Here’s Prada’s evaluation of Joe Dumars, whom he ranked 24th, lower than noted visionaries like Rod Higgins, Chris Wallace and Rick Sund:

It pains me to put Joe Dumars, the architect of the Pistons teams of the 2000s, this low. However, Dumars has been a disaster since the Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson trade. Dumars made the deal to regain salary-cap flexibility to rebuild a team that has run it’s course, but ended up spending that money on Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and a re-signed, declining Rip Hamilton. He’s refused to deal any of his other big-contract players like Tayshaun Prince because he legitimately thinks his team can and should be “competitive” when rebuilding.

That’s the problem, though — you can be “competitive” without major salary obligations to declining players. Dumars, like many of the GMs behind him on this list, fundamentally misunderstands this. I’m not sure why Dumars refuses to take the long-term approach. Sure, their arena is empty, but it seems they have a core of dieharts that are willing to wait around for a long-term rebuilding project. It’s not like Dumars is in a city like Charlotte, where the team desperately needs the revenue from home playoff games.

Therefore, the only explanation for Dumars’ recent issues is that he must believe that, because he built a “star-less” core earlier, he can do it again. Newsflash Joe: you probably can’t. Lightning doesn’t strike in the same spot twice.

It should pain Prada to put him that low on the list. It’s pretty patently ridiculous to put him that low, actually.

The reality is, Dumars’ track record, despite questionable moves the last two years, still holds up really well against most GMs in the league, except for the universally recognized top few guys.

Now, in fairness, Prada isn’t basing his rankings on wins, more so on quality of moves/body of work. He gets some of the positives — Hamilton trade, ‘Sheed trade, Jerebko pick, etc. — and negatives — Darko, Iverson, White, Gordon/Villanueva, but he also leaves out some pretty key arguments in favor of Dumars. Consider the following:

- On the Pistons’ 2004 title team, the unquestioned two best players, Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups, made a combined $10.5 million. Neither of those incredibly reasonable signings are mentioned. Finding undervalued players is a pretty key part of effective GMing and the bad signings of Gordon and Villanueva don’t trump the fact that the initial Wallace and Billups signings, value-wise, are arguably as good as any signing any GM on this list has made. The Pistons are the only title team in the last decade to win a championship without having a max-contract player. Call it luck if you want, but a lot of teams had Wallace and Billups on their rosters prior to the Pistons and missed something. Dumars didn’t miss.

- This line from Prada — “Therefore, the only explanation for Dumars’ recent issues is that he must believe that, because he built a “star-less” core earlier, he can do it again. Newsflash Joe: you probably can’t. Lightning doesn’t strike in the same spot twice.” — is a pretty common argument by the “Joe Dumarz needz to go, LOLz!” crowd. It also doesn’t take into account that Dumars has actually built a 50-win core two times, not just one time.

Check the roster of his first 50-win team in 2002. Now compare that to his last 50 win team in 2008. If you’ll notice, not a single player from that first roster was still on the team in 2008. In a period of six years, not only did Dumars completely rebuild his team, he did so while maintaining a team that won 50 games each of those seasons. There is not another GM in the league who can claim that (hat-tip to Dan Feldman, who tipped me off to that point).

- Re: the list of draft picks. Prada gets a few major finds — Prince, Jerebko, Stuckey — and the busts — Rodney White, Darko — but misses a couple.

Mehmet Okur had two solid seasons in Detroit before leaving as a free agent for Utah and becoming an All-Star. I’d say that’s good value for the second round. And really, although he kind of plateaued, Jason Maxiell has been a rotation player his entire post-rookie career, which is also good value for a 26th pick. Early in his career, Detroit had a pretty talented and crowded frontcourt, so it was impressive that a late pick like Maxiell earned minutes on a contending team. It’s rare that the draft picks of championship contenders crack a rotation, and Maxiell did that.

I won’t insist that Dumars is a top-five GM in the league anymore — his recent moves, combined with a historically bad draft bust, will hurt that legacy. But a man who has overseen a team that has won a title, made the playoffs eight of his 10 years and made the conference finals in six of 10 years is certainly a better GM than, oh, I don’t know, the man who once picked Joe Forte and Kedrick Brown in the first round of the same draft.

Dumars has work to do with his mismatched roster, but unlike many of the people in front of him, Dumars has shown the ability to turn a mismatched roster into a contending team. He’s nowhere near the bottom third of the league’s GMs.

*Signed offer sheet

Ben Wallace told The AP today he will sign a 2-year deal soon with the Pistons. He will make $1.9 million per season.

And in case you think Ben Wallace is lying, Joe Dumars confirmed, according to Chris Iott of MLive.com.

Wallace re-signing should come as no surprise. But the terms of the contract do slightly – namely the years (although there’s a decent chance that second season is eaten by a lockout).

But the amount of money Wallace is slated to get is also a little perplexing.

Why the numbers sell Ben Wallace short

The minimum salary for a player of more than 10 years experience is $1,352,181 and $1,399,507 the following season ($2,751,688 total), according to Larry Coon’s NBA Salary Cap FAQ. So, Wallace has likely signed using the Bi-Annual exception.

The Bi-Annual Exception is $2.08 million this year, and the maximum raise the exception allows is eight percent, according to Coon. That means Wallace could’ve made $4,326,400 during the two-year contract.

Instead, he will make $3.8 million total.

So why the difference?

Wallace will earn between $1,826,924 and $1,979,167 next season. The Bi-Annual Exception exception can be split between two players, so my first thought was Wallace’s contract was designed to give Detroit room to sign another player.

But at most, his contract leaves $253,976 of the exception left this summer. That’s less than a minimum contract, so Wallace’s deal won’t help Detroit sign anyone under the Collective Bargaining Agreement rules.

Obviously, the Pistons are wary of paying the luxury tax (or more accurately, wary of not receiving the check teams under the tax receive). So, maybe Wallace’s contract will help them remain under the luxury tax. But given the salary cap is higher than expected, I doubt it.

I don’t know. Maybe there are trades in the works that would add to the Pistons’ salaries for next season and put them over the luxury-tax line. (Again, I doubt it.)

Wallace obviously could’ve gotten a bigger contract than this on the free market. He returned to Detroit because he’s comfortable here.

I think getting more than a minimum contract was important to Wallace. He’s a proud guy. So, maybe $1.9 million per season is all he truly wanted. No need to pay a guy more than he expects.

I hope that’s the case.

I would not be pleased if the Pistons low-balled Wallace because they knew he’d return. The wear and tear he put on his body for a team doomed for the lottery last season was incredible, considering his age. He is the heart of the team, and he attracts fans.

