York Knicks&lt;/a&gt;’ second round pick, though, which is much later, back toward the end of the draft.&lt;/p&gt;
  100. &lt;p id="wu2Me6"&gt;So, let’s explore some prospects in that range who can help fill some of the many potholes the Pistons need to patch. To caveat, this is all very arbitrary at this point as teams treat their second round picks like spare lunch money.&lt;/p&gt;
  101. &lt;p id="lL7HsD"&gt;Players end up receiving draft promises and their agents influence teams on where their client would sign, or not sign, a deal. Plus, a number of players coming from the NCAA ranks maintain their collegiate eligibility, hoping to only test the waters and get feedback through the pre-draft process, which puts the final player pool up in the air at this stage of the game. And of course; trades. Oh-so many trades.&lt;/p&gt;
  102. &lt;p id="UpPfHo"&gt;Nevertheless, here are a few names who could intrigue the Pistons at the end of the draft, all who could help fill one glaring need or another.&lt;/p&gt;
  103. &lt;h2 id="lF71Fm"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Payton Sandfort - Wing, Iowa&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  104. &lt;p id="bzIX7m"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6’7” Junior (21)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;p id="4ZVt0A"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2023-24 Stats: &lt;/strong&gt;16.4 PTS, 6.6 REB, 2.7 AST&lt;/p&gt;
  106. &lt;p id="SR7hNW"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shooting Splits: &lt;/strong&gt;44.6 FG%, 37.9 3P%, 91.1 FT%&lt;/p&gt;
  107. &lt;p id="4ZWgPX"&gt;There’s no question about it, Sandfort will make his money at the next level as a shooter. He had next to a 50-40-90 year at Iowa while playing over 30 minutes per game and seeing a large shot diet. Plus, his elite free throw shooting provides optimism that the shot can only get better over time.&lt;/p&gt;
  108. &lt;p id="sCtFg2"&gt;He declared for the 2024 draft while maintaining college eligibility, so he may or may not be available on draft night depending how his pre-draft process plays out.&lt;/p&gt;
  109. &lt;p id="Eu9Vmp"&gt;In the NBA, Sandfort looks like a true catch-and-shoot threat that opens the floor. As a junior, 85.1% of his made threes were assisted, &lt;a href="https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2024&amp;amp;p=Payton%20Sandfort&amp;amp;t=Iowa"&gt;according to Bart Torvik&lt;/a&gt;. He works off-ball primarily and should thrive next to decent playmakers.&lt;/p&gt;
  110. &lt;p id="WqHlFR"&gt;While Sandfort will make a name for himself as a shooter, that’s not all he offers. He’s a solid finisher at the rim, connecting on 61.2% of his attempts near the basket last season. Although he’ll never be a primary playmaker, he’s shown the ability to make the right reads and take care of the ball once he sees a defense crash. &lt;/p&gt;
  111. &lt;p id="uIYWyq"&gt;He won’t shine defensively, but he’s a good enough defender to stay afloat on that end. But, he’s on the floor to shoot. As long as his defensive play doesn’t negate his shot-making ability, he’ll find a role.&lt;/p&gt;
  112. &lt;p id="0A90Wa"&gt;Sandfort fills a large need for the Pistons, especially if they don’t take a player known for their shooting at the top of the draft. Should Sandfort stay in the draft this year, his signature shooting could bring Detroit a diamond in the rough.&lt;/p&gt;
  113.  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  114.        &lt;img alt="Ohio State v Iowa" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nzG-sjDO2TvHUvLYJY0oPSdt8s4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25425377/1989694430.jpg"&gt;
  115.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  116.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  117. &lt;h2 id="TBzyah"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Jonathan Mogbo - Forward, San Francisco&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  118. &lt;p id="hffhel"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6’8” Junior (22)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  119. &lt;p id="3HYzUG"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2023-24 Stats: &lt;/strong&gt;14.2 PTS, 10.1 REB, 3.6 AST, 1.6 STL, 0.8 BLK&lt;/p&gt;
  120. &lt;p id="G8EFnt"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shooting Splits: &lt;/strong&gt;63.6 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 69.2 FT%&lt;/p&gt;
  121. &lt;p id="kFCrdQ"&gt;Now I’ll go to a player the exact opposite of Sandfort. Getting the elephant out of the room immediately, Mogbo doesn’t shoot threes. He shot just two this season and missed them both. The season before, when he was at Missouri State, he took none.&lt;/p&gt;
  122. &lt;p id="054cv9"&gt;He did considerably improve as a foul shooter, though, shooting only 43.2% from the line with Missouri State in 2022-23, then jumped up to 69.2% this year with San Francisco. I’m not banking on Mogbo developing any kind of outside shot in the future, but that kind of leap at the line makes you think about it, at least.&lt;/p&gt;
  123. &lt;p id="fOfSTk"&gt;Alright, now for areas where he actually shines.&lt;/p&gt;
  124. &lt;p id="IkQjg4"&gt;Mogbo is a force getting to and finishing at the rim. He connected on 74.1% of attempts at the rim this year, &lt;a href="https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?year=2024&amp;amp;p=Jonathan%20Mogbo&amp;amp;t=San%20Francisco"&gt;according to Bart Torvik&lt;/a&gt;. He had the third-most dunks in the country, behind Purdue’s Zach Edey who ran away with the highest number in a landslide. Mogbo is (*checks notes*) eight inches shorter than Edey.&lt;/p&gt;
  125. &lt;p id="V0SRJM"&gt;Mogbo is a great rebounder. One of the best in the country, in fact, especially at his size. Of his 10.1 rebounds per game this season, 3.3 of those came on the offensive end, bringing immediate second chance opportunities with his efficiency near the rim.&lt;/p&gt;
  126. &lt;p id="R3XcJj"&gt;He’s a very good playmaker at his size, which only helps open up more opportunities for him at the basket. He can make the right read when operating in pick-and-rolls and kicking out after cleaning up the offensive glass.&lt;/p&gt;
  127. &lt;p id="9MNm63"&gt;His high motor and athleticism paired with strong footwork brings an immediate impact defender. He’s exciting as a small ball five, as long as you surround him with some shooting. He averaged 2.4 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game this season with the Dons.&lt;/p&gt;
  128. &lt;p id="4iryqU"&gt;For Detroit, a defensive minded big, at least as a backup, is a priority this offseason. Mogbo is a unique talent who brings defense plus promising offensive tools that make you excited about the player he can develop into.&lt;/p&gt;
  129. &lt;div id="3YpcQ3"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FrbhV8O8bC0?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  130. &lt;h2 id="H09Aea"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ariel Hukporti - Center, Melbourne United (NBL)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  131. &lt;p id="BmdGD9"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7’0” 22-year-old&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  132. &lt;p id="E7wjMH"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2023-24 Stats: &lt;/strong&gt;8.0 PTS, 7.1 REB, 0.7 AST, 1.5 BLK, 0.5 STL&lt;/p&gt;
  133. &lt;p id="nk8sJR"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shooting Splits: &lt;/strong&gt;56.3 FG%, N/A 3P%, 61.7 FT%&lt;/p&gt;
  134. &lt;p id="JMIj5Q"&gt;I’m going against everything I believe in by suggesting two big men who don’t space the floor for the Pistons, but you have to pick your poison when combing through the weeds.&lt;/p&gt;
  135. &lt;p id="LxGHuw"&gt;Hukporti is a rim protector, though, which Detroit needs to address in the offseason. He runs the floor well and is explosive at the rim with decent touch. He’s a bonafide lob threat whenever he’s on the court.&lt;/p&gt;
  136. &lt;p id="EyX7cn"&gt;Where I’m really excited is his defensive ability, however. He blocked 1.5 shots per game this season in a limited role with Melbourne, playing just 17.7 minutes per game. He made a real impact in the NBL for a team that made it all the way to the finals. His performance in Australia provides optimism that he can impact an NBA roster. &lt;/p&gt;
  137. &lt;p id="Nmhapg"&gt;Hukporti has a positive wingspan and the energy to become an efficient second big. He didn’t even attempt a three this past season, so I doubt he has upside as a prospect who can develop an outside shot. However, if this Pistons season taught us anything, it’s that they need a five-man who can shoot or protect the rim. Ideally both, but you’re not always going to find that in a prospect. Hukporti provides the latter, at least.&lt;/p&gt;
  138. &lt;p id="6DKT5u"&gt;He’s on the older side compared to other international players you see as upside swings, but he provides a skillset that is primed for an NBA role.&lt;/p&gt;
  139. &lt;div id="Omx4WX"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZjXVsUSU_0g?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  140. &lt;p id="aqClkw"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  141.  
