NBA Nuggets

LET THE KIDS PLAY

2008-07-18T09:11:00.000-04:00

The pool of possible Pistons free agents dried up a little more this week. James Posey took a four-year offer from New Orleans, while Carlos Delfino signed with a Russian team.
According to Delfino, the Pistons were the only NBA team that made him an offer during free agency. Delfino couldn't pass up the handsome 3-year contract he was offered to play overseas.
The Pistons have their full mid-level exception and might still sign a low-level free agent, but it appears they won't be using all of it. Looking at the list of remaining free agents, they might as well stick with what they've got at most positions.
It's clear that Michael Curry loves Arron Afflalo's game and will play him more than Flip Saunders did. Amir Johnson will also get more opportunities and Cheikh Samb will get to do more than hang around the Development League. Walter Sharpe has been inconsistent in summer-league play, which was to be expected. The Pistons can't go into camp with Sharpe as their No. 2 small forward and have to get another one via a trade or free agency.

WANT AN ALL-STAR FOR FREE?

2008-07-16T10:48:00.001-04:00

Denver made an eye-opening move Monday night, giving away All-Star center Marcus Camby to the Clippers for a second-round pick that it might never receive.
Could this mean the Nuggets are on the verge of making a big trade, say shipping Carmelo Anthony to the Pistons? It doesn't look that way.
This was simply a move to appease an owner who didn't want to pay the league's dollar-for-dollar luxury tax. The Nuggets were hamstrung by a number of bad contracts. No one wanted to pick up an overpaid player like Kenyon Martin or Nene. Camby had value and the Clippers were a natural fit after they lost Elton Brand and fell under the salary cap, which allowed them to acquire Camby.
The most striking thing about this move: What kind of message does this send to the rest of the Nuggets? If you're Carmelo or Iverson, you know management is more worried about the bottom line than winning.

HOT TIMES IN THE EAST

2008-07-13T08:44:00.001-04:00

I'll skip the Nero comparisons - Joe Dumars doesn't play the fiddle and he's wise to wait and see what develops in the trade market - but there's a lot of smoke emanating from the Eastern Conference. In order for the Pistons to reach the conference finals for a whopping seventh consecutive time next season, they'll have to put out a lot of fires.
Virtually every team in the conference has made a significant improvement during this offseason. No question, lottery winners Chicago (Derrick Rose) and Miami (Michael Beasley) are more formidable after getting the two prized possessions of an otherwise weak draft.
Others have helped themselves through trades or free agency. Toronto looks a lot scarier with Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Bosh joining forces upfront, easily the best power forward/center combo in the conference. Ex-Pistons executive John Hammond solved Milwaukee's small forward problem by acquiring one of the best - Richard Jefferson.
Philadelphia stunned the basketball world by pilfering Elton Brand, giving the Sixers a much-needed scorer. Orlando upgraded its shooting guard spot by signing Golden State free agent Mickael Pietrus. Washington owner Abe Pollin overpaid Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison to keep them in D.C. but the Wizards should be a perennial playoff team with Arenas, Jamison and Caron Butler.
Coaching changes have also changed the landscape. The Knicks' roster is a complete mess but Mike D'Antoni will turn them around once he gets enough players who can work within his system. And even though I've bashed Larry Brown many times for his antics, he's undeniably a huge upgrade over Sam Vincent in Charlotte.
Oh, have I mentioned that Boston is the defending NBA champion?
Yes, the Pistons will find it much tougher to remain one of the conference's top two teams, whether or not Dumars makes that long-awaited big trade.

TO TRADE OR NOT TO TRADE?

