SB Nation Detroit - Pistons Sign Rookies Brandon Knight And Vernon Macklinhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2011-12-09T18:21:15-05:00http://detroit.sbnation.com/rss/stream/20031462011-12-09T18:21:15-05:002011-12-09T18:21:15-05:00Detroit Pistons Transactions: Brandon Knight, Vernon Macklin Signed On Friday
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> made a few more signings official signings on Friday as they inked rookie draft picks Brandon Knight and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26036/vernon-macklin">Vernon Macklin</a> to the first deals of their professional careers. Friday was the first day teams could officially make moves and the Pistons made a few of them.</p>
<p>The Pistons signed Knight and Maclin, who will both make a slotted amount of money agreed upon in the recently-approved Collective Bargaining Agrrement, as they head into training camp. A third rookie, second round pick <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/25534/kyle-singler">Kyle Singler</a>, <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/11/29/2597039/kyle-singler-spain-detroit-pistons-news" target="_blank">will spend this season in Spain</a>.</p>
<p>The Pistons also announced they have added point Walker Russell Jr., swingmen <span>Kareem Rush</span> and <span>Brian Hamilton</span> and veteran NBA big man <span>Jake Voskuhl</span> to round out the training camp roster. Russell plays for the Mad Ants' D-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.</p>
<p>Aside from those moves, the <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/12/1/2604097/detroit-pistons-offseason-rumors-trades" target="_blank">Pistons have also bought out Rip Hamilton</a> and re-signed veteran forwards <span>Tayshaun Prince</span> and Jonas Jerebko.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/12/9/2624744/detroit-pistons-transactions-brandon-knight-vernon-macklinScott Schroeder2011-06-24T10:25:41-04:002011-06-24T10:25:41-04:002011 NBA Draft Results: Central Division Picks, Trades
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<p>The 2011 NBA Draft is in the books. Thursday night was quite eventful, especially for the NBA's Central Division. Headlined by the Cleveland Cavaliers, which had two top-five picks, Central Division teams made quite a few interesting selections. Below is a look at each team's picks and draft-day deals.</p>
<p><b>Chicago Bulls</b></p>
<p>No. 28: PG Norris Cole (Cleveland State) *Rights traded to Minnesota and later Miami*</p>
<p>No. 30: SF Jimmy Butler (Marquette)</p>
<p>No. 43: PG Malcolm Lee (UCLA) *Rights traded to Minnesota*</p>
<p>Bulls receive rights to the 23rd pick, Nikola Mirotic</p>
<p><b>Cleveland Cavaliers</b></p>
<p>No. 1: PG Kyrie Irving (Duke)</p>
<p>No. 4: PF Tristan Thompson (Texas)</p>
<p>No. 32: PF Justin Harper (Richmond) *Rights traded to Orlando*</p>
<p>Cavaliers receive two future second-round picks</p>
<p>No. 54: PF Milan Macvan (Serbia)</p>
<p><b>Detroit Pistons</b></p>
<p>No. 8: PG Brandon Knight (Kentucky)</p>
<p>No. 33: SF Kyle Singler (Duke)</p>
<p>No. 52: PF Vernon Macklin (Florida)</p>
<p><b>Indiana Pacers</b></p>
<p>No. 15: SF Kawhi Leonard (San Diego State) *Rights traded to San Antonio*</p>
<p>No. 42: SF Davis Bertans (Latvia) *Rights traded to San Antonio*</p>
<p>Pacers receive George Hill from Spurs and also give up rights to 2005 pick Erazem Lorbek</p>
<p><b>Milwaukee Bucks</b></p>
<p>No. 10: PG Jimmer Fredette (BYU) *Rights traded to Sacramento*</p>
<p>Bucks receive Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih, Shaun Livingston and rights to the 19th pick, Tobias Harris</p>
<p>No. 40: PF Jon Leuer (Wisconsin)</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/24/2241686/2011-nba-draft-results-picks-tradesSean Yuille2011-06-24T10:10:07-04:002011-06-24T10:10:07-04:00Pistons Draft Picks 2011: A Look At Detroit's Selections
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<p>During the 2011 NBA Draft, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> made three picks. In the first round, they decided to take Brandon Knight after he surprisingly fell all the way to the eighth overall pick. In the second round, Detroit selected Kyle Singler and later took Vernon Macklin. Here's a look at info on each pick:</p>
<p>No. 8 (first round): G Brandon Knight (Kentucky) - 6-3, 185 lbs.</p>
<p>No. 33 (second round): F Kyle Singler (Duke) - 6-8, 230 lbs.</p>
<p>No. 52 (second round): F Vernon Macklin (Florida) - 6-10, 240 lbs.</p>
<p>Knight is expected to come in and be a player that can make an immediate impact. The hope is he will take over the point guard position for the Pistons, allowing them to move <span>Rodney Stuckey</span> to shooting guard or deal him to another team.</p>
<p>Singler and Macklin are expected to be role players more than anything. Singler definitely has the tools to be more than that considering he played at Duke for four years and is 6-foot-8, but in the beginning of his career, at least, he is probably going to be someone that comes off the bench, which isn't a bad thing.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/24/2241659/nba-draft-2011-results-picks-detroit-pistonsSean Yuille2011-06-23T23:41:12-04:002011-06-23T23:41:12-04:002011 NBA Draft Results: Detroit Pistons Take Vernon Macklin With 52nd Pick
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> selected Florida forward Vernon Macklin with the 52nd overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Macklin is Detroit's third pick in this year's draft and their second of the second round.</p>
<p>Macklin began his college career at Georgetown, but he transferred after only two seasons with the Hoyas. After sitting out the 2008-09 season to redshirt, Macklin averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Florida Gators in 2009-10. This past season, Macklin put up similar numbers, averaging 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.</p>
<p>With Macklin being picked, the Pistons have now used all three of their 2011 NBA Draft picks. In the first round, Detroit selected Kentucky guard Brandon Knight after he fell to them. Earlier in the second round, with the 33rd overall pick, the Pistons took Duke forward Kyle Singler.</p>