  142. </content>
  143.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/29/24144288/second-round-sleepers-detroit-pistons-nba-draft"/>
  144.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/29/24144288/second-round-sleepers-detroit-pistons-nba-draft</id>
  145.    <author>
  146.      <name>Blake Silverman</name>
  147.    </author>
  148.  </entry>
  149.  <entry>
  150.    <published>2024-04-26T10:12:20-04:00</published>
  151.    <updated>2024-04-26T10:12:20-04:00</updated>
  152.    <title>The Pindown: Why is the Head of Basketball Operations Search Taking this Long?</title>
  153.    <content type="html">  
  154.  
  155.    &lt;figure&gt;
  156.      &lt;img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fPOhOqpGrvA92oOaL5r0IpcU42c=/150x0:1770x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73307690/Pindown_Article_Cover.0.jpg" /&gt;
  157.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  158.  
  159.  &lt;p&gt;Discussing the HoBO search, our top 5 big boards, Trae Young, and more!&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="5R6dC0"&gt;The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast is your home for fan-driven &lt;a href="http://detroitbadboys.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pistons&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; content. Hosted by Wes Davenport, from Motor City Hoops and producer of the Pistons Pulse Podcast, and Blake Silverman, DBB’s resident draft expert covering both the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. The guys bring a reasoned analysis to a uniquely interactive show.&lt;/p&gt;
  160. &lt;p id="IHrIKi"&gt;It’s been a week since we’ve last heard word on the Pistons search for a new Head of Basketball Operations, fans want answers, Blake and Wes have... guesses. The guys discuss what may be taking so long and what that new HoBO might do with Monty Williams. They also break down the top 5 of the draft, analyzing those prospects and their fits in Detroit. And while looking forward to the offseason, they analyze star trade targets like Trae Young, Brandon Ingram, and Mikal Bridges, discuss the free agent class, and ponder if it would be better to have four Simone Fontecchio’s or one additional All Star caliber player.&lt;/p&gt;
  161. &lt;p id="Zp9rre"&gt;We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!&lt;/p&gt;
  162. &lt;div id="muQ1f3"&gt;&lt;div style="max-width: 765px;"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 102px; position: relative;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://anchor.fm/detroit-pistons-podcast/embed/episodes/Why-is-the-Head-of-Basketball-Operations-Search-Taking-this-Long--I-The-Pindown-e2it1ig" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  163. &lt;p id="Z9e4XN"&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh5zNCadE2WcQp59HVaphmQ"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detroit Bad Boys YouTube&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  164. &lt;p id="OLza71"&gt;Follow Wes Davenport on Twitter &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/therealwesd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@TheRealWesD3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  165. &lt;p id="NuRGW6"&gt;Follow Blake Silverman on Twitter &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/blakesilverman"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@BlakeSilverman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  166. &lt;p id="GXzIoH"&gt;Follow Detroit Bad Boys on Twitter &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@DetroitBadBoys&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  167.  
  168. </content>
  169.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/26/24140848/the-pindown-why-is-the-head-of-basketball-operations-search-taking-this-long"/>
  170.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/26/24140848/the-pindown-why-is-the-head-of-basketball-operations-search-taking-this-long</id>
  171.    <author>
  172.      <name>Wes Davenport</name>
  173.    </author>
  174.  </entry>
  175.  <entry>
  176.    <published>2024-04-25T00:00:00-04:00</published>
  177.    <updated>2024-04-25T00:00:00-04:00</updated>
  178.    <title>Giving up on Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren could be the biggest mistake of Detroit’s offseason</title>
  179.    <content type="html">  
  180.  
  181.    &lt;figure&gt;
  182.      &lt;img alt="Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kXl6ygXrKMmu-q7-AsQj5fOwq6A=/0x0:3699x2466/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73303505/2059261638.0.jpg" /&gt;
  183.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  184.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  185.  
  186.  &lt;p&gt;Everyone is quickly willing to sacrifice young players at the altar of a 40-win team, but the Pistons must focus on decisions best for the franchise not just the ones that save them from embarrassment  &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="pCMIlk"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com"&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/a&gt; were an embarrassment of a franchise in 2023-24. A do-nothing offseason after winning just 17 games, an NBA-record losing streak, a record-setting coaching contract for someone already on the chopping block, a franchise-record for losses, and stalled development for young players. &lt;/p&gt;
  187. &lt;p id="lhCrP9"&gt;This is the objective reality. And yet ... and yet ... I think people are going overboard in the kind of changes they are arguing the team needs to make this offseason. &lt;/p&gt;
  188. &lt;p id="xtLOvu"&gt;The Pistons fundamentally lost two seasons. The first was to a Cade Cunnigham injury that nixed nearly his entire second season of development and chemistry. The second was this past season, when organizational malpractice saw the team run back 90% of a 17-win team and expected it not to be terrible. &lt;/p&gt;
  189. &lt;p id="9eBew9"&gt;Just because you lost two years, however, doesn’t mean the franchise can skip ahead two years in one offseason just because they wish it to be so. Fast forwarding out of fear of Cunningham wanting out, out of embarrassment for how sorry this team is, or simply because we are “sick of losing” is a blueprint for winding up right back where this team has been since 2009. &lt;/p&gt;
  190. &lt;p id="xZzxJJ"&gt;Don’t get me wrong, Troy Weaver and 95% of the front office must go. Monty Williams, record contract be damned, should also go. The Pistons are hiring a president of basketball operations, and they will reportedly have full authority to clean house. And clean house they should. &lt;/p&gt;
  191. &lt;p id="fQ0G2f"&gt;They need to fumigate this franchise after years of losing an inept leadership. If you ask many fans and pundits, that fumigation stretches all the way to the players on the roster. &lt;/p&gt;
  192. &lt;p id="leUb21"&gt;The Pistons are surely ripe for a makeover. Still, I’m puzzled why so many people are so convinced that the change necessitates them sacrificing just about every young asset not named Cade Cunningham to absolve the franchise of its past sins. &lt;/p&gt;
  193. &lt;p id="HeiDXD"&gt;Bad choices beget bad choices, and there is so much anxiety around catching up after the failure of the past year that folks are trying to skip steps. That is a path that will only lead to trouble and disappointment. &lt;/p&gt;
  194. &lt;p id="bEYIKn"&gt;I don’t want to sound like an incrementalist neo-lib writing for The Atlantic here, but I will make a not-so-bold proclamation. The Pistons are not required to trade Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Marcus Sasser, Ausar Thompson, and a pending top-5 pick just so Cade can finally be surrounded by players with a pulse. &lt;/p&gt;
  195. &lt;p id="yW41cq"&gt;Look, the Pistons aren’t getting plus assets in trade without giving up a lot in return. The latest iteration of this move is outlined by &lt;a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&amp;amp;xs=1&amp;amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5438861%2F2024%2F04%2F24%2Fpistons-offseason-trade-free-agency-future-nba%2F&amp;amp;referrer=sbnation.com&amp;amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.detroitbadboys.com%2F2024%2F4%2F25%2F24139385%2Fdetroit-pistons-offseason-trades-free-agency-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-mikal-bridges" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"&gt;James Edwards in The Athletic&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  196. &lt;p id="CTM9rD"&gt;He suggests trading the first overall pick (assuming lottery luck), Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren for Mikal Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, and a 2025 first via the Suns (lottery protected). That’s two clear starting upgrades at the wings. In this scenario, the Pistons are also signing Nic Claxton to a free-agent deal. The cost is high. The return is ... fine. &lt;/p&gt;
