Who will the Pistons take in this year’s NBA draft?

Who will the Pistons take in this year’s NBA draft?

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by | Jun 6, 2019 | Featured, NBA

 

The age old question every fan must ask themselves as the NBA draft approaches. “Who should we pick in the draft?” As a Michigan native and honorary Pistons fan I must ask myself this question. I browsed through the large number of Mock Draft predictions, seeing which players most sports experts had Detroit landing with the 15th and 45th picks in the Draft. Now, if your from Detroit or live in the city then you already know the frustration that has built up in the hearts of many Pistons fans over the years. Most of which is simply due to the fact that the Pistons’ organization has a history of passing up on amazing players in the draft that go on to become stars in the league.

The biggest player probably being Carmelo Anthony back in the 2003 draft and the most recent being Donovan Mitchell in the 2017 draft. We passed up on both of these players who went on to become stars in the league. Donovan Mitchell being a rising star in his own right and leading the Utah Jazz to 2 consecutive playoff runs post Gordon Hayward.

I say all this to say, there is pressure on the Pistons to draft the best players that are available at the 15th and 45th slot. The Pistons need a backup center and a scoring wing player. Zaza Pachulia is a free agent this summer, and many expect John Leur to be either traded or waived this summer. So, there will be a need for another backup center behind Drummond & Thon Maker. The Pistons are in an even greater need of a scoring wing player though. The Pistons have went through several shooting guards in the past few years. Picking up a solid wing player in the draft at 15 seems like the way to go. Andre Drummond even said it himself that “I think we’re in the hunt for a wing, a tall wing.”

Kevin Porter Jr USC “gettyimages”

In steps Kevin Porter Jr , Many Mock drafts have the Pistons drafting him with the 15th pick which I feel is the best choice. At 6’5 212 lbs , Porter Jr. seems like a very solid wing player. He’s still very young being just 19 years old. He only averaged 9.4 PPG along with 4.0 RPG and 1.4 APG. He played restricted minutes as a freshman this past season, but he shot over 40% from behind the arch. He is also extremely athletic and explosive on the fast-break. If he is available by the time the 15th pick comes around then grabbing him up should be a no brainer.

Image result for moses brown ucla

Moses Brown UCLA “gettyimages”

With the 45th pick, the Pistons will probably go after a young center to play limited minutes behind Drummond and Thon Maker. I think the 7’1 center from UCLA, Moses Brown, would be a great pick at 45. He is listed at 245lbs and he would be a solid backup center. Brown is a very athletic big and can handle the ball if need be. He almost averaged a double-double in his freshman season averaging 9.7 PPG & 8.3 RPG. Brown is 19 years old and a former McDonald’s All-American. Many of the mock drafts have him falling just short of making a draft selection, but he’s a sleeper. The former All-American deserves consideration especially towering at 7ft tall. I think he’d be a great piece alongside Thon Maker who is also a long 7ft big .

Jun 6, 2019 No Comments
Notable NBA Free Agents 2019 Part 1 of 3

Notable NBA Free Agents 2019 Part 1 of 3

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by | Jun 5, 2019 | Featured, NBA

While the 2019 NBA season is drawing near to the end, three things are on NBA fans’ minds worldwide: Who’ll come out on top in the NBA Finals, the NBA Draft, and of course, Free Agency. The list of free agents this year has a wide range of key players and superstars for their respective teams, so we’ll be looking at each team with notable free agents and potentially where these players will end up in the season to come.

The Boston Celtics’ roster this season had much more depth in comparison to the other teams around the league.  This can however, lead to issues with minute distribution, which happened to be the case for Celtic guards Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier.  It also just so happens that both players are Free Agents this coming offseason, Irving under a Player Option and Rozier listed as Restricted.  Looking at the situation there are a couple of different scenarios that can possibly play out, that being where one leaves and the other stays, or both players leave in search of a better fit.  It has been reported that Rozier felt that he “took a backseat” this season with Irving coming back into the starting line-up and with Marcus Smart becoming the next man up in front of him. So although it is unclear to say where we will see Terry Rozier next season, it is almost certain it will no longer be in a Celtic uniform.  On the other hand, rumors have already circulated that Kyrie has been looking to either the Brooklyn Nets or the Los Angeles Lakers for next season. This decision, if reports are true, will be entirely based on whether or not Irving wants to try his hand at being the leader of a team again or reunite with LeBron James in the City of Angels.

