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Detroit Pistons NBA Draft Combine Update: Day 1

May 16th, 2013 at 4:21 PM
By Phil Fattore

The first day of the NBA Draft Combine is in the books. This year's prospective first and second rounders were split-up into respective groups based on position, put through numerous physical skill and shooting drills, and must now wait for the team-scheduled interviews later in the night. As each team is only given 18 official combine interviews by the NBA, a team's interest in a player can suddenly become "common knowledge" based on the selectivity of the process. Pertaining to the Detroit Pistons, Pistons.com writer Keith Langlois was in Chicago tweeting the live updates about who the Pistons are planning on interviewing. 

 
Here's what is known so far after one day at the draft combine (via @Keith_Langlois): 
 
Last night, before today's physical activities, the Pistons reportedly interviewed point guards Isaiah Canaan from Murray State, and Michael Carter-Williams from Syracuse. Canaan could be taken with the Pistons' no. 38 pick in the second round, and Carter-Williams would have to be taken with the Pistons' lottery pick if he were selected. 
 
No combine interview is scheduled with Trey Burke, but as the NBA doles out the 18 interviews it doesn't mean the Pistons aren't interested. Ray McCallum Jr. from Detroit Mercy was also in attendance at the combine, but the projected second-rounder wasn't scheduled for an interview with the Pistons. Still, both Burke and McCallum Jr. are very close to the Palace of Auburn Hills and could both be brought in to meet with the Pistons' front office outside of the combine. Both guards could be "in play" despite not being interviewed this week. 
 
Two power forwards reportedly interviewed with the Pistons on Wednesday night. Colorado power forward Andre Roberson told Langlois that he met with the Pistons. Roberson averaged 10.9 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per game, and was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the year. Roberson is a second-round pick. Arizona power forward Grant Jerrett also told Langlois that he met with the Pistons on Wednesday night as well. Jerrett averaged 5.2 points per game with 3.6 rebounds as a freshman for Arizona, and he'd likely be used with the Pistons' second second-round pick at no. 56. 
 
For tonight, the Pistons reportedly have interviews scheduled with shooting guards Ben McLemore from Kansas, and Victor Oladipo from Indiana. The Pistons reportedly also have interviews scheduled for tonight with small forwards DeShaun Thomas of Ohio State, and Shabazz Muhammad of UCLA. 
 
In general draft combine news, ESPN.com Insider Chad Ford has reported that European prospects Dennis Schroeder (point guard from Germany) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (small forward from Greece) have been given first-round promises from two unnamed teams. Both players could have pulled their names from draft eligibility, but will likely remain in the draft field now that they've been guaranteed first round landing spots. 
 
Day two of the NBA draft combine will resume again tomorrow at 10am on ESPNU. 
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Detroit Pistons Will Have Eye on Small Forwards at NBA Draft Combine

May 16th, 2013 at 9:23 AM
By Phil Fattore

The Detroit Pistons need for a small forward has been noted has "priority no. 1" since Tayshaun Prince was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline of the 2012-13 season. With the rookie emergence of Andre Drummond locking-up his front court spot alongside Greg Monroe, the Pistons are going to have to find an athletic wing (with a jump shot) who can draw out defenders from the paint, and allow the two "bigs" to work down low. Whether that wing comes out of the nearly $25 million free agent spending the Pistons are likely to use, or through the NBA Draft is irrelevant. Still, with the NBA Draft Combine starting today let's point out three names that have been linked to the Pistons by the mock-draft gods in the past weeks. 

 
Knowing that the Pistons are in need of a small forward wing, there are three "wing-men" that could be available for the Pistons to select with the no. 7 pick in the draft. (Assuming the NBA Lottery falls in order) Otto Porter Jr. of Georgetown, Victor Oladipo of Indiana, and Shabazz Muhammad of UCLA. All three players will be available for both the physical workout and face-to-face interview portions of this week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, and all three players are worth keeping an eye on during the combine. 
 
Here's tape of Shabazz Muhammad's year at UCLA
 
 
Otto Porter Jr. has been labeled as perhaps the most "ready" player in this year's NBA Draft. He's very good at a lot of things, but not great at anything. The concern is whether or not there's room for him to develop some of his "very good" traits into the level of greatness that is required for a player to be an anchor on an NBA contending team. The feeling on Porter Jr. is that he'd be a great compliment player, but not the type that a franchise could build around. This all sounds like a "knock" on Porter Jr., but very few players are the type you can build around. 
 
