Comments on: Pistons to fire John Kuester

By: Laser

Laser — Tue, 31 May 2011 04:09:08 +0000

IMO daye would be some hot trade bait. we’re never going to upgrade this team without trading some of our youth at this point. i’d be willing to trade anyone for the right price, but the true assets on this roster are stuckey, monroe, daye and jj. of those four, daye is the standout candidate for a trade. stuckey would be a good choice, too, but right now we don’t even know if daye is capable of starting. he’s played 30 minutes like 6 times in 2 years. i bet there are a fair number of teams who would like to bring him off the bench.

By: Laser

Laser — Tue, 31 May 2011 04:04:16 +0000

it doesn’t sound like you have any real practical solutions to what plagues the team.

By: Laser

Laser — Tue, 31 May 2011 04:01:46 +0000

i get that if you fire dumars you’re taking some kind of risk. but keeping dumars is no slam dunk either. i could go either way, but i’d certainly live with the consequences of letting dumars go. he’s done plenty to warrant firing, and there’s a GIGANTIC built-in risk to keeping dumars around. the latest move he tried to make was trying to send rip to cleveland with a future lottery pick for nothing. this is a pretty good indicator to me that he would like to go forward with a stuckey-gordon backcourt and devote a third season to his blighted vision. it’s not working, and sweeping change is in order, but dumars might be too stubborn to do what’s needed to reshape the team.

right now we have a roster virtually devoid of assets, so we’re not in a position of strength to make deals (dumars’s fault). which means we’re probably going to take back pennies on the dollar in whatever trades we do. this puts any GM in a bad spot. so to me, the risk you run with dumars is that he sticks to his vision and tries to make it work to save face. it won’t. the risk you run with someone else, to me, is that he decides to stand pat because he was handed this mess. but if dumars’s idea of fixing this team is giving away a draft pick to unload rip’s contract, we should all be worried.

By: Tyrone

Tyrone — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:45:52 +0000

The 11pm local news is reporting that Mike Woodson wiill be the Pistons New HC.

By: balooga999

balooga999 — Mon, 30 May 2011 23:24:19 +0000

I think being a bit philosophical is appropriate when the majority of discourse is a sack him vs keep him shouting match. My point was and still is to take a broader look at what we do and what we expect from our GM’s. I’m not for or against firing Dumars, nor is it my intention to analyze his every move in the past decade–that’s a discussion that could pander on for hours on end with little useful exchange–after all endless arguments could be made as to what regards as average; a simple word can be very polarizing–I dread to think what would you have on your hands when you throw stats in the mix. Disaster. This is what has been happening and no one gets anywhere.
The important issue that you bring up in your statement is that you WILL settle for an average GM as compared to Dumars’ and his dossier. And that’s my point exactly. If we concede to an average GM after the sacking of Dumars we have to agree to forfeit any ill will that would develop if the results are average or below–that was the point in bringing up the Billups trade. I think we can come to an agreement that we all want a winning team but where the argument bogs down in those who want change for the sake of change is expectations. What do we want and expect from our GM? Yes some have their stakes and pointers sharpened but have we given thought about the after scenario? Looking at the fan base I’m not sure the answer is all that clear to either question. Furthermore are we willing to take culpability if things don’t go as planned down the road, the past suggests no, so if this is what is being pushed for by some there needs to be a radical and honest reassessment of attitudes and expectations.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:33:15 +0000

Mostly agreed. I think Dumars has had an above average draft track record. Not so much so that you could definitely pin it to skill rather than luck, but somewhat above average nevertheless. Granted, I have no idea how much Joe D does relative to the scouts in terms of figuring out who to draft.

By: DSV

DSV — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:10:51 +0000

Whoops – before I get jumped on by the Daye Koolaid drinkers, I take away his name from this list. I’m admittedly a bit tough on him but I think its due to the sometimes over enthusastic supporters I’ll see him get. I would take 5 Austin Daye types (and his youth, contract, and potential) before overpaying Rip, BG, CV etc. The rest of the list are all potential role players at best on the contender that we don’t have built in Detroit.