2008-07-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

More than a month has gone by since Joe Dumars proclaimed there were no sacred cows on his team - a statement he later amended to exclude Rodney Stuckey.
All of the top players who lost their sacred cow status are still members of the Pistons organization.
What's going on? It's a lot more difficult to make a significant trade than the average fan would think.
Everyone wants to be the team to pull off this year's version of the Kevin Garnett deal and put itself over the top. But auctions for long-term superstars with most of their skills intact don't happen very often.
The Boston-Minnesota trade brought together the perfect trading partners. The Timberwolves had decided to finally cut ties with Garnett. They wanted to rebuild around younger players and improve their salary-cap situation. The Celtics had the young players and expiring contracts they desired. Throw in the Kevin McHale-Danny Ainge connection and you had just the right mix to bring both parties together.
The Pistons are looking for a dominating post player and/or prolific scorer to shake up their core. They basically have proven veterans to offer in return, along with Rasheed Wallace's expiring contract. The only intriguing young player that might interest a trading partner is Amir Johnson.
A package like that only makes sense for a team that has struggled to make the playoffs or can't get out of the early rounds. That significantly reduces the list of potential trading partners.
A few weeks ago, I tossed out the names of Amare Stoudemire, Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki, Elton Brand, Emeka Okafor and LaMarcus Aldridge as the players most likely to come to Detroit in a major deal.
That list has probably been reduced to four. Brand opted out of his contract and became an unrestricted free agent. Okafor is a restricted free agent.
If the Pistons want them, they'd have to work out a sign-and-trade with the Clippers or Bobcats, respectively. Giving Brand or Okafor gobs of money means they better be franchise players who can carry you to championships. I don't think either fits that bill.
That leaves Stoudemire, McGrady, Nowitzki and Aldridge. Phoenix seems to be in a go-for-it and cost-cutting mode at the same time, plus it has ex-Pistons assistant Terry Porter as its new head coach. That's why I don't feel a Stoudemire deal is out of the question.
Houston and Dallas haven't gotten out of the first round lately. One of those franchises could decide at some point this summer to retool its roster around some guys who have been to the conference finals year after year. And Portland needs a veteran presence (Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince) to balance out its impressive young core of players.
So, don't despair Pistons fans. There's still almost three months until training camp and plenty of time for Dumars to pull the trigger.

SHARPER IMAGE

2008-06-29T22:04:00.001-04:00

Turns out that Walter Sharpe, the Pistons top pick, appeared in more college games than we knew about.
It was pointed out by a reader of this blog that Sharpe played in 40 college games, not 18 as previously reported. The discrepancy was due to the information sheet that was passed out to the media during draft night, apparently copied from the UAB media guide. His 2004-05 freshman season at Mississippi State, the first college he attended, was omitted. Sharpe appeared in 22 games that season but didn't play many minutes, as he averaged 2.4 points.
Sharpe admitted during a conference call that he needed to become a much better defender. He should have thrown in free throw and 3-point shooting into that mix. Sharpe put up Ben Wallace-like foul shooting numbers in college, averaging 49.5 percent on 112 attempts. He also only attempted three 3-pointers and missed them all.
Bottom line: The Pistons better get themselves another small forward through free agency because Sharpe needs to improve his game dramatically before he becomes a rotation player.

BUILDING A MYSTERY

2008-06-28T10:10:00.001-04:00

Say this about the Pistons' draft strategy Thursday night - at least they didn't go back to the same ol' boring routine.
We've come to expect that they'll go for seasoned college players with late first-round picks. It looked that way for a few minutes when they selected Indiana's D.J. White but we quickly learned they were just picking for the Sonics. The Pistons traded down to get two second-rounders and still wound up with the player they wanted, little-known Walter Sharpe out of UAB.
They're taking more than one leap of faith here witih Sharpe. First, they have to be sure that most of his past problems were due to narcolepsy, a condition that wasn't diagnosed until last fall. And they have to believe that what they saw in the practice facility - a guy with lottery-level skills - was the real deal.
Sharpe has only appeared in 18 games over the last four years, so no one really knows what he can do with steady playing time. But at the spot where the Pistons were picking, I like the idea of rolling the dice on a wild-card prospect. Joe Dumars said that all the other players they were considering in the first round were "long gone" by the time their pick came up. White, for example, was a lesser version of Jason Maxiell. Who needs two undersized power forwards?
Sharpe could either be a steal or a dud. The alternative was to draft a proven commodity that really wouldn't make them better. So why not give it a shot?
As for the other two second-rounders - Trent Plaisted and Deron Washington - they'll probably never play in a regular-season game. The Pistons want them to develop their skills in Europe and then try to fight for a roster spot in a year or two.
The free agent market opens up Tuesday. There are some big names on the list but the only way the Pistons could make a run at those players would be through the always difficult sign-and-trade route.
They do have their mid-level exception and will probably use at least part of it to pick up some bench help. There are plenty of unrestricted perimeter players on the list and that's the route they'll probably take, even with Sharpe on the roster. Mickael Pietrus, Bostjan Nachbar, Matt Barnes, Bonzi Wells, Devean George, Quinton Ross, Ricky Davis, Mo Evans, Michael Finley, Roger Mason, James Posey, Devin Brown will all be looking for new contracts and one of them will probably end up in a Pistons uniform.