  197. &lt;p id="4iCHtw"&gt;It could signal the end of embarrassing years of losing. But it might not lead to much winning. The question is whether it is a return required by this past season’s utter failure and the failure of the seasons preceding it. &lt;/p&gt;
  198. &lt;p id="ntmfY6"&gt;I would argue trading lottery picks (three, in this scenario) should be reserved for making an OK team really good instead of making the worst team in the league the 2025 version of the already disappointing &lt;a href="https://www.netsdaily.com"&gt;Brooklyn Nets&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;p id="N8kApi"&gt;This is the underappreciated aspect of the &lt;a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com"&gt;Houston Rockets&lt;/a&gt;' spending $200 million in the offseason last year. Sure, it only raised them to a .500 win ceiling, but they kept almost all of their young assets. Now, they are sprinkling in the high performers with the starting lineup and letting those with slower growth curves come off the bench. &lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;p id="BFrage"&gt;If those bench players get better, they graduate to starters on a potentially great team. If they remain disappointments, they are easily expendable. &lt;/p&gt;
  201. &lt;p id="r30W49"&gt;The Pistons should work from that model. Keep the assets in place if possible. Add players, even starters, through free agency when possible. &lt;/p&gt;
  202. &lt;p id="UPbIUS"&gt;Instead, folks are trying to put Detroit’s rebuild into overdrive. It feels like fans are trying to take huge swings to overcome the embarrassment they feel when really they should be focused on smart moves that overcome the incompetence of this organization’s leadership. &lt;/p&gt;
  203. &lt;p id="EMtjAV"&gt;As disappointed as I was with Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren this season, they are 22 and 20, respectively, and their team controls their future for many years. As much as I need players better than Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren on next year’s Pistons roster, it doesn’t mean I’m against the idea of both players returning. If the Pistons are able to add players who should start in front of Ivey and Duren then great. That just means two more quality players and players who could get better on the bench. &lt;/p&gt;
  204. &lt;p id="InNXIO"&gt;In five-man lineups last season, 13 charted with all of Cunningham, Ivey, and Duren on the floor. Seven of those lineups were negative in plus-minus and six were positive. Let’s look at who shared the floor in the worst-performing lineups:&lt;/p&gt;
  205. &lt;ul&gt;
  206. &lt;li id="78HhOt"&gt;Trio + Thompson, Stewart = -29 in 145 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  207. &lt;li id="QN49af"&gt;Trio + Bogdanovic, Livers = -14 in 101 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  208. &lt;li id="y7k6YM"&gt;Trio + Msucala, Thompson = -10 in 18 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  209. &lt;li id="hdRksi"&gt;Trio + Bogdanovic, Thompson = -10 in 20 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  210. &lt;li id="LTi4Ei"&gt;Trio + Umude, Evbuomwan = -8 in 26 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  211. &lt;li id="hovwi1"&gt;Trio + Brown, Evbuomwan = -6 in 20 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  212. &lt;li id="zSfaxh"&gt;Trio + Burks, Bogdanovic = -5 in 39 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  213. &lt;/ul&gt;
  214. &lt;p id="8swggP"&gt;Now, let's do the same for the positive lineups:&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;ul&gt;
  216. &lt;li id="qVIzBG"&gt;Trio + Bogdanovic, Stewart = +24 in 40 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  217. &lt;li id="HIFaZR"&gt;Trio + Sasser, Thompson = +22 in 14 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  218. &lt;li id="09jtqc"&gt;Trio + Stewart, Fontecchio = +16 in 90 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  219. &lt;li id="YxECov"&gt;Trio + Hayes, Stewart = +11 in 19 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  220. &lt;li id="97WXfM"&gt;Trio + Fontecchio, Thompson = +7 in 113 minutes&lt;/li&gt;
  221. &lt;li id="nl67aq"&gt;Trio + Bogdanovic, Knox = +5 in 89 minutes &lt;/li&gt;
  222. &lt;/ul&gt;
  223. &lt;p id="4IXAU7"&gt;While the trio of Cunningham, Ivey, and Duren is far from perfect, it is not the biggest problem with the Pistons. The bigger problem, and the one that must be addressed this offseason, is all the players surrounding that core. The biggest problem, as well, is what happens when two of those players sit — aka addressing the NBA’s most heinous reserve unit. &lt;/p&gt;
  224. &lt;p id="kLZCZM"&gt;The good thing about having $60 million is that you can spend it on an entirely new bench and maybe even one or two new starters who push your previous starters into reserve roles. &lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;p id="QuPS7D"&gt;Throw a bag at Isaac Okoro and see if he can be the 23-year-old wing worth building around. Sign Buddy Hield or Malik Monk or Royce O’Neale in the meantime to have some competent shooting on the floor. Sign Kelly Oubre while you’re at it. &lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p id="UPKw9V"&gt;Spend a bunch of free agent money on Isaiah Hartenstein or Nic Claxton so that Duren is not your automatic starter, and tell him the path to 30 minutes a game is rim protection. Sign Kris Dunn to fill that Killian Hayes-sized hole in all our hearts. &lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;p id="HeW92C"&gt;This does not make the Detroit Pistons a playoff team. It likely gets them to the 27-37 win range. But, importantly, it replaces incompetence with competence up and down the roster. &lt;/p&gt;
  228. &lt;p id="7GHhX6"&gt;I understand the reflex of wanting to undo everything that Troy Weaver managed to screw up in one offseason, but it’s not going to happen. There are still no skipping steps, even if the Pistons wasted one year running in place. &lt;/p&gt;
  229. &lt;p id="iri8kx"&gt;New front office, new head coach, new developmental staff, new priorities, new voices. All of these are needed in Detroit. Add those ingredients and a stable of competent NBA players up and down the lineup, and the Pistons will be in a better place to judge what their next move needs to be. &lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p id="aP2BPk"&gt;Does this mean an even bigger chance of losing a disgruntled Cade Cunningham? I don’t think so. &lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p id="exUVA3"&gt;Nobody wants Cunningham to be the next Anthony Davis. A player that signs an extension and then forces himself to a rosier location. But it is important to remember that Davis made it three years into his extension before he asked out. And the Pelicans won 48 games the season before bottoming out to a 33-49 record in Davis’ final season. &lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p id="Pol8Y3"&gt;It was not perpetual losing that forced Davis’ hand; it was the idea that the Pelicans had peaked already and still weren’t good enough to win the title. &lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p id="3atL90"&gt;Chris Bosh also made it seven seasons with the Raptors, who finished 40-42 in Bosh’s final season. The Bulls were 41-41 in Jimmy Butler’s final year before jetting for a brief stay in Minnesota. Paul George was 42-40 in Indiana. You get the idea. &lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p id="AUrz30"&gt;Nothing kills a superstar’s ambition like mediocrity and no pathway out. Cunningham hates losing, I’m sure. The Pistons need to improve. But locking themselves into a 42-40 record for the next several years seems like a surefire way to ensure the scenario they are trying to avoid. &lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;p id="pG2KQH"&gt;Cunningham forcing his way out of Detroit and into a better situation. &lt;/p&gt;
  236.  
