Info

• Measurables: 6-foot-4, 213 pounds, junior forward from the Indiana University.
• Key Stats: 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game; shot 60 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point territory.
• Projected: Top-5 pick.

Random Fact

He’ll flat out admit it, as he did at the NBA Draft Combine this week, but Victor Oladipo is a weird dude. There’s nothing wrong with that — some guys just march to the beat of their own drum — but Oladipo is his own man. He’s a gym rat, a guy who’s improved his game infinitely since he arrived in Bloomington, Ind., three years ago.

But apparently he’s not all hoops. He’s actually got some pipes, which were on display at the Spirit of Indiana Showcase two years ago when he covered Usher’s hit, "U Got It Bad," via BroBible:

It turns out he’s not just stealing the ball from opposing ball handlers, but also stealing the hearts of Indiana coeds since 2010.

Fits with the Pistons because …

Where to start? He’s a high-energy, high-effort guy who never seems to take a play off. Defensively, he would step in as the Pistons’ best perimeter defender since Tayshaun Prince in 2008, and that alone makes him worth a selection in the top-8 picks.

The thing about a weak draft like this is there are only two ways of drafting — you’re either gambling on a high-risk, high-reward guy or taking the safe bet. Sure, the ridicule of passing on a potential future superstar is difficult, but at the same time, you’re avoiding drafting the next Michael Olowokandi, too.

Comparing Oladipo to Dwyane Wade is extremely lazy, but there’s a short list of guys in this draft who aren’t going to get you fired. Oladpio is one of them. Oladipo’s on the shorter side (6-foot-4), but with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and elite athleticism, he’ll provide defense from day one. Plus, he’ll slide into a team’s offensive system relatively smoothly due to his versatility.

It’s become a common practice in today’s NBA, but more and more teams are relying heavily on guys who aren’t A+ offensive players, but make up the difference on defense. Whether it’s Danny Green in San Antonio, Tony Allen (a very good Oladipo comparison) in Memphis or Shane Battier in Miami, these guys don’t make or break you offensively, but they impact the game on defense.

If the Pistons need help in one area, it’s defense. Even if they have something of a logjam at shooting guard with Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey, the insertion of Oladipo into the lineup is going to improve the team’s perimeter defense — a glaring weakness last season with apathetic defenders like Jose Calderon and, and to varying degrees, Will Bynum and Stuckey playing big minutes.

Doesn’t fit with the Pistons because …

For all the good he brings on defense, he’s still a work in progress offensively. He’s athletic, and that’s something of a must for perimeter players in today’s NBA, but he doesn’t really handle the ball well and makes way too many turnovers.

The majority of his offense at Indiana came off of open shots created by Cody Zeller down low or the fact that the team spaced the floor with 3-point shooters at every position. For a Pistons’ team that struggles to space the floor for Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond due to some questionable perimeter shooting, Oladipo won’t help the spacing problems.

Tony Allen is the trendy comparison, and it’s one that I actually like because people sometimes forget how explosive Allen was prior to tearing his ACL early in his career. Allen’s not a great shooter, and although Oladipo has a set shot, he’s not a threat to create his own offense and there are questions as to how his shooting range will translate to the NBA 3-point line.

Oladipo fits the mold of the trendy 3-and-D wing player. As I mentioned above, those guys are extremely valuable, even if they’re limited offensively. He’s going to need to solidify his jump shot from the NBA 3-point line in order to truly fit into that mold because, as of right now, he’s just a good set-midrange shooter.

But really, if he does that and his ceiling becomes what he was in college this year — albeit less efficient than 60/44/75 — are you really mad about drafting him? He’s a safe pick, and if that’s what the Pistons are looking for he’s their guy, assuming he’s around wherever they’re picking after tonight’s lottery.

The biggest problem with Oladipo is going to be where he lands. There are some guys who have a role and will be good in that role no matter where they are. There are some guys like that who are thrown into roles too large for them due to poor talent around them and things go down hill from there. Oladipo is what he is. He’s not going to be a scorer for you. That’s why Michael Kidd-Gilchrist struggled in Charlotte. He was out of his element, and Oladipo faces similar challenges.

