The Detroit Pistons didn’t hold the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft as they did in 2021, but they still had a chance to select a great player with the No. 5 overall selection. The Pistons need to build around star guard Cade Cunningham, so every player from here on out has to match his timeline and skills.
The Pistons are taking Jaden Ivey with the fifth pick, and that likely moves Cunningham off the ball for the time being. This will be a fun backcourt in Detroit, especially if it does come together without any trades. Ivey coming in likely means the end of Killian Hayes in Detroit, and that makes sense as he was an awkward fit with Cunningham.
Ivey is a strong two-way prospect and will help take some pressure off Cunningham offensively. We’ll see how the Pistons work with these two players in the backcourt.