  237. </content>
  238.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/25/24139385/detroit-pistons-offseason-trades-free-agency-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-mikal-bridges"/>
  239.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/25/24139385/detroit-pistons-offseason-trades-free-agency-jaden-ivey-jalen-duren-mikal-bridges</id>
  240.    <author>
  241.      <name>Sean Corp</name>
  242.    </author>
  243.  </entry>
  244.  <entry>
  245.    <published>2024-04-24T10:45:18-04:00</published>
  246.    <updated>2024-04-24T10:45:18-04:00</updated>
  247.    <title>Which NBA Draft Lottery prospects should most interest the Detroit Pistons?</title>
  248.    <content type="html">  
  249.  
  250.    &lt;figure&gt;
  251.      &lt;img alt="TOPSHOT-BASKET-AUS-SARR-NBA-DRAFT" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WDEKDTkCtdm5JfEKxSfXX-i-JiQ=/0x0:7477x4985/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73301598/2061708763.0.jpg" /&gt;
  252.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  253.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  254.  
  255.  
  256.  &lt;p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="aoTKfB"&gt;The 2024 &lt;a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft"&gt;NBA Draft&lt;/a&gt; is quickly approaching, and while it has been labeled weak by many in the draft community, I think that is only true insomuch as there is a lack of a clear No. 1 prospect who you might be able to build a team around. However, in many drafts, some great players are overlooked for various reasons, making us question how and why they managed to slip in the draft and go unidentified at the time. With the &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com"&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/a&gt; securing the top slot in the lottery and guaranteeing themselves a top-5 draft pick, I figured this would be a good time to dive into the prospects I currently have ranked within the lottery on my draft board. &lt;/p&gt;
  257. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  258.        &lt;img alt="BASKET-AUS-SARR-NBA-DRAFT" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I3VJO9uwHU2Qj7pyge7BOGqp4ow=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415613/2061708893.jpg"&gt;
  259.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  260.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  261. &lt;/div&gt;
  262. &lt;h2 id="9NxB3K"&gt;1. &lt;a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Alex-Sarr/Summary/162806"&gt;Alexandre Sarr&lt;/a&gt;, C/PF, Perth Wildcats (NBL, Australia)&lt;/h2&gt;
  263. &lt;p id="PBixVa"&gt;There is a good argument to be made that Alexandre Sarr has separated himself from the rest of the class and emerged as the clear No. 1 draft pick. The 7-foot-1 big man has drawn the eye of NBA evaluators for several reasons, including his potential to be an elite defender and rim protector. In 18 minutes per game with the Perth Wildcats, Sarr has averaged an impressive 1.5 blocks per game. Being only 18 years old, playing well in a very competitive professional league, and being able to handle the physicality against more developed and experienced players bodes well for his transition to the NBA. What cements Sarr as an elite defensive prospect is how well he moves for a guy his size. His mobility when roaming and ability to leave the paint to defend and be used in switches is a coveted skill for centers in today’s NBA.&lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p id="A4XmUb"&gt;After spending the last two seasons with the Overtime Elite program, Alex Sarr jumped to the NBL in Australia, one of the top professional leagues in the world. While his defensive value has been his main selling point, his offensive upside is also very tantalizing. This season with Perth, Sarr averaged 9.6 points per game in 18 minutes while shooting 59% on 5.2 two-point FG attempts, 27.6% on 1.9 three-point FG attempts, and 70.7% on 2.7 free-throw attempts per game. He must continue to improve as a shooter, but his development is encouraging, and his free-throw shooting further adds to the belief that he will be able to shoot enough to space the floor effectively. &lt;/p&gt;
  265. &lt;p id="0Huoq8"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  266. &lt;h2 id="WqUDfe"&gt;2. &lt;a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/gleague/players/h/hollaro01d.html"&gt;Ron Holland&lt;/a&gt;, SF, G-League Ignite&lt;/h2&gt;
  267. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  268.        &lt;img alt="Iowa Wolves v G League Ignite" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hasbUwJtc_WEAtZDFmX7uk-UfC8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415615/1968514372.jpg"&gt;
  269.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  270.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  271. &lt;/div&gt;
  272. &lt;p id="9XTR6c"&gt;No player has flashed a higher upside than Ron Holland in this year’s draft. Not only is he one of the draft’s younger players (he will be 18 on draft night), but he is also a tremendous athlete who, at 6-foot-8, has already been a two-way star for the G-League Ignite. His ability to get to and finish at the rim is his calling card, finishing through contact or just going over defenders. Throughout 29 games with the Ignite (Showcase + regular season), Holland averaged 19.5 points per game, shooting 51.6% on 12.2 two-point attempts, 24% on 3.3 three-point attempts, and 72.8% from the free-throw line on 3.9 attempts per game. He could become a legitimate top-scoring option if he can develop into an average shooter from beyond the arc. &lt;/p&gt;
  273. &lt;p id="IwzpcC"&gt;Defensively, Holland has been very disruptive for the Ignite and has the potential to develop into a high-level defender. Holland averaged a very impressive 3.2 stocks per game (2.3 steals + 0.9 blocks). His size and athleticism make him well-suited to guard the 2 through 4 positions effectively, and this versatility will help him become one of the better defenders on whichever team he ends up on. The potential for Ron Holland on both ends of the court is tremendous, and there is a legitimate argument to be made that he has the highest ceiling of any prospect in this draft.&lt;/p&gt;
  274. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  275.        &lt;img alt="Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade - Turkish Airlines EuroLeague" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Q3vX0eWp36Xmia2kJJ8UEFm4-PM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415626/1900662862.jpg"&gt;
  276.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  277.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  278. &lt;/div&gt;
  279. &lt;h2 id="2jXgc5"&gt;3. &lt;a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Nikola-Topic/Summary/179307"&gt;Nikola Topic&lt;/a&gt;, PG, Mega Basket (ABA, Serbia)&lt;/h2&gt;
  280. &lt;p id="wQsS4a"&gt;The best point guard prospect in the upcoming draft, Serbia’s Nikola Topic has flashed both high-level creation skills and the potential to be a three-level scorer. The 6-foot-6 guard played in 19 games this season, averaging 16.37 points, 6.1 assists, 3.58 rebounds, 0.95 steals, with 2.68 turnovers in 30.8 minutes per game with a 49.8/28.2/87.8 shooting line. Topic shot 36.9% from three on 3.5 attempts per game last season through 37 games, so his past shooting beyond the arc and his impressive free-throw shooting are indicators that he can improve on his poor shooting from this season. Topic is not very explosive but has a good first step when attacking the basket and is a smooth finisher. &lt;/p&gt;
  281. &lt;p id="vpj9DJ"&gt;Topic has been the best passer in this class and has done well taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers. His high-level creation skills and potential to develop into a three-level scorer make Topic’s potential on the offensive end of the court very enticing. Though you would like to see him improve on the defensive end of the court, Topic is the best bet in this draft as a creator that you can run an offense through. I would have liked to have seen more games of him in the Euroleague to judge him against a higher level of competition, but his skill and feel for the game are evident and could have him at the top of draft boards for point-guard-needy teams. &lt;/p&gt;
  282. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  283.        &lt;img alt="G League Ignite v Texas Legends" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VxroV4V-zg-VTlfxg96MbLEeyKs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415641/2036340164.jpg"&gt;
  284.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  285.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  286. &lt;/div&gt;
