Feb 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Caris LeVert (3) plays defense against Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Detroit Pistons Get Clarity on 2025 Draft Pick

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Apr 8, 2025 9:32 PM ET

Late last week, the Detroit Pistons accomplished something they haven’t done since 2019. They are headed to the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

As a result, they’ll be sending their first-round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s always bittersweet to move on from a pick, especially when it was protected up to a certain point, but the Pistons will be just fine without it. After all, they remain a young squad going for playoff contention.

Following a 14-68 season, nobody expected the Pistons to crack a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference. Even the team’s President of Basketball Operations, Trajan Langdon, kept reality in check when he made it clear that playoffs weren’t exactly on his mind.

Pistons have clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2018-2019

Detroit basketball is BACK pic.twitter.com/tW6K8Pkbbw
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2025

Of course, the Pistons shocked the basketball world just a few weeks into the 2024-2025 NBA season. And once they got on a roll, they maintained the positive momentum.

Playing for favorable lottery odds is no longer a concern for the Pistons at this stage of the season. Instead, Detroit is working on becoming the fifth or sixth seed in the East, staring at potential first-round matchups against the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks.

And the pick they will part ways with ended up being helpful in the end. When Detroit moved the lottery-protected 2025 first-rounder in 2020, the future selection helped the Pistons acquire the draft slot that landed them Isaiah Stewart. This year, Stewart has established himself as one of the NBA’s top rim protectors and has been a major spark off of the Pistons’ bench.

Heading into Thursday’s matchup against the New York Knicks at home, the Pistons are looking to get back on the winning track after falling short against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and the Sacramento Kings on Monday.