From the Experts

Chad Ford:

Oladipo is the best perimeter defender in the country and an elite athlete who plays at a relentless pace. He’s still a work in progress offensively, but he can guard three positions on the floor and is an elite finisher at the rim. His shooting has dramatically improved, as have his ballhandling skills, but they’ll need to continue to improve for Oladipo to be a scorer at the next level. Look for him to go somewhere between No. 3 and No. 8 in the draft.

DraftExpress:

With the ability to guard up to four positions at the college level, Oladipo projects to be able to defend all three perimeter positions at the NBA level, depending on matchups. He has the speed and quickness to cover point guards, and his athleticism, strength, and toughness should enable him to guard most small forwards as well. Coaches will likely value the flexibility Oladipo gives them on the defensive end, as they can cross-match and hide weaker defenders while putting Oladipo on the opposing team’s top perimeter threat, regardless of position.

On film

Info

• Measurables: 6-foot-11, 215 pounds, freshman center from the University of Kentucky.
• Key Stats: 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 4.4 blocks per game; shot 59 percent from the field.
• Projected: Top-5 pick.

Random Fact

Nerlen’s Noel is probably most known for his shot-blocking acumen and tearing his ACL in a national TV loss to Florida mid-way through the season.

What he’s also known for is eraser-top haircut. The dude’s hair rivals Kid from Kid ‘n Play, and when he announced his decision to attend the University of Kentucky last season, he of course did it in the most “look at me” way ever done with hair. Via Deadspin:

Yes, he shaved the UK logo into his head. There’s no joke to make because that is too perfect.

Fits with the Pistons because …

He’s a really good basketball player. The Pistons may have a developing core group of young frontcourt players, but they still aren’t good enough to pick for need and not value. They should not forgo drafting the best prospect in this draft just because he doesn’t fill an immediate need.

Noel doesn’t have a polished offensive game, but at 19, he already has an NBA-ready skill in shot blocking. He’s one of the best pure shot blockers to come out in recent years, perhaps even better than Anthony Davis last year.

The difference between Noel and Davis is on the offensive end. Both are mighty thin (Noel is 215 pounds), but Davis has some semblance of a face-up game. Noel’s got very little. He improved as the season went on, and had he not been forced out of action early, he was only going to get better.

Perhaps he even can serve as a trade-igniter for the anti-Greg Monroe crowd. But I digress.

Doesn’t fit with the Pistons because …

He’s still recovering from the torn ACL, and Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois recently reported that Noel hopes to be back ready to go by Christmas. The knee injury shouldn’t scare teams away because he’s a 19-year-old who is ahead of schedule on his rehab.

The Pistons need a wing or point guard much more than another big man, even if Noel is just too good to pass up. There are major questions how Noel would play with Andre Drummond, considering both are so similar and, at this point, limited. Offensively, neither has range or the ability to handle the ball, and they might just clog the paint and prevent each other from the lobs they’re so great at finishing. Defensively, both could be elite rim protectors, but if they’re just duplicating that skill, it could leave a void in defending outside the paint.

From the Experts

Chad Ford:

Noel’s season ended on Feb. 12 when he tore his left ACL. However, the injury has done little to hurt his draft stock. Noel has been atop our Big Board all year with the exception of a brief slip to No. 2 after the injury. He has great size and athletic ability, and he proved to be one of the hardest-working players at Kentucky this season. Although his offensive game is a work in progress, he has as much upside as anyone in the draft. We currently project him as the No. 1 player on our board and he goes No. 1 in most mock draft scenarios.

DraftExpress:

Any discussion about Noel’s potential as a NBA prospect should start with his phenomenal physical attributes. Measured at 6-10 without shoes, with a 7-4 wingspan and exceptional athletic ability, Noel is a rare specimen. He runs the floor like a guard, is extremely nimble and quick, and has pogo stick leaping ability. This allows him to cover ground unbelievably well both vertically and horizontally, which helps him impact the game in numerous ways. It’s safe to say that, should he make a full recovery from his injury as expected, he’ll be one of the most athletic big men in the NBA.

What is the best thing Noel does for his team?

