{"id":147240,"date":"2025-06-26T21:28:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T01:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=147240"},"modified":"2025-06-26T21:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T01:30:15","slug":"detroit-pistons-drafted-sniper-chaz-lanier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/26\/detroit-pistons-drafted-sniper-chaz-lanier\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Pistons Just Drafted a Sniper With the 37th Pick"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the 37th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons<\/a> selected Chaz Lanier<\/a> out of Tennessee. This marked the Pistons\u2019 first selection in this year\u2019s draft, following a quiet first round on Thursday night in which they held no picks. Just a year ago, the Pistons made headlines by trading up 16 spots to draft Bobi Klintman<\/a> from Wake Forest, signaling a willingness to be aggressive in talent acquisition.<\/p>\n

Now, Lanier enters the fold as the latest addition to a roster on the rise. He brings the Pistons a valuable skill set, including his three-point shooting and overall ability to score. With the Summer League just around the corner, Lanier will now get the chance to showcase how he can contribute to the Pistons\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n

So, what exactly does Lanier bring to the table? And how does he fit into the Pistons\u2019 broader vision under Trajan Langdon\u2019s leadership? Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n

Detroit Pistons Just Drafted a Sniper With the 37th Pick<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Mar 30, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Chaz Lanier (2) shoots the ball against the Houston Cougars in the first half during the Midwest Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lanier Scouting Report: The Pistons’ Newest Shooter\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Lanier is a 6-foot-4 sharpshooter known for his elite catch-and-shoot ability, smooth mechanics, and deep range. He shot just over 40% from three for his college career and excels off screens and movement. With a 6-foot-9 wingspan and strong off-ball instincts, he\u2019s a polished scorer and high-IQ role player.<\/p>\n

However, Lanier offers limited playmaking, struggles defensively at times, and can be streaky when contested. He\u2019s not a reliable ball-handler and turns 24 this year, capping his upside. Still, his shooting makes him a valuable floor spacer and a strong fit when he plays off others.<\/p>\n

Chaz Lanier’s Potential Contribution To The Pistons<\/h3>\n

Lanier can bring the Pistons another floor spacing and instant offense off the bench. With his elite three-point shooting and ability to move without the ball, he complements ball-dominant players like Cade Cunningham<\/a> and Jaden Ivey<\/a>, providing them with a reliable kick-out option. His quick release and off-screen scoring can help stretch defenses and open up driving lanes for the Pistons\u2019 young core.<\/p>\n

While he won\u2019t create much off the dribble or defensively, Lanier\u2019s shooting alone could make him a valuable rotation piece. On a team still building its identity, his maturity, work ethic, and ability to play a defined role could help stabilize Detroit\u2019s second unit and give the offense a consistent perimeter threat it has lacked.<\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/h3>\n

Lanier may not be a flashy pick, but he\u2019s a smart one for the Detroit Pistons. His elite shooting, off-ball movement, and mature approach to the game align with what the Pistons need as they continue to build around their young core. While his ceiling may be limited, his reliable floor-spacing ability makes him an immediate fit in the Pistons\u2019 rotation.<\/p>\n

As Trajan Langdon builds around shooting and structure, Lanier fits that vision perfectly. He\u2019s a low-risk, high-reward player who doesn\u2019t need the ball to contribute. Lanier plays with purpose and understands how to thrive within a team system. His shooting translates well in today\u2019s pace-and-space NBA style. He can stretch the floor and relieve pressure from primary ball-handlers. That skill helps create cleaner, more efficient possessions. The Pistons struggled at times with spacing last season, and Lanier directly addresses that weakness.<\/p>\n

If he can hold his own defensively and stay consistent from beyond the arc, Lanier has a clear path to carving out a long-term role with the Pistons. In a league where shooting is always in demand, Detroit may have quietly added a player who fills a crucial need and brings stability to a young, evolving roster.<\/p>\n

Featured image: \u00a9 Brianna Paciorka\/News Sentinel \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the 37th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Chaz Lanier out of Tennessee. This marked the Pistons\u2019 first selection in this year\u2019s draft, following a quiet first round on Thursday night in which they held no picks. Just a year ago, the Pistons made headlines by trading up 16 spots […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5168,"featured_media":147250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,10,62,3],"tags":[50131],"class_list":["post-147240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-pistons","category-nba","category-news","tag-chaz-lanier"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147240"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147252,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147240\/revisions\/147252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}