NBA Draft rumors: Livingston gets a promise, Pistons focus on 2 options, Jazz like Coulibaly

NBA Draft rumors: Pistons focusing on two options with No. 5 pick

The Detroit Pistons were the worst team in basketball last season and were rewarded with the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick as a result. Well, the lottery gods decided to scorn Detroit with a long fall all the way to the No. 5 spot. Luckily for the Pistons, this year’s lottery is deeper than usual and there are plenty of high-upside consolation prizes to feel good about with the No. 5 pick.

According to James L. Edwards III of the Athletic, the Pistons likely have two options in mind. If the first four players off the board are Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, and Amen Thompson, then Detroit is expected to select Villanova wing Cam Whitmore. If Whitmore sneaks into the top four, then the Pistons are expected to spurn the Thompson twins in favor of Houston’s Jarace Walker.

Both picks make sense. Whitmore is the No. 6 prospect on the FanSided big board; he’s an explosive, physical slasher who would be well suited to playing off of two playmaking engines like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Jarace Walker, No. 5 on the FanSided board, is more traditionally pegged as a power forward. He’s an excellent finisher around the rim, a burgeoning face-up threat capable of advanced passing reads on the move, and one of the best defensive prospects in recent memory.

The reason for Detroit to prioritize Whitmore is the glut of bigs currently on the roster. Walker can share the frontcourt with players like Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley, James Wiseman, and Isaiah Stewart, but when they’re all vying for minutes it starts to feel like a poor allocation of resources. Whitmore projects as the better immediate 3-point shooter, to boot.