Could The Detriot Pistons Be Dropping The Bag Again By Trading Number One Pick?
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Garett Fisbeck)
The 2021 NBA Draft is on Thursday at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Detriot Pistons have the number one pick, the first time they had a two pick since 03. In that particular draft, they had the opportunity to select future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Instead, they elected to draft Darko Miličić.
Darko won a championship with the Pistons the next season, but Carmelo Anthony has had the better overall career. Larry Brown, who was the coach of the Pistons in 2004 that won that championship.
“What I had understood, we were going to draft Carmelo and then all of a sudden they decided on Darko,” Brown said, per Syracuse.com.
“All I asked is why don’t you bring in Carmelo, or (Dwyane) Wade or (Chris) Bosh and let them workout against Darko?” Brown said. “Any smart agent is gonna say, ‘No, I’m not going to let my guy workout against somebody else.’”
Apparently, Brown’s alarm was going off about Miličić before they took him with the second pick.
“We brought Darko in twice and he couldn’t go through a workout with me without getting totally exhausted,” Brown said.
The Pistons are now back and have another opportunity to right that wrong. They are slated to pick the consensus number one pick, Cade Cunningham, out of Oklahoma State University.
I recently spoke with 19-year veteran Jamal Crawford and asked him if Detriot could be dropping the ball by trading the number one pick?
“It just depends on how you look at it. It is amazing and what people don’t truly understand is we see players go somewhere, and we say they missed this person, which is true. However, that person may not have had the same opportunity in a different situation. So, maybe he would not have looked like that in the first part of his career. So, I’m not sure I think Cade is unbelievable, and I think Jalen is unbelievable,” said Crawford.
“I don’t know which one they need for more. I think fit and who will be around those players and how they envision those players’ short-term, midterm, and long-term goals. I think all of those things come into play when you are going somewhere else. I remember when I was a rookie and a lottery pick. I didn’t play much, but I saw people who were either in front of me or behind. That I didn’t think were as talented as me, they were getting a lot of acclaims early. They made the rookie and sophomore games, which I did not make; they may have made the all-rookie team, which I did not make.”
He added, “So, if you look at it like that, Crawford is a bust, but that was not my route. Now, you look back, and you can say I’m one of the better players in the whole draft. So, it just depends on where you go and the fit around you.”
Jamal Crawford was the eighth pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2000 NBA draft and was later traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls. Crawford last played for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020 season.
Landon Buford is an accomplished sports and entertainment journalist based in Richardson, Texas, with over a decade of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, WWE, MLB, and the entertainment industry. Known for delivering high-impact stories and headline-making interviews, Buford has earned a global audience through content that blends insider access with compelling storytelling.
He previously served as director of editorial and brand communications at PlayersTV, where he helped shape the platform’s editorial voice and brand identity. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of LandonBuford.com—an independent outlet with more than 1.6 million views and syndication from major platforms including Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Buford’s interviews with stars like Gary Payton, Kevin Durant, Mark Cuban and Chris Paul showcase his talent for meaningful, in-depth conversations.
His bylines have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Heavy.com, Meta’s Bulletin and One37pm, where he has contributed exclusive interviews, breaking news and cultural insights. At Heavy.com, his work drew more than a million views in just eight months, and at One37pm, it contributed to record-breaking traffic numbers.
His work highlights the intersection of sports, fashion, music, and entrepreneurship—showcasing how athletes and entertainers use their platforms to inspire change, influence trends, and shape culture beyond the game. Landon has interviewed a wide range of figures from the NBA, NFL, and entertainment industries, consistently bringing authentic voices and untold stories to the forefront.
In addition to his journalism, Buford is an entrepreneur and content creator, dedicated to amplifying diverse narratives and driving meaningful conversations across media platforms. His passion for storytelling, culture, and innovation continues to make him a respected voice in the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment media.