The Bi-Annual Exception was the perfect price for Wallace. He probably should’ve received it in full.

@PistonPowered That rumor is not worth much. Ben Wallace will be back next season. I promise.

Iott’s tweet came in response to my linking of this post, which said a friend of a former babysitter to Ben Wallace’s family heard Wallace will retire.

Iott responded to my inquiry whether he meant Wallace will return to the NBA or the Pistons:

@PistonPowered Back with the Pistons.

Update: Iott is backtracking slightly:

@PistonPowered I guess I shouldn’t "promise" he will be back. But I would be willing to bet your life savings.

This probably means Wallace will be back, but it’s not quite the promise Iott made earlier in the night. I’d be a lot more confident if he was willing to bet his own life savings instead of mine. Not really sure how much Iott would regret losing my money.

Nothing inspires confidence like confidence, and Villanueva doesn’t ooze swagger. Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun once told Brian Koonz of The (Dansbury, Conn.) News-Times:

"Charlie is maybe the least confident kid on our team. He really is."

I think Villanueva’s confidence has grown since, but there are still issues. Is he a good player? Sure. A nice guy? You bet. But someone you believe can rally a team or a fanbase with his presence? No way.

But I think it’s time to show some confidence in him.

Summer plans

In April, Villanueva said he would stay and work out in his NBA city during the offeason for the first time. Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News reported Wednesday that Pistons officials confirmed Villanueva had been working out “diligently.”

My reaction: ho-hum.

If Kulfan checked on Villanueva’s progress, what were Pistons sources supposed to say? They’re obviously biased, so who knows how truthful they were being? Nobody was even willing to to attach his or her name to the statement.

But then Joe Dumars, who I find much more credible than anonymous sources, corroborated the story during his conversation with Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:

Charlie and Ben Wallace have been in the gym more than anybody else on our team since the season ended. Charlie started coming in about the middle of May and so did Ben. So I’ve seen those guys in the gym more than anybody else. So Charlie has been a man of his word about the time and effort he was going to put in here. And stay here during the summer. Charlie is a New York guy, spends time in LA, but not this summer. He’s been a Detroit guy, stayed in Detroit and made a commitment that he’s going to be in the gym and proud of what I’ve seen so far this last month or so. He and Ben Wallace, I look out my window on a daily basis and I just about see those guys every day. It’s a great first step.

And Kulfan actually went to the practice facility and saw Villanueva, who seems to understand what’s necessary:

"I want to change my whole body," said Villanueva, who wants to get stronger and quicker.

Still, it’s only June 13. It’s easy to see how a month of working hard can turn into a summer of partying, golfing and relaxing.

But, using history as a judge, I don’t expect that to happen to Villanueva.

The best I can tell, Villanueva has twice pledged to go above and beyond during the offseason. Both times, he honored his word.

Connecticut 2004

Villanueva arrived to Storrs, Conn., a McDonald’s All-American and rival.com’s No. 5 recruit, in 2003. But with a disappointing freshman season that saw Villanueva disappear down the stretch, UConn faithful seemed to think, “this is it?”

But in July 2004, Matt Eagan of The Hartford Courant provided an update on Villanueva’s offseason:

That may be all he said, but Villanueva has spent his summer working to make sure explanations won’t be necessary again. He has added about 10 pounds of muscle and has been preparing his game for more work in the low post.

Both were items on UConn coach Jim Calhoun’s wish list.

“He’s got to be more explosive with his body,” Calhoun said. “The weight is the only way to go. Every other part of the game, you’re amazed by some of the things he is able to do.”

Villanueva concedes as much but has become convinced that he needs to establish himself inside to reach a higher level.

“I’m working on one move in particular, my jump hook, for my post game,” Villanueva said. “Last year I tended to stay outside, but this year I am going to take a whole different approach. I have to work it inside and then go outside.”

It didn’t take long for Villanueva to impress. From Phil Chardis of the (Manchester) Journal Inquirer:

And Saturday, at the first official practice of his sophomore year, perhaps the real Villanueva began to emerge.

"Charlie was a star today he was a big-time player, that’s a better word than star," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said after the three-hour, 10-minute practice. "He dominated at times — he dominated the rebounding, and in one of the more physical box-out drills we’ve had. He was really good."

Indeed, Villanueva already looks like a far more confident player than last year. Noticeably bigger and stronger, the versatile forward from Brooklyn was scoring inside and with his jumper and holding his ground defensively, which was a weakness last season.

"I feel like I’m a bigger presence on the court," Villanueva said. "It comes from working in the weight room and working hard over the summer. I just feel more confident with my body, more confident being out there, period. Last year, I tried to stay away from contact, but now I think I’m working hard in the post and I feel I can be an inside-outside type of player. My confidence level right now is high and I don’t see it going down."

Perhaps more important, Villanueva carried himself differently Saturday — like a player who is ready to assume the responsibility of the Huskies’ go-to player.

A simple stat shows Villanueva’s offseason work transformed his game in the same way Pistons fans would like to see him change this summer.

• Freshman year: 18-of-49 on 3-pointers.
• Sophomore year: 6-of-12 on 3-pointers.

Villanueva’s improved play made him the Huskies’ MVP and the No. 7 pick by the Toronto Raptors.

Milwaukee 2008

After a couple disappointing seasons in Milwaukee, Villanueva was mentioned in several trade rumors during the summer of 2008. Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talked to Villanueva about his offseason plans:

Villanueva also was hampered early in the season because he was returning from shoulder surgery for a torn labrum, a procedure performed in March 2007.

"Last year the whole summer I was rehabbing," Villanueva said. "Now I can play basketball, lift weights. I can improve. I have the whole summer, and I know I can get better, a lot stronger and be in shape when season 4 gets under way."

The next season, Villanueva posted career highs in points per game (16.2), rebounds per game (6.7), assists per game (1.8), PER (18.6), defensive rating (106), defensive win shares (2.7) and win shares (4.9).

Pause for concern

Both those examples were contract years of sorts. Villanueva used his sophomore season at UConn to become the No. 7 pick, and he turned his 2008-09 season with the Bucks into a big contract from the Pistons.

Will he match his intensity of those summers without more money on the line? He’s guaranteed to make $31.2 million the next four seasons – regardless of the work he puts in this offseason. When he becomes a free agent in 2013 or 2014, teams really won’t care what he did this upcoming season.

Perhaps, I’m being naive, but I really believe Villanueva will work hard this offseason. I couldn’t find any previous examples of him promising this type of effort for non-contract years. I think he’s finally beginning to take ownership of his NBA career.

