-= Official Detroit Pistons Thread =-

[hova-]

Watcha guys thinking about Rodney Stuckey. He has been hot lately and with his move to the point (AI @ SG - Rip injured) the Pistons seem to have catched fire winning 7 in a row.
Stuckey has scored 40 and 38 during this stretch and was really attacking the basket.
Hes averaging 13.5 points, 5 assists and a steal per game shooting a decent .471% from the field and respectable .37% from downtown.
Its just like it was a bit suprising to see him coming up big although he had never gotten the minutes before to have such big outings.

I like this guy and I think he could turn into an above average player when AI or Sheed (or both) leave the Pistons.

[Andrew]

I think he's got a bright future. His success so far reminds me of Tayshaun Prince's first couple of years, coming in after being picked outside the lottery and without any expectations of being a star or carrying the team but ending up making some big contributions to the team's success while still possessing untapped potential. He has an opportunity to play a significant role now as the team's starting point guard but with Chauncey Billups gone, AI quite likely gone after this season and perhaps Sheed as well then he'll certainly have a tremendous opportunity to shine.

By the same token, I don't think we should get too far ahead of ourselves in placing him at the same level as some of the established stars in the league but Pistons fans should be very happy with his selection in 2007 and the progress he's making.

[Fresh8]

I read an interesting comment in a column a few days ago... wanted to pose this question:

'Will/Can Rip Hamilton become Detroit's answer to Manu Ginobili?'

[Andrew]

I don't think he needs to be, he's doing a pretty good job just being Richard Hamilton.

[Fresh8]

My main reason for bringing it up was because Rip is 'apparently' being groomed to become the Pistons' Sixth Man. So if Rip doesn'ty have a hurt ego, can he be as valuable off the bench for Detroit as Manu is for the Spurs.

[Andrew]

Perhaps, though I don't think they need to go that route. The lineup of Sheed, Prince, Rip, AI and Stuckey seemed to work pretty well and AI could very well be moving on next year at which point Hamilton would be right back in the starting five. I don't think they need to try him in that role when he's still working out as a starter.

[3PK]

Reports coming from Pistons True Blue Pistons Blog (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 91226.html) suggest that a trio of stars could all be avaialable for Sunday's game against Toronto. For a team on the heels of giving in this is a true Christmas present and hopefully once these guys get back to full fitness Detroit can start making a few runs.

Does anyone have any closer insight into the issue because coming from Australia I'm finding it hard to get injury news. Does this signal a change in Detroit's fortune?

[Andrew]

One would have to believe that they're bound to be a better team with a better chance to win more games when they're healthy. As far as being on par with the Cavs, Celtics, Magic and Hawks in the East or anything like that, I doubt it.

[Rip32]

Does anyone have any closer insight into the issue because coming from Australia I'm finding it hard to get injury news. Does this signal a change in Detroit's fortune?

I really think so. I've watched a ton of the games this year and the team is just so streaky. They've beaten teams like Denver and Orlando without Rip and Tay, but then they've lost BAD to a lot of teams. They lack scoring, especially with BG out recently. Teams (most recently Toronto) have began to stop Bynum and Stuckey's constant penetration, which is what was giving guys like Jerebko and Villanueva open shots.

With Rip back we'll have an offense again, or at least a guy to go to. That takes pressure off Stuckey and gives the team a consistency they've lacked offensively.

I still worry about the defense though-- Tayshaun adds a solid man defender and help defender, but I still don't feel really good the defense or their inability to play a pick-and-roll. Big Ben has been a baller this year and that's been one reason they've been able to beat those good teams, but I just wish we could pick up a solid post player.

[3PK]

After tonight’s Toronto game, I know my opinion may seem illogical, but geez I'm excited. Heck, no-one of our new players really played all that well, but Jerebko continued to flourish and in the second half we got somewhat of our flow back, the TEAM offense and defense improved dramatically, and even though its not a massive achievement I see this team working their way back over .500. This is an excellent starting block, with everything the team has been through (injury wise, at least we got a new plane ) Anyway I still don't like the idea of small ball, but Kreuster will learn (I hope). Overall pleasing signs, I see the pistons not as a top 4 team but in that .500 region with say the heat and raptors when fully healthy!

Oh and please JD don't make a rash decision to trade Rip...

[NovU]

I see the pistons not as a top 4 team but in that .500 region with say the heat and raptors when fully healthy!

Take out the heat part and we'll get along just fine.

[Its_asdf]

Sorry to disappoint, but Toronto has the uncanny ability to make any team look good. Don't let the 20 point comeback fool you. Look at it this way... The Pistons were held to below 100 points by quite possibly the most historically bad defensive team ever.

[3PK]

Sorry to disappoint, but Toronto has the uncanny ability to make any team look good. Don't let the 20 point comeback fool you. Look at it this way... The Pistons were held to below 100 points by quite possibly the most historically bad defensive team ever.