  287. &lt;h2 id="4fJ8Dk"&gt;4. &lt;a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/buzelma01.html"&gt;Matas Buzelis&lt;/a&gt;, PF/SF, G-League Ignite&lt;/h2&gt;
  288. &lt;p id="2eacrZ"&gt;Matas Buzelis is a tall, lanky forward prospect for the G-League Ignite who has seen his draft stock remain fairly steady throughout the process. He had the opportunity to make a case for himself as the top prospect in this class by shooting the ball well, but he shot only 26.1% from three on 3.4 attempts per game and 69.6% on 2.0 free-throw attempts per game. He has a good-looking shot, and at 6-foot-10, with a high-release point, his shot would theoretically be hard to defend, and continuing to develop it should be his top priority. Despite his shooting, Buzelis is still a very enticing prospect on both ends of the court. Through 34 games, Buzelis averaged 14.1 points while shooting 53.5% on 8.4 two-point attempts per game (45.5% overall) and is a smooth finisher inside the paint. &lt;/p&gt;
  289. &lt;p id="Z64EPz"&gt;While Buzelis underwhelmed as a shooter for the Ignite, he was better than expected on the defensive end this season. In 30.9 minutes per game across the Showcase and regular season games, Buzelis averaged 1.9 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. He may not have the quickness to guard smaller players on the perimeter, but he is a very versatile forward with plenty of length who can make an impact in a variety of ways. His added defensive value helps make him a much more complete prospect. &lt;/p&gt;
  290. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  291.        &lt;img alt="Arkansas v Kentucky" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ma3CNEUpzx7IOoJEV3Ri92dc9x8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415647/2053596694.jpg"&gt;
  292.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  293.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  294. &lt;/div&gt;
  295. &lt;h2 id="gVuLyr"&gt;5. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/reed-sheppard-2.html"&gt;Reed Sheppard&lt;/a&gt;, SG, Kentucky&lt;/h2&gt;
  296. &lt;p id="VAkTCJ"&gt;Reed Sheppard came out of the gate shooting out of his mind and somehow sustained the hot shooting all season. In 33 games, Sheppard attempted 144 three-pointers, making 52.1% of them. He also made 55.5% of his two-point attempts and 83.1% of his free throws on his way to averaging 12.5 points in 28.9 minutes per game. Sheppard isn’t just a shooter. He impressed in every area for Kentucky. The 6-foot-3 combo guard is a pesky defender who is great at playing passing lanes to pick off steals (averaging 2.5 steals per game) and should be one of the better defenders from this draft class.&lt;/p&gt;
  297. &lt;p id="dC5Bn9"&gt;Sheppard has also impressed as a passer, averaging 4.5 assists per game with only two turnovers while sharing ball-handling duties with Rob Dillingham and Dajuan Wagner. I do think there is a chance he could play point guard in the NBA, but he would be best as a high-level secondary handler and facilitator. Sheppard is a complete prospect who will be able to help a team in many different ways right away and would likely be in consideration to go No. 1 if he were a few inches taller. Overlook him at your own risk.  &lt;/p&gt;
  298. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  299.        &lt;img alt="Colorado v Marquette" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZUaUdoAMhUeNln-ubMql0091zdY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415652/2127904402.jpg"&gt;
  300.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  301.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  302. &lt;/div&gt;
  303. &lt;h2 id="Swrypt"&gt;6. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/cody-williams-2.html"&gt;Cody Williams&lt;/a&gt;, SF, Colorado&lt;/h2&gt;
  304. &lt;p id="HVzRNp"&gt;Cody Williams, the brother of Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams, has received a boost to his draft stock thanks to some familial development that has seen Jalen blossom into perhaps the best player in his draft class. Cody is 6-foot-8 and on the skinny side right now and would benefit from bulking up, similar to Jalen’s development. As a defender, Cody has impressed and profiles as an effective team defender, but not quite on the level of his brother coming out of the draft. In 24 games, Cody Williams averaged 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 2.0 turnovers while playing 28.4 minutes per game. &lt;/p&gt;
  305. &lt;p id="w2IkCa"&gt;He has shot the ball well for Colorado, knocking down 41.5% from three on low volume (1.7 attempts per game). Williams has also been impressive within the arc, converting on 58.8% of his two-point shot attempts. I do buy that his shot will translate, but I worry about his role on offense as I feel he can kind of disappear at times and is not much of a creator. This could just be an example of a freshman on a team with talented upperclassmen (KJ Simpson and Tristan da Silva) having to take a back seat. Even in a limited role, Williams has cemented himself as one of the top two-way forwards in the draft and could be one of the first names to come off the board. &lt;/p&gt;
  306. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  307.        &lt;img alt="Nanterre 92 v Bourg En Bresse - Betclic Elite" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EEWec-_wMH9bLjQXVyET08WDuhA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415662/2107798946.jpg"&gt;
  308.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  309.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  310. &lt;/div&gt;
  311. &lt;h2 id="49pErr"&gt;7. &lt;a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Zaccharie-Risacher/Summary/175806"&gt;Zaccharie Risacher&lt;/a&gt;, SF, JL Bourg (LNB Pro A, France)&lt;/h2&gt;
  312. &lt;p id="KHaEYD"&gt;Zaccharie Risacher has impressed in both the U19 World Cup and in regular season play with France’s top league, LNB Pro A. The 6-foot-8 forward shows promise both as a shooter and as an off-ball defender. Through 52 games across all leagues this season, Risacher has averaged 10.38 points, 3.31 rebounds, 0.96 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.38 blocks, and 1.54 turnovers per game in 22.7 minutes per game while shooting 51.6% on two-point attempts, 38.7% on three-point attempts, and 69.6% from the free-throw line. The free-throw shooting is a concern, and while he has shot the ball well beyond the arc this year, he shot only 30.7% from three the year before. His shot looks good, so there is a lot of belief it will translate, but questions and some reasonable skepticism remain. &lt;/p&gt;
  313. &lt;p id="OtFA7x"&gt;While Risacher is a respectable athlete, he is not overly explosive. He does not impact the glass much and is also not a creator of offense for himself or others, which will limit his upside. He is one of the better 3&amp;amp;D prospects in the draft and excels in an off-ball, catch-and-shoot role on offense, but he may lack the upside of some of the other wing/forward prospects in the draft. Risacher will be a candidate to go among the top of the draft with his ability to knock down shots and impact defense, but he must continue to expand his game to become a more complete player.&lt;/p&gt;
  314. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  315.        &lt;img alt="NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament - Final Four" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zjyTOzafauZj4kxwFP_Et65uxeU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415668/2148611280.jpg"&gt;
  316.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  317.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  318. &lt;/div&gt;
  319. &lt;h2 id="7uqEtc"&gt;8. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/stephon-castle-2.html"&gt;Stephon Castle&lt;/a&gt;, PG, UConn&lt;/h2&gt;
  320. &lt;p id="9D9nTX"&gt;Stephon Castle is a 6-foot-6 point guard prospect who excels on the defensive end of the court. As a freshman at &lt;a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com"&gt;UConn&lt;/a&gt;, Castle emerged as a significant contributor for the National Champion UConn Huskies. In 27 minutes per game, Castle averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers per game. Castle is a big-bodied guard at 215 pounds and is a great athlete who can finish above the rim. His size and athleticism also help him on defense, giving him the versatility to guard the 1 through 3 effectively. He is a very smooth player with a high feel for the game on both ends of the court, which is very impressive for a 19-year-old, and I think the sky is the limit for him in the NBA. &lt;/p&gt;
