NBA Draft 2016: Chad Ford Connects 7 Players to Detroit Pistons
By Zac Snyder
Thon Maker
Despite holding the 18th pick, mentions the Pistons for just one player inside his top 18 – the previously discussed Domantas Sabonis. Next up is his 19th-ranked player, Thon Maker. From Ford:
"Maker is the biggest mystery in the draft. He drew strong reviews from teams at a group workout in New York a couple of weeks ago, and the skepticism about him seems to be waning, especially among teams that think his long-term position in the NBA is the 5. Finding his draft range right now is challenging. There’s a lot of interest, but few teams are willing to commit. The Bucks are probably his ceiling at No. 10. Then, every team that has multiple first-rounders — Phoenix, Denver, Boston and Philly — is a good possibility. Detroit is another dark horse for Maker. The Pistons feel like they’re in a position to take a swing at someone with major upside at No. 18. No. 10 to the second round seems like a huge range, but it’s where Maker stands."
Maker is interesting in his own right but it is interesting Ford mentions the Pistons potentially looking to take a big swing knowing full well they might miss. Those kinds of gambles are more typically taken by terrible teams looking to get lucky or championship teams capable of showing patience for a risk-reward pick.
As a young team coming off their first playoff appearance, the Pistons don’t fit into either category. That being said, the Pistons do have a fairly set core of players they hope can develop together into a championship group together. That leaves room for a boom or bust pick like Maker.
Next: Denzel Valentine