Glenn Logan (follow his blog on Twitter @ASeaOfBlue) covers the University of Kentucky for A Sea of Blue, SB Nation’s Kentucky blog:

When Kentucky fans think of Nerlens Noel, one image will forever be galvanized in our brains — the image of Noel running 94 feet to block a shot in a game that was almost surely lost while most of his teammates barely made it past half court, only to be injured when he landed awkwardly. What most of us forget is that he actually did block the shot. That’s the kind of competitive determination that defines Noel, and the lucky NBA team that gets him will never regret the pick.

Yes, Noel is extremely raw. He isn’t very good at the game of basketball yet, but he is an athletic marvel, perhaps the quickest 6’10" player to ever enter the NBA draft. Defensively, he needs very little work to have an immediate impact. Almost everyone knows about his prodigious shot-blocking, but what most people don’t know is that Noel blocks shots equally well with either hand, an extremely rare skill that is almost absent from any level of basketball. It matters — a lot. He also averaged over two steals per game, something almost never seen in combination with great shot-blocking. Offensively, he’ll take some time to develop, so a team needing immediate low block scoring or a face-up game might want to look elsewhere.

Finally, Noel is a genuinely good person who deeply involved in the community. He loves the game of basketball and is completely coachable at any level. He has a few potential negatives with his body type from a sports business standpoint, but from a personal standpoint, any team will be lucky to have him in their locker room. I cannot recommend Noel highly enough, and the value of his intangibles, though overshadowed by his astonishing athletic gifts, are almost reason enough to draft him by themselves.

On film

Info

• Measurables: 6-foot-11, 240 pounds, senior center from the University of Kansas
• Key Stats: 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.9 blocks per game; shot 58 percent from the field.
• Projected: Mid-first round.

Random Fact

There are a lot of scatter-brained, potentially inebriated ideas that college students concoct — some great and some bad. But you’ve got to give it up, the cult following that Withey had during his four year’s at Kansas are pretty hilarious.

Not only did he have a parody Twitter account called @FakeJeffWithey, which is how I really hope he acts, if just for hilarity’s sake, but he’s also got two websites dedicated to his presence.

First you’ve got WitheyBlockParty.com which is literally a blog featuring a boatload of Withey’s blocks at KU. He had 286 in his final two seasons, and by listening to the calls of each block, you’d think the Kansas announcers had never seen him block a shot. There was actually a Twitter hashtag, #witheyblockparty, that was really a thing during the season and tournament, too.

The other goes by the name WitheyFace.com. If you’ve ever heard of ManningFace.com, you’ll know what this is. You’ll notice right off the bat that a snarling Jeff Withey closely resembles the Jayhawks logo. I’ll just leave you all with these 500 or so staring Withey faces…

Fits with the Pistons because …

There are a number of holes on the Pistons’ roster, but one of the more underrated ones is in the front court. The team already has it’s cornerstones in Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, but with Jason Maxiell entering free agency and Charlie Villanueva being Charlie Villanueva, the Pistons need a third big man.

Withey’s biggest strength — shot blocking — is one of the Pistons’ biggest weaknesses. There’s the niche of fans under the assumption that the Pistons already have a Withey-like player in Slava Kravtsov, but Withey has an plus-NBA skill. Kravtsov lacks that.

There’s no reason a team wouldn’t want a guy like Withey on their team. Even if all he ends up being in the NBA is an above-average shot blocker from the weak side, he’s still got value. The question is where does that value start. The Pistons are drafting in the top-10, but not again until the early second round.

Withey would be a horrible reach in the early-to-mid lottery, but in the early second round, he’d be perfect. The chances of that aren’t great now, especially considering the kind of great-at-one-skill players like Withey are usually a value to contenders who can pick and choose when and how they use them later in a draft.

Doesn’t fit with the Pistons because …

He’s not going to help a sometimes-stagnant offense. For all the good that Withey brings on defense, he’s still somewhat easy to push around on the block and doesn’t have any semblance of a post game. That’s something that can be cultivated and developed, but he’s going to be a non-factor on offense early.