CHAUNCEY'S CALL?

2008-06-22T09:53:00.001-04:00

ESPN.com is reporting that the Pistons offered Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince for Carmelo Anthony and got rejected. it's uncertain if that was the package discussed but the Pistons are apparently very interested in Anthony. President of basketball operations Joe Dumars said he would target opponents' top player and Anthony might be the one who's most available.
This smells of something a little different. Is Chauncey pushing to go back home?
You read the tea leaves. The day after the Pistons were eliminated, Billups said he would try to rest up his sore hamstring and get ready for the Olympics. A few days before that 12-man roster is unveiled, he pulls out.
Was he told by the powers that be he wasn't going to be chosen? Billups cited undisclosed family reasons but it's fair to wonder if he knew he wasn't making the team and was given a face-saving alternative. If he's really dealing with a major family issue, perhaps it's something that makes him want to stay in Denver on a more regular basis.
I doubt his name would be thrown around in trade discussions with any other club. Billups still does major charity work in Denver and maybe he simply wants to go home.
Remember, when the Pistons re-signed him last summer, the intent was to have him retire as a Piston. Just a year later, his name is mentioned prominently in trade discussions. I doubt the Pistons have soured on his leadership skills that much.
Certainly, the emergence of Rodney Stuckey makes him more expendable but I still like the combo of Billups-Stuckey better than Stuckey-Rip Hamilton.
As stated in previous blogs, I'm not sold on Anthony being the answer. No doubt, he can score in bunches. But I still question his toughness, defense and character. He's going to court Tuesday for his DUI case, an incident that occured just before the playoffs. Is he the type of guy who can lead your team?
Perhaps Dumars is counting on his new no-nonsense coach, Michael Curry, to nudge Anthony toward a more mature outlook.
First, the Nuggets have to be willing to deal him. And that's not certain by any means. They'd rather change their roster around Anthony, rather than subtracting him from the mix.

TAY AND THE DRAFT

2008-06-20T10:11:00.001-04:00

Looks like Tayshaun Prince will be one of the 12 players chosen for the Olympic team. I'm not terribly surprised, even though a lot of Pistons fans are frustrated by the way he played in the conference finals.
The last U.S. Olympic team didn't have a lot of situational players and it cost them. Prince will be used as a defender/extra ballhandler when the situation dictates. For all of his offensive shortcomings in the conference finals, Prince did a much better job guarding Paul Pierce than the Lakers did in the Finals. And his defense against Andre Iguodala and Hedo Turkoglu were keys to the first- and second-round triumphs.
On a very different subject, the NBA draft is less than a week away. The PIstons are picking late in the first and second rounds, so they're not going to find a major impact player that way.
Many people were hoping that the Pistons could solve their backup small forward problem in this draft but they probably won't. There's an unusual lack of quality wing players, especially where they're picking. It's much more likely they'll add a piece to their power positions. A majority of the players projected to go in the bottom third of the first round are power forwards and/or centers.

SHAPE OF THE ROSTER

2008-06-17T09:07:00.001-04:00

The Pistons' focus right now is finding another rotation player through the draft. They have the No. 29 pick, which means they're not going to find a starter that way. But their scouts believe the draft has good depth and that they can bring in someone who will help them next year, just like late-round pick Arron Afflalo did last season.
Free agency comes the following week but don't expect the Pistons to be particularly active. Joe Dumars has already stated that the free agent crop is weak. He might pick up another bench player using part of the team's mid-level exception but that's about it.
In terms of their own free agents - Jarvis Hayes, Lindsey Hunter, Walter Herrmann, Theo Ratliff, Juan Dixon - there's a very good chance none will be on the roster next season. Hunter will probably retire. Ratliff might do the same. If not, the PIstons might offer him a short-team deal.
I have to say most of the trade proposals I've seen thrown out by other members of the media have been laughable. I mentioned some potential trading partners a couple of weeks back and I still feel my instincts are correct. I don't think Dumars wants Carmelo Anthony as the face of his team. I can see him holding his cards until an Amare Stoudemire, Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki, Elton Brand or Emeka Okafor becomes available at the right price. I also believe Portland might eventually be willing to give up LaMarcus Aldridge for a package that would include either Tayshaun Prince or Chauncey Billups. Prediction: One of those six players will be in a Pistons uniform next season.