Plus, working out with Ben Wallace will help keep Villanueva in line.

Previously, I defended Villanueva by saying he’s just not as bad as he played this year. Now, assuming his improvement will come only from reverting to the mean might be selling him short. It could be time to expect his play to match his immense talent.

Pressure is on, Charlie.

NBA coaches aren’t nearly as intelligent as I thought they were.

and

But the league’s other 29 coaches? They’re a lot dumber than I thought.

… you’re off to a bad start. NBA coaches make plenty of mistakes, and I’m definitely prone to second-guessing them, too. But they’re not idiots. They all know a lot more about basketball than I do, and more often than not, their decisions are right – even the bad coaches’.

So, what’s so seriously objectionable that you’re so up in arms with nearly every coach (the exception is John Kuester, by the way)? Oh, you’re upset Ben Wallace didn’t make an All-Defensive team.

I thought Dwight Howard and Andrew Bogut deserved the recognition, but I definitely wouldn’t object to Wallace or Tim Duncan. I do object to your logic, though.

After pointing out 52 players received votes besides Wallace (irrelevant because the teams are position-specific), you lists some big men who received votes:

Jermaine O’Neal, Luis Scola (you’ve got to be kidding), Jared Dudley, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol, Brendan Haywood and Ersan Ilyasova.

Scola, Dudley and Ilyasova are forwards, so they’re irrelevant to this discussion. And you’re right: Wallace had a better defensive year than O’Neal and the Gasols.

But here’s the kicker:

I’m not saying Ben Wallace should’ve been voted onto the prestigious first or second teams. Centers such as Dwight Howard (defensive player of the year) and Tim Duncan earned their spots.

But not one vote for Ben Wallace?

So, you wouldn’t have voted for Wallace, either? But you’re upset that nobody else did?

Basically, the issue isn’t that the voters are wrong. Your problem is a few votes that went to the Gasols and O’Neal – which actually should’ve gone to Duncan – didn’t go to Wallace.

I’m sorry. That’s absurd and overly homerish.

But one throwaway line is even more absurd:

Tayshaun Prince was the only Piston to get a vote. Which is fine.

No, that’s not fine.

Prince far from deserving. He wasn’t that good defensively this year. I’d say he was average, give or take. And he only played 49 games, meaning his overall defensive contributions were pretty lacking.

You can’t slam Scola (a pretty good defender, I think) and say Prince getting a vote is fine. Again, it’s overly homerish.

Most Valuable Player

1. LeBron James

Nobody else was even close.

2. Kevin Durant

His offense is better than it was last year, but his defense went to a whole new level. That’s why the Thunder were so good.

3. Dwight Howard

He’s a dominant defender, and although I was a fan last year, his offense is really gaining recognition.

4. Dwyane Wade

See the All-Defensive teams below for more, but his defense is the main reason I placed him this high.

5. Kobe Bryant

Want to criticize this one? Go for it. I was really unsure about who deserved this spot, so I went with the guy who has the best track record.

Rookie of the Year

1. Tyreke Evans

As Zach Harper (Cowbell Kingdom/ Hardwood Paroxysm) pointed out in the TrueHoop Network Awards, Evans’ magnificent production came against opponents’ best perimeter defender every night.

2. Stephen Curry

We all knew he could shoot, but his all-around game is so much better than I expected. How does he do it with such a small frame?

3. Brandon Jennings

I almost went with Darrenn Collison or Marcus Thornton from the New Orleans Hornets, but Jennings’ defense gave him the edge.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Dwight Howard

Nobody in the league makes opposing offenses account for him more than Howard.

2. Gerald Wallace

Read Henry Abbott of TrueHoop’s account of Jared Jeffries. Multiply by 100. That’s Wallace.

3. Josh Smith

Smith can defend inside and outside, and that’s becoming increasingly valuable in a league that’s phasing out positional identity.

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Jamal Crawford

He scores at a great volume and efficiency. He provides exactly what Atlanta needs.

2. Anderson Varejao

He’s an excellent defender, and his plus-minus is great. A lot of award votes are based on scoring, but hopefully Varejao shows why you should buck that trend.

3. Manu Ginobili

The NBA only requires players to come off the bench in a majority of their games to be eligible for this award, so Ginobili qualifies. But it’s also for the player who plays best off the bench. Ginobili was better as a starter, so I bumped him down.

Most Improved Player

1. Kevin Durant

He went from good to great in one season. Don’t underestimate how tough that leap is.

2. Zach Randolph

He finally realized he could sacrifice some personal numbers for the sake of winning. And in ironic twist, his numbers were great, too.

3. Josh Smith

Bret Lagree of Hoopinion covers it: Smith stopped shooting 3-pointers, which allowed him to take advantage of his passing skills. And his rebounding improved for good measure, too.

Coach of the Year

1. Scott Skiles

Rookie point guard, finesse center, top player out for most of the year – and Skiles turned the Bucks into one of the league’s grittiest teams.

2. Larry Brown

He should get a vote for this award most years. The Bobcats have a talented, but flawed roster. Still, they’re “playing the right way.”

3. Scott Brooks

I like the job Brooks did. His team improved. All his players improved. He incorporated a bunch of rookies into the lineup. The circumstantial evidence is all there.

But I don’t know Brooks did a great job. What marks Scott Brooks’ style? You know the Bucks and Bobcats fit their coach’s vision. I’m not sure the Thunder’s success is due as much to Brooks as it is to their good players growing up naturally.

Executive of the Year

1. Daryl Morey

He’s on a different level. Without Yao, I was sure the Rockets would be terrible. Instead they were in the playoff race late. And he added a premier scorer, a talented, young big man and two first-round picks at midseason.

2. John Hammond

The Bucks remind me a lot of Rick Carlisle’s first Pistons team. It’s such a piecework roster, but Hammond ensured Milwaukee had enough ingredients to make it work. This team doesn’t have the talent to be great, but it has the pieces to be good – and that’s the first step.

3. Sam Presti

This is an example of why this award is tough to pick. He made a lot of good moves over the last few years that have made the Thunder good this year.

Sportsmanship

1. Grant Hill

Since he left Detroit for Orlando, I’ve wanted to root against Grant Hill. First, his injuries made it hard. And now, his class keeps me from booing him.

2. Al Horford

He seems like a class act. Plus, his brother is going to Michigan. So, that’s cool.

3. Luis Scola

I respect his workmanlike approach.

4. Antawn Jamison

He was the face the Wizards wanted fans to see. Unfortunately, his influence wasn’t great enough to outweigh his younger teammates’ blunders.