While still on the topic of guard free agents, the Charlotte Hornets have recently stated that they are exploring their options in terms of trading Kemba Walker.  Kemba Walker has spent his entire career with the Hornets once the Bobcats, and has gained the admiration of the entire city as well as many others. If Walker were to be traded away, it would be a team in need of a veteran point guard with a leadership presence.  There a plethora of teams that can use a guard of Kemba’s caliber, from the Phoenix Suns to even the Miami Heat.

 

 

 

 

Whether or not the Golden State Warriors win a championship this season, their toughest battle will occur during the offseason with a multitude of contracts coming to their close.  Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins will all become Free Agents at the end of this season, and teams around the league, the Warriors organization included, are hoping to gain interest from any of these players.  Durant rumors have been spreading since near the All Star break when seen speaking to other Free Agent Kyrie Irving, where people worldwide were expecting the two to team up somewhere once the season was over. Although Kyrie rumors have expanded to other teams, Durant’s initial speculation was that he was to go to the New York Knicks.  However recent reports have been saying that Durant may be electing to stay with the Warriors after Nike had released a KD Trey shirt listing cities and teams he has played for, with one of the cities being “San Francisco” rather than “Oakland”. People have begun to think that since the Warriors will be relocating to San Francisco, Durant will extend his contract and stay with Steve Kerr and Steph Curry.  Klay Thompson has received little exposure in terms of his Free Agency compared to Durant, but reports have stated that if the Warriors do not offer Thompson a max deal this offseason, he is likely to be playing for the Clippers next season. There were also reports of Thompson feeling unhappy about his situation with the Warriors during the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets. Now although no one knows that the statements are true, organizations and players have the idea of Klay Thompson on their minds.  Wrapping up the Golden State trio of Free Agents, DeMarcus Cousins signed a one-year deal to the Warriors after a very short stint in New Orleans a season prior. Cousins hasn’t received as many rumors, if any in the media as of recently. There were statements being made during the earlier half of the season saying that DeMarcus, if not hoping to re-sign with the Warriors, could be a high caliber player that the Lakers can sign to play with LeBron James, especially since that Anthony Davis has eyes from virtually every team around the league.  There were also rumors that Cousins could make his return to Sacramento and play with team he spent the majority of his career with.

And on that note be on the lookout in the next couple of days for more Free Agent talk about the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jun 5, 2019 No Comments
Pelicans Listening To Trade Offers For Anthony Davis

Pelicans Listening To Trade Offers For Anthony Davis

NBA

by | Jun 4, 2019 | NBA

Per a report from Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania and The Athletic on Tuesday afternoon, the New Orleans Pelicans, and their Executive Vice President David Griffin, are beginning the process of opening their ears to potential trade offers for their esteemed superstar Anthony Davis ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft.

After a concerted effort and a pitch to convince their 6-time All-Star to stick around in New Orleans, it seems that to Griffin, and General Manager Trajan Langdon’s, the pitch did not turn out the way they expected. Then again, Davis stuck to his word of still wanting out of New Orleans, a word mentioned a little over a month ago.

Though Griffin was not initially optimistic Davis would stay in New Orleans, the fortune of landing the No. 1 pick during the Draft Lottery presented a new hope and pitch angle to keep Davis. Still, his mind reportedly “almost assuredly never changed”.

Multiple suitors, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks appear to be the strongest trade candidates to acquire Davis, yet Davis’ preferred long-term destinations were listed in a previous Shams report in February. This list included that of the Lakers, Knicks, Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks.

As for some scenarios on draft day, teams like the Lakers, Celtics,

and Knicks have some salient pieces to offer for this trade. The Lakers have the fourth pick in the draft, and the Celtics have three first-round selections with the addition of tradeable, young and talented pieces in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

It is no secret that the NBA could see a tectonic shift of power this offseason when mentioning the up-in-air decisions of other key free agents. If the Golden State Warriors fail to retain Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins or Klay Thompson, who are three stars set to become unrestricted free agents when the free agency period opens, they would undoubtedly alter the powers of the entire NBA should they decide to play elsewhere after the period opens up in July.

Davis’ eventual departure from New Orleans and arrival in a Boston, New York or Milwaukee could shift the powers of the league, much like a Durant, Cousins or Thompson leaving. the combination of Davis, a three-time First Team All-NBA Selection, with another high-profile superstar like a LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounpo, could be a volatile force to deal with in the league for years to come.

Now, it is up to the Pelicans to field those offers for their disappointed All-Star who is looking for greener pastures, and a clear shot to contend for an NBA title in the not-so-distant future.

