The NBA draft's second round isn't what it used to be, but Trajan Langdon feels good about the Detroit Pistons' position this year.

After skipping the first round, they will have the 37th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 25-26. Thanks to Name, Image and Likeness payments, many college athletes that normally would stay in the draft instead have decided to return for school. One such player, Florida guard Boogie Fland, withdrew his name from the 2025 field after signing a $2 million NIL package.

Trajan Langdon, Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations, speaks May 7, 2025 during an end-of-season news conference at the Pistons Performance Center.

The Pistons have worked out a slew of prospects in recent weeks, and Langdon, the team's president of basketball operations, projected confidence while addressing the media at the team's Midtown practice facility Tuesday, June 24.

"We had a couple of guys in early that went back to school," Langdon said. "I think they were probably (in the) 25-45 (range), there were a couple of others that were even higher on draft boards. You take out 4-6 guys in a range like ours, it can affect the draft and maybe it falls off talent-wise at 32, 33, that would’ve fallen to 38 or 39.

"It can change the level of prospect at 37 that will normally be there and that’s what we’re seeing. But again, I do think we’ll find a player that we like if we’re still at 37."

Langdon also said there's possibility of trading up, though he acknowledged the price to do so may be expensive with several teams looking to do the same.

What are Pistons prioritizing with the pick?

"Best player," Langdon said. "We have our qualities that we’re looking for — high character, hard working and competitive. Size is important throughout the league. As we’ve looked at that pick, there’s a lot of wings that are intriguing. There’s some bigs that are intriguing and there’s some guards that can shoot the ball that are intriguing as well, so we’re trying to figure out who’s going to be there. I think we’ll find a player we like at that number."

It's the first time since 2018 the Pistons won't make a selection in the first round, and the first time since 2019 they're without a lottery pick. Langdon is navigating a much different draft compared to last year, when he had the No. 5 overall pick (which became Ron Holland) and struggled to get top prospects in for workouts for a team coming off of a 14-win season.

Over the past 15 years or so, the Pistons have had success in the second round, finding players such as Bruce Brown (42nd in 2018), Spencer Dinwiddie (38th in 2014) and Khris Middleton (39th in 2012).

"At 37, it’s just a different level of talent and prospect than you’re going to get at five like last year," Langdon said. "I think we've been able to get in the guys that we’ve wanted. Obviously it’s always a game that you play with the agents, guys that you think might be in your range they think are going to be higher, and usually you don’t get those players in. But our agents have been great with us this year in terms of getting players in that we feel will be in our range, to be able to talk to them and see them work out except for a couple that have been injured.

"Other than that, we have a lot of players who have had a good amount of workouts for 37 this year, so we’re pleased."

Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).

Post Related

Post Related