CURRY'S PHILOSOPHY

2008-06-12T09:02:00.001-04:00

Michael Curry's promotion to head coach ushers in a
new era of Pistons basketball. It could also be the
start of the second-longest coaching run in franchise
history.
It only took Flip Saunders two-plus seasons to
accumulate enough wins to rank second on the
franchise's all-time list behind Chuck Daly.
Unless things go disastrously bad in the next couple
of years, I see Curry sticking around longer than any
of Daly's successors.
Joe Dumars did not have a prior relationship with the
previous three head coaches he hired. He has a tight
bond with Curry, which began in 1996 when Curry was
trying to break into the league. Dumars stuck out his
neck by hiring a novice coach and he'll give Curry
time to work through his inexperience.
Curry's tough talk during his press conference Tuesday
was refreshing, though it's going to be interesting to
see how successful he is at backing it up. Can he have
the same commanding presence as a Popovich or Jackson
without the glittering resume?
Curry also can't revert to the style he used as a
player to stick around for 11 years. Curry was an
extremely physical defender - the NBA has cracked down
on those tactics since the Pistons won their title in
2004.
The simple philosophy Curry talked about in his press
conference was this: "You defend, you rebound, you
share the ball offensively, you get to the paint,
whether it's dribble penetration or postups, and you
get to the free throw line. That means you're the most
aggressive (team). Those are things that win
championships."
Getting those inside buckets and tough rebounds,
something they couldn't do in the last three
conference finals, requires a prolific scorer and/or
dominating inside presence. The Pistons don't have
that now. So in order for Curry to reward Dumars'
faith in him, Dumars must reward Curry with the right
personnel by making a major trade this offseason.

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SUMMER OF RUMORS

2008-06-09T11:24:00.001-04:00

Ever since Joe Dumars stated publicly last week that
he's willing to deal anyone not named Rodney Stuckey,
the rumors have been flying.
The one that has taken on the biggest life has the
Pistons bidding for Carmelo Anthony. A short Denver
Post article, which stated that the Pistons might be
interested in Anthony, created the feeding frenzy.
This struck me as either pure speculation or someone
within the Nuggets organization floating a balloon to
see how much they could get for their
pseudo-superstar.
Anthony is a prolific scorer, the type of player the
Pistons have lacked during their long run among the
Eastern Conference elite. But on every other level,
Anthony is the type of player and person Dumars
doesn't want.
He's soft. He doesn't play defense. He hasn't shown
any leadership qualities since coming to the pros. His
team has consistently gotten bounced out of the first
round without much of a fight. And most of all, he's
not the tough-minded warrior (a la Kevin Garnett) you
want as the face of your team. Remember, this was a
guy who got pulled over for DUI on the eve of this
year's playoffs.
I do believe Joe D. will eventually pull the trigger
but he'll have to get a quality insider scorer in
return - Amare Stoudemire, Elton Brand, Emeka Okafor,
etc. - or another penetrating wing player to
complement Stuckey. Otherwise, the offense really
isn't going to improve.
These blockbuster deals don't usually happen until
draft day or mid-summer. So the Anthony rumor is just
the start of a lot of idle chit-chat.

ANYONE WANT TO DANCE?

2008-06-04T02:32:00.002-04:00

Joe Dumars' decree Tuesday that he's willing to trade
anyone on his roster, except for Rodney Stuckey, was a
startling admission. Dumars has stuck with this core
group a long time but he knows that he can't come back
next season with the same mix.
Rasheed Wallace is a goner. Dumars said he's not going
to give guys away. But there's no way he wants
Wallace's dominant personality back in the locker
room.
I have a hard time believing he'd give up Chauncey
Billups but I see either Richard Hamilton or Tayshaun
Prince being moved, probably in a package with Sheed.
Most likely, nothing will happen before the draft late
this month. Dumars says major deals usually don't come
to fruition before then. Just look at Boston - it got
Ray Allen on draft night, then acquired Kevin Garnett
a few weeks later.
He's ready to pull the trigger on the right deal but
as he said, "You've got to have a dance partner to do
that."
Who might do the cha-cha with Joe D.? Here's my best
guess:
A. Phoenix - The Suns could be in the cost-cutting
mode. Sheed's expiring contract would be very
interesting to them. It's not out of the question that
they might field offers for Amare Stoudemire.
B. Dallas - The Mavs need to shake things up, too.
Plus, they just hired Rick Carlisle, who has deep
admiration for the Pistons' regulars. Would the Mavs
be willing to move Dirk Nowitzki? It's worth a try.
C. Charlotte - Larry Brown's there. LB loves Sheed.
The Bobcats have a center whom they might not want
long-term (Emeka Okafor) and a shooting guard from
this area with a big contract (Jason Richardson). It
makes sense on a lot of levels.
D. Los Angeles Clippers - Elton Brand is coming off a
washout year (Achilles) but he's still one of the
premier low-post scorers in the league. And they're
the Clippers, who are known to do silly things.
E. Houston - It might take Rip, Tay and Sheed to get
the Rockets to think about giving up T-Mac. If the
Rockets throw in Shane Battier, that would really make
it interesting. Plus, I'd like to see Shane come home.

