Analyzing Top 3 NBA Draft Prospects After Detroit Pistons Loss Sunday

DETROIT — Despite draft implications, the Detroit Pistons played tough in Sunday's 118-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. With the loss, the Pistons finished with the third-worst record in the NBA at 23-59, tying them with two others for the best chance to land the top overall pick in the draft.

The Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic will join the Pistons with a 14 percent chance to earn the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, which will be held on May 17. The Pistons cannot earn a spot lower than seventh in the draft, which is June 23.

Although the loss submitted the Pistons to their worst three-year stretch in 40 years, the season doesn't feel like a total loss, particularly due to the play of rookie Cade Cunningham showcased throughout the season. The Pistons selected Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in last year's NBA Draft.

Whether or not Cunningham wins Rookie of the year or not, he's clearly the Pistons future. The 6-foot-8 guard is a true number one. He can find teammates driving to the rack, spot up a jumper or finish strong around the rim. His solid ball handling skills give him the opportunity to effectively manage a pick and roll scheme.

Cunningham's play strongly resembles current Dallas Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic. And with Sunday's loss, the Pistons have the opportunity to pair Cunningham with a top potential big man, something the Mavericks would crave for.

The top three overall prospects in this year's NBA Draft are all versatile bigs, who can space the floor and shoot the three-pointer effectively, making for a perfect prospect to run the pick and roll with Pistons guard Cade Cunningham.

The best of the bunch may be Auburn's freshman forward Jabari Smith, who topped the NCAA's men's basketball rankings. Smith was the highest recruiter player in Auburn history, and he lived up to the hype. The 6-foot-10, 220-pounder led the Tigers in scoring, rebounds and the team in three-point shooting.

Although Gonzaga's freshman forward Chet Holmgren may scare some because of his weight, he is considered as one of the best defensive prospects in the draft. And his ability to space the floor and shoot the three, may make him the prospect with the most potential.

The 7-foot, 190-pounder is a solid rim protector and showcased a strong ability to go vertical at the rack without fouling. Holmgren has also shown the ability to guard the perimeter. While Holmgren's defensive skills highlight his potential, his ridiculously high release point virtually means he can shoot over anyone. Pair that jump shot with the ability to finish strong at the rim also makes him a perfect pick and roll prospect for Cade Cunningham.

Duke's freshman forward Paolo Banchero is another 6-foot-10 forward who can easily space the floor, isolate and shot the three. Like Smith and Holmgren, Banchero's ability to shoot the three and finish strong at the rim makes him a suitable counterpart to run the pick and roll with Cade Cunningham.

The one thing that may isolate Banchero from Smith and Holmgren is his ability to post up and go one-on one in the low post. While the other two have shown upside in the low post, Banchero's speed and swiftness in the iso highlights greater upside.

If the Detroit Pistons are lucky enough to earn one of the top three picks (40.1 percent) in the NBA Draft, any one of these three choices would pair nicely to Cade Cunningham. While Holmgren may have the most upside, Smith and Banchero may be the most NBA ready. With a top three selection, the Piston's future is bright.