How does getting drafted Pistons impact Bruce Brown future?

Miami guard Bruce Brown became the second Hurricanes player drafted on Thursday night. He was selected 42nd overall in the second round by the Detroit Pistons. Brown was the second shooting guard Detroit drafted after they chose Creighton’s Khyri Thomas 39th.

Bruce Brown was selected by a Pistons team desperately in need of help in the backcourt. Although not a true point guard Brown showed he can run an offense last season in the first 19 games with Miami. Brown led the Hurricanes with four assists per game. He committed just 2.3 turnovers per game. That’s an excellent 1.76 to one assist to turnover ratio.

If Brown had qualified his assist to turnover ratio would have placed him in the top 200 nationally. It’s unclear where the Pistons plan to play Thomas. He had a 1.55 assist to turnover ratio this past season. Thomas played with one of the nation’s best point guards with the Bluejays, Marcus Foster.

In their review of the Pistons draft our FanSided partner site Pistons Powered said that Thomas and Brown “add much-needed perimeter defense and scoring to Detroit’s bench unit.” Brown’s defense and versatility will likely be his biggest strengths throughout his NBA career.

Bruce Brown will enter the NBA as a 21-year-old. Brown’s birthday is in August. He will get a chance to test his skills before then. Brown will be on the Pistons roster in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Detroit’s first game is July 7.

According to Pistons Powered Detroit’s 2017 first round pick, former Duke guard Luke Kennard will also play on the Pistons summer league team. It will be interesting to see how Kennard’s presence will impact Brown’s minutes and growth.

Kennard averaged 7.6 points per game, shot 44.3 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent on three-point attempts in his rookie season. The former Blue Devil also averaged 2.4. rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

In the two games that they faced each other during the 2016-17 season, Brown scorched Kennard and Duke. The former Miami guard made 17 of 28 from the floor, three of his five three-point attempts and averaged 4.5 RPG, four APG, two steals and 1.5 blocks.

In the same two games, Kennard averaged 13.5 PPG, shot nine for 28 from the floor, three of nine on three points attempts and averaged 5.5 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.

The former ACC rivals will receive a lot of time against each other in practice. Going off their two head to head games, Brown has to be confident he can beat out Kennard for playing time.

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Although the Pistons need guard play, they have a lot of players in the backcourt under contract through at least next season.

In addition to Kennard, Reggie Jackson, Langston Galloway, Ish Smith, and Dwight Buycks are all signed through at least the 2018-19 season. Jackson and Galloway are signed through 2020 and Kennard is signed through 2021.

Brown is not guaranteed a contract as a second-round pick. There is a high likelihood that he will receive a guaranteed contract.

According to Basketballtalk.com, 90.3 percent of the players selected between 31 (the first pick of the second round and 45 (halfway through the second round) have signed guaranteed contracts in the last six NBA Drafts.

That bodes well for Brown. He is a first-round talent that likely slipped into the second round because he missed the last 13 games of the season with a foot injury. Brown should be an important part of the Pistons future.

Next: Lonnie Walker selected by San Antonio Spurs 18th in NBA Draft

Detroit is rebuilding under former Raptors coach Dwayne Casey. Casey won the NBA Coach of the Year Award after leading Toronto to a franchise-best 59 games and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Casey was fired after the Raptors were swept in the second round of the playoffs by Cleveland.