I’ve gushed about the shot blocking, but he’s not a great defender individually. There’s confusion sometimes between really good defenders and really good shot blockers — there’s a difference. Serge Ibaka is a GREAT shot blocker, but just an above-average defender. Right now, Withey’s a really good shot blocker, NBA caliber, but in college hoops, specifically the Big 12, you’re not facing any sort of real post threat.

The best example of that might be his struggles with Michigan freshman Mitch McGary in the Sweet 16. Withey was muscled around and tossed aside by McGary, whose post game is hardly refined, even by college standards. That’s scary if you’re a GM looking at Withey to be a key defender for you.

Fair or unfair, he’s also kind of been stereotyped as the big, goofy stiff who is bound to be a bust. The fact that his predecessor, Cole Aldrich, has really done nothing in three seasons with a very similar skill set doesn’t help, either.

From the Experts

Chad Ford:

If there was a shot-blocking drill where the goal was to block as many shots as possible without fouling the shooter, Withey would walk away with the prize handily. Alas, the focus on offense probably won’t speak to Withey’s strengths at the combine. Big men rarely have their stock helped or hurt at the combine — his real tests will come in workouts against Gorgui Dieng, Steven Adams, Rudy Gobert and Mason Plumlee.

DraftExpress:

Athletic 7-footers with great defensive instincts and excellent finishing ability don’t grow on trees, though, so there will surely be a market for his services this upcoming June. A playoff team drafting in the second half of the first round could be very happy picking a player who is well-coached, experienced and ready to compete from day one, as if he pans out, he could present excellent value to a NBA team playing on a rookie scale contract.

On film

Not to be confused with former Pistons’ center Zeljko Rebraca, Obradovic is arguably the most intriguing candidate to be mentioned for Detroit’s vacant head-coaching position.

But who is Zelly (that’s what I’ve already decided I’ll call him) Obradovic, you ask?

Euroleague.net has the background:

The winningest coach in Euroleague history is none other than Zeljko Obradovic. A World champion as a player in 1990, Obradovic led Partizan to its only Euroleague title in 1992, downing Joventut in the final. He compensated Joventut’s fans by leading them to the 1994 Euroleague title, the only crown in club history. Obradovic then joined Real Madrid and won his third Euroleague title in 1995. He also won Saporta Cup titles with Madrid in 1997 and Benetton in 1999 before joining Panathinaikos. In his 10 seasons with the Greens, Obradovic has won nine Greek league crowns, five Greek Cups and four Euroleague titles in 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2009. Obradovic also captured gold at EuroBasket 1997 and the 1998 World Championship with Yugoslavia

He’s the Red Aurebach or Phil Jackson of Europe. If we blindly judged coaches on “ringz” like some do players, he’d be an absolutely obvious pick for the job in Detroit.

There is a catch, though.

We know very little about him. Yes, he’s got the resume, but his style of play is still somewhat ambiguous and, unless you are fluent in reading Spanish, his intentions with an NBA team are somewhat confusing — potentially because the Google Translation of this Spanish article is tough to understand.

El Contraataque has nearly all details regarding Obradovic and the Pistons:

The contract would be set at a figure close to $ 4 million this season. Amount charged similar to his predecessor Lawrence Frank in Detroit. Obradovic want a computer in order to compete effectively and get to play offs. Detroit has more than enough cap room since they only have committed for next season of $ 30 million.

But this excerpt from the same post may be the most interesting part of the entire idea:

Coach Zeljko Obradovic wants to be assuming functions to propose a signature basketball, similar to that practiced Greg Popovich in San Antonio Spurs but with the virtues that characterize the former coach of Panathinaikos.

Popovich has a lot of pull in the Spurs organization — especially after once serving as the team’s GM before successfully appointing himself as head coach — and from the way that sounds, it may feel like Obradovic wants in on Dumars’ personnel decisions.

With as big of a summer as this is for the Pistons, that would mean putting your hope into the hands of a currently not-so-well-thought-of Dumars and a coach with zero experience as any sort of coach in the NBA.

It’s a boom-or-bust idea, but that might be what this team needs. You can only pluck the wrong up-and-coming assistant or retread coach so many times before you need to hit it big, again.