Thus, I'll reserve comment for a week (regardless of the fact a believe that to be a hyperbole, purposeful or not). Call me an ignorant fan but surely a five game winning streak, without 5 of your best 6 able to play even at 70% is something of an achievement. Then you add the ammunition to the gun and one would only imagine a .500 record from here on is realistic.

[Rip32]

Call me an ignorant fan but surely a five game winning streak, without 5 of your best 6 able to play even at 70% is something of an achievement. Then you add the ammunition to the gun and one would only imagine a .500 record from here on is realistic.

In principle you'd think that's the case, but it's not always that way. GSW, Mil, Phi, Wash, that's not a season changing streak by any means. Right now this team is nothing more then an 8 seed. If they want to make any type of run they need to make a deal for a legit big man. The most likely player Joe D will trade is probably Tayshaun since his contract isn't that massive.

[Lamrock]

Meh, when one of the worst defensive teams in NBA history is in 6th, you know your conference is terrible. The Pistons aren't a good team, but should they win 5/6 (which is doubtful, since they are currently on a 7 game slide), they'll probably jump to 6th. With Rip, they have a decent chance of maintaining that.

Imagine how much better they would be had they not wasted all their money on Gordon and Charlie V and instead signed Sessions, saving 10 million and improving at a position of need (with Stuckey being a combo guard sixth man)

[3PK]

Yeah I am very sceptical of Rodney Stuckey's talent. Right now I feel as though Kreuster is playing too much small ball, and it simply does not work. As far as signing Charlie V and Ben Gordon, I still think the move has potential. In Joe D's master plan I envision keeping this team for two years and lingering around 5-8th seed in east (as poor of an accomplishment as that may be) waiting until Jerebko and Daye can hold that SF spot and letting Tayshaun go in the 2010-2011 free agency (when his contract expires). Ben Wallace at this time will retire (hopefully Kwame will be gone) and I see us having about 12 million and a MLE. Signing a C and a backup C or Tall. Nonetheless we still have a draft to go through. Maybe Detroit aren't a legitimate threat to any of the top teams in the near future but i don't doubt they have the artillery (missing a few tanks) to eventually succeed.

With that in mind I must maintain that yes you are correct, without a legit Big man (no knocks on Ben Wallace but the man can only do so much with Kwame Brown, Jason Maxiell, Chris Wilcox and Charlie V) we are far from a top 3 seed. A positive is Jerebko's steady improvement and ability to play the 4 well, which means we can eliminate Maxiell from the equation because his hustle is non-existent. As far as C, well for now Ben Wallace will have to just do but his only a very short term solution and not a superb one of that.

I understand this is getting to long and will be arduous to read (due to my convoluted sentence structure and grammar ) but I also think our defense has been so sketchy at times, not because of individual defensive ability but because of team defensive ability. Anyway, its game time soon so we'll see what happens.

[Lamrock]

Rodney Stuckey is a decent combo guard and nothing more. Certainly not good enough to replace Billups or give the keys to the franchise to. I don't see how the signings have any potential. Locking up two defensive liabilities at positions in which you already have equally valuable talent makes no sense. I just can't see a team with Charlie Villanueva starting at the 4 winning a title.

And there is no point of wasting the last of Hamilton and Prince's primes by fielding a 5-8 seed roster, and missing out on a pair of lottery picks in the process. Blow it up or don't, the current course of action is getting you guys nowhere. Right now, Joe Dumars seems to be battling it out with Washington's GM for the title of worst general manager in the NBA. I really don't think that an average combo guard (Stuckey), Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and a pair of Jared Jeffries-esque prospects (Daye and Jerebko) will ever contend for anything (unless of course there is a sniper at the all-star game).

[Rip32]

I just can't see a team with Charlie Villanueva starting at the 4 winning a title.

He is one dimensional every sense of the word. He can be a very good 6th man though (like he is right now). Can you see a team with Rick Fox and Samaki Walker winning a title? Haha, they did.

And there is no point of wasting the last of Hamilton and Prince's primes by fielding a 5-8 seed roster, and missing out on a pair of lottery picks in the process.

Those primes are over, at least Rip's is. Tayshaun Prince reached his ceiling in is third year and Rip isn't really a great all-around player. He is a very solid guy to have on your team if you need 18 and 3 assists, but he doesn't do much play making (he can, but he chooses not to for some reason? lol).

Right now, Joe Dumars seems to be battling it out with Washington's GM for the title of worst general manager in the NBA.

That may be a little harsh (cough: Chris Wallace, Steve Kerr :cough). He did a lot of good early in the decade and has made some so-so decisions recently. I don't think his two signings this offseason were bad. Villanueva is a bit odd, seeing as he can't play defense or rebound at a high rate, but Ben Gordon fits very well in Detroit as a scorer off the bench (even with 2 other guards ahead of him). That's something they haven't had since... gah... Corliss Williamson.