Jun 4, 2019 No Comments
Portland Takes Commanding Lead In The Series (3-1) After 111-98 Victory In OKC

Portland Takes Commanding Lead In The Series (3-1) After 111-98 Victory In OKC

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by | Apr 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The Thunder came into this Game 4 knowing they needed to win to tie the series. OKC came out firing on all cylinders trying to make sure they got everyone involved. Russell Westbrook was able to get his mid-range going in that first half and was getting to his spots with ease. The Trail Blazers were giving Westbrook open shots and he was taking advantage of it when the moment came. One thing that Westbrook was able to do was find his teammates in their spots and his energy never changed throughout the night. Russell Westbrook finished with 14 points, 7 assists, and 9 rebounds on the night. Westbrook and George were both in early foul trouble and were able to battle through the adversity in the first half as the game was still close. The Thunder as a whole was able to hold Damian Lillard to 7 points as he missed a lot of shots with a hand in his face. The two role players that were able to keep both teams in the mix while the stars weren’t able to get into a rhythm was Aminu for Portland (19 pts) and Schröder (17 pts) for Oklahoma City. Dennis was able to give the Thunder a lift in the scoring department while Westbrook and George were in foul trouble. Schröder has proved that he can score in the pick and roll when he gets the switch. Dennis was 50% from the field and was able to be a pest on defense as well because he was able to slow Hood and Turner when guarding them.

The second half CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 32 points. Both of them were able to hit some tough shots tonight and were able to push the pace of the game the way they wanted for Portland. It’s not a hidden secret that both Dame and Lillard are big-time shot makers but to do it on the road in a loud environment it was impressive. Lillard was able to take over in the game as he was getting to hit spots on switches and hit some big shots when given any space. Lillard finished the game with 24 points and most of the game the Trail Blazers had the lead while he was on the bench getting rest. Tonight it was all about CJ McCollum as he countered every Thunder run with a big 3 pointer or tough floater. CJ seemed unstoppable off the dribble as he was able to get to his spots and take his time waiting for the matchup he wanted on switches. Both Dame and CJ have shown a lot of maturity in this series as they have been able to play their type of game with fast pace and shooting. The NBA has caught up to their game as now it’s about the 3’s and the chip on both their shoulders are extremely big after being doubted and disrespected in the media.

 

The bright spot for this game was the fact that Paul George was able to get his offense going in the right direction. Paul finished the game with 32 points and added 10 rebounds with that as well. It’s obvious that Paul George can score on anyone on Portland and heading into Game 5 in Portland he will need to continue this to get some momentum to try to bring it back to OKC. Paul has been very impressive in the transition and also in the 3 point shooting. The Thunder need to get energy from Westbrook and feed off of George’s offensive game in Portland. George has to make it a mission to defend CJ or Damian a little bit more than the usual because they’re not backing down but they’re hitting some tough shots overall. The Thunder have been down 3-1 six times and have been able to come back and win one of the series back in 2014 against Memphis. The Thunder will need to take this one game at a time if they want to come back to OKC for Game 6. Anything is POSSIBLE especially in the NBA and when you have two MVP caliber players on the team like OKC have in Westbrook and George.

Apr 22, 2019 No Comments
OKC Thunder Storm Back Into Playoff Series Beating Portland (120-108) In Game 3

OKC Thunder Storm Back Into Playoff Series Beating Portland (120-108) In Game 3

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by | Apr 20, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The OKC Thunder were down 2-0 in the series and had the chance to come home for Game 3. The Thunder came out with the sense of urgency that any team that’s down 2-0 would. OKC was getting it going on both ends of the floor and were able to use Paul George differently tonight to guard CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard. With George defending Lillard and McCollum throughout the game, it gives the Thunder a chance to get some length on them. The first half of the game OKC was able to maintain and control the pace of the game. Both teams battled in that first half and were able to hold each other in check. It wasn’t until the 3rd quarter where OKC was able to get their offense going. The Thunder got a huge contribution from Jerami Grant who finished the game with 18 points on the night. Grant didn’t play well in Portland but made the best of the moment in OKC in front of the home crowd. Another player that was able to step up for the Thunder in that second half was Dennis Schröder who finished with 17 points off the bench. Schröder was able to get to his spots and finish at the rim with ease when the switch occurred with Enes Kanter guarding him. The role players for the Thunder showed up big time at home and made this a game that could boost their confidence moving forward.