5. Chauncey Billups

I obviously like Billups, but he complains to the refs a little too much to match up with the others on this list.

6. Ray Allen

How did he make the cut? He’s constantly clawing at opponents to get an edge (not that there’s anything wrong with that). He just doesn’t scream sportsmanship to me. Although, to be fair, maybe it’s just the name on the front of his jersey.

Citizenship

1. Samuel Dalembert

He was the face of the NBA’s relief contributions in Haiti.

All-NBA

First team

• G- Dwyane Wade
• G- Kobe Bryant
• F- LeBron James
• F- Kevin Durant
• C- Dwight Howard

See my MVP votes. They happen to stack up by position.

Second team

• G- Deron Williams
• G- Steve Nash
• F- Dirk Nowitzki
• F- Carmelo Anthony
• C- Tim Duncan

You could make the case for Josh Smith over Melo, but these five players seem to fit here pretty perfectly.

Third team

• G- Rajon Rondo
• G- Manu Ginobili
• F- Josh Smith
• F- Chris Bosh
• C- Andrew Bogut

Maybe I counted Ginobili’s late-season surge too much, as opposed to his entire body of work. But who else should’ve made it?

All-Rookie

First team

• Tyreke Evans
• Stephen Curry
• Brandon Jennings
• Darrenn Collison
• Marcus Thornton

Second team

• DeJuan Blair
• Taj Gibson
• Ty Lawson
• Jonas Jerebko
• James Harden

I’ve already covered my All-Rookie thoughts. Nothing has happened in the last couple weeks to change what I wrote there.

All-Defensive

First team

• Dwight Howard
• Gerald Wallace
• Josh Smith
• Dwyane Wade
• Anderson Varejao

As John Hollinger pointed out in his All-Defensive teams column, the Heat have the NBA’s fourth-best defensive rating. Look at their roster. Wade has to be doing something right.

Second team

• LeBron James
• Andrew Bogut
• Rajon Rondo
• Ben Wallace
• Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

I went back and forth on whether Varejao or LeBron should be on the first team. I still don’t know.

And it’s a shame Ben Wallace doesn’t get more recognition. The Pistons allowed nearly eight points fewer per 100 possessions with Wallace on the court than without him.

• Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press
• Chris Iott, MLive.com/ Booth Newspapers
• Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press
• Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press
• Keith Langlois, True Blue Pistons
• Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons
• Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press
• Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press
• Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed
• Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys
• Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys
• Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys
• Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation
• Jon Young, Flagrant2
• Dan Feldman, PistonPowered

I  want to thank everyone listed above for participating. I think this year’s roundtable has gone great and the bar is set very high for next year.

For the final question, I ask each roundtable participant a separate question. So, please give your thoughts on the questions that interest you in the comments.

Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press

A lot of Pistons fans want to draft Keith Benson. How do you evaluate his NBA potential? (Pemberton used to cover the Oakland men’s basketball team for The Oakland Press.

The two big knacks on Benson are strength and defense. Benson has to add strength to his 6-foot-11, 225-pound frame to be affective at the NBA level. Defensively, he can come up with the highlight-reel block, but has trouble defending stronger players one-on-one. He averaged 10.5 rebounds per game, but will have trouble getting in good position against NBA talent unless he adds strength.

Benson’s offensive game showed a lot of improvement this past season. He has good footwork and a nice touch around the basket. He has a solid mid-range game and shot 72.4 percent from the free-throw line. The one knack again is strength and being able to get good position against NBA talent.

Head-to-head against likely lottery pick Cole Aldrich of Kansas, Benson had 20 points, six rebounds and four blocks, while Aldrich had four points, nine rebounds and three blocks. The two were roommates at the Amar’e Stoudemire skills camp last summer.

My guess is Benson will return for his senior season, but if he comes out and is available in the second round he might prove to be a good pick. I don’t see him as an early lottery pick this season, which is where Detroit will be picking.

Chris Iott, MLive.com/ Booth Newspapers

What has surprised you most about your first season covering the Pistons?

It is shocking how good the chocolate chip cookies that get delivered each game to Rick Mahorn are, but I have had only one, so further testing is needed. The Pistons’ locker room is substantially smaller than I expected, especially when compared with the Tigers’ clubhouse. The officials yell at the coaches a lot more than I thought they did. Ben Wallace had a much bigger impact on the team than I thought he would.

Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

Which of the new Pistons is the best interview and why?

I actually like Ben Wallace. When he has something to say, he is very insightful and is a lot more gregarious than he lets on.

Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press

You’ve written that Pistons fans have become apathetic. Does it surprise you how disinterested they’ve been this year, and do you think their enthusiasm has room to go lower?

I’m not surprised. This was the convergence of a lot of different forces. The first and most obvious is the economy which has affected all of the local teams. The second is the long, sustained run of success that the team had. It was a terrific decade, but by the end, it had grown stale to the point where fans actually complained that the winning had gotten boring. Third was the wildly unpopular trade for Allen Iverson. Joe Dumars traded away the most popular player on the team (and maybe in the state) for a malcontent who submarined everything. And now we’re left with a bad team where the effort is easy to question on any given night. Can it go lower? I suppose anything is possible. What is there here to root for? There are no stars. There is no excitement. There is no trademark for the team. If ESPN were promoting a game, how would they do it? Come see Richard Hamilton and the Detroit Pistons? That won’t sell any seats.

Keith Langlois, Detroit Pistons

Who in the organization do you think has taken this season’s struggles the hardest?

Anybody who hates losing has absorbed the agony of this season, but John Kuester has to be the one who’s endured the most anguish. Veterans like Wallace, Prince and Hamilton haven’t experienced losing of this magnitude for years, if ever, but the success they’ve experienced has to mitigate this season’s disappointment to some degree. Joe Dumars knows the ebb and flow of the business. The rookies and young veterans have to focus as much on finding their niche as on the bigger picture of team success. But Kuester waited a long time for his shot at being a head coach and he knows this goes on his record. To have his shot undermined so thoroughly by injuries clearly has worn on him.

Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons

Which current Piston do you think would make the best broadcaster after he retires and why?

Autin Daye wants to be a broadcaster and has a great grasp of the language; has an high basketball IQ and comes from a basketball family (Darren). He’s the obvious choice,seeing as he’s already doing man on the street interviews for the team website and in-arena show.

Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press

As you’ve researched rookies for your Draft Dreams series, who has impressed you most compared to your initial impression and why?

Wall and Turner are obviously amazing and getting either of those guys could be potentially franchise-altering for Detroit. But there are a few less heralded players who I really like.