[Andrew]

Right now, Joe Dumars seems to be battling it out with Washington's GM for the title of worst general manager in the NBA.

That may be a little harsh (cough: Chris Wallace, Steve Kerr :cough).

The two-headed monster of Gar Forman and John Paxson in Chicago at least deserve honourable mention in that category.

[Lamrock]

Chris Wallace has proven to be far from one of the worst GM's in the NBA. Marc Gasol is a young, top-tier Center, Zach Randolph is having an all-star season, and the Grizzlies are actually decent. When you think about it, a large expiring and a young, potential future all-star seems like a pretty decent package for a disgruntled aging star. Granted, Hasheem Thabeet and to a lesser extent OJ Mayo were poor choices.

Bulls don't have the best front office, but I wouldn't consider them to be one of the worst in the league. Not the best, but they have some decent young players and a shitload of cap. If a marquee FA ends up in Chi-Town this offseason, all of you, even Andrew, will be glad to have them instead of BG. They won't go anywhere with Rose as their best player.

[Andrew]

Quite true, if they actually do bring in a big name that brings more to the table than Ben Gordon then I'll freely admit that the gamble paid off. However, I can't shake the feeling that they'll bring in a Ron Mercer instead.

[Hedonist]

I watched the Raptors - Pistons game the other night and I was really impressed by Jerebko. Nice hustling big guy rookie with the range.

[benji]

I see the pistons not as a top 4 team but in that .500 region with say the heat and raptors when fully healthy!

The Pistons aren't even a top four team in their division if Indiana was healthy.

Oh and please JD don't make a rash decision to trade Rip...

Don't worry, nobody wants that stupid contract for an average guard who is only going to degrade over the next couple seasons.

Can you see a team with Rick Fox and Samaki Walker winning a title? Haha, they did.

Because they had the best player in the league by far and one of the greatest players of all time, along with another superstar.

The Pistons stink on defense and are worse on offense, getting completely healthy is not going to change that. This is the worst team in the Central Division. They're capped out, have no serious assets, blew a ton of money on average players and are so bad at developing AND playing players that guys are actually regressing in their development.

And Rodney Stuckey is even more infuriating than Rasheed Wallace. They should have traded him after the playoffs two years ago. And even worse, I can't believe Dumars turned down the deal for Rondo last summer. Only Detroit would immediately reject a deal that trades their two worst contracts for one that expires after this year and gets you a superstar as well. Charlie V and Gordon signings wouldn't look so bad with a superstar next to them, and plus the team would get another shot at major cap space in 2010.

[3PK]

Yes, unfortunately this is an argument I won't win, I realise I have been a little bias. I thought that this would be a completely different team when healthy. I'm not giving up that’s for sure, but I will concede that maybe my expectations exceed the reality of Detroit's ability. Potential wise, there is enough there to keep me intrigued and i will NEVER change teams but its hard to see how they are going to get out of this loop.

RE: Rondo trade, I agree 100%; he has turned out to be a sensational player, in my opinion the best PG in the East. Nonetheless, if we can improve Charlie V's defense, draft or trade for a dominant low post force and figure something out with our guards, which could happen, then the pistons are not dead.

[Rip32]

Because they had the best player in the league by far and one of the greatest players of all time, along with another superstar.

... was that guy a washed up Mitch Richmond or NBA superstar Jelani McCoy?

And Rodney Stuckey is even more infuriating than Rasheed Wallace.

I do see that a lot. He's honestly a two guard, he had his best streak in his career this month and it came while he was a shooting guard next to a distributer in Chucky Atkins. I've really grown tired of Tayshaun and Rip. Rip's going to be in for a rude awakening when he realizes he is the true 3rd scoring option on the team and Tayshaun would be a great 5th option on a championship team (like he used to be).

I can't believe Dumars turned down the deal for Rondo last summer. Only Detroit would immediately reject a deal that trades their two worst contracts for one that expires after this year and gets you a superstar as well. Charlie V and Gordon signings wouldn't look so bad with a superstar next to them, and plus the team would get another shot at major cap space in 2010.

True, Charilie and Gordon are both legit NBA players, but they are also niche players who don't bring a lot to the table. I didn't want that trade back in the summer, but in hindsight, it may have been alright. Ray Allen is going to be gone after his contract ends after this year so that clears up space. I like Rondo as a player, but I honestly can't see a team winning a championship with him as their top guy, which he would be in Detroit. He seem's like he may be a little bit of a product of his teammates (he's still great though).

if we can improve Charlie V's defense

Chuck V is 26 and played for one of the best defensive coaches in college basketball, if he hasn't learned to play D now, it aint gonna happen lol

Riddle me this benji, say the Pistons have the chance to swap Tayshaun Prince for Chris Kaman straight up, do you do it?