Pistons player evaluation: Draft pick Chaz Lanier's strengths and weaknesses

New York Times

a day ago

When a 5-feet-6 Chaz Lanier began his freshman year of high school at Ensworth in Nashville, Tenn., hearing his name called during the NBA Draft may have seemed far-fetched. But for a now 6-feet-4 Lanier, who watched the draft surrounded by family, that was his reality when the Detroit Pistons selected him at No. 37 Thursday.
Advertisement
Lanier, 23, recently concluded a five-year collegiate career in which he shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range. He led the Volunteers in scoring and made 59 more triples than any of his teammates in his only season at Tennessee.
So, who is Lanier as a player, and how can he contribute to a Pistons team seeking more playoff success than they had last season? Let's break down some of his film from Tennessee to find out.
Lanier's most obvious asset is his ability to knock down long-range shots. He shot 41.5 percent from 3 on 7.9 attempts over his last two seasons, one at North Florida and the other with the Volunteers.
Apart from the impressive numbers, the variance in 3s Lanier took last season was impressive. He was effective moving without the ball, and Tennessee ran him off plenty of off-ball screens that led to catch-and-shoot triples. His comfort level in off-ball actions to find open shots could make him valuable alongside Detroit's cornerstone in Cade Cunningham.
Although Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said Thursday that Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., two proven 3-point shooters entering free agency, didn't factor into Detroit's decision to draft Lanier, he offers insurance on a role similar to Beasley and Hardaway's.
Lanier has also shown he's capable of making 3s off the dribble as well. He doesn't have the greatest handle, but it's sufficient enough for him to get to his spots and connect on triples off the dribble.
Although he was Tennessee's primary scorer that opposing defenses would consistently game plan for, Lanier had 15 games with at least four made 3s last season. His season-high came in a Feb. 22 win over Texas Tech, when he went 8 of 13 from long range to score 30 points.
Lanier is no stranger to deep 3s as well, so there shouldn't be much difficulty for him to adjust to the NBA 3-point line.
Advertisement
Given how coveted consistent 3-point shooters are in the league, Lanier could potentially carve out a niche role that earns him rotational minutes solely based on his jumper. It's tough to gauge if he'll have that opportunity, considering the Pistons could either retain or acquire new, elite 3-point shooters.
While Lanier has rightfully earned the title of a 3-point shooter, he occasionally showed signs of being able to create his shot as well. In addition to his handle allowing him to create space, Lanier used his body and balance well at the collegiate level to aid in the process.
To be clear, this isn't exactly a consistent strength yet, but more an area he showed signs of being able to build on at the next level.
Lanier is listed at 6-5 in shoes and 207 pounds with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, and he gets good elevation on his jumper. His strength and overall frame, coupled with his high release point, make him a rather effective midrange shooter as well. Defenders often closed out hard on Lanier, giving him opportunities to pumpfake and get to his midrange spots — even if he had a defender on his hip.
Certified bucket on the way#DetroitBasketball | @Swaggychaz pic.twitter.com/UmqwcZ3F7v
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 27, 2025
His athleticism seems limited, so it remains to be seen if Lanier will be capable of creating for himself off the dribble with the Pistons the way he did against college players at Tennessee. It is, however, encouraging that Lanier displayed a knack for doing so with the Vols.
Lanier has a good overall feel for the game that shines through in his shot creation, which could potentially translate to the NBA level.
For all of the tools Lanier possesses when it comes to shooting, defending in the NBA could come with quite a learning curve. He has decent height and weight with a solid wingspan, but he doesn't have the best lateral quickness and can look stiff at times.
Advertisement
During his four years at North Florida, Lanier had a minus-1.2 defensive box plus-minus. The stat tracks how much a player is estimated to contribute defensively to their team's point differential per 100 possessions. Lanier's defensive box jumped to 2.7 in his season at Tennessee, which could have had more to do with the overall dominance of the Volunteers.
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes 'benched' Lanier during the Vols' Jan. 11 win over Texas, although he still logged 34 minutes. Barnes was more upset that Lanier didn't take a shot on a play designed for him, but something Barnes said postgame stuck out as to why Lanier could have trouble defensively in the NBA.
'Texas did a great job guarding him, and I thought his teammates did enough to get him separation to be effective,' Barnes said. 'But he's got to learn to get his hips twisted so he can get downhill quicker.'
Barnes recognized Lanier had issues twisting his hips to get downhill against collegiate defenders, albeit in the SEC. If Lanier has already shown he's had difficulty twisting his hips to get past Texas defenders, twisting his hips to defend NBA athletes could become a problem.
What works in Lanier's favor here is that he is now surrounded by world-class NBA trainers who can potentially help him improve his lateral quickness, twist his hips with more quickness and build on his overall athleticism.
Lanier has averaged 2.7 assists per game while in college, but playmaking hasn't seemed to be a strong suit. And frankly, it may never need to be. Lanier certainly wasn't drafted by Detroit to be a facilitator; it's just one area he can seek to improve as he expands his game.
If Lanier can become a knockdown shooter, he can then create advantages by attacking closeouts and potentially finding teammates for open layups or shots.