RIP'S READY TO ROLL

2008-05-30T12:20:00.001-04:00

Richard Hamilton, who hyperextended his right elbow
near the end of Game 5, will play tonight.
Hamilton took part in the morning shootaround with a
protective sleeve on his elbow.
"This is now or never," he said. "I talked to my dad
and he said, 'Man, just spit on it. You're all right.'
We're at war right now. You ain't go no choice to sit
down or anything like that. I feel all right. I feel
good enough to go out and play."
Other items: Rasheed Wallace, who was fined $25,000 by
the league for derogatory comments about the
officials, showed up late for the shootaround. He
pulled in approximately 15 minutes after it was
supposed to start.
Look for more ball pressure by the Pistons tonight,
especially when they go to their bench. Doc Rivers has
virtually abandoned his backup point guards, so Rajon
Rondo won't get much rest.
I'll give the Pistons a 95 percent chance of winning
tonight. I just don't think Boston will have a
closeout mentality here after winning two Game 7s at
home in the first two rounds. Plus, the Celtics played
about as well as they could - crushing the Pistons on
the boards, Garnett scoring 33, Ray Allen busting out
of his slump in a big way - and they had to hold on
for dear life to win Game 5. I can't see them
duplicating that performance here.

CATCHING THEIR BREATH

2008-05-27T12:47:00.001-04:00

Following the Pistons' big Game 4 victory on Memorial
Day, Flip Saunders cancelled practice. He didn't want
them to expend any more energy before heading to
Boston Tuesday afternoon for Game 5 Wednesday night.
They'll watch some film when they get there, then have
a shootaround Wednesday morning.
"We weren't going to do much today anyway," Saunders
said.
It should benefit Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell,
Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups the most. McDyess
and Maxiell had to be drained physically after
guarding Kevin Garnett and pounding the boards along
with being the two offensive stars in the game.
Prince's shooting has declined the last two games, in
part because he's focused on limiting Paul Pierce.
Billups looked a lot better physically in Game 4 than
he did two nights earlier, though he still didn't
shoot well. Any extra time he gets to rest his sore
hamstring is welcome.

ARE THEY DONE?

2008-05-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

Wow, how things can turn around in one game.
After the Pistons' road win at Boston in Game 2, many
fans here were already thinking of a Lakers-Pistons
Finals. The Celtics' convincing victory in Game 3
Saturday night has everyone singing a different tune -
how can the Pistons possibly recover?
It's unlikely. They now have to win again in Boston
and not squander another game at home.
Most alarming is the condition of Chauncey Billups. He
looked fine in Game 2 and engineered a brilliant
offensive performance by his club.
But he couldn't sustain it and the hamstring he
strained in the second round was clearly affecting
him. He was slow and uncomfortable from the opening
tap. He was passing up shots and hanging around the
perimeter, rather than attacking the basket.
Rodney Stuckey is growing up before our eyes but the
Pistons can't win this series without getting more
from Billups.
One silver lining: The Celtics were in control most of
the way in their two victories, especially Game 3. Put
some heat on them and their facade of invincibility
crumbles. The Pistons have to get off to better starts
to keep the pressure on the Celtics throughout the
game.

THE BIG ONE?