Feldman’s already made fun of me for this (I think it’s just the jilted UM fan inside him), so others will probably follow suit, but I love Ekpe Udoh. The knock on him as a prospect was the fact that his offensive game is not NBA ready. After watching about four Baylor games late in the season, including their tourney game against Duke, I think he’s much better offensively than people give him credit for. He’s a very good passer for a big man — Baylor was running their offense through him at times. He can turn and face up, put the ball on the floor a bit and he has range out to the college three-point line, something he didn’t have at Michigan. Udoh’s surged up draft projections as the season’s went on because of this.

Defensively, he’ll block shots. He needs to get stronger if he’s going to be the biggest player on a NBA team, but he’ll really help a team picking in the 10-15 range. The Big 12 was a good league for big men this year, and Udoh held his own.

I also love Georgetown’s Greg Monroe and Xavier Henry of Kansas. Monroe is one of the more polished bigs offensively in recent drafts and is a great passer. His defense is iffy, but he’s the most NBA-ready offensively of any college big.
Henry is raw, but he’s going to develop into an insanely good, physical and intense perimeter defender. He’s quick, he’s strong, he’s athletic and he’s competitive, all the traits in a lockdown defensive guy. I’m not as sold on his offense as his defense, but he’ll be a very good NBA player for a long time.
I like Patrick Patterson a lot as a late lottery/mid first round big who’s just solid in several facets of the game. Basically, I love everyone except Cole Aldrich.

Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press

Who will be a better defender with the Pistons, Ben Gordon or Charlie Villanueva?

This is a tough question to answer, but I’m leaning toward Gordon. He’s fairly strong for his size and he’s quick. If the Pistons offer solid help defense, Gordon’s deficiencies can be covered up. For his size and skill set it always surprises me how painfully slow Villanueva moves. His only serviceable defensive skill is the occasional blocked shot.

The number one thing I’d like to see both players work on is their pick-and-roll defense. Gordon has to be more physical working through screens and Villanueva has to be more efficient at both showing on the ball handler and recovering to his man.

Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed

If you were going to reconstruct Sheed using elements of current Pistons, what traits would you take from whom?

I would rather focus on the Swede than Sheed right now, but here goes.

The new and improved Sheed would have:

• Jonas Jerebko’s heart and hustle.
• Ben Wallace’s shot blocking.
• Jason Maxiell’s ability to take on anyone and go after every board.
• Tayshaun’s wingspan.
• Will Bynum’s speed.
• Ben Gordon’s shot (from last season).
• Rip Hamilton’s training techniques.
• Austin Daye’s temperament.
• And nothing from Charlie Villanueva.

Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys

Your bio (on the left sidebar) says you took a charge from Shane Battier. What’s the story there?

There is no story – it’s just a joke. Battier went to my high school and was friends with my older brothers (he was a baseball teammate of one of my brothers). I played AAU basketball through ninth grade and attended the Duke basketball camp in 8th grade because Battier went there. We talked a lot and played one-on-one, but I never took a charge from him. In fact, I was terrified of him (6′8" vs. 5′10") and he blocked A LOT of my shots. I think I lost like 21-1. I know some people don’t like Duke very much, but there’s nothing to dislike about Battier – he’s an all-around class-act, a smart basketball player, and an even smarter person.

Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys

You wrote at midseason, "I don’t think the Pistons are a playoff team with Jerebko playing 30 mpg." Do you still think that’s the case and why?

I do. First, I think he needs to grow into his role as a sort of enforcer on the defensive end. Second, I think he’s going to need those three fouls a game in order to maintain his effectiveness. He’s new to the league, so his profile could change, but I think he’s going to bring the bulk of his value at the defensive end. Again, I’ll cite Varejao as a comparison point.

Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys

Do you think Charlie Villanueva realizes how good he is inside? After writing that post, is it even more infuriating watching how he plays?

I think Charlie’s confidence has taken quite a hit, but I’m sure he realizes how good his inside game is (hey, he shared my article on Facebook).  Personally, I’m not bothered by Charlie’s offense.  Some may complain about his three point attempts, but this is as much a result of coaching as it is about Charlie’s preference on offense.  Pistons fans are still scarred from the Ways of Rasheed, and Charlie’s three point shots are not as welcome as a result.  If Kuester didn’t want Charlie taking perimeter shots, he’d draft plays accordingly.

The infuriating part about Charlie’s play is obviously his defense.  It’s absolutely painful to watch.  His non-existent D and bad fouls have led John Kuester to pull him out of the starting lineup and then limit him to less than 18 minutes a game.  Kuester’s philosophy with Charlie is that you can earn minutes and shot attempts by playing solid defense.  What’s ironic, however, is that Villanueva earned solid minutes under stern, defensive stalwart Scott Skiles.  Now, Villanueva has begun earning DNP-CDs and no one really notices.

I’m hoping, as he likely is as well, that Charlie can turn it around next year.  In a perfect world, Villanueva would spend the summer in Ben Wallace’s weight room, drinking Myoplex and guarding pick-and-rolls.  With our luck, he’ll likely end up in Sean May’s kitchen drinking mayo and eating dinner rolls.

Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation

You always seem to enjoy highlighting former fringe Pistons. Who is your favorite and why?

Never thought about it that way. I guess more than anything I enjoy being a fan of Pistons basketball and the team’s history. It’s easy to root for players like Grant Hill, Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, etc., but real fans know that the stars need guys to fill roles to help the team excel.

I don’t know if I can point to a clear favorite but one guy I feel that was pretty underrated that I enjoyed was Zeljko Rebraca. Zelly was a rugged low post player who had a nice touch down low. Plus he had that cool Silver Surfer tatt on his left arm.

Jon Young, Flagrant2

With a relatively new blog, what do you add to the Pistons blogosphere?

I do a weekly top-5 countdown on Mondays. It can range from anywhere to top 5 ugliest players to top-5 dunks, blocks etc. I mix it up and do something different every week. I try to have a recap of each game before the morning, and give insight to every game.

Previous

• How good would the Pistons have been this season if they weren’t hit with so many injuries?
• If you had to build a team around a current Piston besides Rodney Stuckey or Jonas Jerebko, whom would it be and why? (Please note if you’d rather build around this player than Stuckey or Jerebko.)
• Rodney Stuckey has been a key part of the Pistons’ long-term plans. Should that status change?
• If you were Joe Dumars, would you be on a one-year plan, two-year plan, three-year plan, etc.? What does your answer mean for this offseason?

