The Detroit Pistons have a chance to identify their power forward of the future when the 2026 NBA Draft kicks off on June 23
At the moment, the 2026 NBA Draft is set for June 23, so the Detroit Pistons have a couple more weeks to sort out their pre-draft assessments before stepping up to the podium with the No. 21 overall pick.
Acquired in a three-team deal around the Trade Deadline, the Pistons will make the 21st selection as part of a first round pick swap with the Minnesota Timberwolves. As a result, Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon will have the chance to further shape and mold Detroit’s roster in the aftermath of a second round playoff exit that may have left a bitter taste since it followed a 60-win regular season campaign.
As such, Langdon can use the upcoming draft as an early offseason event to add immediate depth to the Pistons’ frontcourt, which would be a timely route to explore since Tobias Harris is entering unrestricted free agency. Last season, Harris started every game that he was healthy enough for, so Detroit has grown used to the veteran anchoring the four spot in the Motor City over the past two years, and it sounds like Langdon wants to bring Harris back on another deal.
But the reality is that the Pistons need to find Harris’ long-term successor sooner rather than later, and this year’s draft offers several prospects who could complement Detroit’s pre-existing direction or add a new element to the team. Among those draft candidates is Arizona’s Koa Peat, a 6-8, 235-pound freshman who entered college with a lot of pressure on his shoulders and helped turn the Wildcats into a dangerous tournament team.
Last season, Peat averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game on a highly-touted Arizona squad, one that ranked near the top of the Kenpom rating scale for most of the year. Starting in all 36 games, Peat relied heavily on his size and strength to bully smaller opponents in the post, so he’s no stranger to operating in the mid-range game, much like Harris has done in Motown during the previous two seasons.
When working on the block, Peat can break down his defender through a crafty spin move that’s part of an otherwise solid arsenal of footwork, and the big man is more than comfortable putting the ball on the floor to beat his man in dribble-drive scenarios. Though perimeter shooting was not an impactful part of Peat’s game last season, the freshman showcased a serviceable mid-range jumper from the elbow that can work at the NBA-level, so there are a lot of aspects to his game that would translate to what the Pistons already do.
Based on recent mock drafts, Peat could go anywhere from the late lottery range all the way down to the tail end of the first round, so there is a lot of variance in terms of his ultimate draft day destination. The Pistons could have their pick of several talented forwards at No. 21 since Chris Cenac Jr. and Morez Johnson Jr. are both falling to the mid-to-late first round range from recent projections, but Peat could step in and deliver meaningful production at the four from day one.
During college, Peat shot nearly 53% from the field, so the Arizona big man has the wherewithal to remain both selective and assertive with the basketball, a rare combination for such a physically gifted prospect. If the Pistons take a chance on Peat in the draft, there’s a good chance that they’ll have sealed up their power forward of the future all in one fail swoop.
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