  321. &lt;p id="SyEucZ"&gt;You would like to see Castle improve as a shooter where he shot only 26.7% from three on 2.2 attempts per game but shot a respectable 75.5% from the line. This is his only glaring weakness at this point, and he has a lot of other strengths that compensate for it as a strong driver, passer, rebounder, and defender. He didn’t get to play point guard full-time with Newton at UConn, but his passing ability, high BBIQ, and ability to take care of the ball all suggest that he should be well-suited to facilitate an NBA offense. &lt;/p&gt;
  322. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  323.        &lt;img alt="Purdue v Connecticut" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/d210ZX6e6ztIK_rvEarsPhlOOjk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415674/2147660663.jpg"&gt;
  324.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  325.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  326. &lt;/div&gt;
  327. &lt;h2 id="oU89ej"&gt;9. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/donovan-clingan-1.html"&gt;Donovan Clingan&lt;/a&gt;, C, Uconn&lt;/h2&gt;
  328. &lt;p id="c6Iz9j"&gt;Donovan Clingan’s draft stock has fluctuated a bit throughout the season. Initially, he was being viewed as a top 10 prospect but concerns with his conditioning and inability to play heavy minutes caused a lot of people to fade him down boards. That concern remains, but I think many are coming around to just how impactful Clingan can be when he is on the floor, especially on the defensive end. In only 22.5 minutes per game, Clingan averaged 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, and was the defensive anchor for the National Champion UConn Huskies. What impresses me most are the instances where he was just a clear mismatch for his opponents at 7-foot-2, 265 pounds, and how hard they have to work just to compete with him on the block. &lt;/p&gt;
  329. &lt;p id="FWM78e"&gt;As a traditional center, Clingan won’t offer you any floor spacing. He attempted only eight three-pointers last season and shot only 58.3% from the free-throw line. He can still make a strong impact on offense as someone who secures offensive rebounds and scores around the basket, especially with lobs and putbacks, and he’s flashed a bit of passing ability, too, that may continue to develop. His stock is as high as ever with UConn’s Championship. It will be interesting to see how highly NBA teams are willing to draft a player with obvious strengths and a well-defined role but also clear limitations that may be difficult to overcome. &lt;/p&gt;
  330. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  331.        &lt;img alt="SEC Basketball Tournament - Quarterfinals" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hD-wwWRgP1BvvCvpO08XuC5ofYg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415677/2087411955.jpg"&gt;
  332.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  333.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  334. &lt;/div&gt;
  335. &lt;h2 id="M0jbRL"&gt;10. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/rob-dillingham-1.html"&gt;Rob Dillingham&lt;/a&gt;, PG, Kentucky&lt;/h2&gt;
  336. &lt;p id="VhX55E"&gt;Dillingham is a very polarizing prospect because as tremendously talented as he is as a scorer, he is an equally poor defender. This will be hard for him to overcome without Trae Young-level passing abilities and may ultimately limit him to a bench role. Though, even in a bench role, Dillingham’s scoring could prove potent. He is a very fast and shifty guard with a good handle who can create for himself and others (3.9 assists per game) but also excels off the ball, where he can get open and play a catch-and-shoot role. As a shooter, he has been lights out beyond the arc for Kentucky. Over 32 games, Dillingham averaged 15.2 points per game and attempted 144 three-pointers, making 44%. &lt;/p&gt;
  337. &lt;p id="BCQr04"&gt;His struggles on the defensive end will be difficult to overcome as a short guard with a skinny frame. It certainly isn’t impossible, but with as far away as he is from being an even average defender, I’d say it will be an uphill battle. There are a lot of questions that a team considering Dillingham will have to be able to answer. Can he facilitate the offense well enough to start? Can you build a successful team with him and hide him defensively? If he’s a super 6th man, how early can you draft him? He’s an exciting player to watch, and I think he will have a long NBA career, I’m just not sure I want to be the team to bet on him being a star. &lt;/p&gt;
  338. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  339.        &lt;img alt="Tennessee v Purdue" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4yUjITbDnI5IIqnBIUCmEE74lzc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415690/2128471135.jpg"&gt;
  340.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  341.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  342. &lt;/div&gt;
  343. &lt;h2 id="ggek4v"&gt;11. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/dalton-knecht-1.html"&gt;Dalton Knecht&lt;/a&gt;, SG, Tennessee&lt;/h2&gt;
  344. &lt;p id="wfekiF"&gt;Dalton Knecht can flat-out score the ball. The 6-foot-6 guard began his college career at Northeastern Junior College before transferring to Northern Colorado. In 2022-23 with Northern Colorado, Knecht was doing much of the same that we see now at Tennessee, averaging 20.2 points on 38.1% shooting beyond the arc. The jump to Tennessee and playing against tougher competition was a test that Knecht passed with flying colors, upping his averages to 21.7 points per game on 39.7% three-point shooting, including eight games where he scored over 30 points, and a career-high of 40 against Kentucky. Dalton Knecht looks to be one of the best shooters in the draft, and you could argue that he is also the most polished and proven scorer in the class. &lt;/p&gt;
  345. &lt;p id="Kc2F1l"&gt;Knecht’s ceiling is limited by his lack of explosive athleticism, which will hurt him most on the defensive end of the court, where he will have trouble when tasked to guard quicker, more athletic guards or forwards. He also does not add much value as a creator, averaging only 1.8 assists to 1.7 turnovers per game. Being one of the older prospects in the draft class (turns 23 on April 19), there is also some worry about how much more Knecht can develop and add to his game at this point. I will say that in recent years, I feel like I’ve learned a lesson from discounting “high-floor” prospects because sometimes that floor might just be on a second story. &lt;/p&gt;
  346. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  347.        &lt;img alt="Texas A&amp;amp;amp;M v Virginia" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pWoWj91Nxl3U74ZngGd_xBoDrMY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415693/1811958702.jpg"&gt;
  348.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  349.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  350. &lt;/div&gt;
  351. &lt;h2 id="0V9rXn"&gt;12. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/ryan-dunn-1.html"&gt;Ryan Dunn&lt;/a&gt;, C/PF, Virginia&lt;/h2&gt;
  352. &lt;p id="4BwYaK"&gt;Dunn is easily the best defensive prospect in the draft and would immediately be the best defender on many teams throughout the league. I refer to his archetype as a “destroyer.” At 6-foot-8 and the ability to guard every position on the floor, Dunn averaged 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game in 27.5 minutes. Dunn is a great athlete and a strong rebounder who plays above his listed height. The value that Dunn can generate on the defensive end alone should have him drafted within the lottery or teams will look back in a few years and wonder what they were doing à la Jaden McDaniels. &lt;/p&gt;
  353. &lt;p id="z94XpG"&gt;Offensively, there are clear limitations, which will keep him down on some draft boards. Dunn only attempted one three-point shot per game and only converted 20% of the time. He’s a guy who isn’t shooting unless he’s open. He’s making only 53.2% on 2.3 attempts per game from the free-throw line. He’s useful as a lob threat, a putback guy who can score around the basket and rebound, but that is the limit of his offensive value at this point. He’ll be your #1 defender but must be your No. 5 option on offense whenever he’s on the court. &lt;/p&gt;
  354. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  355.        &lt;img alt="USC v Washington" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xnNQc5M01pd1wcPEm0y5GFbpRPk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415701/2081752250.jpg"&gt;
  356.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by David Becker/Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  357.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  358. &lt;/div&gt;
