The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is less than a week away.
The Detroit Pistons own the No. 21 pick and, coming off of a 60-win season and second-round playoff exit, have significant weaknesses to address.
Here are three of the biggest needs the Pistons could try to fill on draft night and player who could fit the bill.
Shooting/wing depth
Outside of Duncan Robinson, the Pistons lacked reliable shooting. Trajan Langdon highlighted 3-point shooting and ballhandling as two of the team’s biggest offseason needs, and they’ll have an opportunity to address one or both with their first-round pick.
Cameron Carr, G/F
Vitals: Sophomore, 6-6, Baylor.
2025-26 stats: 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, 37.4% from 3 (6.1 attempts).
Of the “3-and-D” prospects in the class, Carr is among those who fit the archetype best. He’s a good shooter that knocked down a high volume of 3-pointers, both off the catch and while moving. He’s an above-the-rim athlete, particularly on fast breaks and with a head of steam attacking closeouts. And he has great defensive tools, boasting a near 7-foot-1 wingspan that helped allow him to become a strong weakside shot-blocker for his size.
Carr is a logical fit who can thrive playing off of Cade Cunningham, ease their halfcourt spacing and fit their identity as a defense-driven team that thrives in transition.
Isaiah Evans, G/F
Vitals: Sophomore, 6-7, Duke.
2025-26 stats: 15 points, 3.2 rebounds, 36.1% from 3 (7.4 attempts).
Through two seasons at Duke, Evans almost exclusively shot 3s. He took 429 3-pointers and 184 shots inside the arc, and proved he can hit triples in a variety of circumstances. With a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he also has good size and could develop into a plus on the defensive end.
He’s more of a specialist rather than a well-rounded wing who can handle playmaking and ball-handling responsibilities, but the Pistons need shooting and Evans checks that box.
Ballhandling
Daniss Jenkins’ breakout 2025-26 season saw him develop from a two-way role player vying for minutes to full-time starter in the second round of the playoffs. It’s a credit to his ability to rise to the moment, but also reflected the Pistons’ lack of options. They need more players who can take the playmaking load off of Cunningham, both alongside him and when he sits.
Bennett Stirtz, G
Vitals: Senior, 6-4, Iowa.
2025-26 stats: 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 35.8% from 3 (6.9 attempts).
In a point guard-heavy class, Stirtz is a player who epitomizes the position. He expertly breaks down defenses with his vision and ability to make every pass, on-time and on-target. He’s a capable shooter both off the catch and off the dribble. And he averaged nearly 38 minutes per game last season and 39.4 minutes a season prior at Drake, thriving while carrying one of college basketball’s heaviest workloads.
He’s not a big guard, but he’s smart, tough and would add dynamism to the Pistons’ offense.
Christian Anderson Jr., G
Vitals: Sophomore, 6-2, Texas Tech
2025-26 stats: 18.5 points, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 41.5% from 3 (7.4 attempts).
As one of the best, if not the best shooter in the draft, Anderson could’ve been included in the previous section. He’s a flamethrower with deep range, high efficiency and a capability to generate his own off pull-ups and side-steps. Anderson also is a true point guard and willing passer who knows how to weaponize his shooting to create opportunities for his teammates.
He’s small, though, standing around 6-foot-1 without shoes and around 180 pounds. It’s not clear if the Pistons’ rotation can accommodate multiple smaller guards (including Jenkins) and maintain its defensive verve. The question for the front office – is Anderson’s elite shooting worth the trade-off?
Power forward depth
Tobias Harris, the team’s starting power forward for two seasons, is 33-years-old and an unrestricted free agent. Even though there’s a good chance he re-signs this offseason, the Pistons need longterm stability and depth at the position.
Hannes Steinbach, F
Vitals: Freshman, 6-11, Washington
2025-26 stats: 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 steals.
A prolific rebounder with an interesting cross section of offensive skills, Steinbach would bring versatility to the rotation as a power forward/center hybrid. He’s a vacuum-cleaner on the glass and led all Division 1 players in rebounds per game. He combines that with soft touch at the rim and some outside shooting flashes. Though Steinbach only took 53 attempts, he knocked down 18 of them – a 34% clip.
Theoretically, Steinback could play alongside Isaiah Stewart or Paul Reed thanks to his rebounding and touch. As strong as the Pistons’ center rotation was last season, they missed Jalen Duren’s presence on the boards when he left the floor.
Allen Graves, F
Vitals: Freshman, 6-9, Santa Clara.
2025-26 stats: 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, 0.9 steals, 51.2% overall, 41.3% from 3 (2.6 attempts).
Graves is a unique prospect, as he came off of the bench for a No. 10-seed Santa Clara team that snapped a 30-year tournament drought in the West Coast Conference. But his analytical profile elevate him to a potential first-round target. He was highly productive in just 22.6 minutes per game, scoring efficiently both inside and from 3 with quick and accurate passing reads (just 0.7 turnovers per game), healthy block and steal numbers and a knack for rebounding.
Graves isn’t a great athlete, but he makes up for it with smarts, positioning and size, standing around 6 feet 8 without shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. His viability at No. 21 largely comes down to the Pistons’ belief that his outside shooting and connective qualities on offense, as well as his defensive tools, can be scaled up to a larger NBA role.
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 3 big needs for Pistons in NBA Draft and who could fill them at No. 21
Reporting by Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
