Mock NBA Draft 3.0: Where will LaMelo Ball be selected?

Yes, they traded for Clint Capela at the deadline and the positional overlap is cause for concern. That should not matter here. The Atlanta Hawks are in asset accumulation mode and Onyeka Okongwu is the best player available in this draft and could end up being a complete steal for them at six.

He brings something on defense that Capela does not bring and would be an immediate impact for the team on both ends of the court. Every team will be looking for their version of Bam Adebayo after this run by the Miami Heat and Okongwu has a lot of the same skills. He works as hard on the defensive end of the floor as Trae Young does on the offensive end. The team would boast a plethora of shooters and two strong young big men.

This has almost felt preordained since the Detroit Pistons drafted Sekou Doumbouya last year. Killian Hayes and Doumbouya have played together before and want to again. They would make each other’s development easier as they continued to grow together. The fact that the Pistons are in need of a point guard makes the choice that much clearer.

Hayes is a brilliant playmaker, bringing elite passing associated with players taken higher in the draft without the variability. He will likely grate on coach Dwane Casey as he suffers defensive lapses but he will get his teammates the best shots possible. This is an investment in the further restoring of the Detroit Pistons. Rare are the opportunities that fit and the best player available for a team at the bottom align so clearly. The Pistons should take advantage of it.