The Detroit Pistons need to eventually bring in a long-term power forward of the future, and the 2026 NBA Draft may be the time to do so
While the New York Knicks have taken a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals, the Detroit Pistons and the rest of the Eastern Conference have had no choice but to begin their offseason process. The Pistons were part of the final four in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but that’s well short of what Detroit felt could be accomplished after a torrid 60-win regular season.
So, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon has the clear task of providing a remedy for the areas in which Detroit fell short during the postseason. Clearly, the Pistons’ recipe worked well enough to cruise through their initial 82-game slate, but a lack of three-point shooting plagued Detroit in both the first and second rounds. Once Tobias Harris’ initial eight-game heater of consecutive 20-point games in the playoffs subsided, the Pistons lacked the requisite support for Cade Cunningham to compete under the bright lights since Jalen Duren played far off his 20-point, 11-rebound pace.
To help the Pistons make a longer postseason run next year and perhaps establish some direction as a franchise, Langdon may want to use the 2026 NBA Draft as an opportunity to name an heir apparent to Tobias Harris as the team’s long-term option at the four.
Right now, Harris is entering the offseason as an unrestricted 35-year old after playing his 15th year in the league, the last two of which were with the Pistons, but both sides are reportedly quite happy with how those years have gone. Harris is respected within the locker room, and Langdon said he wants the veteran mid-range artist to stick around a while longer. But Detroit will need to usher in their power forward of the future eventually, and the draft has several talented big men that are worthy of consideration for the Pistons’ frontcourt, such as Houston freshman Chris Cenac Jr.
Over the last month, Cenac has consistently found himself lodged in the tail end of mock drafts, but the big man who measured in at 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan at the NBA Combine has a high ceiling with a boatload of physical traits that could lend themselves to the Pistons system.
Last season, Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for a near double-double pace during 36 starts for the Cougars, but first-year power forward had some particularly noteworthy, dominant performances along the way. When the lights got brighter, Cenac upped his intensity with a 17-point, 17-rebound game against Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament, then the tenacious freshman battled in the post for 18 rebounds later on in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In retrospect, Cenac was the first freshman to lead Houston in rebounding in nearly 15 years, so his impact was felt even if he was limited to just 24 minutes per game.
In terms of his development, Cenac was primarily effective as a slasher, dunker and a face-up scorer who was attacking the basket. The Pistons employ a frontcourt that battled for second-chance opportunities on the offensive glass, and Cenac would fit right in with regards to that requirement. As a scorer, Cenac is far behind the mid-range efficiency of Harris, but few can match that type of second-level production.
If the Pistons do opt to select a power forward like Cenac in the draft while retaining Harris for another go-around, then Detroit would have a clear opportunity for Tobias to mentor his successor at the power forward spot. Harris has a mountain of knowledge about pro-level tendencies in the mid-range, so his guidance and tips could go a long way in helping Cenac develop his post-up moves at the NBA level.
For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.
