Inside the Article:
Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver gave a preview of the upcoming NBA Draft, in which his team currently holds the number 5 overall selection. And he’s hoping to make a “big swing” with his selection, despite missing out on the opportunity to select French sensation Victor Wembanyama.
Troy Weaver previewed the upcoming Draft
“I like the long ball,” he said. “I’m not bunting or trying to slap it into short center. I take a big swing. Especially if I only have one chance at it. If I have three chances, OK, I may bunt one. But one chance at it, I’m going for the big fly. That’s me.”
“Can’t be, ‘this guy can get 18 rebounds but he robs banks,’ ” Weaver said. “No, we’re not taking that risk. But if a guy averages seven points because he’s playing 16 minutes, perfect example is Steven Adams. Funny story, I took my best friend to a game, Pittsburgh was playing in Georgetown and I was home in D.C. scouting, and I took him to the game. And Adams scored two points, and I said “We want to draft this guy to be our center.” He looked at me like, ‘What?’ He scored four points and had two rebounds. Steven Adams turned out to be pretty good.
“All I’m saying, he averaged six or seven points and five rebounds in college. That could be deemed as a risk, but he wasn’t a risk. It was just people’s evaluation.”
Detroit’s selection will add to their culture
Weaver said during new coach Monty Williams‘ introductory press conference that he would stack up Detroit’s locker room against any other NBA team and that the player he takes with the 5th pick will be imperative to that culture.
“We’re going to stick to our ethos and make sure we get the best player that fits us in every way,” Weaver said. “The locker room, on the floor, in the community, etc. We have a good nucleus of young men who do that, and we’ll continue to answer that. Fit over position, etc, no. We’ll do what’s best for the team.”
Wrapping It Up: The Pistons can still draft an impact player at Number 5
Even though we were all disappointed to see the Pistons fall to Number 5 in the Draft despite only winning 17 games last season, Weaver will still have a chance to take a high-impact player with the selection.
The Draft will begin this Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