<p>Barring a last-minute trade to acquire one of the final picks, the Pistons are done for the night and for the 2011 NBA Draft.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240999/2011-nba-draft-results-detroit-pistons-take-vernon-macklin-with-52ndSean Yuille2011-06-23T23:31:37-04:002011-06-23T23:31:37-04:002011 NBA Draft Results: Oakland's Keith Benson Drafted By Atlanta Hawks
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<p>Oakland University's Keith Benson was selected with the 48th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a>. Benson is the first player in Oakland Golden <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Grizzlies</a> history to be taken in the NBA Draft.</p>
<p>A graduate of Detroit Country Day, Benson spent five years at Oakland and became The Summit League's player of the year by the time he left. This past season, Benson averaged 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He also helped Oakland make it to the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. (The Grizzlies lost to Texas in their first game in the big dance.)</p>
<p>Benson is the second player from a Michigan college to be taken in this year's draft. Just seven picks earlier, Michigan's Darius Morris was <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240930/2011-nba-draft-results-darius-morris-los-angeles-lakers">taken by the <span class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Lakers</span></a><span class="sbn-auto-link"></span>, his hometown team.</p>
<p>A lot of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a> fans were hoping that Benson would get selected by his hometown team, but the Hawks prevented that from happening. Regardless, it's great that Benson was able to become Oakland's first ever draft pick and that he will get a chance to make it in the NBA with the Hawks.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240980/2011-nba-draft-results-oaklands-keith-benson-drafted-by-atlanta-hawksSean Yuille2011-06-23T23:09:46-04:002011-06-23T23:09:46-04:002011 NBA Draft Results: Darius Morris Drafted By Los Angeles Lakers
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<p>University of Michigan point guard Darius Morris is headed home to Los Angeles. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> selected him with the 41st overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, meaning he will get to play for his hometown team.</p>
<p>Morris came to Michigan two years ago from Los Angeles. The improvement he showed from his freshman to sophomore year was immense, and it led to his decision to leave Michigan two years early. The expectation at the end of Michigan's season was that Morris would test the NBA Draft waters and ultimately return, but he went pro instead.</p>
<p>While Morris' decision can certainly be questioned considering many thought he could be a lottery pick if he stayed at Michigan for another year, I'm sure he is thrilled with the chance to return home to play for the Lakers. It's definitely disappointing that Morris wasn't taken until the 41st overall pick, but it's a nice consolation prize that he will get to play with <span>Kobe Bryant</span>, who Morris once called the <a href="http://mvictors.com/?p=9739">best player he's ever gone up against</a>.</p>
<p>Morris is the first Michigan basketball player to be drafted by an NBA team since Bernard Robinson Jr. was taken by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Bobcats</a> in 2004.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240930/2011-nba-draft-results-darius-morris-los-angeles-lakersSean Yuille2011-06-23T22:44:17-04:002011-06-23T22:44:17-04:002011 NBA Draft Results: Detroit Pistons Take Kyle Singler With 33rd Pick
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> selected Duke's Kyle Singler with the 33rd overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Singler, a 6-foot-8 forward out of Medford, Oregon, played four years for the Blue Devils and helped lead them to a national championship in 2010.</p>
<p>This past season at Duke, Singler averaged 16.9 points per game. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Thanks to the help of first overall pick Kyrie Irving and first-round selection Nolan Smith, Singler and the Blue Devils went 32-5 during the 2010-11 season and made a run to the Sweet 16.</p>
<p>Singler will join Kentucky guard Brandon Knight as two of the new Pistons players from this draft. Knight was selected with the eighth overall pick and could become a starter at point guard in the future for the Pistons.</p>
<p>Detroit still has the 52nd overall pick, and, as the first half of the draft showed, a trade or two is definitely a possibility.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240835/2011-nba-draft-results-kyle-singler-detroit-pistonsSean Yuille2011-06-23T20:48:22-04:002011-06-23T20:48:22-04:002011 NBA Draft: Video Highlights Of Detroit Piston's Pick At No. 8, Brandon Knight
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<p>After three straight losing seasons, the 2011 NBA Draft represented a critical opportunity for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> to restock their roster with capable, young talent to help get the proud franchise back on track. Joe Dumars hopes he found his guy in Brandon Knight, the freshman guard out of Kentucky. Taken at No. 8 in Thursday night's 2011 NBA Draft, Knight will be charged with the task of revitalizing a Pistons team that lacked leadership and steady guard play a year ago.</p>
<p>Knight really emerged on the national radar during Kentucky's run to the Final Four. He was John Calipari's go-to-guy in crunch time and came up big time and time again. Here's a video highlight reel of some of Knight's best moments from this past year.</p>
<p>Welcome to Motown, Brandon!</p>
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https://detroit.sbnation.com/detroit-pistons/2011/6/23/2240621/2011-nba-draft-results-detroit-pistons-brandon-knight-kentucky-calipari-joe-dumarsMichael Bean