NBA Mock Draft: Wolves move up, Lakers get All-American
64. . Forward. Detroit Pistons. Jonathan Kuminga. 5. player
The Detroit Pistons begun their rebuild this past year, drafting Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, and Saddiq Bey. All three of those players have shown flashes of becoming future starters – with Bey winning the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier in the season.
Kuminga, by contrast, is a blank canvas. Development staff as well as the newly-extended Dwane Casey will have the opportunity to mold Kuminga into the player they see – something not a lot of coaches are afforded.
NBA Mock Draft: Pistons add Jonathan Kuminga
As of right now, Kuminga is a big, athletic forward that has shown flashes on both sides of the ball. If the offensive game (inside scoring, 3-point shooting) comes around, he could be a top-30 player in the league. If it doesn’t it will depend on how well his defense translates.
After Kuminga there is a drop off in the caliber of draft prospect – there is a tier that most NBA teams consider to be lottery talents – a lot of whom are older, more experienced players. If the Pistons were to pass on Kuminga, the selection would likely be one of Scottie Barnes, Davion Mitchell, or Jalen Johnson.
Again, though, it is very unlikely that that happens, and a starting Hayes/Kuminga/Bey/Stewart is certainly a fun, young team – a step up from the painfully mediocre Drummond/Griffin seasons.