The NBA draft is almost here. The Detroit Pistons on Thursday are scheduled to select fifth overall at Barclays Center in New York, looking to add a significant piece to their young core. And there are a variety of prospects they could choose from.
The draft features three clear top prospects in Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller, each of whom will almost certainly be gone by the time the Pistons pick. The uncertainty starts with the Houston Rockets at No. 4 (though any trades or surprise picks would throw another wrench into predicting who the Pistons will select).
There’s still a tier of players who appear likely to be among the choices at No. 5, however; let’s explore those options with three questions about each. We already looked at Villanova freshman Cam Whitmore last week. Today, we’ll look at two long-term options at power forward with Houston’s Jarace Walker and Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks.
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Meet Jarace Walker
Vitals: 6 feet 8, 249 pounds
2022-23 averages: 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1 steal, 46.5% overall, 34.7% from 3 (2.8 attempts)
What makes him one of the best defensive prospects in the draft?
Houston’s Jarace Walker was one of the best defensive players in college basketball last season — a forward with a linebacker’s build who created havoc for opposing teams. He’s a tad undersized at 6 feet 8, but makes up for it with a 7-3 wingspan. With his strong rim-protecting instincts, perimeter footwork and hot motor, he has the tools to be a versatile forward who can eat up space inside and switch onto with smaller wings and guards as well.
His intelligence and toughness would fill a big need for the Pistons, who have languished defensively for several seasons. Players like P.J. Tucker and Grant Williams have had key roles in the playoffs due to their defensive and positional versatility. They can function as small-ball centers or play alongside one. Walker checks many of the same boxes.
Can he continue developing his outside shooting and playmaking?
Walker’s defense alone is enough to make him a lottery pick. But his offensive skillset pushes him into the top-10, and potentially as high as five. He was a capable shooter, knocking down close to 35% of his 3-point attempts on solid volume. It’s still a growth area for him, as he hit just 26.5% during Houston’s final 13 games and 66.3% of his free throws on the season. But he showcased enough touch for teams to see his upside as a floor-spacer.
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He’s also a smart passer and can put the ball on the floor, opening up the possibility of him thriving in pick-and-roll situations next to Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. While he turned the ball over almost as much as he assisted it, he’s a connector who thrived in short roll situations and should have more opportunities to do so at the next level.
How would he impact Detroit’s big man rotation?
The Pistons have four bigs in Duren, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III, so there’s already a shortage of playing time. But Walker fits the team, and brings unique skills to the table that should enable him to play alongside any of their other bigs.
Many fans will look at Walker’s frame and disposition and compare him to Stewart. But they’re they’re different players. Last year was Stewart’s first season as a full-time power forward, and he went through some growing pains offensively as he stretched his game behind-the-arc and involved himself more as a playmaker. Walker is already further ahead in both areas, and would relieve pressure off of Stewart — and even enable him to move back to center in certain lineups.
Pairing Walker alongside an athletic, vertical big like Duren could really open up his playmaking chops. The Pistons could put the ball in his hands as a roller and trust him to find open shooters or toss accurate lobs. Defensively, he’s a floor-raiser that would take on tough assignments.
He’s a strong culture fit with the Pistons, and would bring elements to their frontcourt that they currently lack and sorely need. They shouldn’t be concerned about fit. If there isn’t enough room for five bigs, that’s an issue they can handle down the road.
Meet Taylor Hendricks
Vitals: 6-8, 214 pounds
2022-23 averages: 15.1 points, 7 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 0.9 steals, 47.8% overall, 39.4% from 3 (4.6 attempts)
Is Taylor Hendricks the ideal modern ‘3-and-D’ forward?
In many ways, yes. Taylor Hendricks knocked down 3-pointers very efficiently on high volume, excelled as a weakside shotblocker, is agile for his size and can defend much smaller players. He competes on defense. He checks most of the “3-and-D” boxes you’d want. Every team in the NBA could use a player like him.
His rim protection and floor-spacing enables him to play power forward or center, but the Pistons would probably want to pair him with another big man. Hendricks is much slimmer than Walker. He could conceivably play some small forward as well, though he’d need to round out his offensive skillset to maximize his potential there.
Can he flesh out his perimeter game?
Hendricks can really, really shoot the ball, and has above-the-rim athleticism and can function as a lob target as well. But he’s a play finisher, not a play starter. He turned the ball over as much as he assisted it at UCF, and didn’t show playmaking flashes like Walker. Hendricks also didn’t create much offense for himself, outside of the occasional pull-up 3-pointer. At this stage, he isn’t comfortable putting the ball on the floor more than he needs to.
It’s not that he can’t develop those skills — teams will close out on him hard, and he’ll have open lanes to the rim. The Pistons wouldn’t need him to create much with Cunningham and Ivey in tow. But they’re reasons why he’s seen as a top-10 prospect, and not a top-five prospect.
How would he impact Detroit’s big man rotation?
Like Walker, Hendricks should be able to thrive next to any of the Pistons’ current bigs. His shooting would open up the floor, and Duren, Stewart and Wiseman could hold down the paint defensively and allow Hendricks to roam and rotate around them.
Hendricks wouldn’t address the Pistons’ lack of playmaking from their frontcourt. But Duren and Hendricks, with time, could be an especially deadly duo. Duren showed off his vision on occasion last season, and Hendricks could make his life easier on offense with his ability to catch lobs and spot-up from 3.
The Pistons shouldn’t let their current frontcourt situation determine their process with Hendricks. He’s a long-term answer at power forward, an easy fit on the roster and has fans in the front office.