Dumars has endured three bad hires after three good coach. Maybe the ultimate off-the wall-pick – Obradovic wasn’t even considered for our list of 23 potential Pistons coaches – would get Dumars back into the win column.

According to team writer Keith Langlois (hat tip: Matt Watson of Detroit Bad Boys), Obradovic has been around the Pistons during training camp and preseason, just observing. Perhaps he likes what he sees with the roster.

Who knows whether this rumor has legs or is the product of a media environment much different from our own? According to the Spanish article, Obradovic is one of the final two candidates along with “an American coach.”

Either way, it’s certainly an interesting idea.

15.6 points, 10 rebounds, one steal and 3.7 offensive rebounds per game, while shooting 69 percent from the field.

It’s Andre Drummond’s world and we’re just living in it.

Too far? Ok, so the kid is still only 19 and still has a ton he can improve on after the Pistons’ season wraps up on Wednesday, but for now, isn’t it nice to finally take the Ferrari out of the garage and flaunt around town in it?

This is 110 percent the Pistons’ equivalent of being the guys in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off who cruised around Chicago in Cameron’s Dad’s Ferrari. 

Drummond’s emergence as a starter may have taken a full season, but finally having him securely inserted into the lineup is as big of a building block as you can find in a lost season.

We basically know what he can do now, though. He’s going to dunk (everything) and he’s going to rebound the heck out of the ball. Sure, his one-on-one defense leaves much to be desired, but at 19, he’s also one of the league’s top young help-side defenders when it comes to blocking shots.

If Larry Sanders wasn’t also in the Central, Drummond probably would be the best.

Even the free throws — he was 1-for-12 at the line last week — have kind of, sort of improved. He went 9-for-17 from the stripe against Cleveland, and he ended up stymieing Byron Scott’s plan of using the Hack-a-Dre to get Cleveland a win.

Really, who’s to say that Drummond can’t average his rookie year per-36 numbers (14 points, 13.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.6 steals) next year?

That’s something we’ll have to wait and see, but within that waiting, who does Drummond need next year? Obviously there are a number of free agents who would help him, but let’s keep it in the draft. Who in this draft fits and benefits Drummond the most considering the Pistons’ summer situation?

Trey Burke, Marcus Smart? A young big man will always benefit from a point guard who can deliver an entry pass and make an open jumper.

Otto Porter, Ben McLemore? Wing players who know how to create some offense of their own, along with making open jumpers created off of double teams in the post, aren’t a bad thing.

Nerlens Noel, Anthony Bennett? Drummond’s already got a pretty good front-court mate in Greg Monroe, but when has too many athletic bigs who can shoot (Bennett) or block shots (Noel) been a bad thing?

We won’t know which of these guys, if any, end up panning out as NBA players, let alone being a Pistons draft pick for awhile, but in the meantime, they’ve got Drummond — so that’s a pretty good start.

Past Winners

• 4/1/2013 – 4/7/2013: Greg Monroe
• 3/25/2013 – 3/31/2013: Greg Monroe
• 3/18/2013 – 3/24/2013: Charlie Villanueva
• 3/11/2013 – 3/17/2013: Rodney Stuckey
• 3/4/2013 – 3/10/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/24/2013 – 3/3/2013: Greg Monroe
• 2/16/2013 – 2/23/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/10/2013 – 2/16/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/3/2013 – 2/9/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/27/2013 – 2/2/2013: Brandon Knight
• 1/20/2013 – 1/26/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/13/2013 – 1/19/2013: Andre Drummond
• 1/6/2013 – 1/12/2013: Greg Monroe
• 12/30/2012 – 1/5/2013: Austin Daye
• 12/23/2012 – 12/29/2012: Will Bynum
• 12/17/2012 – 12/22/2012: Greg Monroe
• 12/10/2012 – 12/15/2012: Rodney Stuckey
• 12/3/2012 – 12/8/2012:   Rodney Stuckey
• 11/26/2012 – 12/1/2012: Brandon Knight
• 11/21/2012 – 11/25/2012: Greg Monroe
• 11/12/2012 – 11/18/2012: Kyle Singler
• 11/6/2012 – 11/10/2012: Greg Monroe
• 10/31/2012 – 11/4/2012: Greg Monroe 

22 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and one block per game, while shooting  percent from the field.

