The Detroit Pistons have one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — No. 21 via the Minnesota Timberwolves — a selection that gives them a targeted opportunity to add a polished veteran presence to a young roster built around Cade Cunningham. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects the Pistons to select Iowa senior Bennett Stirtz, a 6’4″ point guard who has proven himself at every level of college basketball he’s faced.

Stirtz, a former Drake standout who transferred to Iowa and nearly replicated his historic production while leading the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight, is one of the draft’s most analytically respected point guards. Wasserman calls him a player whose “college impact, shotmaking, IQ and finishing/touch simply looks too advanced to write off because of age or limited speed/explosion.” At 22, Stirtz will be a 23-year-old rookie, which historically works against lottery consideration — but at No. 21, teams can value his immediate polish over developmental upside.

The opportunity cost at No. 21 is Cameron Carr, the Baylor guard CBS Sports projects to Detroit at No. 21. Carr, a 6’5″ wing shooter who scored 30 points in the combine scrimmage and showed a “surefire NBA scoring wing” profile, represents a different kind of projection — more upside, less certainty. Tankathon projects Koa Peat to Detroit at No. 21, and Yahoo Sports projects Isaiah Evans there — both more upside-oriented choices than Stirtz. The divergence reflects a fundamental question: does Detroit prioritize a 22-year-old polished contributor or a younger prospect with higher ceiling and lower floor?

For a Pistons team that has struggled with development timelines despite adding young talent, Stirtz makes a compelling case as a ready-now backup point guard who can immediately give Cunningham reliable off-the-bench support. He averaged 19.8 points and 4.4 assists at Iowa while shooting 35.8 percent from three — numbers that indicate a player who contributes meaningfully rather than just occupying roster space.

Detroit holds only this one pick after trading picks to Minnesota, meaning there’s no second chance to add depth if Stirtz doesn’t work out. The single-pick nature of this draft for Detroit heightens the stakes. Stirtz at No. 21 offers the strongest floor of any option in this range — a player who projects to contribute 15-20 meaningful minutes per game in his first season rather than needing three years of development to reach that level.

CBS Sports projects Carr here, which would give Detroit a younger wing shooter with more offensive upside. But the Pistons are past the “all upside, no floor” phase of their rebuild. Taking the most NBA-ready point guard available at No. 21 and letting him immediately compete for a role is the precise kind of efficient roster management that accelerates a rebuild timeline. Stirtz’s proven production, basketball IQ, and reliable shooting give Detroit a player who can contribute meaningfully from day one — exactly what a team trying to compete sooner rather than later needs from a late-20s pick.

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Bennett Stirtz
CBS Sports	Cameron Carr
Tankathon	Koa Peat
Yahoo Sports	Isaiah Evans