Detroit Pistons Mock Draft Roundup: Who Will They Take At No. 8?
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
The NBA Draft is finally upon us. This Thursday, 60 hopefuls will get their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver and begin their dream of playing in the NBA.
This year's draft is gearing up to be a crapshoot. Outside of the first pick -- which almost everyone has predicted will be Karl Anthony-Towns going to the Minnesota Timberwolves -- there has been no consensus as to how the draft will play out.
That means teams drafting later in the Lottery (picks 1-14) will have to play "wait-and-see" while hoping that one of the top picks falls to them.
For the Pistons, the need is clear -- get a small forward. There are a few high-quality swingmen who could land with the Pistons on Thursday night, each bringing their own skillset.
Here's a look at who some experts think the Pistons will select with the eighth pick:
Bleacher Report: SF Mario Hezonja, Croatia
"At 6'8" with effortless above-the-rim athleticism, he projects as a mismatch on the wing, where he can shoot, handle the ball, pass and defend.
The Detroit Pistons desperately need to add firepower in between their guards and bigs. Hezonja could ultimately be a steal at No. 8."
CBS Sports: SF Stanley Johnson, Arizona
"Stan Van Gundy went out and got a solid stretch-four option in Ersan Ilyasova from the Bucks, but they could still use more depth and talent on the wing. Johnson also would profile reasonably well as a stretch-four himself, and would be a perfect option for what the Pistons would like to do both on offense and defense."
Draft Express: SF Justise Winslow, Duke
"The Duke product is almost exactly the same size as Lance Stephenson, who measured 6'4.5 without shoes to go along with a 6'10.5 wingspan while tipping the scales at 227 pounds. Though Winslow's raw size may not stand out, he figures to be one of the more impressive athletes in attendance."
ESPN: SF Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
"Everyone in the league has Mario Hezonja pegged here for the Pistons. And if he falls to No. 8, it's likely he'll be the pick. However, if he's off the board, don't be surprised if the Pistons select Dekker a few spots higher than other NBA teams have him. He had a terrific workout there Saturday, shot the lights out, and is more NBA-ready than several of the wings. The Pistons also have a huge hole at the 3."
Hoops Rumors: Stanley Johnson
"The Pistons found their replacement for Greg Monroe with the trade for Ersan Ilyasova, so a small forward becomes the priority. Sam Dekker is an option here, but I don't see Stan Van Gundy passing on a gritty two-way player like Johnson, though his outside game will need some work for him to be an effective pro."
NBA.com: C Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky
"The very mobile Cauley-Stein next to Andre Drummond? No one would score inside on the Pistons. Plus, it protects against Greg Monroe's potential free-agent departure. Questions about his passion for the game will not go away, to the point that WCS himself is mentioning the criticism without being asked, but the special level of defense and athleticism could also push him into the top five."
New York Post: Stanley Johnson
"If Hezonja isn't here, the Pistons face a dilemma of sorts. Do they take another offensive big man, such as Frank Kaminsky or Trey Lyles? Do they take a defensive option at small forward, such as Stanley Johnson? Or do they grab yet another shooter in Devin Booker? The thought here is they fill that hole at small forward with Johnson, and hope his 37 percent 3-point shooting last season at Arizona translates to the next level."
Yahoo!: Justise Winslow
"Detroit is rumored to be heavily involved in trade discussions for this pick, and might not be the team ultimately selecting here. Regardless, Winslow is a steal here, and has the perfect skill-set and temperament for what the Pistons and Stan Van Gundy are looking for."
Who do you think the Pistons should have at the top of their board on Thursday? Vote in our poll below.
