Chauncey is gone???

[D-Fresh]

After drafting 3 guards in the first 2 rounds, it seems like they might be planning for the departure of Chauncey. What is everyone think about this??

[Krull]

I hope not but maybe they are thinking they need to hedge their bet. It is doubtful that any of the three draft picks will be very effective for a year or two, if one of the three sticks I would consider it a success considering draft position. Blaylock showed some promise in limited time last year. I was hoping they would get another forward to spell Prince once in a while, but maybe they are predicting larger roles for Maxiel and Johnson.

[Blaketrout]

I don't think that he's gonna go quite yet. Dumars is just planning for the future. I'm sure what he's planning is to bring these draftees under Chauncy's wing for a couple of years and see which one can fall into his place when he does go.. I haven't been paying much attention but is Hunter going to retire?? Another good reason for drafting how he did.

I hope Chauncy don't leave.. He's more or less the glue that makes this team a contender..

[Bomba]

He opted out of his contract but he doesn't want to leave Detroit.
He did it to drive his price up by other teams trying to sign him, then
Detroit will have the final bid and resign him for more $ than they
originally wanted to... It's all part of the game.

[MEL]

Quite frankly...

I DONT GET IT. I DONT GET IT. I DONT GET IT!!!!

Pistons draft picks that is... What is Dumars doing? Whats he planning? Whats he got up his sleeve?

Ok, heres my thoughts:

Drafting 3 guards:
Even if Chauncey dosent stay in Detroit, none of these guys are proven NBA caliber Point guards. Matter of fact none are true point guards. They are combo guards with the point being their weakness. 15th pick, Stuckey
is from a small, WAC, school. Hasnt played in a major confrence against the BEST players. Afflalo gets punked on defense and is slow. The 3rd dude i never even heard of?.
So i dont see any one of these guys comming in to play the point for an NBA team right out of college!!! For Dumars to plan on any of these guys to be a suitable replacement, should Billups leave, is crazey:dizzy: Come on Joe,
you know better than that!!! Keeping Delfino would have been a smarter move for a guard.

No big man.
Not a Forward or Center drafted!! Dont even tell me that Joe is gonna start Sheed and Webber up front again!!:dizzy: Maxiell is NOT, repeat, NOT a starting forward. He's an energy guy off the bench who will give you 15-20Min. a game. He cant shoot a jumper and cant create his own shot.
Dice, who did resign with the 'Stones, is also a 15 min per game player.
Why oh why didnt Joe draft any big men? I thought for sure he was gonna use 2 picks on big men and one pick on a guard or small forward.
So it looks like Joe is gonna bank on Sheed and Webber or Sheed and Amir Johnson. Cant bank on Johnson yet tho, he's still to young and green. And just who is gonna be able to play SF for Tay?
Tay just cannot play the minutes he plays with out wearing out come playoff time!!!

The "odd man out":
I gotta believe that these picks were made with the idea that if Chauncey does indeed stay in Detroit than RIP will be traded. All 3 of those picks could be a shooting guard before being a point guard.
If Joe wanted a "true" point guard, why didnt the stones buy the #24 pick from the Suns for $3Mill.? That would have given Joe the chance to draft Almon who is a point and many experts thought was the 2nd best point in the draft. 3 million measley dollars to buy a very good point guard. The pistons waiste more money than that with stupid moves. Fellas i dont get that non move at all. Its not like the stones cant afford it, being one of the richest teams in the NBA!!!.

Wheres Randolph?
Zack Randolph was traded for next to nothing. We could have really used a Zack R. here!!! I know he has baggage but thats in the past and bringing him to Detroit puts him on a Veteran team with character players. Plus having him close to Izzo could have helped.

In summary:
If Joe dosent have a big trade or two in the works than im really, really confused by his draft picks:help: Standing pat with the current team and these 3 draft picks will not win the WEAK Eastern division next year!
Unless im not seeing something, i dont see that we make it out of the 1st round of the playoffs next season....Prove me wrong Joe....PLEASE!!!!

[Can't Touch This]

Mel....calm down man :lol: Joe D is DEFFINENTLY up to something. I do think actually that Rip is on his way out. Here how i think it will go down...

