(Editor’s note: The Pistons hold the No. 18 and No. 49 picks in the June 23 NBA draft. We’ll preview one candidate for each pick each Monday through Friday leading up to the draft. Players who are consensus lottery picks unavailable to the Pistons will not be profiled.)
First-Round Candidate: Demetrius Jackson
ID CARD: 6-foot-1¾ point guard, Notre Dame junior, 21 years old
DRAFT RANGE: Ranked 16th by DraftExpress.com; 26th by ESPN.com; sixth among point guards by NBA.com
SCOUTS LOVE: Jackson has a nearly ideal point guard’s makeup. He’s got a bright, engaging personality. He’s coachable and will be seen as a great teammate whether he’s a starter or glued to the bench. He’s got strong athletic measurables, as well. Jackson’s offensive game is well-rounded and he’s a competitive, responsible defender.
SCOUTS WONDER: He’ll be a little undersized as a starting NBA point guard, though not significantly. In an era where many guards as small or smaller have thrived, it probably won’t affect his draft stock much but could still be an obstacle to overcome as he adapts to the speed and size of NBA opponents. After shooting better than 40 percent from the 3-point line his freshman and sophomore seasons at Notre Dame – when he played off the ball in deference to Knicks 2015 No. 1 pick Jerian Grant – Jackson slumped to .331 as a junior when he shouldered the burden of playmaking, as well.
NUMBER TO NOTE: 43½ -- the number of inches off the ground Jackson jumped in athletic testing at the NBA draft combine last month, second only to Oakland’s diminutive Kay Felder and by only one-half inch. Jackson’s an explosive leaper who has an impressive catalog of highlight-reel dunks. It’s indicative of the type of athleticism that makes him an appealing prospect for teams looking for a player who figures to be ready to play a bench sparkplug role as a rookie.
MONEY QUOTE: “They know so much about us because they really ask other people – coaches, people in your life. They know who we are and they know what we’re about, so I just try to stay true to myself. I’ve always been humble. Growing up, I was a shy kid. That made me who I am today, but I also have confidence in my hard work, have confidence in the things I do on the court and off the court.” – Jackson at the NBA draft combine on his interactions with NBA teams
PISTONS FIT: With the proliferation of teams in the Eastern Conference that used two point guards as a regular feature of their rotation, the Pistons would do well to have a player they could line up alongside Reggie Jackson. Demetrius Jackson’s ability to make plays off the dribble and his potential – due to his explosion – to be a dynamic pick-and-roll player would make him someone who could potentially make an impact as a rookie.
BOTTOM LINE: Pistons general manager Jeff Bower said last month that he didn’t anticipate the draft would have much, if any, impact on how the Pistons attacked free agency. But if they were to draft Jackson – about as ready to contribute as a rookie as any point guard in the draft – it might well alter the type of veteran point guard they would choose to add. Van Gundy said he hoped to pick up a backup point guard this off-season who would be around for the long term to grow with the team’s established young core. But drafting Jackson might allow the Pistons to pour greater resources into acquiring the power forward also on their shopping list and find more of a stopgap veteran point guard who would come on a shorter-term deal.
Second-Round Candidate: Ron Baker
ID CARD: 6-foot-4½ shooting guard, Wichita State senior, 23 years old
DRAFT RANGE: Ranked 82nd by DraftExpress.com; 55th by ESPN.com; unranked at shooting guard by NBA.com
SCOUTS LOVE: Baker’s savvy and hustle are his best attributes. What he might lack in size or athleticism, he makes up for in basketball IQ and a non-stop motor. He walked on at Wichita State, took a redshirt year to add strength and emerged as a redshirt freshman as a key starter who averaged 26 minutes a game on a team that pushed eventual national champion Louisville in a two-point decision in the semifinals.
SCOUTS WONDER: Baker has below-average size for an NBA shooting guard, especially coupled with his questionable athleticism. Though a clever ballhandler and good passer, Baker would struggle to win any one-on-one battles with his defender late in the shot clock.
NUMBER TO NOTE: 0.375 – Baker’s best 3-point shooting percentage over four seasons at Wichita State. There was very little variance – Baker’s worst 3-point percentage of .348 came as a senior – but at the shorter college distance a player with borderline size and athleticism would need to be consistently over 40 percent to have strong appeal to NBA teams.
MONEY QUOTE: “It’s pretty simple. You’re hard-working, your effort are things you can bring to the table every day. For four years, I felt like I’ve done that, so they know that and for me to just come here and do those two things and obviously intangibles, as far as taking care of the basketball, making shots are important for this workout. But those scouts from Detroit know what they’re looking at and know what they’re going to get from me. Being here is obviously a pretty cool deal. Just make the most out of it and enjoy it.” – Ron Baker after working out for the Pistons on May 31
PISTONS FIT: It would be a tough sell by Baker to convince the Pistons to draft him given the glut of shooting guards already on their roster. They have four under contract for next season, which doesn’t include Stanley Johnson even though Johnson was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s primary backup last season. But after the 2016-17 season, Jodie Meeks will be an unrestricted free agent and Reggie Bullock will be restricted unless the Pistons sign him to an extension beforehand.
BOTTOM LINE: Baker doesn’t have a classic point guard’s physical makeup but he averaged 3.2 assists a game for Wichita State as a senior even though the Shockers had one of college basketball’s top playmakers, Fred Van Vleet, sharing the backcourt with him. If Baker convinces some NBA team that he would be a viable option at both guard spots, he becomes a much more realistic possibility to be drafted ahead of his current projections – possibly putting him in play for the Pistons with the 49th pick.