NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Bulls land a new face of the franchise; Lakers make a trade

4. Detroit Pistons – Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova

In what could perhaps be viewed as the first big surprise of the first round, the Detroit Pistons go a bit rogue and decide to go with team fit over adding the best player available. I believe there could be value for the Pistons to take the chance on a wing over another guard prospect – especially with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey already on the roster as promising players at that position.

Whitmore elected not to participate in the college basketball postseason after the Villanova Wildcats didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament. You can make the argument that it’s a smart move since the NIT doesn’t have nearly the national platform that the Tourney will have over the course of the next few weeks.

Whitmore has proven to be a quality and efficient scorer during his freshman season at Villanova and if he can prove that he can hit the 3-point shot on a more consistent basis during his pre-draft workouts, he will have the opportunity to continue to rise up draft boards.

The big question is whether or not he’s a worthy top-5 draft pick. Perhaps some NBA scouts may disagree but I believe he makes the most sense for the Pistons here at No. 4.