Why Cole Anthony makes sense if the Detroit Pistons do not move up in the draft lottery

Team Fit

Some of the common player comparisons for Cole Anthony will bring mixed reactions from Pistons fans. Chicago Bulls-era Ben Gordon and Detroit Pistons-era Derrick Rose get thrown around a lot as he profiles as a scoring guard off the bench who does not play great defense overall.

Those comparisons will bring very different reactions from Pistons fans. Floors like Austin Rivers and Patty Mills do not seem to warrant a high pick in this draft but his fit with the team could be deceiving.

Going forward the closest thing to a point guard on the roster this summer is Derrick Rose, obviously a great mentor for Anthony given the comparison. The fact that he could pair off the bench with Bruce Brown would also help shore up some of the defensive deficiencies Anthony comes in with and he would be able to have the ball in his hands more given that Brown is not a domineering offensive presence.

If Anthony is able to develop more as a passer he could evolve into a Baron Davis-type point guard and pairing him with Christian Wood in the pick-and-roll (one of the few ways Anthony thrived as a play-maker in college) is enticing to anyone who wants to see Wood back in the Motor City.

Overall, point guard is the biggest position of need for the Pistons coming into the draft and the team could do much worse than Cole Anthony. Ideally the team will move up and be able to take one of the prospects we will discuss at a later date. But if they slide or are able to trade down Anthony is a nice compromise pick to take a shot on.