With the NBA combine officially in the books, ESPN on Monday took a stab at a new mock draft. And, while the Pistons don’t own a first-round pick, the outlet is pegging some backcourt help for the team with its second-round selection.
ESPN is projecting the Pistons to select point guard Tahaad Pettiford at No. 37 overall. The 6-foot-1 Pettiford spent one season at Auburn, averaging 11.6 points and three assists per game for the national semifinalist Tigers, while shooting 36.6% from 3-point range.
Pettiford averaged 15 points and three assists in NCAA Tournament victories against Michigan and Michigan State. He committed three turnovers combined in the two victories, coming in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively.
The Wolverines have two players in the mix for the NBA Draft on June 25-26 in Brooklyn, with a transfer commit generating the biggest buzz. ESPN is slotting Yaxel Lendeborg to the Nets at No. 26, as he mulls whether to enter the draft or play at Michigan after transferring from UAB.
“Lendeborg faced one of the highest-profile, stay-or-go decisions among prospects at the combine, measuring quite well and turning in a solid, if not spectacular, showing in scrimmages, with Michigan coach Dusty May and members of his staff in Chicago to support him,” ESPN’s Jeremy Woo writes. “NBA teams are aware Lendeborg has a multimillion-dollar NIL package to attend Michigan next season, and it wasn’t clear by the end of the week as to whether he had done enough to secure the type of guarantee that might keep him in the draft.
“He was highly productive last season at UAB and will step into a huge role with the Wolverines as the ostensible replacement for (Danny) Wolf, giving him an opportunity to improve his draft stock if he withdraws now.”
Michigan big man Danny Wolf is projected to go at No. 17 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where “Wolf’s mix of perimeter functionality, passing and interior size (he measured at 6-10½ barefoot, putting him close to 7 feet in shoes with a 7-2¼ wingspan) makes him an intriguing player for creative teams,” Woo writes. “With Julius Randle and Naz Reid holding player options for next season, adding a younger forward in Wolf to the mix would be an interesting consideration as the Timberwolves sift through their options.”
Michigan center Vlad Goldin is slotted to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 55.
Going a pick before Wolf is Michigan State star Jase Richardson, with ESPN predicting the Orlando Magic taking the guard at No. 16, though ESPN also speculates the team might deal one of its two first-round picks.
“Should the Magic keep this pick, drafting a player such as Richardson, who possesses an excellent feel for the game and strong defensive intensity (and hit 41% of his 3-pointers this season), makes sense,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony writes. “His ability to play off the ball alongside two prolific shot-creators in (former Michigan star) Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero would also be a plus, as Richardson showed with his willingness to play a role at Michigan State, where he demonstrated character and winning qualities.”
Richardson averaged 12.1 points per game as a freshman for the Spartans, but 16.1 points per game once he was inserted into the starting lineup in early February.
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