Pistons eye strong PFs: Lendeborg, Peat, Ejiofor

Washington is reportedly open to moving the number one pick. That kind of chaos at the top is exactly what could push a lottery-level talent down the board, potentially benefiting a team like us picking at No. 21.

While the top of the draft has its headliners in AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, we’re focused on the value deeper in the first round. The chatter suggests a strong group of power forwards could be available when we pick.

Players like Yaxel Lendeborg, Hannes Steinbach, Koa Peat, and Morez Johnson Jr. have all been floated in our range, each offering a different flavor of frontcourt help.

Depth at the Forward Spot

Take Zuby Ejiofor. His physical readiness and motor are what put him in the first-round conversation.

Scouts praise his defensive versatility and ability to guard multiple positions, but his offensive game is still a work in progress. He’s primarily a rim-runner right now, but his production at St. John’s—15.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks—shows a player who impacts both ends of the floor.

Similarly, Joshua Jefferson is an interior grinder who plays bigger than his 6'8" frame. He’s a tenacious rebounder and defender who showed comfort making plays from the elbow at Saint Mary's, which points to some passing upside.

The scoring is there (16 points per game), but he attempted just eight three-pointers all season. We’d be drafting him for his defensive presence and interior passing, not for floor spacing.