As it stands right now Victor Oladipo is thought to be an NBA-ready defender. He's got the type of length that bothers elite scorers in the league, and his speed is already there. The offense will need to develop, and he doesn't have a consistent enough outside shot to keep opposing defenders honest. Oladipo is almost like a smaller version of Luol Deng, with Oladipo's 6'5" height and a 6'7" wingspan. (Deng is 6'8" with 7' wingspan) The question with Oladipo is where to put him. With most of the NBA going small, Oladipo could play the three spot, but he'd probably be better-suited going against and guarding opposing shooting guards. Is he a two or a three? Perhaps the draft combine can sort some of it out. 
 
Shabazz Muhammad is a shooter, plain and simple. There's questions about how many ways he can score in the NBA…can the left-hander go right consistently…can he stay "high motor" for 48 minutes…will he settle for jump shots too much…can he score efficiently, or is he a high-volume shooter? As is the case with many priority scorers, there are questions about Muhammad's commitment to the defensive end of the floor as well. Muhammad came into UCLA as one of the highest-touted freshmen in the country, but his 17.9 points per game at UCLA were below what was expected. Still, if Muhammad were available at no. 7 the Pistons would likely take the small forward. After all, Muhammad's scoring ability would be able to draw defenders from the paint for Monroe and Drummond to work. 
 
The NBA Draft Combine runs from today, May 15th through May 19th. Coverage can be watched on ESPNU and ESPN2 on Thursday and Friday. 
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Names to Watch at the 2013 NBA Draft Combine

May 15th, 2013 at 10:17 AM
By Phil Fattore

News broke yesterday that the Detroit Pistons had requested an interview with Indiana Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw for the Pistons' vacant head coaching seat. As the Pacers have the day off from the NBA Playoffs after defeating the New York Knicks 93-82 in Game 4 last night, an interview between Shaw and Joe Dumars could come as early as this afternoon. Tomorrow, the NBA Draft Combine will begin in Chicago's Attack Athletics complex, and a different set of interviews will take place. With college basketball's best talents all under one roof, expect Joe Dumars to hold a few player interviews as he narrows down his "big board" for the June 27th NBA Draft. 

 
Here's the list of the player invited to the 2013 NBA Draft Combine (via Chad Ford)
Steven AdamsPittsburgh
Lorenzo BrownNorth Carolina State
Reggie BullockNorth Carolina
Trey BurkeMichigan
Kentavious Caldwell-PopeGeorgia
Isaiah CanaanMurray State
Jackie CarmichaelIllinois State
Michael Carter-WilliamsSyracuse
Allen CrabbeCalifornia
Seth Curry Duke
Brandon DaviesBYU
Dewayne DedmonSouthern California
Gorgui DiengLouisville
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Detroit Pistons to Interview Former Phil Jackson Assistant Brian Shaw

May 14th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
By Phil Fattore

Having already interviewed four coaching candidates (Nate McMillan, Lindsey Hunter, Mike Budenholzer, and J.B. Bickerstaff), today's report that the Detroit Pistons are currently without a "leading candidate" may have come as a surprise to those following the head-coaching search. Last week the Pistons announced that 11-time World Champion head coach Phil Jackson was going to be assisting in the search as a consultant, and since then no news out of the Palace of Auburn Hills has carried the Jackson "stamp." That all changed with the news of Brian Shaw, former Jackson assistant, being brought in for a head coaching interview with the Pistons. 

 
Tom Leyden of WXYZ.com was the first to report the news on Brian Shaw: 
 
Indiana Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw has been contacted by the Detroit Pistons to interview for the team's head coaching job, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
 
The source also said Shaw has been contacted by the Brooklyn Nets. 
 
Those who know the Brian Shaw background see the puppet strings of Jackson being behind this news. Shaw was a point guard for the Lakers under Jackson between 1999-2003, and was a member of the three-peat World Champion run lead by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Following his playing career Shaw became an assistant coach in the league, coaching on the Lakers bench between 2004-2011. After Jackson's second retirement from the Lakers, Shaw was supported by Jackson to become his successor before the organization decided to go with current Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown. 
 
Having not received the head-coaching seat in Los Angeles, Shaw joined Frank Vogel's Indiana Pacers bench as the associate head coach. Shaw still holds this position. Last offseason Shaw was offered an interview from the Charlotte Bobcats, but he turned it down because he felt as though an opportunity with the Bobcats wasn't really an opportunity at all. 
 