2008-05-22T12:31:00.001-04:00

Cleveland lost the first two games of the conference
finals last season, so Game 2 tonight isn't an
all-or-nothing proposition. But I don't see the
Pistons winning the series unless they steal this one.
Doc Rivers spins his team's Game 1 performance by
saying it was feeding off the emotion of the last
series and that the fatigue might set in tonight.
The Pistons should hope he's right but they need to
rely on better execution and give Boston more looks
defensively on pick-and-rolls and isolations.
Rasheed Wallace can't shoot any worse and Chauncey
Billups can't be any more passive than they were in
Game 1. I also have to believe they'll get the ball to
Rip Hamilton and let him take over for a stretch. When
they struggle to score, he's still the one guy who can
provide steady points.
Aside on Rip: He was assessed a flagrant foul, penalty
one for a fourth-quarter foul in Game 1. A suspension
only kicks in if it's a penalty two infraction.
Penalty one simply deals with unnecessary contact.

TP LEAVING?

2008-05-16T09:09:00.001-04:00

Suns general manager Steve Kerr flew into Detroit
Thursday to interview Flip Saunders' assistant, Terry
Porter, for Phoenix's head coaching job. Porter is one
of several candidates Kerr plans to interview.
In terms of the Pistons, I don't see this as a
distraction. Top assistants on winning teams are
usually hot prospects when new jobs open up. Even if
Porter is offered the job before the playoffs end, the
Pistons have too many vets to let it affect their
focus or preparation.
It's no secret that Porter felt he got the rug pulled
out from under him in Milwaukee before joining
Saunders' staff. Porter has been looking for another
chance to prove himself and the Suns job is as good as
he's going to find.
Kerr wants the Suns to get away from the run-and-gun
style that has served them so well in the regular
season and flopped so badly in the postseason. Even
with Shaq on his last legs and all the mileage on
Steve Nash's legs and back, the Suns have several
pieces in the prime of their careers and a dominant
superstar in Amare Stoudemire capable of delivering 30
points a night.
Porter's possible departure would not affect Joe
Dumars' long-term plan with his coaching job. If
things go sour with Saunders, Michael Curry is the
heir apparent to the Pistons' coaching throne.

OVER AND OUT WITH ONE-AND-DONE

2008-05-13T09:07:00.002-04:00

Accusations made against USC freshman and likely
lottery pick O.J. Mayo accentuate the flaws in the
NBA's current eligibility system. I have no way of
knowing if Mayo accepted $30,000 or so in monetary
gifts to steer him toward a particular sports agency
that represents pro athletes. But it certainly
wouldn't surprise anyone if he did.
There was a noble purpose to the rule preventing high
school seniors from entering the draft, which was
mutually agreed upon by the league and its players in
the most recent collecting bargaining agreement.
Commissioner David Stern was determined to get his NBA
scouts out of high school gyms and away from AAU
tournaments.
No doubt, the rule has helped the college game in some
ways. Supremely talented players like Kevin Durant,
Greg Oden and Michael Beasley drew attention to
themselves, their teams and the college game by
becoming stars in their one-and-done seasons.
The fundamental problem is that these kids have no
intention of graduating, nor any incentive to go to
class after their first semester. They're basically
mercenaries looking to improve their draft positions
while the schools they sign with sell their souls for
a shot at a national title.
I've always like the rules regarding college baseball
and football, where players have to stay at least
three years before bolting for the pros. It shows that
the player is truly committed to being a college
student as well as an athlete. It also brings
stability to those sports, rather than the volatile
turnaround we see in basketball.
So what to do with the cream of the crop that have no
real interest in going to college without going back
to the old system? Use the NBA Development League as
their training ground. High school seniors can
announce their intention of going into a special
Development League draft. Then, they can spend a year
with NBA-quality coaches and face fringe NBA prospects
and young players that the NBA teams have drafted and
sent down for seasoning, like the Pistons did with
Cheikh Samb this season.
After serving a one-year apprenticeship in the
Development League at a modest salary, those players
would be eligible for the NBA draft. This would
certainly stir more interest in the NBA's
developmental program while giving those players a
taste of what NBA-caliber competition is like. Players
like Mayo would prepping for their careers, rather
than carrying on the masquerade of being
student-athletes.

CHAUNCEY STILL IFFY

2008-05-12T13:16:00.002-04:00

The news about Chauncey Billups after Monday's
practice was not earthshattering.
He did some side work with strength and conditioning
coach Arnie Kander but did not practice. He's still
considering questionable for Tuesday's Game 5.
Billulps will test out his strained right hamstring
during the team shootaround.
Kander says there hasn't been any setbacks and that
Billups has made progress every day.