  359. &lt;h2 id="3GaNj8"&gt;13. &lt;a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/isaiah-collier-2.html"&gt;Isaiah Collier&lt;/a&gt;, PG, USC&lt;/h2&gt;
  360. &lt;p id="6JloD1"&gt;Isaiah Collier is a very talented guard prospect who has impressed as a scorer for the Trojans during his freshman season, averaging 16.3 points per game. Collier is a big point guard at six-foot-four, 205 pounds, and he uses his body to his advantage when driving to the rim. Being a strong and athletic guard, he can get to the rim through traffic and finish easily. This led him to convert on a very impressive 54.3% of his two-point attempts. However, he has struggled as a shooter beyond the arc and at the line, making 33.8% of his three-point attempts and only 67.3% of his free-throw attempts. How he develops as a shooter will be crucial for his chances of becoming a high-level scorer in the NBA. &lt;/p&gt;
  361. &lt;p id="aMpatk"&gt;As a passer and handler, Collier has clear talent, however he has struggled with taking care of the ball, averaging 4.3 assists to 3.3 turnovers. This is not overly concerning to me; he is not in a great situation based on the talent around him, and I think back to Cade Cunningham at Oklahoma State when he averaged 3.5 assists to 4.0 turnovers. Many at the time felt that was due to his supporting cast and that he would benefit from NBA talent and spacing around him. I think this is probably also true for Collier. On the defensive end, I feel there are times when he can really be impressive, while other times when he seems much more passive. I think the talent is there for him to be an at least average defender, but I’d like to see him more locked in on that end of the court. &lt;/p&gt;
  362. &lt;div class="p-fullbleed-block"&gt;  &lt;figure class="e-image"&gt;
  363.        &lt;img alt="Darussafaka Lassa v Cholet Basket - Basketball Champions League" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_FAxTaqNjW19s9sFJVcu7guC9vg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25415704/1768827632.jpg"&gt;
  364.      &lt;cite&gt;Photo by Esra Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images&lt;/cite&gt;
  365.  &lt;/figure&gt;
  366. &lt;/div&gt;
  367. &lt;h2 id="V8asrT"&gt;14. &lt;a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Tidjane-Salaun/Summary/162807"&gt;Tidjane Salaun&lt;/a&gt;, SF/PF, Cholet Basket (LNB Pro A, France)&lt;/h2&gt;
  368. &lt;p id="kle22A"&gt;Tidjane Salaun, a 6-foot-9 forward playing in France’s top professional league, has caught the eye of NBA scouts for his length, athleticism, and two-way potential. In 23 minutes per game across 46 games, Salaun averaged 9.46 points, 3.83 rebounds, 0.89 assists, 1.04 steals, 0.17 blocks, and 1.3 turnovers per game while shooting 48% on two-point attempts, 33.3% on three-point attempts, and 80.5% from the free-throw line. Salaun can use his length and athleticism to get to and finish around the basket effectively. His strong shooting last year (36.3% through 40 games) combined with his development as a free-throw shooter (upping his % from 61.3% to 80.5%) are both positive indicators that Salaun can continue to develop his three-point shot. &lt;/p&gt;
  369. &lt;p id="WZIxZK"&gt;Salaun projects to be a strong defender, with his combination of impressive length, big hands, and explosive athleticism though at times can be too easy to throw off his balance and not quite quick enough to handle guards on the perimeter. He is still one of the younger prospects in the draft (he won’t turn 19 until August) and has already emerged as a high-upside 3&amp;amp;D prospect playing in a top professional league, but he is still far from a finished product. He does not have much self-creation ability right now, so it will be very important to track his offensive development along with the continued development of his shooting. The upside of a 6-foot-9 athlete who can shoot and defend should have Salaun receiving lottery consideration, but they will have to land with a team willing to take the time to develop him properly. &lt;/p&gt;
  370.  
  371. </content>
  372.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-big-board/2024/4/24/24129388/nba-draft-prospects-detroit-pistons-alexandre-sarr-nikola-topic-matas-buezdelis"/>
  373.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/detroit-pistons-nba-draft-big-board/2024/4/24/24129388/nba-draft-prospects-detroit-pistons-alexandre-sarr-nikola-topic-matas-buezdelis</id>
  374.    <author>
  375.      <name>RyanCaldwell</name>
  376.    </author>
  377.  </entry>
  378.  <entry>
  379.    <published>2024-04-23T15:15:22-04:00</published>
  380.    <updated>2024-04-23T15:15:22-04:00</updated>
  381.    <title>Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast</title>
  382.    <content type="html">  
  383.  
  384.    &lt;figure&gt;
  385.      &lt;img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/z7y85Hv01Cu3dFGdLGhbxK59zWM=/150x0:1770x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73299644/Pindown_Article_Cover.0.jpg" /&gt;
  386.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  387.  
  388.  &lt;p&gt;Join us live Thursday at 6 p.m. ET to join the conversation.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="2YI5sP"&gt;It’s mailbag time. &lt;/p&gt;
  389. &lt;p id="tn9YNJ"&gt;Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Podcast. Please submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/therealwesd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@TheRealWesD3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and/or &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/blakesilverman"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@blakesilverman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
  390. &lt;p id="9lSbOk"&gt;Join Wes and Blake on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET where we’ll discuss anything and everything Pistons basketball. Send in any questions you have to hear answered on the show. When will a new basketball operations executive get hired? Are any candidates better suited than others? How will the organization manage the rest of the offseason once new leadership is in place?&lt;/p&gt;
  391. &lt;p id="IfAGYp"&gt;The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms Friday morning.&lt;/p&gt;
  392. &lt;h2 id="yQN4p2"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  393. &lt;p id="hNWBTA"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When: &lt;/strong&gt;Thursday April 25 at 6 p.m. ET&lt;/p&gt;
  394. &lt;p id="xGTS0X"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Where: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egXjcO3pwtc"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  395. &lt;p id="8zj1ZK"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to submit questions:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
  396. &lt;ul&gt;
  397. &lt;li id="xjtcQU"&gt;Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.&lt;/li&gt;
  398. &lt;li id="BWKcci"&gt;Twitter: &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@detroitbadboys&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/blakesilverman"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@blakesilverman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; or &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/therealwesd3"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;@therealwesd3&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
  399. &lt;/li&gt;
  400. &lt;li id="MQuPZE"&gt;YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — &lt;a href="http://www.youtube.com/@detroitbadboys313"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Subscribe here&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
  401. &lt;/li&gt;
  402. &lt;/ul&gt;
  403. &lt;p id="0PIeXl"&gt;As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.&lt;/p&gt;
  404. &lt;p id="g5qgpc"&gt;Listen to the show’s recording Friday morning wherever you listen to your podcasts.&lt;/p&gt;
  405. &lt;ul&gt;
  406. &lt;li id="6OtJrK"&gt;&lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pindown-a-detroit-pistons-podcast/id1542163027"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Apple Podcasts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  407. &lt;li id="zHHlfr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/78T3xbrlmUQsNdQkLQp97d"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Spotify&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
  408. &lt;/ul&gt;
  409. &lt;h2 id="YEs2kE"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Last Week’s Show:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
  410. &lt;div id="BcmxzD"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fc0Y8gAP4fI" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  411.  