"I want to be in a situation where I have a chance," Shaw said of the Charlotte Bobcats coaching job last offseason. 
 
Shaw is considered to be one of the elite assistants in the league, and having Jackson "back" the Pistons' coaching opening could benefit the Pistons over the Nets should Shaw have to decide between the two. Still, if Shaw wants to win quickly, a job with the Nets or even the Milwaukee Bucks would likely seem more appealing. If Shaw wants to go to an organization where he'll have a chance to build something from the ground up, truly putting his brand on the team, then the Pistons would be the more enticing choice. 
 
Phil Jackson, Shaw's mentor, has been "accused" of never having to be a part of a true rebuild en route to his success. Shaw already turned down the Bobcats job last season because it was a true rebuild, that's a Jackson'esque tendency. The Pistons' head coaching opportunity provides a lot of free-agent money and three draft picks, including a top-10 pick. The situation is enticing to some prospective head coaches, but it is a rebuilding process even if it may seem more doable based on the free agent flexibility and draft picks. Jackson would never take a job like the Pistons one, and Shaw has already turned down one rebuilding coaching job with the Bobcats. 
 
Will Jackson's consulting help Shaw reconsider a seat on a rebuilding bench, or will Shaw show more Jackson'esque tendencies? Stay tuned. 
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Detroit Pistons Reportedly Without “Leading Candidate” in Coaching Search

May 14th, 2013 at 10:53 AM
By Phil Fattore

In the search for the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons, so far president of basketball operations Joe Dumars has interviewed four 'known" candidates. Sit-downs with Nate McMillan, Lindsay Hunter, San Antonio Spurs assistant head coach Mike Budenholzer, and Houston Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff have all taken place at Six Championship Drive. Still, according to David Mayo of Mlive.com, team sources have confirmed that the Pistons don't yet have a "leading candidate." 

 
Not having a leading candidate could mean a number of things, so let's speculate. 
 
In the early moments of the coaching search, prior to Phil Jackson coming on as a consultant to the search, Nate McMillan was listed as the "front runner" to become the next head coach. That was, of course, if McMillan wanted the job. With the Pistons no longer having a "front runner" it's likely that if McMillan was offered the position, he turned it down. McMillan did reportedly interview with the Milwaukee Bucks about their coaching vacancy, and could be holding out for an interview with the Brooklyn Nets should they come calling. 
 
Since Phil Jackson reportedly arrived in Detroit on May 7th, the only "known" interview that Dumars has taken part in was one with Bickerstaff. Like McMillan, Bickerstaff also took an interview with the Milwaukee Bucks. Does this mean that Bickerstaff isn't interested in Detroit? Maybe, but it could also mean that the Pistons aren't interested in Bickerstaff. From an experience standpoint, Bickerstaff was probably the third-best candidate interviewed out of the four. (Lindsey Hunter’s head coaching experience is barely a half-season’s worth)
 
Having Budenholzer in for an interview is interesting, as it has long been speculated that he is the coach-in-waiting for Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. If Budenholzer were truly interested in the Pistons coaching job, further development wouldn't likely happen until the Spurs' playoff run ends. Budenholzer has seen the Spurs rise through wise spending and smart drafting, the Pistons have the money and draft picks this year to make the coaching job attractive to someone like Budenholzer who is likely interested in building a team the "right way." That said, if Budenholzer were to accept the job, he'd likely want to have a little extra control over the drafting process than the typical first-time NBA head coach. 
 
This week Dumars and the Pistons front office will be in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine, which starts today. During the five day combine (May 15-19), the Pistons will be watching prospective draft picks and interviewing the cream of the college basketball crop that is in attendance. As Mayo pointed out on Mlive.com, Dumars might also be throwing in a few coaching interviews in-between player interviews. 
 
The next head coach of the Pistons could come out of this week's combine, but many of the top assistants are still in the NBA Playoffs. Former Phil Jackson assistant and current Indiana Pacer associate head coach Brian Shaw, who many believe the Pistons will interview under Jackson's suggestion, isn't likely to interview until the Pacers end their playoff run. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that the Pistons are planning on interviewing New York Knicks assistant Darrell Walker, but there hasn't been a "known" sit-down reported, and Walker might also not be available until after the Knicks playoff run ends.
 
Between not having a "leading candidate" and possibly having to wait for interviews with the league's top assistants, the coaching search could go to the end of May. Stay tuned. 
 
 
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