Detroit Pistons 2025 NBA Mock Draft Roundup 1.0
Leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft, our Detroit Pistons Mock Draft Roundup will highlight recent picks for the Detroit Pistons from several prominent sites and draft analysts.
The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Pistons:
10. Tre Johnson, Texas
Scouts can't look beyond the production with Johnson, as he's averaging 19 points per game and shooting 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3 as a freshman. Those are ridiculous numbers that go to show just how well-defined his scoring game is already.
But there is something of a muted reaction when I bring him up to evaluators. Largely, that's because of a couple of things. First, Johnson didn't play well in New York City in front of a bevy of scouts attending games against Syracuse and St. Joseph's. He scored 16.5 points per game in those two but shot just 11 of 36, turned it over 3.5 times per game and didn't really contribute otherwise. Indeed, that's the second main concern. Johnson just has not been all that good at anything this year beyond scoring. He showcases intriguing vision when his mind is set on playmaking for others, but he doesn't do it all that often. He averages 2.3 assists per game, but that's not a particularly high number for how often he has the ball in his hands. And while I think Johnson generally rotates around the court and knows where to be defensively, he's not disruptive on that end. There's a lot to be excited about with him as a scorer, and he's not as limited as someone like North Carolina's Ian Jackson. However, teams do want to see Johnson play a more consistently impactful brand of basketball when the ball is not in his hands.
But there is something of a muted reaction when I bring him up to evaluators. Largely, that's because of a couple of things. First, Johnson didn't play well in New York City in front of a bevy of scouts attending games against Syracuse and St. Joseph's. He scored 16.5 points per game in those two but shot just 11 of 36, turned it over 3.5 times per game and didn't really contribute otherwise. Indeed, that's the second main concern. Johnson just has not been all that good at anything this year beyond scoring. He showcases intriguing vision when his mind is set on playmaking for others, but he doesn't do it all that often. He averages 2.3 assists per game, but that's not a particularly high number for how often he has the ball in his hands. And while I think Johnson generally rotates around the court and knows where to be defensively, he's not disruptive on that end. There's a lot to be excited about with him as a scorer, and he's not as limited as someone like North Carolina's Ian Jackson. However, teams do want to see Johnson play a more consistently impactful brand of basketball when the ball is not in his hands.
11. Khaman Maluach, Duke
The Pistons are in the midst of a strong season, winning half their games. They are within striking distance of potentially avoiding the play-in tournament, but BPI still gives them just a 34.6% chance of avoiding the lottery. Adding more young players might not be a massive priority for the Pistons, but a developmental big man such as Maluach could make sense for a team in this range.
He has been highly impactful in his 19 minutes per game for Duke, leading all draft prospects with a whopping +61.0 net rating, buoyed by his outstanding scoring efficiency (81% true shooting), offensive rebounding and game-changing reach. In addition, his intensity and defensive instincts have helped Duke become one of the best teams in the country on that end of the floor.
Maluach, one of the youngest prospects in this class with his 19th birthday in September, is still raw in many ways, especially offensively, and has a lot to prove in ACC play and the NCAA tournament. -- Givony
He has been highly impactful in his 19 minutes per game for Duke, leading all draft prospects with a whopping +61.0 net rating, buoyed by his outstanding scoring efficiency (81% true shooting), offensive rebounding and game-changing reach. In addition, his intensity and defensive instincts have helped Duke become one of the best teams in the country on that end of the floor.
Maluach, one of the youngest prospects in this class with his 19th birthday in September, is still raw in many ways, especially offensively, and has a lot to prove in ACC play and the NCAA tournament. -- Givony
12. Boogie Fland, Arkansas
The John Calipari recruit never stops moving and is a flash in transition, possessing a variety of guard skills. He has a ton of upside because of how hot he can get as a shooter. He recently shot 5-for-8 from 3-point range in a win over Oakland, finishing with 24 points, while scoring 20 in a win over Michigan at the Jimmy V Classic. Not only is Fland a multidimensional scorer, but he averages 5.9 assists per game.