| Detroit Free Press
Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver: We wanted to ‘attack the NBA draft’
Detroit Pistons GM Troy Weaver speaks after the NBA draft about his aggressive mindset, Killian Hayes and the team’s huge draft haul, Nov. 18, 2020.
Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver indicated the 2020 NBA draft had the potential to be a busy one for him. But few would have guessed just how active they ended up being.
The Pistons swung a whopping three trades on draft night, netting two additional first-round picks, a second-rounder and several players. If you need a refresher, here’s everything the Pistons did:
• An hour before the draft, the Pistons traded a heavily-protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for the 16th pick and Trevor Ariza.
• After selecting Killian Hayes seventh overall, the Pistons sent Luke Kennard, previously the longest-tenured Piston on the roster, to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-way deal that brought back the 19th pick and wing Rodney McGruder.
• Finally, they capped the night by sending money and future considerations to the Utah Jazz for center Tony Bradley and the 38th pick.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Pistons’ stunning NBA draft haul revealed something huge about their future
THE NEW GUY: Why the Pistons chose Killian Hayes to lead the rebuild
With their haul of draft picks, the Pistons selected Washington center Isaiah Stewart and Villanova forward Saddiq Bey in Round 1 and Vanderbilt guard Saben Lee in the second round. It was a statement, tone-setting first draft for Weaver, who entered the night with an aggressive mindset to remake the roster.
“We’re going to attack the draft, we’re going to attack free agency, we’re going to attack everything,” Weaver said. “I said coming in, this was going to be a restoring of two interactions of the great Pistons teams. That was their mentality. They were aggressive, they were on the attack and we want to follow suit. That’s the mantra and we’ll hopefully continue to be aggressive. But we wanted to set the tone.”
The draft continued what became evident after the organization traded Bruce Brown to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday: Weaver is eager to put his stamp on the roster and find value for players who don’t fit his vision for Pistons basketball.
Weaver had two reasons why the Pistons selected Hayes over Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton, picked 12th by the Sacramento Kings.
“Size and physicality,” Weaver said. “He’s got great size, he’s physical at the point of attack on offense and defense. So his physicality really stood out, his size and physicality.”
It ended up being a theme of the night, as the Pistons clearly wanted to get bigger and stronger through the draft.
Trading Luke Kennard to the Clippers was somewhat of a surprise, but checked out with the Pistons’ current priorities. Kennard was trending toward a breakout season last year before bilateral knee tendonitis cut his season to just 28 games. He’s an effective shooter and secondary playmaker in the NBA, but is limited defensively. Like Brown, he was set to enter restricted free agency next season. By using the 19th pick on Bey, Detroit essentially replaced Kennard with a long-armed sharpshooting wing with significantly more defensive upside.
Bey shot 45.1% from the 3-point line on 5.6 attempts per game last season, and he’s 6-foot-8 with a 6-10 wingspan. He played for Villanova, a school known for producing defense-minded, disciplined players. Many mock drafts projected Bey to go in the lottery, so the Pistons appear to have gotten good value with the 19th pick.
[ What ESPN analysts say about Saddiq Bey: ‘He’s a culture guy’ ]
The Pistons also bucked some expectations by selecting Stewart, a 6-9 center who averaged 17 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a freshman for the Huskies last season. Stewart was considered to have one of the highest motors in the draft, has a throwback post game and projects favorably as a defensive anchor.
Many mock drafts projected Stewart to be a late first-round pick. Weaver, who is known to reach for players he really likes, clearly sees potential. Stewart has a strong frame and good length for his size, boasting a 7-4 wingspan. He fits the Weaver mold and fills a position of need.
[ What ESPN analysts say about the Isaiah Stewart: ‘Just a man-child’ ]
In Lee, the Pistons acquired an elite athlete with a huge wingspan. The Vanderbilt point guard, who averaged 18.6 points per game last season as a junior, has a 6-9 wingspan despite standing just 6-2. He gets to the rim at a high level, too.
With free agency beginning Friday evening, Weaver’s aggressive remake of the roster will likely continue.
“We just wanted to be aggressive and attack the draft, that’s always going to be our way of doing business when it comes to the draft,” Weaver said. “Gives us a chance to continue to build on the foundation and improve the culture. We saw it fit to be aggressive tonight and we’re excited about moving forward and the future with Killian Hayes.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.