Comments on: Spurs visit the Pistons, bring with them the annual chance to lament Detroit passing on DeJuan Blair

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:15:57 +0000

It’s pretty clear the Pistons — and many other teams — didn’t trust Blair’s knees. I don’t think it says anything about the best-player-available system.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:21:06 +0000

Yeah, lots of crazy stupid GMs on that count.

By: frankie d

frankie d — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:54:04 +0000

thanks for the shout out.
that tendency of his was never really obvious, to me at least, until i watched mcgrady last year.
he’d make that lightening quick decision, and the pass and get a good result. most times.
tay would have the same kind of pass available…but he could never pull the trigger. it drives me crazy.
but it also explains why he isn’t very good as a point forward, despite his skills and physical advantages.
the contrast between tay and t-mac on that issue – and others – was really stark and made me re-evaluate a lot of things i’d always thought about tay.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:46:02 +0000

Dude, you’re gonna get a mad shoutout in the game recap after one of the last possessions in the first half. Monroe posting up Richard Jefferson. Prince in perfect position for an entry pass … fake pass, fake pass, fake pass, then decides not to throw it in. You totally called that over-cautiousness with Prince. Perfect, perfect example right there. Monroe looked furious, especially since that possession was a result of him getting an offensive rebound in the first place.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:44:24 +0000

That’s what I meant — totally get the reasons for not taking him in the first, even if Austin Daye was a terrible pick IMO. But it was inexcusable to pass on him when he was still there in the second round.

By: frankie d

frankie d — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:52:08 +0000

or passing on a blair pick, i should say, shows how foolish adherence to the BPA practice can be.
how many small forwards does any team need?

By: frankie d

frankie d — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:50:39 +0000

can’t totally kill them on this one.
his knees are a legitimate reason for teams to have passed him up.
now, while i think using a first round choice on him would not have been prudent, using a second round pick – the one they used for summers – would have been the thing to do.
because of his knees, he was a gamble, but that is what second round picks are for.
i guess summers was the BPA, but rigid adherence to that philosophy is foolish, and the blair pick is just another example of how foolish it is.

By: dvs

dvs — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:12:47 +0000

Detroit wasn’t the only team to pass on the guy… it’s waaaaay too old now.

By: Laser

Laser — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:08:17 +0000

For the life of me I don’t understand how any team passes up on a guy like DeJuan Blair with a second round pick.