Heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, many believed Jaden Ivey would be off the board the Detroit Pistons would draft the best available player at No. 5 before moving on to their next pick at No. 36. Then, they would use the plethora of cap space they had acquired to make a run at Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns. In fact, according to the sportsbooks, the Pistons were the favorite to land Ayton if he did not remain with the Suns.
Well, the 2022 NBA Draft is in the books and the Pistons walked away with what many are calling a steal of a draft haul by GM Troy Weaver as they not only landed Ivey at No. 5 but they also traded for Jalen Duren, who was the No. 13 overall pick.
Detroit Pistons likely out on Deandre Ayton sweepstakes
But, what does this mean for all of the Deandre Ayton speculation? Will the Pistons still make a run at the talented big man?
According to James Edwards III of The Athletic, it is not as likely that the Pistons will sign Ayton as they are now expected to add multiple veteran free agents during the offseason rather than making a big splash.
The Pistons now move into the next phase of their “restoration” with one of the more intriguing young cores in the NBA — Cade Cunningham, Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart and Duren — as well as enough cap space to make a run at a max-level player. However, while all signs have pointed to Detroit making a serious run at Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton over the last few days, that appears less likely after the Pistons walked away with two of the players highest on the organization’s big board. Per sources, Detroit is eager to continue to build back toward playoff contention with the aforementioned young core, and the Pistons are expected to use the majority of their remaining cap space to add multiple veteran pieces rather than just one big swing this offseason, per sources.
Nation, do you think the Detroit Pistons should still go after Deandre Ayton or are you content with them rolling with their young core and bringing in some vets to fill the roster?
