His Dudeness

August 10th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^

Please don't compare the Red Wings to the Pistons. The Red Wings didn't miss out on drafting Ovechkin so they could draft Petr Inka-dinka-do. The Red Wings also didn't blow their free agent load on Jimmy Can't-skate and Vladimir Shoots-alot.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 10th, 2010 at 11:14 AM ^

Somehow I doubt "veteran leadership" is the reason the Pistons are looking at TMac.  It reeks of desperation, frankly, "we can't find anyone else so let's take a flyer here."  I don't think it can hurt, but there's a whole ream of players out there available at positions that better match what the Pistons need, if all you think you're getting out if the signing is "a veteran or two."

GRBluefan

August 10th, 2010 at 11:08 AM ^

how this helps the team.  All I can envisin is that perhaps he plays well enough to generate some trade interest at some point.  I can't figure out how NBA executives determine the value of a player these days.  It seems like oftentimes essentially worthless players are valuable commodities because of random things like random salary cap issues, ability to 'match up' salaries in a trade, base year compensation issues, whatever.

 

Perhaps there is some conceivable way in which Tracy McGrady = Chris Paul when it comes to deadline time!

AAL

August 10th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^

McGrady does one thing: allows you to trade someone making more money (Hamilton or Prince). They're going to stink either way this year and they know it. When you look at it as a chance to save money it makes sense. Standing alone, in terms of a talent acquisition, it would make no sense.

Also, if they dump someone early and he happens to play well, he'd might have good value at the deadline.

Shalom Lansky

August 10th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^

1.  He is a proven winner.

2.  The Pistons have great success bringing in selfish, aged superstars.

3.  We have little depth at shooting guard.

Uh oh, I just set off the sarcasm meter in my office.

ijohnb

August 10th, 2010 at 11:13 AM ^

now Joe D. just needs to sign A.I. and C Webb again and we will have a contender. 

(McGrady just hurt his back while I was posting this comment)

GRBluefan

August 10th, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^

idea brilliant or incompetent?

 

Sign a ton of bums like McGrady to huge 1-year deals (think 1 year @ $20 million) just so that you have massive expiring contracts to offer in trades.  That way you can trade for guys you likely wouldn't otherwise be able to sign as free agents, and then work out Larry Bird-ish extensions with them when they get to town.

 

Obviously wouldn't work if you were over the cap (like the Pistons were this summer), but would that be a great idea for NJ or the Clippers.

 

Now you may proceed to poke holes in my theory.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 10th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^

Teams that are shitty enough to do something that damn desperate are the ones that trade for the expiring contracts in the first place.  Contenders don't trade good players for cap room.  So the only players you're getting in return are as crappy as the ones you've already got.

GRBluefan

August 10th, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

decent players.  Al Jefferson was just traded for two basketballs and a pair of gym shorts because he had a big contract that the T-Wolves were looking to get out of.  Perhaps if you could offer them the financial flexibility of an expiring contract you could have had Big Al for nothing. 

 

Just a thought.

GRBluefan

August 10th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^

obviously wanted it.  He is a good player, who didn't fit in with the T-Wolves because they decided that Kevin Love was their long-term 4. 

I certainly don't by your logic that just because the T-Wolves made the decision that they didn't want his contract that no one else would.  Teams evaluate players differently based on a number of things, including how they fit with the current roster.  Jazz (and Pistons) had a glaring need for a big man who can score on the blocks.  T-Wolves didn't think they did. 

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

August 10th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

The Jazz are a contending team that can afford it, not the kind of bottom-dweller your cockamamie theory applies to.  If your idea depends on taking advantage of dumbasses like David Kahn who are determined to run franchises into the ground, it can't be all that good.

samsoccer7

August 10th, 2010 at 11:55 AM ^

This is pretty much a no-risk signing.  Sure, he could take playing time away from younger or more deserving guys, but if those guys show improvement they'll probably take minutes from T-Mac.  At 1.3 million it's almost considered free.  The Pistons also have one of the best training staffs in the NBA and have managed to keep other injury prone players on the court (read: McDyess et al). 

I personally don't like T-Mac very much as a player, but I'm guessing Dumars told him the situation, he probably didn't have any other options, and will likely be coming off the bench, so I think it might not be a bad thing in the end.

UMdaCuzzyy

August 10th, 2010 at 12:29 PM ^

Does any of this matter? Miami Heat is only going to win anyways... thats like having Ovechkin, Crybaby Crosby, and Datsyuk on the same team in the NHL.

Michigan4Life

August 10th, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^

Rip and/or Tay will be moved sometimes this season to free up cap.  Tay has one year left and Rip has two.  If Joe D can move Rip, next off-season, the Pistons will have about 20 million of cap room to sign FA.

Melo is unlikely and probably will head to NY to team up with Amare or stay with Denver.  J-Rich could be a target since he's a Michigan native and would fit nicely at SG.