He was just plain good. The more he plays like he did this week, the better of the Pistons will be. It doesn’t matter if they should be losing games or if wins make fans angry — seeing Monroe, one of your building blocks going forward, play well is a good thing.

Not to mention, Monroe is heating up now, and getting ready to play in a contract year next season…

Past Winners

• 3/25/2013 – 3/31/2013: Greg Monroe
• 3/18/2013 – 3/24/2013: Charlie Villanueva
• 3/11/2013 – 3/17/2013: Rodney Stuckey
• 3/4/2013 – 3/10/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/24/2013 – 3/3/2013: Greg Monroe
• 2/16/2013 – 2/23/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/10/2013 – 2/16/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/3/2013 – 2/9/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/27/2013 – 2/2/2013: Brandon Knight
• 1/20/2013 – 1/26/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/13/2013 – 1/19/2013: Andre Drummond
• 1/6/2013 – 1/12/2013: Greg Monroe
• 12/30/2012 – 1/5/2013: Austin Daye
• 12/23/2012 – 12/29/2012: Will Bynum
• 12/17/2012 – 12/22/2012: Greg Monroe
• 12/10/2012 – 12/15/2012: Rodney Stuckey
• 12/3/2012 – 12/8/2012:   Rodney Stuckey
• 11/26/2012 – 12/1/2012: Brandon Knight
• 11/21/2012 – 11/25/2012: Greg Monroe
• 11/12/2012 – 11/18/2012: Kyle Singler
• 11/6/2012 – 11/10/2012: Greg Monroe
• 10/31/2012 – 11/4/2012: Greg Monroe 

11 points, 12.5 rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block per game, while shooting 33 percent from the field.

It’s funny that, in a week in with a holiday featuring eggs, the Pistons would go out and lay two more eggs in a season filled with them.

Actually, it’s not funny because that’s been the story of this team for the last two months — play well early, lay an egg in the third quarter — and that was the case in both losses this week. Minnesota and Toronto combined to outscore the Pistons 76-31 in the third quarter, which, to put it bluntly, is just horrible.

There’s no one who’s really been great, either. This award has sort of become one that someone has to win. With that in mind, it does take something to still be productive while the walls are constantly crumbling around you, and the one guy who’s been able to do that this year is Greg Monroe.

He’s got his faults, and when things are going bad, those may be pointed out more, but he’s still consistently doing what he has to — it’s just there’s not really anyone else performing at a remotely consistent level.

It wasn’t a great week for Monroe — he shot just 8-for-24 from the field — but he still proved to be productive, albeit inefficient, on the offensive end. We’ve seen how bad this team can be without Andre Drummond or without Brandon Knight, but if you want to see bad, imagine this team without Monroe.

It’s been said here many times, there are some things that he does need to work on this summer, but the things he does do — score, create some offense for others, be a plus-rebounder — are still better than any alternative.

There are only nine games left in this nightmare of a season. Potentially, only two of those games are winnable (which I’m sure everyone guiltily loves), but that leaves nine games to see what the Monroe-Drummond duo looks like, and to see if Jose Calderon likes what he sees enough to return to Detroit this summer.

There may not be a lot of hope for the final stretch, but there’s a lot to play for, but a lot of that starts with Monroe playing well the rest of the way.

Past Winners

• 3/18/2013 – 3/24/2013: Charlie Villanueva
• 3/11/2013 – 3/17/2013: Rodney Stuckey
• 3/4/2013 – 3/10/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/24/2013 – 3/3/2013: Greg Monroe
• 2/16/2013 – 2/23/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/10/2013 – 2/16/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/3/2013 – 2/9/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/27/2013 – 2/2/2013: Brandon Knight
• 1/20/2013 – 1/26/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/13/2013 – 1/19/2013: Andre Drummond
• 1/6/2013 – 1/12/2013: Greg Monroe
• 12/30/2012 – 1/5/2013: Austin Daye
• 12/23/2012 – 12/29/2012: Will Bynum
• 12/17/2012 – 12/22/2012: Greg Monroe
• 12/10/2012 – 12/15/2012: Rodney Stuckey
• 12/3/2012 – 12/8/2012:   Rodney Stuckey
• 11/26/2012 – 12/1/2012: Brandon Knight
• 11/21/2012 – 11/25/2012: Greg Monroe
• 11/12/2012 – 11/18/2012: Kyle Singler
• 11/6/2012 – 11/10/2012: Greg Monroe
• 10/31/2012 – 11/4/2012: Greg Monroe 

8.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, one smug fourth quarter barrage while shooting 39 percent from 3-point range. 