Like with the other questions, please post your answers in the comments. I’d like this roundtable to involve everyone reading, too.

• Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press
• Chris Iott, MLive.com/ Booth Newspapers
• Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press
• Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press
• Keith Langlois, True Blue Pistons
• Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons
• Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press
• Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press
• Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed
• Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys
• Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys
• Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys
• Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation
• Jon Young, Flagrant2
• Dan Feldman, PistonPowered

I  want to thank everyone listed above for participating. But I don’t want to hear just from them. Please post your answers to the question in the comments.  We can make this an even larger collection of thoughts about the Pistons.

Here’s today’s question:

If you were Joe Dumars, would you be on a one-year plan, two-year plan, three-year plan, etc.? What does your answer mean for this offseason?

Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press

My top priority this offseason would be to bolster the Pistons frontcourt and help get the team in position to compete for a playoff spot next season. Whether it be in the draft, free agency or a trade, the Pistons have to improve up front. It’s frightening to think how bad Detroit’s frontcourt would have been without Ben Wallace this season.

This all starts with the draft and depending on the pick is likely the best option. Free agency won’t bring anything more than a temporary solution. Signing someone like Brad Miller, Erick Dampier or Brendan Haywood would be an improvement, but not a long-term solution. Bringing back Wallace would be among my plans, but only with a deal similar to the one he had this season.
Re-signing Will Bynum would also be a priority this offseason. Bynum’s a young player that has shown he can provide a nice spark off the bench and fill in as the starting point guard if needed.

Adding young talent this offseason or during next season would be part of my long-term plan because I would be looking to compete for a championship two or three years down the road.

Tayshaun Prince will be an attractive option in trades because of his expiring contract, but I wouldn’t give him away. He’s shown he can still play and with the motivation of getting a new contract could be a nice piece for Detroit next season. I would actively shop other veterans, but make sure I get some value in return.

Chris Iott, MLive.com/ Booth Newspapers

Joe Dumars has to be on an "every-year plan." Championship teams are not built overnight or even an offseason. Dumars has his work cut out for him, but no matter what he does, the Pistons are not going to win the 2010-11 NBA title. The Pistons can make a leap forward and make the playoffs next season, but Dumars will have to make one really good to great move in free agency and via a trade in addition to getting it right when it comes to the draft. But even a perfect offseason will leave another year or two of work to do. This truly is a team in transition.

Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

I wouldn’t necessarily put a time frame on when the Pistons could return to challenging for a title. I would just treat this season as hitting rock bottom and work from there. If it takes one, two, three or however long, that’s how I would treat it. As for this off-season, without even making a move you are looking at a top-five pick, a high second-rounder and the midlevel exception. That offers the potential for three nice pieces (two of those slots should be big guys). And you assume Rip or Tay will be moved so who knows how many more new players will be around.  I will say this off-season will be huge for the future.

Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press

It’s impossible to define how long a plan can be. Dumars made it clear last off-season that he wasn’t content to allow for a long rebuild. So he got aggressive and signed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to awful contracts. And with the future of the franchise so unclear, I wonder how aggressive Dumars will be allowed to be. But I’m sure he’d love to unload some contracts, so there will be a lot of proposals and phone calls and offers. But in this economy, what team is going to want Rip Hamilton for three more years at 12.6 mil per year? Dumars has had a very good run as the Pistons GM. And I think he deserves the chance to fix this mess. But he did create the mess. And I don’t see many ways out. At least not in the short term.

Keith Langlois, Detroit Pistons

My answer would be that I won’t limit the possibilities for next season but I also won’t do anything that limits the possibilities beyond next season. I think he’d say his intent is to put the Pistons in the best position to win as many games as possible next season without damaging their future beyond that. Get better now, but avoid the quick fix. He’s more likely to trade veterans for younger talent than vice versa, but I don’t think he’d rule out anything that would improve the Pistons now without recklessly endangering their future. As for what will shape his off-season, I think where the May 18 lottery places them will be a big piece of the picture.

Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons

I think it’ll be at least a 2- if not a 3-year plan. This offseason he’ll get a top 5 pick; will probably try to trade some of his assets that need a change of scenery, like Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince and use his midlevel exception wisely. Billups was a midlevel back in ‘02-’03 and that worked out pretty well.

Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press

The Pistons aren’t far off. They need what most teams do – a star playmaker, regardless of position. You can’t win in the NBA right now without a guy who can get his own shot on any possession. If the Pistons luck out in the draft and end up with Wall or Turner, then sign a serviceable big for part of the midlevel or make a trade for one, they’ll be a middle of the pack playoff team in the East next year.

This rebuilding project is going to take as long as it takes for the Pistons to get a top two pick in the draft. If that happens this year, they’ll be back soon. If it doesn’t, next year they should be better with improved health, but not significantly enough to become a playoff threat.

Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press

The Pistons are at least two years away, but they can make significant strides this offseason. First and foremost the Pistons can start the turnaround process in the NBA draft.The team is likely to have a top-six-or-seven pick, hopefully top three. Second, Tayshaun Prince’s value is starting to peak again. He’s been fantastic on the last third of the season and he’s entering in the final year of his contract. Dumars should be able to get pretty good value in a trade. Finally, the MLE must be used wisely. Free agency is flooded with superstars, so Dumars should be able to find a bargain on the market. Obviously the goal is to find another player like Billups, a younger player who is hasn’t met their potential, but is willing to work hard. Clearly that’s easier said than done.

Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed

Right now you want to get better every season. You don’t ever want to be on a two- or three-year plan. You focus around making your team the best you can every season. If it takes three years to make a championship push, so be it, but you need to go all out each year if you think you have the pieces that might work together.

As far as the offseason, Dumars needs size. Kwame Brown is gone, Ben Wallace might retire, and Chris Wilcox was like a ghost all season. That just leaves the undersized Jason Maxiell. If Austin Daye doesn’t go on a weightlifting, eating binge during the summer or gets blasted with whatever Bruce Banner did, the Pistons are in serious trouble.

Dumars also either needs to resign Will Bynum, who will get much more than his $825,000 salary next season, or find a point guard to take his place.

As for the current duo of Tayshaun and Rip, I’m sure he’ll take calls on both. Rip has a difficult contract to move, but Tayshaun’s 12 million will come off the books after the 2011 season, so the Pistons could get someone to make that deal.

Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys

Presumably, the Pistons are going to add 2-3 quality talents this off-season with the draft and the MLE. Hopefully, one of those will be the big-man, paint presence the Pistons so desperately need. Of course, whether this year was a result of all the injuries, or a true indication of the talent on this team will also affect Joe’s plan significantly.

Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys

I’d look toward 2011-2012. Gordon and Villanueva will still be in their 20s, Stuckey will be hitting his stride, Austin Daye should be a major player and our lottery pick will have a year under his belt. I think Dumars needs to think about what he can do to move Hamilton. If that means moving an asset (like Jerebko, or even a draft pick), I think that he should consider doing so.

That said, economics being what they are, I wouldn’t hesitate to spend a few million toward a playoff push next year.   

Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys

Although I’d love to see Joe Dumars turn this ship around in one, two or even three years, I remain pessimistic about the future. The Pistons are locked into some serious contracts with under-performing players and a roster with no real identity. Sadly, my hope for this team’s future is entirely dependent on numbered balls in a lottery machine.

If Detroit winds up with any of the top three picks, the future will again be bright. I like DeMarcus Cousins and Evan Turner a lot more than I like John Wall, and would prefer either going forward. If we draft 4th or beyond, we’ll likely snag a role player and a longer wait for a turn-around.

Should we draft after the top three are taken, and Minnesota nets DeMarcus Cousins, we could find a trade partner in Wolves GM David Kahn. I suggested a trade scenario with Minny back in January, moving Tayshaun and Stuckey for Jefferson and Sessions. If Minnesota drafts Cousins they will most certainly move Jefferson, and Detroit should do whatever it can to bring him to Detroit. A starting line of Sessions, Gordon, Jerebko, Jefferson and Aldrich sounds quite attractive to me (well, any lineup with Jerebko is attractive, of course). Although some may question giving Sessions the keys at the point, he is precisely the kind of rare player that ends up making a GM look brilliant – just like Chauncey did of Dumars many years ago.

Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation

That’s a tough question because of the salary commitments that Joe has made the past few seasons, see question #2.

Jon Young, Flagrant2

If I was Joe Dumars I would be on a one-year plan.

The Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva contracts look real bad right now, and the chance of shedding them is unlikely. If they could find any team willing to trade an above average big man for Rip I would jump on it.

The offseason depends a lot on the draft. If the Pistons get the #1 pick I think they would get John Wall at point guard and move Stuckey to the 2 guard. That would make trading Rip a lot easier. If they get a big man in the draft they could cut Chucky Atkins and go for a veteran point guard, not even necessary to start but to help run the team and manage the offense (Jason Williams for example).

The Pistons need to find a big man this offseason, preferably one who can shoot the ball maybe a Brad Miller type. The post has been very weak this year. I don’t see any point in resigning Kwame Brown, Chris Wilcox hasn’t done nearly as much as expected and Ben Wallace isn’t going to give you a scoring option. If the Pistons can draft a solid big man and keep Ben Wallace around for defense, the post situation will at the very least upgrade from this year. Tayshaun has been playing good lately and he might be the best option for acquiring a big man through trade, which if you’re Joe Dumars you have to be looking for.

Jonas is most likely going to improve next year, Charlie V has something to prove, and Ben Gordon can’t be any worse than this season. Through the draft, hopefully a trade, and development of the current roster the Pistons should improve in the next few seasons.

Dan Feldman, PistonPowered

I’d be on a one-year plan – almost completely.

I’d still draft the best player available rather than someone with limited upside who’s more apt to contribute right away. And I wouldn’t trade Rodney Stuckey, Jonas Jerebko or Austin Daye for someone much older.

But I’d be willing to trade Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon or Will Bynum for someone with less upside, but who would be better right now.

I’d also go for need over luxury in free agency – not what Joe Dumars did with Ben Gordon last summer.

Dumars isn’t stupid. He knows Gordon plays a similar role to Richard Hamilton. But I think he saw Gordon as the type of special player on whom you don’t pass. (Whether he’s right remains to be seen.)

I’d use the mid-level exception on the big man who can help Detroit most right now – regardless of his age. Luis Scola or Marcus Camby would be ideal, but they’re probably a stretch. Someone like Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem or Drew Gooden would likely make more sense.

The goal should be to get good right away, especially because it will increase the value of the expensive players the Pistons already have. Detroit’s high-priced players are good, but if they play for a loser too long, their value will plummet.

Look at Andre Iguodala, Elton Brandon and Samuel Dalembert in Philadelphia. They’re overpaid, but all three can still play. Their trade value is shot because the 76ers have been so miserable.

On the other hand, check out Rashard Lewis in Orlando or Kenyon Martin in Denver. They’re overpaid and productive, too. But their trade value is much higher than it should be because their teams are so good.

Winning masks a lot of issues, and the Pistons have plenty of those. Winning won’t make the problems completely disappear, but it will make them a lot easier to fix.

Previous

• How good would the Pistons have been this season if they weren’t hit with so many injuries?
• If you had to build a team around a current Piston besides Rodney Stuckey or Jonas Jerebko, whom would it be and why? (Please note if you’d rather build around this player than Stuckey or Jerebko.)
• Rodney Stuckey has been a key part of the Pistons’ long-term plans. Should that status change?

Like with the other questions, please post your answer in the comments. I’d like this roundtable to involve everyone reading, too.

• Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press
• Chris Iott, MLive
• Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press
• Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press
• Keith Langlois, True Blue Pistons
• Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons
• Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press
• Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press
• Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed
• Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys
• Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys
• Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys
• Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation
• Jon Young, Flagrant2
• Dan Feldman, PistonPowered

I  want to thank everyone listed above for participating. But I don’t want to hear just from them. Please post your answers to the question in the comments.  We can make this an even larger collection of thoughts about the Pistons.

Here’s today’s question:

If you had to build a team around a current Piston besides Rodney Stuckey or Jonas Jerebko, whom would it be and why? (Please note if you’d rather build around this player than Stuckey or Jerebko.)

Dave Pemberton, The Oakland Press

That’s a tough question. The Pistons in my opinion don’t have a franchise player, and that includes Stuckey and Jerebko. There is not one guy you can point to and say he’s the guy. With that being said, I think Ben Gordon is a player that should be in the Pistons’ future plans.

Despite his struggles this season, Gordon has a proven track record. I don’t believe the Gordon we have seen in 2010 is the real Gordon because I don’t think he is at full strength. He is playing through a groin injury and not getting the minutes he is accustomed so his numbers are down.

He can provide instant offense whether it be off the bench or as a starter. He also showed last season that he can produce in the playoffs. Let Gordon get healthy and I think you’ll see the player the Pistons thought they were getting when they signed him.