Chauncey Stays, and gets a contract that is something like 5 year/50 mill, not bad. Remember, is is now 32 i think, he has about 4-5 good years left considering he didn't play that much early in his career. There are only a couple other teams out there that would pay as much as Detroit, i don't think anyone will offer him a max contract, maybe if he was like 28, but, 32 is up there in age for a guard. Also he stunk it up vs. Cleveland, that took a big hit on his money, and last year vs. miami also.

Rip and Sheed will be shipped out. I think a Rip and Sheed for KG will work for sure. Sheed is past his prime, and his attitude really hurt them in the playoffs. Rip had a great season and is still relatively young, but, if they want to keep Billups and get KG or another top knotch player, they are going to HAVE to part with Rip, who is their most valuable trade bait. Or they could potentially do a sign and trade with Chauncey, but, it really sounds to me like Joe D wants him to stay and Billups will stay if they offer up a reasonble contract.

Man, i really, really don't want Joe to trade Rip. But, if you look at it, that is the ONLY way they are going to get KG. That or Billups, but, Stuckey is a more nature 2 than a 1, and i think he could actually play substantial minutes right from the get go, he was very quickly climbing up everyone's list, he is going to be a star, the question is when. But, you also have to question his name, he name is VERY close to "suckey" and we don't want karma playing a role here.

So, if that happens, your looking at a lineup like this(without any other moves, which i am sure there will be)-

PG- Billups
SG- Stuckey(or a waiver pickup)
SF- Tay
PF- KG
C- Likely waiver pickup or trade, if not, maybe Nazr again.

Hummmm...the 1-2-3 punch of Billups, KG, and Prince will be a force, however, what made the Pistons so good is they had no weaknesses in their lineup, at least when they won a championship. If they do it, they have to fill holes at the 2(which may be why they drafted Stuckey, among other 2's), and Center assuming C-Web retires, is the biggest ? mark. I don't think they want Nazr starting, i don't even think they want him at all, they will likely trade him. Maxiell is too small(then again, so was Ben), and Dyess is a natural 4. If those are the choices, i say why not try Maxiell??? The guy is a beast inside, plays will a ton of energy, can crash the boards and block shots.

However, Joe D is cooking up something really big, i think everyone who follows the stones know that. I was always the one saying they would never get KG, but, i think they have to lure a super star in order to get back to championship form. They will not win a championship with their current team.

Amare or Marion are interesting, both are said to want out of Phoenix. Landing Amare would actually be the best move, even better than Kg come to think of it. He is still young, and is a 5, the stones have 4's coming out of their ears, but, lack a formitable 5(again, assuming C-Webb retires, and he is even shaky).

[William H Bonney]

The potential of every player on this team "peaked" with Larry Brown,,, like him or not,, it's true. He took a bunch of average to slightly above average players and maxxed out their potential. In the process,,, making Dumars look like he knew what he was doing:dizzy: .

[MEL]

The potential of every player on this team "peaked" with Larry Brown,,, like him or not,, it's true. He took a bunch of average to slightly above average players and maxxed out their potential. In the process,,, making Dumars look like he knew what he was doing:dizzy: .

I'd have to agree with this. But, he's gone now and to get back to the championship level its time to look forward not back wards. Time to make some changes, bring in some fresh players. Flip saunders will be here for the up comming season. Nothing we can do about that, just try to get thru it. After next season he just might get the ax if the team dosent make it far in the playoffs.

[MEL]

Mel....calm down man :lol: Joe D is DEFFINENTLY up to something. I do think actually that Rip is on his way out. Here how i think it will go down...

Chauncey Stays, and gets a contract that is something like 5 year/50 mill, not bad. Remember, is is now 32 i think, he has about 4-5 good years left considering he didn't play that much early in his career. There are only a couple other teams out there that would pay as much as Detroit, i don't think anyone will offer him a max contract, maybe if he was like 28, but, 32 is up there in age for a guard. Also he stunk it up vs. Cleveland, that took a big hit on his money, and last year vs. miami also.

Rip and Sheed will be shipped out. I think a Rip and Sheed for KG will work for sure. Sheed is past his prime, and his attitude really hurt them in the playoffs. Rip had a great season and is still relatively young, but, if they want to keep Billups and get KG or another top knotch player, they are going to HAVE to part with Rip, who is their most valuable trade bait. Or they could potentially do a sign and trade with Chauncey, but, it really sounds to me like Joe D wants him to stay and Billups will stay if they offer up a reasonble contract.

