NBA draft 2024: How 8 top prospects fit with Detroit Pistons young core

The Detroit Pistons are once again a frontrunner to win the draft lottery sweepstakes.

But unlike last season, the upside to owning the NBA's worst record isn't as strong this time around. There's no Victor Wembanyama-level prospect sitting atop the 2024 NBA draft. There isn't a Cade Cunningham-level prospect, either.

Most draft analysts agree that while there are talented prospects like any other draft, there are none who have clear franchise-changing, superstar upside. That doesn't mean the draft won't produce any eventual stars. Opinion varies wildly on who those players are, though.

Regardless, the Pistons are in clear need of a talent jolt as they try to avoid setting a new franchise-low in wins. They are guaranteed a top-seven pick if they finish with a bottom-three record, which they are likely to do. The three worst teams enter the lottery with 14% odds to win the top selection.

Here are eight prospects to be familiar with:

Alexandre Sarr, 7-foot-1 big, 18, Perth Wildcats (Australia)

Stats: 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 50.3% overall, 28.6% from 3, 71% free throws

The big position isn’t a pressing need for the Pistons going into the draft, at least on paper, as they’ve already invested in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. If there's a player worth adding to the group in this class, though, it’s Sarr.

The French teenager has the tools and instincts to be a plus rim protector in the NBA. He’s a productive shot-blocker and mobile enough to bother smaller players on the perimeter. There are question marks on offense, where he has shown flashes as a shooter and ball-handler, but has significant room for improvement.

Zaccharie Risacher, 6-9 wing, 18, JL Bourg (France)

Stats: 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1 steal, 50% overall, 44.6% from 3, 69.1% free throws

Risacher is a strong fit for the Pistons and one of several players in the conversation to go first overall. A big wing, he’s a skilled spot-up shooter knocking down nearly 45% of his 3-pointers in France. Defensively, he moves his feet and projects as a multi-positional difference-maker.

He’s the type of 3-and-D player that teams covet, and would plug a hole for the Pistons at forward.

Nikola Topic, 6-6 guard, 18, Red Star (Serbia)

Stats: 16.4 points, 6.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 49.8% overall, 28.2% from 3, 87.8% free throws

One of the few point guards projected to go in a wing-heavy lottery, Topic has nearly everything you want in a modern lead ball-handler. Arguably the best passer in the draft, the Serbian also has great touch at the rim and from the line, and good size. His poor outside shooting and lack of elite athleticism limit his ceiling, however. All signs point to him eventually becoming a capable shooter in the NBA.

While talented, Topic would be an awkward fit on a Pistons team that already has Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Cody Williams, 6-8 wing, 19, Colorado

Stats: 14.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 59.2% overall shooting, 47.1% shooting from 3, 70.8% free throws

He is the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder standout wing Jalen Williams. Cody is another versatile wing with prototypical tools on defense. His wingspan is massive at 7-2. Offensively, he’s a skilled cutter who can also get downhill and make correct passing reads. And his efficiency is off-the-charts for a perimeter player.

His underwhelming free-throw percentage and low volume of attempts from 3 (16-for-34 in 17 games), however, cast doubt on the extent that he’ll be able to space the floor in the NBA. His outside jumper would dictate his ability to fit with the Pistons, who just drafted a wing with some similar strengths and weaknesses in Ausar Thompson.

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Ron Holland, 6-8 wing, 18, G League Ignite

Stats (regular season): 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.5 steals, 44.3% overall, 24% from 3, 75.7% free throws

It has been a rough season for the G League Ignite, the NBA’s developmental program for high school prospects as an alternative path to college. This year’s team, featuring two likely lottery picks in Holland and Matas Buzelis, is the worst team in the G League with two wins and 20 losses.

Holland, in 14 regular season games before suffering a season-ending thumb injury, proved himself an explosive, high-motor wing with a versatile, but raw, offensive game. He thrives in transition and draws fouls at a high rate, and is a willing passer. He’s also a poor shooter with a near-equal amount of turnovers (42) and (45) assists. One of the draft’s youngest players, he’s an upside bet who could hit big if he improves his jumper and decision-making.

Ja’Kobe Walter, 6-5 wing, 19, Baylor

Stats: 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 38.5% overall, 32.3% from 3, 84.9% free throws

Walter came to Baylor with a reputation as a strong shooter, but an ongoing slump is challenging that reputation. In his past 13 games, he’s shooting 32.1% overall and 23.8% from 3. He’s a high-feel wing who can beat defenders to the rim and knock down 3-pointers off-the-catch and dribble, but his success will be dictated by his efficiency.

Matas Buzelis, 6-11 forward, 19, G League Ignite

Stats: 12.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1 steal, 45.5% overall, 29.3% from 3, 65.8% free throws

Buzelis is the other likely lottery pick from the NBA’s developmental team, and boasts upside as a two-way forward with rim-protection and ball-handling in his toolkit. He’s a skilled weak-side shot-blocker who can push the pace in transition and knock down interior shots. But his poor shooting, along with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, are significant areas for growth.

Reed Sheppard, 6-3 guard, 19, Kentucky

Stats: 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, 52.2% overall, 50.9% from 3, 81.1% free throws

The Kentucky freshman standout’s only flaw is his height. Sheppard is in the midst of an absurdly productive season, proving himself an elite shooter and above-average defender and passer. If he were two inches taller, he’d likely be a top-five lock. The Pistons don’t have a need at guard with Cunningham, Ivey and Marcus Sasser. But Sheppard’s shooting and defense make him a high-floor prospect.

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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons prepare for NBA draft 2024: How 8 top prospects fit