OKC Thunder: NBA Draft – Tank wars heat up in week 17

Detroit Pistons (16-39):

Finishing with one of the three worst records is the goal of all the tanking teams. The only realistic team currently holding one of those spots that the Thunder could catch (or fall under) is the Pistons. Coincidentally, the two teams play tonight.

As Intentions outlined in the preview there is some tanking hijinx afoot with Detroit sitting two players for rest (Mason Plumlee, Wayne Ellington) as well as Jerami Grant for “health management”.  The match could end up being a chess match between Mark Daigneault and Dwane Casey as they both try to do enough to get the ‘L’ this evening. With Detroit winning the first meeting, if OKC can lose again it would give them the lower seed tiebreak.

The Pistons’ other weekend match features former OKC Thunder star Russell Westbrook and his Wizards who are actively trying to move up into the play-in tournament.

In terms of the Pistons’ status, they are in full-on rebuild mode. In a similar role to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the Thunder, Jerami Grant offers a core piece of the foundation for the Pistons. Quite frankly would be better suited as a secondary (or even third) option. He’ll have to wait since the main roster assets are all rookies including Saddiq Bey, Killian Hayes, Saben Lee, and Isaiah Stewart.

They’ll add to that youthful group in the 2021 draft with a lottery pick and a trio of second-round picks accumulated via trades.

Former OKC Thunder wing, Hamidou Diallo has fit in well following his trade to Detroit this season. Hami is anchoring the reserve unit for the Pistons and in truth fits the Pistons timeline better than Grant.