Detroit Pistons Select Wade Baldwin IV in Chad Ford’s Draft Day Mock

The day of the 2016 NBA Draft is finally here but there is still time for speculation. Chad Ford’s draft day mock draft has a guard for the Detroit Pistons.

ESPN’s Chad Ford is out with his draft day mock draft and he’s sticking with one of the eight players that got mentioned for the Detroit Pistons in his final big board.

The interesting thing about Ford’s rankings and mock drafts is that they are highly based on information he gathers from teams rather than his own opinions. He notes that this process is ongoing so his mock could change throughout the day as things start to fall in place before the draft tonight.

For now, at least, Ford has the Pistons drafting Vanderbilt guard Wade Baldwin IV. Ford has the following to say along with the pick:

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"Denzel Valentine seems like an obvious fit in Detroit, but concerns about the long-term health of his knees are giving some teams pause, and he might not be available anyway.I’m hearing the Pistons will look at other guards here as well. They have only one point guard on the roster in Reggie Jackson, and Baldwin’s versatility could make him a nice fit. Malik Beasley is also in the mix.And there are three upside bigs — Cheick Diallo, Thon Maker and Georgios Papagiannis — who could factor in here as well."

Stan Van Gundy is on record as saying the Pistons don’t expect immediate contributions from whoever they get with the 18th pick, but Baldwin is a guy who could certainly play a role as a rookie. His combo guard skill set is perfect to allow Van Gundy to pick and choose spots to use Baldwin to maximize his value and aid in his development. Baldwin could get minutes at the point behind Reggie Jackson while also providing some minutes at shooting guard if the situation warrants.

Jackson is the only point guard on the roster currently but the Pistons could suddenly find themselves in a good position if they add Baldwin in the draft and sign or trade for a veteran.

Ford mentions Denzel Valentine but he had him going to the Chicago Bulls with the 14th pick. Pistons fans hoping Valentine is the eventual pick might be disappointed tonight as it appears Valentine’s stock could be seeing a late rise. There have been concerns about the long-term health of his knees but Ford has him going 14th but also discusses him as being in the mix for the Atlanta Hawks with the 12th pick.

That being said, Ford does mention Valentine as a possibility for some picks later than the Pistons, indicating a draft range that still puts the Pistons in the middle of the mix.

Next: Pistons Expected to Pursue Al Horford in Free Agency

The speculation will come to an end sometime after 7 p.m. ET tonight when the 2016 NBA Draft begins. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and/or Twitter.