Taking a closer look at five rebuilding teams that took massive steps forward with moves made at the 2023 NBA Draft.
The 2023 NBA Draft is officially in the books. After what was a chaotic week leading up to the event, there was a bit less movement than was expected. Nevertheless, there was still plenty of intrigue and talking points throughout the night.
One of the biggest will revolve around the rebuilding teams that either took a step forward or a step back. It’s almost impossible to label winners and losers right after the draft, but there are clearly some teams that stood out above the rest of draft night.
Let’s explore one part of that narrative by focusing on and taking a closer look at five rebuilding teams that took successful steps forward in their process at the 2023 NBA Draft.
5 Rebuilding teams that took huge steps forward at the NBA Draft
Detroit Pistons
Draft selections: Ausar Thompson (5th overall), Marcus Sasser (25th overall)
The Detroit Pistons ended the night with two first-round selections. With the No. 5 overall pick, the Pistons selected Ausar Thompson out of Overtime Elite. Then, after trading up, the Pistons took Marcus Sasser with the No. 25 pick to close out their night.
For an already talented Pistons core, this has to be considered a great draft. Thompson is the true wildcard. Sasser could emerge as a weapon off the bench down the road and is one of the most experienced prospects in this year’s class, but Thompson is the player that will end up making or breaking Detriot’s draft.
Thompson is one of the more intriguing prospects but also one of the most risky. He’s a great athlete and has shown the potential to be a consistent shooter. He also has playmaking ability and versatility due to his size to play multiple positions. If he develops to his ceiling, this is the type of selection that could end up paying huge dividends down the road.