2017 NBA Draft: First Round Mock 1.1
By Tyler Watts
12. Detroit Pistons- Harry Giles- PF- Duke
The Detroit Pistons have a lot of question marks around their team heading into the offseason. Be it health, regression, or some combination of the two, Reggie Jackson just never looked quite right this season. Will the Pistons try to move on from the 27-year-old or are the committed to him being their point guard of the future? Does Kentavious Caldwell-Pope return in free agency? Will Aron Baynes decline his option and become a free agent? Will the team try to open up minutes for Stanley Johnson and Henry Ellenson? And perhaps the biggest question, what happened to Andre Drummond this season and will it cause the Pistons to sour on him?
Detroit is another talented roster that has needs for bench pieces and improved depth.
Why Harry Giles?
Harry Giles was ESPN 100’s top player coming out of high school and according to Draft Express, attended his first Team USA camp at age 14.
Giles is just 19 years old now and has been hampered by injuries for a few straight years. Giles has torn both is ACL’s since 2013 and had another knee surgery while at Duke. Obviously, this is a risk versus reward selection, but to capture the player with perhaps the highest ceiling this late in the draft is a steal. Given the Pistons current roster, I do not think they pass up that opportunity.
*Detroit has a 0.7% chance of having the number one overall selection