By: DSV

DSV — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:05:55 +0000

It’d be great to get the 2nd pick (in relativity to our current position – but still this 2nd pick IMO is a weak spot compared to other drafts)… but problem is even with the weak draft, we have no assets that a team with the second pick would desire – aside from Monroe who I’d imagine is the current and only ‘sacred cow’ on our roster. At this point I’d give up “Ben Gordon, Charlie V, Jason Max, Will Bynum, T. White, Austin Daye, Chris Wilcox, Rip Hamilton,” for a bag of potato chips if we could clear out their (largely over valued) contracts.

By: Pratik Narula

Pratik Narula — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:45:48 +0000

I’d like to see Jeff Van Gundy take over in Detroit. He has something to prove for himself and has the passion and respect that he has earned around the league, but his failures in Houston and New York, can keep him motivated to prove something, and develop a young pistons team into experienced contenders as Rick Carlisle did before being fired and replaced by Larry Brown. Taking the 8th seeded Knicks to the Finals is pretty damn impressive, but then not actually winning it as Larry Brown couldn’t do it anywhere else besides Detroit (AS Philly head coach lost to lakers in finals 4-1), maybe Jeff Van Gundy could turn things around.
I’d like to see defined roles for the players on our rosters this year, with a defined bench rotation for all 82 games. Experimentation, is for the summer/training camp, something John Kuester never understood. Developing a solid starting five that trusts each other and knows each other inside out is key, and then making a few minor adjustments here and there, like Rick Carlisle made when he inserted Tayshaun Prince into the starting line-up instead of Corliss Williamson IN THE PLAYOFFS.
I’d definitely like to see some changes in Detroit, but would also like to see the following players from our current roster remain:
1. Stuckey (has to be our first choice at point guard for the entire year, because there are no other PGs available, as you look at all the successful teams in the playoffs, no one is going to give up their starting PG, unless you want to go old and go for Tony Parker). Yes we can draft, but again we will have to develop, and that’s not going to happen over night. I think Stuckey has the ingredients to be a great PG, but he really needs to develop a consistent three point shot, and then he can really threat with the drive, or if hes left open hit the 3. I believe that he can avg. 20 and 6 night in and night out.
2. Need help here (Rip Hamilton deserves better and so does Detroit, I hope he joins the Bulls next year, as they need him big time, and he needs himself to play some good quality basketball in the playoffs once again) Also, I think BG is two small to start at this position. We need a guy like James Harden.
3. Jonas Jerebko (is not PF, he is a great defender, and if he improves his ball handling skills, jump shots, and refines his moves, he has the energy, passion, to guard the likes of Lebron at the 3). Could be a good Scottie Pippen type of player for the Pistons (and no I am not comparing him to Scottie Pippen, but I would like to see him play a similar style as him).
4. Greg Monroe (Was probably the MVP for last season, but he is not a starting center, I expect him to raise his game even more, and become a post threat next season)
5. Need help from the draft here or free agency.
Players I’d like see leave or used as investments:
I really want to see Joe D be aggressive and not be afraid to take risks in the future under Gores. That being said why can’t we go for the no. 2 pick or the no. 4 pick in this years draft, when you hear about the Cavs, who need immediate help and already containing the no. 1 and no.4 pick, trying to make moves to acquire the no. 2pick?
I’d love to draft Enes Kanter in a Pistons uniform. Can’t we push the Cavs to acquire this trade so we can pick a decent starting center who might be able to help us immediately. I’d give up our 8th pick, Ben Gordon, Charlie V, Jason Max, Will Bynum, T. White, Austin Daye, Chris Wilcox, Rip Hamilton, or whatever it takes, especially because Kanter or any other big men are expected to go at that 4 or 5 range in the draft. What do you guys think?

By: Laser

Laser — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:05:09 +0000

joe dumars has been completely average in the draft. i don’t kill the guy for darko; i don’t give him a shred of credit for monroe, who was an absolute gift and the only option anyone in his shoes would have drafted. daye is probably good value for a 15th pick, but far from a slam dunk. personally i would have preferred lawson, but joe was in PG denial. to give joe dumars credit for being a good drafter is absurd. he’s totally average.

also, i don’t hate stuckey. i hate everything the organization has done in terms of evaluating, trusting and building around him. he would be a pretty great sixth man if we had the personnel to play ahead of him.