This series will examine potential Pistons draft picks at 5 and how I see them (or don't see them) contributing to a title run. I believe Cade Cunningham is That Dude, the guy who can front a contending team. The Pistons are in a great position now, because they have the toughest piece to acquire when building a contender. The next thing they need is a #2 - that guy who can take over at times when Cade needs a break, take away from the defensive pressure on Cade, and also work well with him on the court.
In the 2023 draft, the presumptive top 3 guys are Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, and Jabari Smith. I'm assuming that all of those guys are gone when the Pistons go on the clock. I believe Jaden Ivey is the next-best player, and depending on what Sacramento wants to do with the 4th pick, he very well could be available. Given what the Kings have in D'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell (shorter guards with lower 3P%), I find it highly unlikely that they go with Ivey at #4.
For scouting on Ivey, I'm going to go with Hoops Intellect's video, which is pretty thorough:
Anybody watching what the Warriors are doing (and have been doing) should be able to acknowledge the value of being good at cutting to the basket. They're famous for their 3pt shooting, but most of their team is average or worse there. What all of them can do, though, is cut to the hoop and switch on defense. Even Curry.
Ivey isn't a solid enough ball handler that you'd want him at the point, but he could definitely play a D-Wade type roll. Namely - as a secondary ball-handler, running off screens, cutting to the hoop, and defending the point. I expect Ivey's 3pt shooting to continue to improve, though it may settle around "league average." The defense probably depends on what his role is more than anything, but he has all the makings of an elite defensive guard. The Pistons need better shooting and Ivey isn't likely to provide that right away or in spades, but what they really need is talent. Ivey might be the best player in this draft.
The comp I keep hearing for him is Ja Morant, which is a really good comp, aside from the fact that Ivey is less of a creator. They're so similar in their size, athleticism, and how they get their points. The Dwyane Wade comp I made earlier is also a good one, both in the player and the role I'd want him to play. It's hard to say with any assurance that a given draft prospect is going to be a top 5 player like Wade and Morant were/are, but I would say a reasonable expectation range for what Ivey could bring to the Pistons would be somewhere between Wade and Marcus Smart.
As far as how he would fit in on a championship contender, we'd need both he and Cade to improve their 3pt shooting, we'd need an elite 3pt shooting wing, a stretch 4 (man, Christian Wood would've been perfect), and a rim protecting/rim-running C to catch lobs. And a solid bench, of course. When I look at the difference between what the Pistons have and what championship teams of the past have, it's mainly defense, 3pt shooting, and having multiple guys that can manufacture buckets. Ivey supplies at least 2 of those, and his shooting is coming along.
First and foremost in the NBA draft, GMs should be looking to take the best player over fit. The draft is really a crapshoot, far more so than the NFL draft is. I always thought the Magic should've kept Webber instead of trading back to pair Penny Hardaway with Shaq. There are dozens of examples of teams trading back in the draft for a better "fit" that they eventually regret. Always take the best player, and I think that guy is Ivey.
