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It’s been a little while, but we’re back with out third installment of the Pistons Tankathon series. And, once again, I’ve called in some reinforcements.

If you missed 1.0 and 2.0 of this series, here’s how it goes: Tankathon.com is a website that simulates draft positioning based on records and odds. Detroit has a 10.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The three teams that end the season with the worst records all have the same odds (14.0 percent) of landing the top pick, and the Pistons, if the regular season continues, are approaching bottom-three territory. I jumped into Tankathon and did five draft-position simulations for the Pistons. After that, I made five picks for Detroit and asked an NBA team scout to weigh in on the player and his fit for Detroit.

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We’ll repeat this exercise periodically leading up to the draft … whenever it happens.

Let’s tank!

Simulation No. 1

Well, this isn’t the ideal start if you’re a Pistons fan. Detroit, which was the coldest team in the NBA before the season was suspended, gets jumped here by the 27-36 Spurs and 24-40 Wizards.

Given the wonky nature of how the selections in front of the Pistons played out, they still ended up with the one of the draft’s projected top guards. Hayes is an 18-year-old point guard out of France.

Scout evaluation: “I think he’s got a lot of upside. Do I think he falls to No. 7? Yeah, I think there’s a good chance he could be there. He’s a good fit, for sure. I think so. He’s very left-hand dominant, but I wouldn’t say that’s a huge concern. I think he’s going to be good enough to adapt and improve with his right. But, yeah, being left-hand dominant is a weakness. He’s good, though, man. He can score and pass. Defensively, I think he’s pretty good.”

Simulation No. 2

Now, this is more favorable — unless you still have PTSD from the last time the Pistons held the No. 2 pick. We won’t get into that, though.

There is growing belief that Ball could be the No. 1 pick, but the Timberwolves recently acquired D’Angelo Russell via trade, so I’d be surprised if Minnesota went with anyone other than Edwards here.

This leaves Detroit with arguably the draft’s most high-profile prospect (from a TMZ perspective). He’s a good ball player, too. With great length and size, Ball is a wonderful passer with the ability to command the floor in both half- and full-court situations. The Pistons haven’t drafted a lead guard of the future since Brandon Knight, and certainly not one with this type of stature and promise.

Scout evaluation: “I think the kid has a chance to be really special, especially with how today’s game is played, the position-less basketball. He makes players better. I think his shooting is going to be OK. You look at his brother Lonzo and how he’s improved his shooting stroke in the league. I wouldn’t be too concerned. The kid is 18, and this is the first time he’s really played any sort of structured basketball. And for him to have two good seasons down there (in Australia) with two triple-doubles, it just speaks volumes about his upside.”

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Simulation No. 3

I know what you’re thinking: Why would Detroit trade Andre Drummond just to draft another center with similar size?

Well, Wiseman is considered the best center prospect in this class, with more of a modern game than Drummond. His 7-foot-6 wingspan makes him a potentially top-tier rim-protector. He also has potential as a jump-shooter. Wiseman’s rim-running should translate immediately and be his elite skill in the NBA.

Christian Wood should be a big priority for the Pistons this summer, but is labeled more as a power forward than a center. I know Blake Griffin’s health and contract are still of concern to Detroit, but a Wiseman-Wood frontcourt could be a potentially damaging duo for years to come.

Scout evaluation: “I think he’d be in consideration there for them. It just depends on their needs. I think they need a little bit of everything, right? He’s an athletic center with the ability to step out a little bit. Obviously, you have to weigh the cost of taking him and missing out on some of these other guys, say a Killian Hayes or Isaac Okoro. You have to weigh that. If he falls to No. 4 and they’re picking there, I’d imagine they are looking hard at him.”

Simulation No. 4

Other than landing the No. 1 pick, this might be the best potential outcome for the Pistons.

It would be extremely unlikely for the Warriors to go with a guard because, well, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Center is a big need. Wiseman would be a perfect fit. This scenario gives Detroit exactly what it needs: a potential star. Of all the players in the draft, Edwards (nice last name!) is the one prospect who evaluators seem to feel most confident could one day be the transcendent player in a weak draft class.

Edwards was a high-level scorer at Georgia. He’s a shot creator and tough-shot maker. The 19-year-old wing played with a bad team down in Athens, and many believe his inconsistencies on the offensive side of the ball were due to a lack of help. Defensively, he still has a ways to go. However, he’s powerfully athletic and can create with the ball. The Pistons need someone like that to truly jump-start a potential rebuild.

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Scout evaluation: “I think he’s ready physically, and skill-wise, he’s a shot-maker. He’s not as big as Joe Johnson, but he has that big, strong scoring guard in him. Would there be other guys I’d take over him? I like Isaac Okoro, but he’s more of a long-term project. You have to wait for his shot to hit, but physically he’s a monster and defensively he has the potential to be pretty damn special. If you have the No. 2 pick, though, Edwards is probably the most ready to come in. However, his season at Georgia wasn’t as dominant as you would have expected it to be. He was up and down. I think there were times when he turned it on and off. Is that concerning? Yeah. I just think his game is more suited for the pro game. Like you said, he’s going to be able to go get a bucket. However, if you take him that high, I think there’s a good chance that he doesn’t reach his upside. Yeah, he’s a bucket-getter, but I could see him ending up as a key reserve guy. There’s some bust potential. Not a bust to the point that he’s out of the league, but a bust as in not meeting your expectations as a No. 2 pick.”

Simulation No. 5

The Pistons need youth, size and athleticism on the perimeter, and Okoro fits the bill perfectly.

Standing at 6-6, Okoro can play either wing spot and is considered one of the best defenders in all of college hoops. He feels like a Dwane Casey-type guy, with his length, defensive discipline and ferocity, and feel for the game.

Okoro isn’t a great shooter right now, but he was fantastic at finishing above the rim, which is something Detroit has struggled mightily with over the last two seasons.

Scout evaluation: “If you’re patient with him and can put him in a good development program, nurture him, I think in three to five years he could be pretty damn good. I think his floor is pretty high, too, just because of how good he is defensively. The shooting has to click for him to reach his upside, obviously. Okoro is different from Matisse Thybulle in that he’s more of a power athlete, where Matisse is just so instinctual. Okoro, though, can really lock up. He has the potential to lock up some of the big-time wings just because of his physical tools. That’s just a God-given talent. On top of that, it just seems like he has a defensive mindset. He has a lot to build upon, for sure.”

(Photo of Isaac Okoro: John Reed / USA Today)

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