RESERVE POWER

2008-05-09T09:29:00.003-04:00

Juan Dixon scored in double digits the last five times
he put on a Pistons uniform. That was during the
closing weeks of the season, when the Pistons were
resting their starters and giving their reserves some
burn.
Move Dixon to the Orlando Magic and he'd be their
first player off the bench. But as a Piston, Dixon has
not even been activated during the playoffs.
Though Chauncey Billups might not play in Game 4 of
this series, Dixon will probably remain inactive while
Lindsey Hunter trades a suit for a jersey.
That's the fundamental difference between the Orlando
Magic and Pistons. You can talk about the disparity between the
starting backcourts between the two teams but the real
gap is between their reserve corps. The Pistons bench
has outscored the Magic's reserves in the first three
games 63-34.
It goes beyond just offense. The Pistons also have
guys who can impact the game defensively (Arron
Afflalo, Theo Ratliff, Walter Herrmann, Hunter). Their
sixth man was their starting power forward/center all
season (Antonio McDyess). Their main backcourt reserve
(Rodney Stuckey) may have been the best point guard in
last season's draft. He scored 19 points after Billups
went down in Game 3.
What do the Magic have? Swingman Keith Bogans is a
3-point gunner who has traditionally killed the
Pistons but he's been shooting blanks in this series.
Stan Van Gundy has switched back and forth at the
backup point between Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling,
hoping one emerges (Dooling's hot fourth quarter in
Game 3 probably buried Arroyo for good).
They really don't have a decent frontcourt reserve at
the moment. Their best backup there, Brian Cook, is
out with a hand injury. That has forced Van Gundy to
switch between Adonal "Tin" Foyle and Euro mystery man
Marcin Gortat.
Even if Billups misses a game or two, the Pistons will
win this series. They have too much backup power to
blow it.

NEW KINGS OF UGLY

2008-05-07T15:45:00.002-04:00

During the Rick Carlisle era, and seeping into the
Larry Brown era, the Pistons took pride in winning
ugly. Most of the time, they didn't even score 90
points. Remember that streak where they held five
straight opponents under 70 points?
The Pistons still play some of the league's best
defense but they're much more easier to watch. They
can play uptempo, they'll throw lob passes and they've
got some big-time dunkers.
The new kings of ugly? That would be King LeBron and
His Court. Though no one on the Cavs' roster - other
than a fading Ben Wallace - has a reputation of being
a great defender, they consistently shove opponents
into the mud.
The Pistons still haven't figured out how to prevent
Cleveland from making their offense sluggish and
ineffectual in the postseason. If Game 1 of the
Boston-Cleveland series is any indication, the Celtics
are wading into the same quagmire.
Though Sam Cassell made a few big shots in the late
going, Cleveland was poised to steal homecourt
advantage Tuesday. Every possession was a grind and
the Cavs made just enough 3-pointers and midrange
shots to hang around.
What they couldn't overcome was James' worst
performance I've ever seen - two baskets, 10
turnovers. I can't believe Paul Pierce and James Posey
are going to stop him that much, though Kevin Garnett
was able to help off Ben Wallace when James ventured
toward the lane. If history is any indication, the
Celtics are in for a long, painful-to-watch series.
They might slog their way past the Cavs, but either
way, it's not going to be pretty.

LB'S LAST STAND

2008-05-01T13:18:00.002-04:00

As readers of my column know by now, I'm not a Larry
Brown fan. He's the only coach I've ever seen who was
miserable coaching a high-quality, low-maintenance
team. He squeezed every nickel and dime he could out
of his ugly exits from the Pistons and Knicks.
But I can't fault the Charlotte Bobcats for hiring
Brown as their coach. Actually, it's a prudent move.
The Bobcats haven't captured the fancy of the
Charlotte fans since the NBA gave them another team.
Their attendance has been pitiful, even after they
built a brand new arena in the middle of the downtown
area.
They've never been more than a blip on the radar
screen nationally because they haven't made the
playoffs.
Brown's hiring draws attention to the franchise and
makes the average fan think, or perhaps delude, that
they're serious about winning. In terms of media
coverage and ticket sales, it's a win-win proposition
to bring in a Hall of Fame coach.
Avery Johnson's firing in Dallas wasn't all that
surprising after two straight first-round exits. You
know Mark Cuban wants a big name and Rick Carlisle
could be it. Problem is, the Jason Kidd experiment
failed and the aging Mavs need some fresh legs,
especially at the point. That's why dealing Devin
Harris was a dumb move in the first place.

