Detroit seems to be more offensive than defensive
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This new version of Detroit seems, oddly, more offensive than defensive
The Pistons made many moves that generated a lot of noise, but nothing of great significance. Gordon Iverson is an improvement, but little else changed on the perimeter and the paint seems to be significantly worse than Wallace and McDyess.
HOLLINGER STATISTICS 08-09
GP: 39-43Eficiencia Offense: 104.5 (21st) Defensive Efficiency: 105.2 (16th) Pace Factor: 89.1 (30 °) higher PER: Will Bynum (17.52)
A couple of things should change. Pistons likely to raise the tempo in command of Kuester and that should create excitement. And with talent like Villanueva, Daye and Stuckey, reasonably excited about the future of Detroit once again.
Unfortunately, the Pistons and wasted their cap space in 2010 with the extension of Hamilton nonsense and are essentially committed to this display without superstars for the next two years. Given its history, it is always possible that Dumars has another ace up his sleeve. What is more probable, however, is that this season becomes a version with a more offensive minded than last year.
Off season moves
It was another exciting season in Detroit as the Pistons used the reward of their cap space Iverson exchange for work and gave shape to the rotation in several ways simultaneously. Do not know if it was a good or a bad summer for a while, but say that Dumars has not silenced the critics.
Michael Curry fired, hired John Kuester. Despite tripping along the way, Curry appeared to be healthy after completing his first season at 39-43. But apparently did a poor job coaching from 17 April to 29 June. Although his record was 0-0 in those 75 days, Detroit made the decision to dismiss on June 30, as their communication skills in the offseason were not satisfactory.
Instead hired Kuester, principal assistant offensive Cavs. At the beginning of summer was not a hot product, but everyone agrees he did a good job in Cleveland, and his familiarity with Dumars in his tenure as an assistant there before should help. Cynics also emphasize that it is a low-profile coach and that those with a full curriculum could have been more reluctant to work with Dumars given his lack of resume. Among Saunders, Larry Brown, Rick Carlisle and Curry, Dumars finished with four coaches in seven years, in all cases except that of Brown, the goodbyes were for minor offenses.
Ben Gordon signed for five years, 55 million. Is that all? “Chauncey Billups exchanged and all they got from it was a sixth man to play 30 minutes a game behind Hamilton and Stuckey? Gordon was probably the best free agent available, but the Pistons to get paid by others, and plays a position that had no obvious need. One should think that Detroit would have been better off clearing the cap space for another summer, or played by David Lee of New York, or make a trade for someone in the short term … or anything else except this.
Gordon will be better than Iverson because he is comfortable coming off the bench, but is unlikely to be a player 55 million in this or any other season.
Let them go to Rasheed Wallace, with Charlie Villanueva signed a five-year, 35 million. This was a much more reasonable contract that the treatment of Gordon by basically the same type of player: a scorer who took the course that contributes modestly in the other phases of the game. Will supply an offensive role similar to that of Wallace, but it is much more aggressive attacking the dribble and a decade younger. As increased emphasis teams scored 4s streaks in recent years and the age of Villanueva (25), this was an outstanding value for the Pistons.
Austin Daye took Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers of the draft. Daye is one of my favorite prospects in the draft, a small forward who can throw and play against opposition supporters. Has the same body type Tayshaun Prince, but is even thinner, which definitely needs lifting. Jerebko and Summers were second-round picks, so the bar is much lower expectations, but among the three teams, Detroit has a steady stream of small forwards in the pipe in case you decide to exchange a Prince.
They left to go to Antonio McDyess, Chris Wilcox signed a two-year, 6 million. This was not a good decision. McDyess was the best player on the Pistons in the second half of last season, while Wilcox had trouble getting get minutes for two of the worst teams in the league. The glass half full approach is that it is a classic Detroit reclamation project that has been dismissed by most clubs in the league but is still young and has talent.
Amir Johnson exchanged by Fabricio Oberto Milwaukee, subsequently removed to Oberto. Detroit spent about 3 million in salary with this move to go for free agents, but do not support the move because of their return. Johnson had a tough year last season after they were expected to take the power forward job opening, but is just 22 and had shown potential to block shots and rebound in his previous three seasons. In the past, the Pistons were the ones who benefited when other teams knocked down to the young players too early in this case, it seems that the opposite occurred.
Arron Afflalo exchanged and Walter Sharpe to Denver for a future second-round pick. Detroit essentially paid the Nuggets to take Sharpe and Afflalo to free up enough space to complete the purchase of free agency. Afflalo was a major player decent, but not going to get minutes because of the other big names in Detroit’s backcourt, which was a wise move.
Ben Wallace signed with the veteran’s minimum. Detroit took a minimum treatment of his former defensive ace, which does not have much to lose if it does not work. Abruptly worsened since the last time you used a Pistons uniform, anyway, and probably will not win Kwame Brown for a spot of rotation.
Greatest strength: Notes on the perimeter
The Palace Guards are no longer a tandem, but make no mistake: This is still a dominant team when it comes to its perimeter. The Pistons will get the largest number of endorsements of his trio of Stuckey, Hamilton and Gordon on the perimeter, where each offers a different piece to the puzzle. Stuckey is a daemon which can dribble apart defenses with his penetration and power in the ring. Hamilton is as tormenting defenders with his fast pace and is released to the medium-range jumpers. And Gordon is the head outside the bank, as three-point shots that supplies a niche for a Pistons team that barely touched the ball last year.
Let’s add another name to the list: Will Bynum. Not mentioned above, but it was a pleasant surprise in a disappointing season for Detroit. Believe it or not, led the team in PER winning the league minimum, and was hired to do the same this year. It is unclear how much light you see behind the three smaller stars in front of you, especially if the Pistons are not willing to play along with Hamilton in third place, but by the time they need it, Bynum will provide one of the best escorts fourth in basketball.
Biggest weakness: defense
It’s hard to believe that Bad Boys are to be obedient in this area, but Detroit’s defense began to slide last year. With the movement of rotation this season, this transition was completed, and the Pistons probably become an offensive team. Wallace and McDyess were his two best defenders in the paint, but were replaced by the duo of Villanueva and Wilcox, while the lack of a viable center opening makes it likely that the 6-7 Jason Maxiell is called the middle.
Have similar problems on the perimeter. Price was an advocate for several years but worsened significantly in that area last season, the Pistons need to return to their status as to have the opportunity to be a quality defensive team. Hamilton, Gordon and Stuckey are not known for its defense, leaving a huge pressure on a frontcourt ill-equipped to deal.
Prediction: 39-43, 2nd in Central Division, 8th in Eastern Conference.