I actively tried to pick someone new this week. I gave Rodney Stuckey a hard look after a solid week last week, but he laid a pair of eggs before playing well against the Bobcats. Jose Calderon was solid, but he also left a game with the flu, likely caught by being exposed to the toxicity of a 10-game losing streak.

Hell, there was even a part of me that thought it’s worth giving the award to Charlie Villanueva because he was the one who keyed the team to its first win since February of 1994.

So I did.

With my apologies to Greg Monroe, who put together a super strong week and has apparently found a knack for cooking the Miami Heat, your Piston of the Week is Charlie Villanueva.

He wasn’t the best, nor was he even good for most of the week, but Charlie V did something that no Pistons player has been able to do in the last 10 games — step up and be “the guy” when the team needs it in the fourth.

Admittedly, there haven’t been that many chances for the Pistons to take control of a game during the streak of terrible, but Charlie V scored 17 frickin’ points in the fourth quarter on Saturday.

He showed more life than he has in a month(s) and was, however dirty it sounds to say this, the best player on the floor during the Pistons’ fourth-quarter comeback. He’s a streaky player, we know that, but when those wild 3-pointers are going down, his whole game opens up.

It also helps that he’s a match-up nightmare for the Bobcats, who tried to throw a mix of post and perimeter defenders on him. However, those defenders didn’t really defend Charlie at all in the fourth quarter — which allowed for him to be the recipient of  multiple drive-and-kick passes for open 3-pointers.

Seriously, he had a SportsCenter-worthy dunk and the game winner on a layup that came, gasp, off a HUSTLE PLAY. That’s what kind of game it was, Charlie V was scoring from everywhere, posterizing dudes and hustling to make winning plays.

Yeah, it was the Bobcats, and yeah, lottery balls say it’s probably better for this team to lose every game, but there isn’t always value in losing — it really messes with a team’s psyche. There’s a weird balance between rooting to win and rooting for draft position, and tonight, Charlie V trolled the entire “tank!” community by playing arguably the best fourth quarter of any Pistons player this season.

There’s something admirable about a guy, struggling and buried on the bench in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, being able to come in and do something good. It shows that someone on the team hasn’t totally quit — which, unfortunately, is something that appears to have happened at times during the streak.

So, cheers to Charlie V, occasionally earning his big contract pennies at a time, even in the worst of times!

Past Winners

• 3/11/2013 – 3/17/2013: Rodney Stuckey
• 3/4/2013 – 3/10/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/24/2013 – 3/3/2013: Greg Monroe
• 2/16/2013 – 2/23/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/10/2013 – 2/16/2013: Jose Calderon
• 2/3/2013 – 2/9/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/27/2013 – 2/2/2013: Brandon Knight
• 1/20/2013 – 1/26/2013: Greg Monroe
• 1/13/2013 – 1/19/2013: Andre Drummond
• 1/6/2013 – 1/12/2013: Greg Monroe
• 12/30/2012 – 1/5/2013: Austin Daye
• 12/23/2012 – 12/29/2012: Will Bynum
• 12/17/2012 – 12/22/2012: Greg Monroe
• 12/10/2012 – 12/15/2012: Rodney Stuckey
• 12/3/2012 – 12/8/2012:   Rodney Stuckey
• 11/26/2012 – 12/1/2012: Brandon Knight
• 11/21/2012 – 11/25/2012: Greg Monroe
• 11/12/2012 – 11/18/2012: Kyle Singler
• 11/6/2012 – 11/10/2012: Greg Monroe
• 10/31/2012 – 11/4/2012: Greg Monroe