There is no "ensure top 3" in the flat lottery world. Even top 4 is at best a coin toss chance. People who act like "just go and grab that guy by tanking" are living in the past.
There are good drafts and bad drafts in terms of talent quality, but tanking teams cannot choose when they get the lottery balls roll their way. Pistons have been bottom 5 record wise for 5 of the 6 years we have had the flat lottery, and their reward for that glorious bottom grind is:
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Killian Hayes, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland.
Name all the future All-stars from that bunch, I dare you. And remember their fan base has been suffering through some trash basketball for 5 years now. Where is the reward? Its coming in the next draft I guess?
Funniest thing is their second best prospect found in that period might be Jalen Duren, who was picked 13th and not with their own pick (so had nothing to do with their own record).