Pistons' White Knight

Just like in 2010, the Pistons modest draft position failed to hinder them. Last year, the Golden State Warriors surprised the league by taking Ekpe Udoh one pick ahead of the Pistons. Udoh rewarded the Warriors by missing most of the season with an injury. Greg Monroe, as we all know, fell into the Pistons lap and proved to be one of the top players in the entire draft. Just 21 years old, he may be the most mature Piston.

This year, the teams drafting ahead of the Pistons fell in love with European big men. Four foreign power forwards/centers were off the board before the Pistons picked at #8. No doubt the playoff performance of Dirk Nowitski reminded these GMs that foreign players can actually succeed in this league. Detroiters, though, still feel the sting of Darko. A Euro big-man would be a tough sell to fans. Prior to the draft, rumors swelled that the Pistons were in fact leaning toward Texas big man, Tristan Thompson. I can't say I was terribly enamored with Thompson. Apparently, he and Bismack were the most athletic big men in the draft, but neither had much offensive game. Thompson shot just 49% from the FT line. At least Bismack had more bulk and a penchant for blocks.

The Cavs felt differently. The picked Thompson at 4.

Then another surprise -- SacTown picked Bismack at #7. That gives the Kings a frontcourt of DeMarcus Cousins and Biyombo. Interesting combination of bulk and attitude.

Next to pick was the Pistons. Entering the draft, the Pistons desperately needed a big man to complement Greg Monroe. Preferably one with defensive acumen. Yet, the team truly had more holes than just size. Last season was a total clusterf***. No player - save Monroe - should be guaranteed a spot. There were deficiencies at every position. With the majority of the big men off the board, the Pistons likely chose between PG Brandon Knight, PG Kemba Walker, and SF Kawhi Leonard.

Most folks know Kemba Walker from his incredible run in the tourney. As a junior, he's a shade older than the others but also more polished. We didn't get to see too much of Leonard, though. The Pistons liked his wingspan and hustle - two elements they'll likely lose assuming Tayshaun signs elsewhere. But the Pistons passed on Leonard, and he fell all the way to #15.

The Pistons opted for Brandon Knight, who many predicted would go as high as #3. Knight comes from the John Calipari school for point guards. Calipari's churned out NBA-ready point guards for three years running -- Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall. It's like Miami U churning out QBs in the 80s -- Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Steve Walsh. The first three were Pro Bowlers (Kelly's even made the Hall of Fame). Steve Walsh had a lengthy but unheralded NFL career. Let's hope Brandon Knight isn't the Steve Walsh in his group.

Knight certainly didn't looked too thrilled when Stern called his name:

I can't blame him. He lost millions falling to #8. Last year's #3, Derrick Favors, made $4M last year. His contract increases steadily to $7M in 2014. The 8th pick will be lucky to earn half that. Why did Knight fall? It could be as simple as the teams ahead simply felt the big men were more valuable. When the run on big men started at #3 with Enes Kanter, the subsequent GMs felt they were best served to snatch up a big man before they were all off the board. It's also possible more GMs felt Brandon Knight was too raw. Compared to the other Calipari point guards, he's not the athlete of a John Wall. He's not as big as a Tyreke Evans (who at 6'5 can also play SG). And, quite simply, he's not Derrick Rose. Not even close.

Rose has the size, athleticism, and intangibles to be a franchise player. The dude's already an MVP in this league. I mean, come on. But comparing him to Rose is not really fair. Every point guard in the league bows at the altar of Rose. Only Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook, and a few savvy veterans (Billups, Nash, Parker) can match up with that dude.

So being a Kentucky product may have helped Knight's prestige initially. Yet, he didn't compare well with the recent Calipari guards. He was held to this high standard, and that may have hurt his stock.

Knight's tangibles are this: 17.3 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.0 rpg, and 3.2 turns. He shot 42% from the field and 80% from the line. As a freshman, those are acceptable stats. For comparison sake, John Wall's stats at Kentucky: 16.6 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.3 rpg, and 4.0 turns. Wall shot 46% from the field and 75% from the line.

Both players had difficulty holding onto the ball. Due to Knight's impressive scoring average and somewhat meager assists, most folks consider Knight a "combo" guard. For Piston fans that's a dirty word. Stuckey is a combo guard. Not a great point guard; not a great shooting guard. He's somewhere in the middle. Whether he's a combo guard or not doesn't matter. What the Pistons need more than anything is a stabilizing force on the offense. They need someone who will stand up and lead this team to the next level. Someone with confidence and the ability to back it up. We'll find out next year if Knight is that man.

No doubt the addition of Knight to the team impacts Stuckey's future. Are his days as a Piston over? I for one am pulling for that. Why bring Stuckey back if he's only going to add to an already crowded back court. Next season, Stuckey would definitely bring more to the table than Knight. Stuckey's an established veteran who doesn't turn the ball over. He can also score 15ppg. Brandon Knight is a 19 year old kid. He only recently chopped his braids! But the Pistons need to think long-term. After four years, I'm convinced Stuckey is not the point guard of the future. His petulant attitude last season was the last straw. Give the ball to Knight and see what the kid can do.

Piston fans should be pleased this morning. The team entered the draft with glaring needs. While they didn't address the need for a big man, they perhaps addressed an even bigger need. With Knight, they get a potential floor leader. And perhaps most impressive is the fact that the Pistons landed a real player in a draft with precious few.