Chris Iott, MLive

If you are going to build a team for the long haul and build it around a player currently on the roster, Rodney Stuckey would be the logical choice. The Pistons think he’s the real deal, a special young player with a ton of upside. Whether he is worthy of that praise, well, time will tell. If it’s not Stuckey or Jerebko – and as much as I like Jerebko, I don’t think you build a team around him – your only option would have to be Ben Gordon. It has been a strange season for Gordon, but if the Pistons deal Richard Hamilton in the offseason, it would clear up a logjam at the position and make Gordon’s role more important. The Pistons are not writing off Gordon. Fans shouldn’t either.

Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

I’m not saying I would try to start over from scratch, but I think of LeBron, Wade and Kobe as guys to build a team around. There are several solid pieces on the Pistons (Stuckey and Jerebko included). But they are just pieces, not cornerstones.

Jamie Samuelsen, Detroit Free Press

Slim pickings there. I suppose by process of elimination I’ll go with Ben Gordon, although he’s been a big disappointment in his first year here. But with so much money and so many years tied into him, there isn’t much choice. Gordon’s track record in the league shows he can score, and that can’t be dismissed after only one season. I’ll be very curious to see what he does next year assuming that A) he’s healthy and B) he’s the starter or is getting starter’s minutes.

Keith Langlois, Detroit Pistons

You have to at least be intrigued by Austin Daye’s potential. He’s never going to look significantly different that he did coming into the league – but if he gains functional strength, there’s every chance he’ll become a unique player capable of scoring in the high teens and up and holding his own defensively thanks to his freakish length. Will Bynum’s also a guy I’d like to have on my side.

Eli Zaret, Detroit Pistons

There really is no one to specifically build around. Even in the title season of 2004, they were considered a team without a star. The hope is they’ll get a top-5 pick this year who can be that guy.

Patrick Hayes, Full-Court Press

It’s probably a stretch, but I’d say Will Bynum. Bynum, more than anyone else on the roster, embodies the philosophy Joe Dumars built the championship with – a hidden gem with something to prove, fueled certainly by talent, but also carrying a significant chip on his shoulder. Bynum’s a guard version of Ben Wallace when it comes to energy, and he was the Pistons best player for a solid stretch early in the season. Now, that doesn’t mean I’d go out and lock Bynum up for $7 million a year, as Joe Dumars seems to want to do for everyone now, but if the Pistons re-sign him to a cheap deal (which is how they got Wallace), they could be getting a tough, energetic, lead-by-example guy who pushes people with higher pedigrees and bigger contracts for playing time, making the entire backcourt more competitive with each other and better in the games.

Justin Rogers, Full-Court Press

There isn’t a player on this roster that I would consider building a team around. The Pistons are a team full of complimentary players. I wouldn’t even build around a player like Stuckey or Jerebko. Stuckey is a second or third option at best. I just don’t see him developing to an on-the-court leader night in and night out. Jerebko is the type of player you want on any team, but you don’t build around hustle players. If pressed to answer, I’d go with Daye. He has plenty of potential, and he’s young. Of course that answer is equivalent to answering “C” straight down on a 100-question true/false test.

Natalie Sitto, Need4Sheed

That’s a difficult question. I can’t think of a player besides the two that can foot the bill right now. Rip and Tayshaun, are great players, but I think they’re both past the point where you would want to build around. The rest of this current configuration are more role players than anything.

If you put a gun to my head and I had to pick someone besides Stuckey or the Swede, it would  have to be Ben Gordon. His miserable season aside, I know what kind of player he is, and to be quite honest, I think he may be more suited to be a starter. We saw what he could do when he had the chance early in the season when Rip Hamilton was out. His defense is almost non-existent, and he tends to turn the ball over, but he can put up 30 if you need him to and hit the big money shot all in the same game.

Brian Packey, Detroit Bad Boys

I really don’t think the Pistons have anyone, besides maybe those two, that are worthy of being built around. They have a lot of pieces that could be key to a contender, complementing pieces, but not center-pieces. Depending on how he develops, though, Austin Daye could potentially become one of those types of players.

Kevin Sawyer, Detroit Bad Boys

Ben Gordon is the guy you have to think about building around. His contract is untradeable, and he has a lot more talent than he displayed this year. Keep in mind that Stuckey and Jerebko are only a couple years younger. I think Stuckey will be a late bloomer, and will eventually gel with Gordon, but Jerebko’s ceiling seems to be Anderson Varejao. You don’t build around Anderson Varejao.

Mike Payne, Detroit Bad Boys

Right now, we’re a building without a foundation. Detroit doesn’t have that one player on this team that can score efficiently and prolifically, draw double teams and defend the other end of the court. If Detroit gets lucky and can snag DeMarcus Cousins or Evan Turner in the draft, ask me again in June?

Jesse Murphy, Pistons Nation

I don’t see any of these guys as players a GM could center a team around. Guys like Stuckey and Jonas can be very important pieces to the puzzle, but I just don’t see them as "the guy". Unless Joe can pull off a miracle trade the Pistons will need to be lucky and acquire a franchise-type guy in the draft. Because I don’t believe we have the team and we sure don’t have the money to lure someone in free agency that will right the ship.

Jon Young, Flagrant2

I would go with Austin Daye. He is only going to get stronger and come into his body more. Once he figures out how to use his height he will be a threat. He can post up on most 3 guards at 6’11 and if a big man is guarding him they have to account for his three-point shooting. He has natural jump shot. He could really benefit from playing behind Tayshaun for another year or two. I don’t think he will ever be as good at driving as Prince but if he could learn his baby hook he would become a mismatch nightmare. Daye still has a big upside and lots of potential. With that being said I would much rather build a team around Stuckey or Jerebko.

Dan Feldman, PistonPowered

I nearly said Ben Wallace, which should say something about the sad state of this team. He’s 35 and only a year removed from serious injury. But he’s still productive and would instill an attitude I’d want my team to have.

But my answer is Will Bynum. He’s so productive, and I love how he improved from last year. Before his ankle injuries, Bynum had become a much better all-around player – not just a scorer. He’s still regaining his form, but it doesn’t look like his early-season play was an aberration.

He has a lot to prove, and he plays like it. There are varying opinions about whether clutch stats are relevant, and honestly, I have mixed feelings. But I can see Bynum plays without fear when the game is on the line, and I know I like that.

He also plays point guard, which might be the most important position in the NBA right now. (I’d still say center, but you can make the case).

A hidden Bynum bonus: because he hasn’t played much in the NBA, he’s a young 27.

Previous

• How good would the Pistons have been this season if they weren’t hit with so many injuries?

Like with the first question, please post your answer in the comments. I’d like this roundtable to involve everyone reading, too.