This week's SB Nation 2012 NBA Mock Draft was a bit different from the usual norm. Instead of Tom Ziller writing it, the various blogs around the SBN network made the picks. Detroit Bad Boys made the pick for the Detroit Pistons at No. 9 and they went for a different tune than most mocks had been singing recently.
Rather than going for a big guy to help out Greg Monroe with some of his shortcomings, they went with the smaller Jared Sullinger out of Ohio State:
If any team in the league has the training capacity to take on a developmental red flag like this one, it's the Detroit Pistons. If Sullinger's career does end early, in six or seven years, he may still outpace most draftees at the #9 spot.
While Sullinger does not present the above-the-rim, defensive shot blocker that would neutralize Greg Monroe's weaknesses, he might be serviceable enough to make for an average frontcourt defense. In terms of rebounding and frontcourt scoring, Sullinger might be the best option in the draft after Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson. Detroit can do a whole lot worse at #9, but I can't see them doing any better than Jared Sullinger.
It's really going to depend on draft day if the Pistons are looking for someone big or someone who can help jumpstart their offense. Despite the injury issues, Sullinger seems like a hard pick to go wrong with.
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