Comments on: Detroit Pistons Roundtable: Building blocks besides Rodney Stuckey and Jonas Jerebko

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:30:33 +0000

Right now, the things we worry about rookies all check out for Austin Daye. He's tall and long. He has a nice shot. He's a good dribbler. He can pass well. He's a decent rebounder. He's shown great flashes of potential.

But what happens when he starts meeting that potential? Will he meet our next set of expectations? I don't think he has the maturity or mindset to be a dominant player. When those issues become important, we'll see for certain. Or maybe by then, he'll have changed.

I like what he brings. I just don't have a lot of faith in him to capitalize on it.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:27:36 +0000

Besides injuries, one thing that really Charlie Villanueva this year was the amount of time he played with Ben Wallace. Wallace would’ve helped with a lot of Villanueva’s deficiencies, but they didn’t play together much.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:25:46 +0000

I think whether Gordon regains his touch (it looks like he has) and Daye's development are big for this franchise. And they could end up a 1-2 good enough to carry this team.

But Stuckey is far from a finished product. He's still very young, and he's improved each year. Show a little patience.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:24:12 +0000

I think Bynum could provide what Jason Terry does for Dallas. Terry makes bout $10 million per year, and you don't really hear his name in the list of most overpaid players.

Bynum for $3-4 million a year would be a bargain, and I think Detroit has a good chance to get him for that.

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:21:00 +0000

Patrick understood the question how intended it. That's my fault for not wording it well.

But I also think it speaks to how most GMs and fans view how a team should be built. Get a superstar, then add pieces. Well, if there are no stars available, as is the case in this scenario (and would be even if Stuckey and Jerebko are available), why force it? Wouldn't you be better off taking the best role player you can get, then look for the star later?

One other thought: This is why Dumars' no-superstar plan is smart. Every other team is looking for a superstar. There's tons of competition to get one. Dumars has the marked on very good players cornered.

By: Big Rick

Big Rick — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:29:26 +0000

I don’t really feel that we have any true franchise players that you would feel confident building your team around. I think we have quite a few assets and if I had to take 5 players to nominate for the future then it would be Stuckey, Daye, Gordon, Charlie V. and J.J.

If I had to choose someone outside of Stuckey, or J.J then I feel Charlie V. would be a keeper. I think if you put him (healthy) next to a dominant big man whether it’s on the offensive or defensive side of the ball then he would flourish.

By: jcdugger

jcdugger — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:00:57 +0000

I must like Austin Daye a lot more than most people.
Sure, the guy is raw…he needs quite a bit of work on the court and in the weight room. But how could you look at him and NOT be intrigued?!? A 6-11 Small Forward with long arms, jumping ability and can run like a gazelle. He’s a talented kid too…and only 21 years old. Not a back-to-the-basket player by any means, but he scores easily down low on put-backs and cutting to the basket. No Small Forward will be able to handle him down-low or on the boards in a couple of years, especially if he gets into the gym. Tack on the fact that he can hit the 3-ball and you have quite a player on your hands.
Just imagine if he works hard the next 3 years and bulks up a little. (This entire opinion hinges on Daye working VERY hard on the court and in the gym.) Let’s assume he does work that hard…in 3 years we will have a beast on our hands! Who’s going to cover him if he bulks up and proves he can hit the 3 consistently?! At 24 and more mature…a guy with that size, that talent, who can hit the 3 and get on the boards…he would be lethal. He wouldn’t be Tayshaun 2.0, he would be Tayshaun 5.0!
Even with Stuckey and Jerebko…Daye is the one player on the team I simply wouldn’t trade. I might be in the minority, and Daye will have to work hard, but I can see him playing in a few All-Star games if the ball bounces the right way for him (works hard, doesn’t get hurt, etc).
JD

By: nuetes

nuetes — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:26:42 +0000

Let’s face it the Pistons don’t have good players. Gordon is stuck here so you have to hope he can figure it out. Daye has a higher ceiling than anyone on the team, including Stuckey – who 3 years in, lets face it he doesn’t have that much higher to go. The future of the franchise basically comes down to can you develop Daye, can Gordon regain his touch, and can the Pistons hit on a good player in the lottery, and also develop said player, something they’ve failed to do on most occasions.

By: Jesse

Jesse — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:57:44 +0000

There is no one on this roster to build around, not even close. You cannot build around Ben Gordon; he isn’t a leader. All Gordon can do is shoot, and when his shot isn’t falling he’s pretty useless, he’s as much a franchise player as Danilo Gallinari is. I’m shocked that anyone would even think for a second that Austin Daye even had a glimmer of a franchise player him….shocked. Being a franchise player is sooooo much more then having potential, how about the mental aspects of carrying a team day-in and day-out? Anybody see that in Austin? Same goes for Bynum, $7 million a year? Good God! In today’s NBA? With a new CBA coming? In this economy? With the financial mess the team is already in? For a 6 ft, back-up, shoot-first pg? Bynum isn’t worth more than $3 mill a year, especially to this team, he provides nothing they don’t already have.

By: Simon

Simon — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:55:38 +0000

I’m a little surprised that you selected Will Bynum from our team to be the…” guy who could be a key contributor on a contending team.”
I’m the exact opposite, i think bynum is the most replaceable guy on our roster, especially if he asks for too much. A guy like mike james for the vets min would suffice and we wouldn’t lose much.
The most important thing for us is not to identify WHO to build around, but what Philosophy to build around. Defensive? Offensive? Up-tempo? Half-court?