The Detroit Pistons are bracing for the 2026 NBA Draft by working out a big man who could add a new dimension to their offense next season
During the postseason, it became abundantly clear that the Detroit Pistons needed to surround Cade Cunningham with more than just one skilled three-point shooter (credit to Duncan Robinson for his service), but the Eastern Conference’s top seed has multiple routes they could take this offseason.
Since power forward Tobias Harris is entering unrestricted free agency, the Pistons could identify his heir apparent even if the veteran re-signs with Detroit this summer as is expected. But on top of that, the Pistons could reasonably explore the possibility of adding another ball handler or a secondary scorer to use alongside Cunningham in the playoffs.
As Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon alluded to on Thursday, the organization is currently evaluating all options heading into the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday. Detroit has control of the 21st overall selection in the draft without owning a second-rounder, so look for the Pistons to make their noise during day one of the rookie selection process. And as the draft creeps closer, the Pistons are building more of a complete picture as to what traits they’re looking for with their mid-to-late first round pick.
On Thursday, the Pistons hosted Santa Clara forward Allen Graves for a pre-draft workout, and he’s a big man that Pistons Roundtable has already covered with regards to his potential fit in Motown, so it’s clear that the franchise is similarly intrigued by the 6-9 forward who won the WCC Freshman, Sixth Man and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Unlike many other prospects with the same size, Graves is multi-dimensional and makes an impact on both sides of the court. On defense, which is a non-negotiable aspect of the game in the Motor City, Graves averaged nearly three stocks (steals plus blocks) per game in his lone season of college hoops, and he’s both mobile and strong enough to guard multiple positions during rotations.
On offense, Graves offers a degree of versatility that could come in handy on the Pistons given his ability to space the floor and knock down jumpers (over 41% from three-point range), though his shooting motion could be cleaned up a bit at the pro level. In just over 22 minutes per game last year, Graves averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Broncos as an impact sub off the bench.
If the Pistons are looking for a player to take the reins from Harris in the near future, Graves could serve as a quality understudy based on the dynamic big man profile that he offers as a playmaker on both sides of the ball. Now, Harris was a model of consistency for the Pistons over the last two seasons who specialized in the mid-range game, but Graves’ shooting range would allow Detroit to spread out along the perimeter, which should create even more space for Cunningham and Jalen Duren to operate in the paint.
During his presser, Langdon mentioned that he’s fairly confident the Pistons will end up with a quality player who they value at the No. 21 position in the draft. But there are always a few surprises along the way, so it’s possible that Detroit has a chance at a lottery-level player depending on who rises and who falls on draft night.
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