Why Detroit Pistons would be the best fit for LaMelo Ball in the 2020 NBA Draft
LaMelo Ball has dramatically improved his draft stock since starting to play overseas, and is now seen as a top 3 pick. He is certainly a player with a very high ceiling.
Ball's potential is undeniable, and he would be a great pick for just about any team. He has great size for a guard with very good handles, and has shown the ability to shoot well notwithstanding the inconsistencies during his NBL season.
The question of when the 2020 draft will take place is still up in the air, but the top lottery teams will more or less be the same as they are now. Currently the top 3 teams who share the same odds at the #1 pick are the Warriors, the Cavs and the Timberwolves.
Teams like the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks are also right there, and could easily have higher odds if this season ever gets played out.
With LaMelo being a ball-dominant point guard, teams like the Warriors and the Hawks don't make a lot of sense. The Warriors have the best point guard when healthy, and Trae Young has shown he is for real. The Cavs meanwhile have selected Collin Sexton and Darius Garland in the previous two drafts, so I think they would much rather take a big man like Wiseman or Toppin.
The Detroit Pistons are the team that I see taking LaMelo if he is still available, and they seem to be the best fit.
The Detroit Pistons have been a mid-level team the past few years, usually sneaking their way into a 7 or 8 seed and losing. After trading Drummond, it is clear they are trying to rebuild this team.
Blake Griffin is a huge question mark but would be a good fit with LaMelo. The Pistons haven't had a good point guard the past few years, so drafting LaMelo would be an automatic upgrade and would instantly boost sales for the team.
Derrick Rose would also be a great mentor for LaMelo, and would be on the last year of his contract next season. That would be perfect for LaMelo to learn from a great point guard like Rose, and he would be able to have the starting role the next season if not sooner.
Rose has been through the ups and downs of the NBA more so than anyone else, and LaMelo would instantly benefit off whatever Rose teaches him.
The Pistons just seem like the overall best fit at the top of the draft for LaMelo. They are a rebuilding team with little expectations at the moment. Considering the crazy family history of the Ball family, it would benefit LaMelo being in Detroit instead of teams like New York or Golden State.
If the Pistons can have the odds in their favor and land a top pick with LaMelo on the board, it will be hard for them to pass on that. LaMelo has maybe the highest potential in this draft and Detroit is in need of a star, so this fit makes a lot of sense between the two.