Step Away From The Ledge, Pistons Fans

[jonathanlambert33]

Lets start with the obvious: the Detroit Pistons are bad. They are bad statistically, they are bad when you watch them. Theyre just bad.

Thats the bad news. The good news is that the future isnt as dim as it might seem at the moment.

The 2013-14 Pistons are a delightful compilation of mismatched parts. Their three best players cant play together, they have no shooting, and basically nobody plays defense. Those are bad things, generally. But they can change, at least theoretically, and it starts with the offseason.

Well begin at the top, with owner Tom Gores. While Gores hasnt been the perfect owner to this point overruling your GM and firing your head coach 50 games into his tenure with your team isnt a great look, though it is undeniable that Mo Cheeks was bad at his job hes shown he wants to win and that he is willing to spend to that end. As a Bulls fan, I can tell you that having an owner who doesnt really care if the team wins and isnt willing to spend any more than he has to isnt much fun.

Gores has a chance to completely redefine his team this summer. Cheeks is gone already, and interim head coach John Loyer hasnt done anything to distinguish himself, so theres room for a new coach. Furthermore, long-time GM Joe Dumars seems to be on his way out after several disastrous years following the dissolution of the 2003-04 championship team. So Gores has a chance to build an entirely new front office and an entirely new coaching staff. Granted, he could choose the wrong people, but he could also choose the right ones. I am a little concerned by Gores apparent tendency to go after big names, largely because I believe that its the unheralded, undervalued coaches/GMs that tend to prosper, but even if he goes after a big name head coach, thats not all bad. Lionel Hollins or George Karl would be fine choices, depending on how the Pistons choose to re-shape their roster. (More on that shortly.) Just stay away from Mike Woodson, Tom. Nobody wants that.

Now, when it comes to the on-court product, the Pistons struggles have worked out for them. Theyve managed to lose their way right into keeping the draft pick they currently owe to the Charlotte Bobcats thanks to the Ben Gordon trade. They would pick 8th overall if the season ended today and the draft order was set strictly by record, and their pick happens to be top-8 protected. Of course, if someone currently set to pick 9-14 had the ping pong balls bounce their way and moved into a top-3 pick, the Pistons would drop to 9th and have to forfeit their pick. But theyre just a game behind the Sacramento Kings for the 7th slot and 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for 6th. Theyd need to get to 5th to guarantee they keep the pick, and thats unrealistic with the Boston Celtics three full games ahead of them, but you never know. And the odds of a team in the 9-14 range moving up are relatively low.

The big thing, however, is that despite what has turned out to be an awful 4-year, $54 million contract given to Josh Smith this past summer, the Pistons are in excellent shape cap-wise. They have about $42 million in salary committed for next season, assuming they keep their pick and decline Chauncey Billups $2.5 million player option for next season, and that will give them about $21 million in cap room with the cap projected to come in at $62.9 million next year.* About $5 million of that will go to Greg Monroes qualifying offer, but that still leaves them with $15+ million to work with.

http://hardwoodparoxysm.com/2014/03/27/step-away-from-the-ledge-pistons-fans-theyre-gonna-be-fine-probably/

 

[elcheato]

The Pistons having cap space usually leads to irrational spending with no sense of reality, so probably not a good thing.

 

[Pugz]

The Pistons having cap space usually leads to irrational spending with no sense of reality, so probably not a good thing.

we also won't have joe dumars handing out deals. if we have to overpay to try and sign marginal talent, hopefully our new gm won't do it.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

we also won't have joe dumars handing out deals. if we have to overpay to try and sign marginal talent, hopefully our new gm won't do it.

I've said it a couple times, but I've never bought that this past offseason falls on Dumars shoulders. I think it was Gores or someone else that gave him the orders to sign high profile players and to put some butts in the seats, get on ESPN, etc. I'm not sure how differently last offseason goes if you have someone other than Dumars as the GM.

 

[elcheato]

I think signing Josh Smith at that price as another teams free agent has some value, but not for the Pistons. Still not understanding why they signed him with the intention of playing him at SF and expecting him to progress offensively on the perimeter. Can he even guard SFs effectively?

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I think signing Josh Smith at that price as another teams free agent has some value, but not for the Pistons. Still not understanding why they signed him with the intention of playing him at SF and expecting him to progress offensively on the perimeter. Can he even guard SFs effectively?

Not as effective as he is defending PF's, but yes.

 

[Pugz]

this off season was all on gores imo. i don't want him near the franchise other than opening his wallet. he doesn't know the sport enough.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

agreed^

 

[RipCity32]

The whole organization is a dysfunctional mess. Period.

Here's to hoping they right their wrongs this offseason, though I'm not holding my breath.