THE OTHER EYE OF THE HAWK

2008-04-29T09:39:00.000-04:00

Well, now the Pistons don’t look so bad in comparison to the Celtics, do they?
Boston’s aura of invincibility was shattered over the past two games by the young, athletic, carefree Hawks, a team that nearly everyone thought would get swept in the first round. Josh Smith has earned himself a large, long-term contract with his performance and Mike Woodson’s job might have been spared.
In all probability, the Celtics and Pistons will put away their pesky underdogs before reaching an all-or-nothing Game 7. Boston and Detroit are teams that are supposedly built for the playoffs but they’re built to play the serious contenders, not quicker understudies with experienced point guards who have nothing to lose.
At halftime of Game 4 in the Pistons-Sixers series, one of the other beat writers turned to me and asked if I was going to bury them. I said, ‘I’ll give them one more half.’ I couldn’t believe they would keep playing that way and that Billups and Hamilton would continue to shoot like Big Ben on tranquilizers.
After watching the first two minutes of the second half from my press row seat, I said out loud to no one in particular, ‘That’s the team I’ve been covering all season.’ I knew after seeing back-to-back 3s by Billups and Sheed, their confidence was back and they were going to win.
Other musings:
Looks like McDyess is a sixth man again but I don’t know if they can do that in the conference semis (OK, if they MAKE the semis). Orlando’s big frontcourt might require a bigger body than Maxiell’s from the start.
Conventional wisdom in the Western Conference playoffs has held up in the first round (Of course, I was a contrarian and picked the Suns). The Lakers and Spurs appear to be on a collision course and that would be a terrific slugfest.
The only surprise has been the poise of the Hornets, who are playing just as effectively as they were during the regular season. Explosive, frisky Chris Paul has destroyed Jason Kidd, reinforcing the stupidity of the Mavs’ trade with the Nets. At least with Devin Harris, Dallas might have had a fighting chance of defending Paul.
The only Western playoff club that has more issues than the Mavs are the Nuggets, who were easily swept out of the playoffs. The Melo-AI-Karl trio is a toxic mix and needs to be broken up.
Anthony is the league’s most fraudulent superstar - gets pulled over for allegedly drinking and driving right before the playoffs, calls everyone on his team and his coach quitters when they go down 3-0 and blows layup after layup. I’m still wondering how he led Syracuse to a national championship as a freshman.

JUST GIVING IT AWAY

2008-04-26T09:46:00.002-04:00

Heading into downtown Philadelphia Thursday night, I
saw a huge tractor pushing around a huge pile of junk
just off the highway.
The stench wasn't nearly as bad as the Pistons' Game 3
stinker here Friday nght.
How bad was it? The team that made the fewest
turnovers this season in the entire league had 25.
Their regular-season high was 18. They surpassed that
by the end of the third quarter, which was easily the
worst quarter I've seen them play in a meaningful game
since I started covering these guys in 2000.
They didn't make a two-point basket in the quarter;
They hit two 3s early on and that was it.
Just inexcusable. Chauncey Billups denied his team
lost composure but if it looks like a skunk and smells
like one, well, you know the rest.
Bottom line: Game 4 is pivotal in the direction this
franchise will head over the coming years. If the
Pistons go down 3-1, I can't see them recovering. And
if they lose this series, they HAVE to change the
core.
We'll find out more later today on Antonio McDyess,
who had his nose broken in the third quarter Friday.
If he can't play, Jason Maxiell will probably start.

CHAUNCEY HURTING?

2008-04-22T14:34:00.002-04:00

The last thing the Pistons need after losing Game 1 is
an injury to one of their regulars. That's why it was
alarming to see Chauncey Billups walking slowly and
flexing his right knee after practice.
According to Billups and Flip Saunders, it was just
some minor soreness. Billups attributed it to a tough
practice while walking to his car after leaving the
practice facility, though he was held out of a
practice last week because of soreness.
"I'm all right," he said several times.
Saunders didn't act concerned, either.
"Chauncey's always in a situation where he gets hit a
little bit but he's OK," he said.
It doesn't look like a major development but it's
obviously something to monitor in the coming days.