Damian Lillard was shut down that 1st half as he was held to 4 points. When the 3rd quarter arrived it became Dame Time as he was able to score anyway he wanted against the Thunder. Lillard had 25 points in the 3rd quarter alone and was able to hit tough shots and layups against the Thunder defense. This stretch from Lillard came after Westbrook apparently “Rocking The Baby” celebration. Lillard has shown that he can score whenever he needs too in tough moments. Damian Lillard and Westbrook were engaged in some trash talk that fueled both of them on the night. Lillard was able to finish the game with 32 points and didn’t have too much from his running mate CJ McCollum who was being guarded by Paul George all night. The Thunder made it tough on Lillard and McCollum all night defensively and forced them into tough shots.

Russell Westbrook was able to be the man of his word that everyone in Oklahoma City knew he would be. Westbrook had 33 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds on the night against Portlands defense. Westbrook was able to get to the paint whenever he wanted too and was able to dominate against Lillard on the block. You know it’s Westbrooks night when he’s “Rocking The Baby” multiple times as he was letting Damian Lillard know that he’s here and this is his city. When Westbrook takes over a game like he did tonight it opens up everything else for his teammates to get involved. The Thunder were able to get shots off turnovers and they made their 3 pointers something they didn’t do in Portland. The Thunder shot 51% as a team from behind the arc and were able to get behind the crowd energy in Chesapeake. Another reason why Russell Westbrook was able to flourish was that Paul George was able to defend and give him more opportunity on other ends. Paul finished with 22 points on the night and played an amazing game where he was defending at a high level and also George was able to get whatever he wanted from the field. Both Russ and PG didn’t get the calls they’re used to getting but made the best of the situation.

Both teams did some trash talking at the end of the game as Easter Sunday’s about to become a huge game for both of these franchises.

Apr 20, 2019 No Comments
Russell Westbrook Makes Hist0ry In OKC’s Victory Over The Detroit Pistons (123-110)

Russell Westbrook Makes Hist0ry In OKC’s Victory Over The Detroit Pistons (123-110)

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by | Apr 6, 2019 | Featured, NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder came into this game against the Detroit Pistons trying to climb up in the playoff race. Russell Westbrook’s 20-20-20 night on Tuesday has seemed to inspire the team to play on another level now. The Thunder came out tonight against the Detroit Pistons and attacked every moment they got the chance. Russell Westbrook was able to be a magician out there with some of the passes that he dished out getting his teammates open. Westbrook has been the ultimate leader and it’s been on full display this season for anyone that hasn’t noticed. Tonight the Pistons tried to put Reggie Jackson and Bruce Brown on Russell Westbrook as it didn’t work much at all. Westbrook was able to turn his defense into offense while creating for himself and others. Westbrook became the 1st player in NBA History to average a triple-double 3 seasons in a row. This is a huge accomplishment and Westbrook has used his individual accolades to bring the team together as one.

 

This Thunder team is extremely close and they have been able to grow a brotherhood on and off the court. Westbrook made it tough on his opponent and made the Pistons pay for every time they sagged on defense against him. One thing about Russell Westbrook that stands out is his willingness to let Paul George eat just as much and share the spotlight. Westbrook and George have been able to grow on and off the court which has worked wonders for the Thunder. Paul George was able to shine tonight as he finished with game with 30 points and was able to get great looks. The Pistons didn’t have a true small forward that could guard Paul George because they got rid of Tobias Harris in that trade. Paul George was able to get whatever looks he wanted and was able to attack the paint with ease as Drummond was in foul trouble. Paul George has been on a mission all year long and he’s been able to use the energy that Westbrook puts out to match that tit for tat. The Thunder are at their best when Paul and Russell are in the passing lanes trying to disrupt the other team on the offensive end. Paul George and Russell Westbrook have played at an all-time high and the team will go where they lead.

 

The Pistons didn’t have an answer for the Thunder on the defensive end but they had Blake Griffin. Tonight it seemed as though Blake Griffin couldn’t be stopped especially with Steven Adams in foul trouble. Blake has been able to improve his inside and outside game over time while it’s paid off. Griffin was giving the Thunder some problems in the paint and he was able to do some damage. Blake finished with 47 points on the night but it wasn’t enough to get the win. The Pistons were able to hang in there for a little bit but the Thunder had the mismatch with Paul and Russell and they used it to their advantage. The Thunder will try to get another win as they go on the road against the Timberwolves.

Apr 6, 2019 No Comments