  412. </content>
  413.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/23/24138509/submit-questions-pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast"/>
  414.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/23/24138509/submit-questions-pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast</id>
  415.    <author>
  416.      <name>Blake Silverman</name>
  417.    </author>
  418.  </entry>
  419.  <entry>
  420.    <published>2024-04-22T14:35:08-04:00</published>
  421.    <updated>2024-04-22T14:35:08-04:00</updated>
  422.    <title>G League Ignite’s Tyler Smith can help the Pistons stretch the floor</title>
  423.    <content type="html">  
  424.  
  425.    &lt;figure&gt;
  426.      &lt;img alt="G League Ignite v Texas Legends" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cM5tIp0ypZFARQvVQzPcdxJqjNM=/0x0:4925x3283/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73296935/2036340633.0.jpg" /&gt;
  427.        &lt;figcaption&gt;Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images&lt;/figcaption&gt;
  428.    &lt;/figure&gt;
  429.  
  430.  &lt;p&gt;Tyler Smith, a 6’11” draft prospect, displayed efficient shooting this past season playing in the G League for the Ignite program.  &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p id="2gqFXH"&gt;The &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com"&gt;Detroit Pistons&lt;/a&gt; have many needs to address this offseason. That’s putting it lightly. Nothing more necessary than who’s going to &lt;a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/15/24131351/detroit-pistons-troy-weaver-monty-williams-new-president"&gt;steer this ship forward as the franchise’s president of basketball operations&lt;/a&gt;. That new executive will have a draft to navigate at the end of June, however, where they can patch roster holes with shiny new prospects. &lt;/p&gt;
  431. &lt;p id="4AF3Qu"&gt;Detroit has two primary on-court craters: spacing and defense. A one-size-fits-all solution isn’t out there, not when you’re coming off a franchise-worst season, but there are ways to get better in both areas through the draft and free agency.&lt;/p&gt;
  432. &lt;p id="U6eEbp"&gt;Tyler Smith, who played last season with G League Ignite and previously Overtime Elite, helps space the floor immediately.&lt;/p&gt;
  433. &lt;p id="sO99Gu"&gt;Over the Ignite’s regular season, the 6’11” stretch forward shot 36.4% from three on four attempts per game, while shooting 48.1% from the field and 72.5% from the free-throw line. He added 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game, as well. He did all of that in just 22 minutes per game, coming off the bench for the Ignite in all but two games over their season.&lt;/p&gt;
  434. &lt;p id="pQILMC"&gt;He played primarily off-the-ball in the G League and can effectively operate in pick-and-rolls to get toward the rim. He’s surprisingly explosive when he gets to the hoop in addition to his floor spacing ability. He hasn’t shown much flash as a shot creator, but I’m optimistic that he can take a leap as a playmaker to find open teammates when needed, especially in short-roll actions.&lt;/p&gt;
  435. &lt;p id="hYkcD2"&gt;Smith will be 19 years old on draft night, turning 20 in November. As a young prospect who has already played professionally, he has the upside to grow in a number of areas. Both as a shooter where he is already strong, but also as a defender, which is his most important area for improvement.&lt;/p&gt;
  436. &lt;p id="tlGGbp"&gt;His length and frame provides a pathway toward a strong defensive career. He showed sparks on that end of the floor with the Ignite, particularly as a weak-side rim protector, but did make mistakes you can credit to playing in an NBA-level league as a young talent. &lt;/p&gt;
  437. &lt;p id="yYyRDR"&gt;Smith and any players coming from the now defunct Ignite program get the benefit of the doubt for playing in the G League, from playing against high level talent to playing in an NBA style and shooting from the NBA 3-point line. &lt;/p&gt;
  438. &lt;p id="RvssyA"&gt;Did I mention Smith shot over 36% from the NBA line, by the way? For comparison’s sake, top wing prospect Matas Buzelis shot 27.3% from 3-point range for the Ignite during their regular season.&lt;/p&gt;
  439. &lt;p id="BZpBBJ"&gt;I see Smith as a big that can thrive in today’s NBA thanks to the modern era of pace and space. He gets up and down the floor and can run toward the rim as a sufficient lob threat. His shooting ability stretches the floor and opens up the offense on any roster as a borderline 7-footer.&lt;/p&gt;
  440. &lt;p id="yaKrdp"&gt;Teams can elect to go size heavy and play him as a stretch-four alongside a traditional big. Running a two-big lineup with Smith helps alleviate defensive concerns while he adjusts to the next level.&lt;/p&gt;
  441. &lt;h3 id="WLpkzW"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can Smith land in Detroit?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
  442. &lt;p id="xaNwXS"&gt;As the Pistons finished with a league-worst, and franchise-worst, record at 14-68, the lowest they can pick in the 2024 NBA Draft is No. 5 overall. &lt;/p&gt;
  443. &lt;p id="LGwq24"&gt;Smith isn’t in that range, I doubt he’d be seriously considered by Detroit for their top selection without a trade-back scenario. Currently, &lt;a href="https://www.tankathon.com/big_board"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Tankathon&lt;/em&gt; has Smith ranked 22nd&lt;/a&gt; on their big board while &lt;a href="https://nbadraft.theringer.com/"&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Ringer&lt;/em&gt; has him at 29th&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;a href="https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/2024-nba-draft-big-board-v6"&gt;&lt;em&gt;No Ceilings&lt;/em&gt; ranked Smith at No. 16&lt;/a&gt; on their latest board.&lt;/p&gt;
  444. &lt;p id="53yAuK"&gt;Because of Smith’s archetype and signature skills, I could see him pushing his way up toward or within the top-10, especially if he shoots well during pre-draft workouts.&lt;/p&gt;
  445. &lt;p id="sIuMpY"&gt;The Pistons should consider trading down if they can due to the number of young players they are already developing in house, depending on who stays with the team after an offseason primed for change.&lt;/p&gt;
  446. &lt;p id="Jmlvrv"&gt;No matter how Detroit’s roster looks, though, Smith immediately helps with the glaring need for additional spacing. He also has the upside to improve defensively and impact that end of the floor from the frontcourt, another hole for Detroit that needs patchwork.&lt;/p&gt;
  447. &lt;p id="tLyu6L"&gt;Of course, the right deal has to be on the table for a trade down scenario to happen. Plus, another team must be willing to trade up, which is more difficult in an overall weaker draft compared to recent years. &lt;/p&gt;
  448. &lt;p id="HDkFMC"&gt;Smith can become a high-level player thanks to his playing style and skills that are tailored for the modern-day NBA, which fits the type of prospect that teams should take a swing on in the lottery. Especially for a team like the Pistons, where Smith helps address a need the moment he steps through the door.&lt;/p&gt;
  449. &lt;div id="Rk1Xpg"&gt;&lt;div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"&gt;&lt;iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hxom-LfSF2Q?rel=0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share;"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
  450.  
  451. </content>
  452.    <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/22/24137071/g-league-ignite-tyler-smith"/>
  453.    <id>https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2024/4/22/24137071/g-league-ignite-tyler-smith</id>
  454.    <author>
  455.      <name>Blake Silverman</name>
  456.    </author>
  457.  </entry>
  458. </feed>
  459.  

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