OT - 09-10 Pistons: Headed for a Fall?
Whatever you think about Hollinger's projected PER ratings, it can't be good that we have zero players in the top 40, one in the top 70 (Villaneuva), and our second most highly rated player is a 5'9" slot recei... point guard who played in Israel a couple of years ago (Will Bynum). Yikes. I've had a heavy love affair with the Chauncey-Rip-Tay-Sheed-Ben-Dice Pistons, but that's clearly over. I feel like a 13-year-old whose parents just got divorced.
Anybody optimistic about the Pistons season?
October 6th, 2009 at 12:01 AM ^
No... and after last season, I have no idea why you were optimistic about this season. The Pistons are a dying team in a dying city. It will remain that way until massive changes in personnel happen; and to be quite honest, I don't see how management can convince players to pick Detroit over some of the other cities with cap space freeing up after this season.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:02 AM ^
They should trade for Allen Iverson... that will fix their problems.
Pistons will not make the playoffs this year.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
They're better than last year, and stuck in a half-way stage. Hamilton and Prince are signed to contracts they aren't worth - hopefully a playoff team wants them part-way through the year.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:09 AM ^
Yeah, it'd be nice to move Hamilton or Prince to a contender looking for some help and pick up some picks or expiring contracts.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:13 AM ^
I think this is the last year on Rip's contract?
October 6th, 2009 at 10:13 AM ^
It would have been, but Joe D signed him to an extension right after he traded Chauncey last year. It was one of the more underrated stupid decisions of his time here.
October 6th, 2009 at 1:37 PM ^
Didn't Rip sign the extension before the trade? I don't think he would have signed one after, as he was pissed about it.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:46 AM ^
If they keep the defensive intensity like tonight, and score like they should, they will make the playoffs. It may be a lower seed but I'll take it right now.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:49 AM ^
Season - I'm looking forward to this one.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:58 AM ^
I think its time for Dumars love affair with Prince to split up. I think he has to be the most overrated guy not only on the pistons but in the NBA. He gets way to much love for his defense in which he repeatedly gets burned by the elite players. I think he is living off that block on Miller. He shows lack of emotion, inspiration and leadership. When he wants to exert himself on the offense he is very hard to stop but he doesnt care to hold that role. Its time to trade him for a big man who can score down low.
I thought that RIP would be gone during the offseason. still could be used as trade bait along with prince. i have grown tired some of the guys who were around during the sweet run. its time to break it off and start over. If Dumars wants to show his great GM skills that he gets so much love for (even though he has had some of the worst draft classes ever and the AI trade) he needs to get rid of the previous regime.
On that note, im excited to see how this offense looks. we havent been blessed with an elite offense and it seems that we have depth and athletic ability to score some points. its gonna be interesting to see how Stuckey emerges and how RIP and Gordon deal with being on the court together and subbing each other out
October 6th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^
I think Prince is gone by the trading dealine. He's the only good trading chip that the Pistons have, and they've drafted plenty of people to fill in fill him if/when they trade for him.
Getting rid of Rip is going to be pretty hard. He's an older player, he defense is so-so, he's not that good at creating his own shots (although he's fantastic at running off screens...he just needs a PG to get him the ball), and he had a lot of years for a lot of money left on his deal. There aren't a lot of teams out there looking to take on 30 year-old SG's with long expensive contracts. That extension is going to make it almost impossible to trade him.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:47 PM ^
Someone get Chris Wallace on the phone.
October 6th, 2009 at 1:12 AM ^
Yes, Kuester is one heck of a coach.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:04 AM ^
Send Prince and Hamilton packing with a draft pick to Toronto for Bosh then sign him to a long-term extension and I'll get excited.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:11 AM ^
You understand that if this doesn't happen, it's not because Dumars won't do it, but because it would be the stupidest thing for Toronto to do, ever?
October 6th, 2009 at 8:22 AM ^
I still can't figure out whether this is one of those situations where it really ought to be obvious that the team is headed for a majorly bad season and everyone can see it except the fans who have the preseason optimism glasses on......or not.
You know what I mean. Like when you can convince yourself that, sure, the offensive line is wicked inexperienced but they can't be as bad as everyone says, and sure, there's a walk-on competing with a freshman who's never thrown a college pass in his life for the starting QB job, and both are classic drop-back quarterbacks trying to run a very different spread but the one guy was a pretty highly touted recruit, so he should be alright. And everyone knows that's a recipe for disaster in hindsight but it looks like it could work out until you actually see it in action.
I can't shake the feeling that's what the Pistons are right now.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:50 AM ^
..this season is just a question of extent.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:56 AM ^
...were not the Knicks
October 6th, 2009 at 12:41 PM ^
The Knicks are on pace to have the most cap space ($21M) heading into the summer of 2010. Whether they can sign LeBron or not, they will have some cap room to work with and the allure of playing in one of America's premier cities. Also, they have a proven general manager and coach in Donnie Walsh and Mike D'antoni.
So...the people of New York humbly decline your sympathy.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:35 AM ^
I think the team can be decent this year, but their ceiling is probably 5-6th in the East. Prince and Hamilton are the last of the old guard and may very well be traded, but I think guys like Villinueva and Gordon will be better than advertised. Charlie has been a solid player in this league for a couple of years, and Gordon can score with the best of them. I think Stuckey takes a small step forward in terms of scoring, but his defense will always be a liability. 44-46 wins sounds about right to me.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:40 AM ^
I think Villanueva will be a pleasant surprise for Pistons fans. I'm not that big a fan of Gordon (I've seen him plenty here in Chicago), but if you gave me the choice of him and Hamilton, I'd take Gordon anyday - he's younger, more athletic, and can create his own shot, which, when you're playing with a shoot-first PG, is important. Neither can really play defense (Rip once sort of could, but no longer), so that's a wash.
I agree that this is probably a mid-seed playoff team right now.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:54 PM ^
ESPN has them as the 10th team in the East right now,
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=OffseasonPredictions09-Ea…
Looking at the teams above them, maybe if the Wizards don't gel or the Bulls regress, they could sneak into the playoffs, but right now I don't think they're a playoff team.
October 6th, 2009 at 11:01 AM ^
For the first time in over 35 years Bill Davidson will not be the principle owner of the Pistons although his widow has taken his place. How this will impact decision making through out the organization will ultimately determine the long term direction of the team.
October 6th, 2009 at 1:17 PM ^
They appear to be about a .500 team, which will get you in the playoffs in the east (we had a losing record last year). They should be a more balanced offensive team just without having to adjust to the play of Iverson but if all they do is take jump shots then they will be easy to defend. I liked seeing all the back door cuts they were able to get last night.
More importantly, they have to avoid the matador defense in the paint that they employed last season. I think having Ben back and the addition of Wilcox will help at least for rebounding, as well as give them more fouls to work with. I think they make the playoffs or fall just short.