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Pistons: 3 takeaways from a huge NBA draft lottery win

By Duncan Smith

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 13: General view of Little Caesars Arena prior to the start of the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons on January 13, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 13: General view of Little Caesars Arena prior to the start of the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Detroit Pistons on January 13, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Pistons, NBA draft
Pistons, NBA draft (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Pistons have long been a snake-bitten franchise when it comes to NBA lottery luck, but they picked a great time to change that on Tuesday night. With a potentially franchise-altering talent at the top of the class in Cade Cunningham, it seems like a culmination of one year of intelligent hard work from the front office after years of desolation for fans.

Time will tell if Cunningham is actually the pick, but his talent and potential transcend mere fit concerns, especially on a team that won just 20 games last season. He’s the kind of player you fit everything around and not vice versa.

Let’s look at three big takeaways from this massive win for the Detroit Pistons.

Takeaway No. 1 from the Pistons NBA draft lottery win: Lottery misfortune undone

It might take more than one of these for the Pistons to feel like the NBA has made it right, but this is the first time the franchise has selected first overall since 1970. 51 years is a heck of a long time considering the NBA has never had more than 30 teams and has had significantly fewer over a much of this period.

Just as impressively depressing, the Pistons had never moved up with their own pick in the NBA draft lottery before Tuesday night. The only time they ever moved up was with the Memphis Grizzlies’ pick in 2003, and they used that pick to select Darko Milicic rather than Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh.

In this lottery, the Pistons jumped from second to first, breaking both trends all in one overdue fell swoop.

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