Man, i really, really don't want Joe to trade Rip. But, if you look at it, that is the ONLY way they are going to get KG. That or Billups, but, Stuckey is a more nature 2 than a 1, and i think he could actually play substantial minutes right from the get go, he was very quickly climbing up everyone's list, he is going to be a star, the question is when. But, you also have to question his name, he name is VERY close to "suckey" and we don't want karma playing a role here.

So, if that happens, your looking at a lineup like this(without any other moves, which i am sure there will be)-

PG- Billups
SG- Stuckey(or a waiver pickup)
SF- Tay
PF- KG
C- Likely waiver pickup or trade, if not, maybe Nazr again.

Hummmm...the 1-2-3 punch of Billups, KG, and Prince will be a force, however, what made the Pistons so good is they had no weaknesses in their lineup, at least when they won a championship. If they do it, they have to fill holes at the 2(which may be why they drafted Stuckey, among other 2's), and Center assuming C-Web retires, is the biggest ? mark. I don't think they want Nazr starting, i don't even think they want him at all, they will likely trade him. Maxiell is too small(then again, so was Ben), and Dyess is a natural 4. If those are the choices, i say why not try Maxiell??? The guy is a beast inside, plays will a ton of energy, can crash the boards and block shots.

However, Joe D is cooking up something really big, i think everyone who follows the stones know that. I was always the one saying they would never get KG, but, i think they have to lure a super star in order to get back to championship form. They will not win a championship with their current team.

Amare or Marion are interesting, both are said to want out of Phoenix. Landing Amare would actually be the best move, even better than Kg come to think of it. He is still young, and is a 5, the stones have 4's coming out of their ears, but, lack a formitable 5(again, assuming C-Webb retires, and he is even shaky).

First of all your NOT gonna get KG for Rip and Sheed!!! A #2 guard and a aging, head case forward with a fat contract wont land you KG!!! Try those two plus Amir Johnson and a draft pick/or Maxiell.
I would love to see Amare here but that would also take the same type of deal with one exception....I dont see where or why the Suns would want Sheed?, he dosent fit in there at all.
To get a "superstar" Joe will have to deal sheed to get rid of the 13mill/year
he has on his contract... What team is willing to take Sheed with that kind of contract????

I'll say this again and keep saying it. You cant go into next season with Webber as your center. And you cant expect Maxiell to be your starter either. The team as a whole will suffer with any of those two as starters.
Maxiell is a high enegry player who is very good provided he only plays 10-15 Min. per game. Asking him to play more minutes and keep up the same pace is foolish!!! And Webber is just to old, to broken down to start, He could be a value off the bench. But i assume he would retire before taking a spot behind Dice on the bench.

Brings me back to Zack R. Here was a 20 and 10 man who could have been gotten for cheap but Joe didnt bite.
I still wonder who is gonna come in for Tay. Flips just gonna keep him in all the time and burn him out again???:dizzy:

[TheMAIT]

On Sports Inferno it sounded like Chauncey signed with the Pistons for not a ton of money....I am not seeing anything about it on any of the sport webpages....Does anyone know if this was true===or were they just speaking hypothetically?

[Can't Touch This]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2925200

so much for that....

[chrisu]

For the draft picks, I can see them being groomed for a Billups trade in about 3-4 years. Or, to replace CB when he retires or loses a step.

Coaching is another story all together. IMO, I think there are only 3 Championship caliber coaches out there - Rudy T, Riles, Larry Brown. Flip is not the best at handling people, so Joe's comment about helping manage Sheed is I think a subliminal message that he is actively trying to relocate the Rodman wanna-be.

I think C-webb retires, or at best plays one more year resting frequently in the first 2/3's of the season - if Flip can stick to a plan...see "How not to use Tay 101..."

I agree with the previous post about Rip and Sheed being trade bait - toss in Nazr too...althought the cap hit for him may prevent that.

As for Joe D - say what you want about him, but more times than not his moves work out. Everybody has their Darko's, but he is respected by players, coachs and other execs which is why he is able to pull off deals with most any team. Just look at how limited the Lions have been under Millen. He can only seem to trade with a few teams because of who his coaches are and not on his merit.

Tough year ahead I think for the Stone's, but a solid year.