OT: Did Gores Back the Pistons Into a Corner?
http://www.pistonpowered.com/2014/01/tom-gores-sent-pistons-spiraling-toward-the-disaster-zone/
Dan Feldman (a very underrated NBA writer), makes the claim that Gores backed his team into a corner with his statement that the Pistons "better make the playoffs.”
I rarely ever present a thread with comment, but for this one I have to add a few thoughts.
One: When the Pistons signed Josh Smith, I said right away that it was a very large mistake for a rebuilding team to make. I am of the school of thought that says unless that guy makes you a title contender, don't sign him. While the Pistons signed Smith to a decently cap friendly deal, it was clear to anyone who bothered to look, that Smith simply didn't fit the Pistons lineup as currently constructed. He provides great athleticism and defense, but when you are starting two centers in your lineup, you need someone who stretches the floor, and provides a more consistent, and applicable scoring option. Not a guy who consistently proves that he has no idea what a quality possession looks like.
Two: Why trade Ben Gordon when rebuilding? This, by far, is the dumbest thing Joe Dumars has ever done. Was Ben Gordon a part of the big picture for the Pistons? Of course not, but it made far more sense to just let his contract run out. Especially when one considers the price to get out of that contract was to mortage your 1st round pick in what is widely considered to be the best draft in a decade. Essenetially, Dumars got out of a contract that was slightly more than the mid level in exchange for a chance to land a difference maker. Because truth be told, there are 8-10 difference makers in the upcoming draft. I don't just blame Dumars for this, I blame Gores. Placing a playoffs mandate for this franchise was largely ignorant, and showed just how inexperienced he is at owning a professional franchise.
Three: You can't rebuild and compete at the same time, you just can't. This is the single biggest issue that NBA GM's get wrong year in and year out. If you're going to rebuild, FUCKING rebuild, the fans will understand. You have two great pieces in Drummond, and Monroe. Granted they don't fit together all that well, but finding out they couldn't coexist could've been accomplished by just letting the process play out. At that point, you could then likely trade Monroe for a piece that better fits with Drummond, and been much further along. Now, you've got 4 more years of Josh Smith, and are committed to Brandon Jennings, and neither player are great pieces to pair with Drummond. Just rebuild, commit to it and fucking rebuild the correct way. Instead you've created a cluster fuck roster with no discernable direction, and pieces that don't fit together.
Lastly, Maurice Cheeks is a TERRIBLE NBA level coach. He was a terrible hire then, and he's an even worse hire now. He can't handle line up changes, and he has no idea how to handle late game situations. As Phil Jackson is fond of saying, the first indicator of a bad team, is one that makes the same mistakes over and over, and shows no sign that they even understand what those mistakes are. All this being said, It's time for Dumars to go, he has no idea how to compete in today's NBA.
Sorry for my long winded rant.
January 27th, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
Is only good if you use it wisely. Dumars did not and has not and will not. That's why the Gordon trade was so awful - you knew it would just lead to another bad long-term contract offer that would hamstring the next GM.
January 27th, 2014 at 4:05 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^
There are no benefits to cap space in and of itself. Joe went wrong when he traded for something that he has proven he can't use wisely.
It's like arguing the Pistons would be wise to trade for Justin Verlander. He may be talented, but if his talents can't be utilized on the basketball court, the trade was a waste of time.
Put another way -- you don't need cap space to rebuild. That's what the Pistons needed to do.
January 28th, 2014 at 1:20 AM ^
He traded him for cap space, and he knew who was going to be available. That was a pretty bad free agent class, there weren't any great fits for the team, and he refused to accept that the team was in decline. While the cap room move is generally a good idea, it was so poorly executed, it's hard to call it a success.
Why not hang on to Chauncey, and try to deal someone else? Were the other players contracts so bad that they were untradeable? If so, who gave them those contracts? Did he simply overvalue Prince/Hamilton? The notion of "get cap space" is all well and good, but the giant clusterfuck surrounding every other aspect of the trade is impossible to ignore.
January 28th, 2014 at 1:20 AM ^
He traded him for cap space, and he knew who was going to be available. That was a pretty bad free agent class, there weren't any great fits for the team, and he refused to accept that the team was in decline. While the cap room move is generally a good idea, it was so poorly executed, it's hard to call it a success.
Why not hang on to Chauncey, and try to deal someone else? Were the other players contracts so bad that they were untradeable? If so, who gave them those contracts? Did he simply overvalue Prince/Hamilton? The notion of "get cap space" is all well and good, but the giant clusterfuck surrounding every other aspect of the trade is impossible to ignore.
January 27th, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
Pistons paid more than anyone else was willing to for Smith. Monroe is on the verge of getting overpaid in free agency as well.
The number of teams that have a defensive-oriented center and outside shooters who would consider Smith or Monroe an upgrade are limited. Factor in contracts and finding a deal that makes sense becomes difficult. I doubt Dumars' phone is ringing off the hook except for teams trying to exploit what has become an awful situation.
January 27th, 2014 at 4:27 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
When you scan the NBA landscape for teams that want Monroe the options are pretty limited. Many teams these days want a stretch 4. Others want a defensive presence. Monroe is neither. The teams who want a scoring postman are pretty limited. The Washington Wizards are one that has been mentioned and a few others make sense, but it's not an especially competitive market when you factor in his pending free agency and contract demands.
January 27th, 2014 at 4:49 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^
January 27th, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^
I'll admit I thought this lineup was going to work this year. I couldn't have been more wrong. Who's next in the coaching carousel?
January 27th, 2014 at 4:48 PM ^
January 28th, 2014 at 2:45 AM ^
How did you just make me feel sorry for Joe Dumars? If this is true, it shows that Gores has no clue how to run an NBA team. Either let Joe make the moves he needs to in order to win a championship or fire him.
January 28th, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^