Whose team is this?
One of the great misconceptions about the Detroit Pistons of the post-Grant Hill to pre-Allen Iverson era was that they were a team without a “star.”
While it was true that Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince weren’t making cash registers dance in the heads of marketing executives, nor would any of them be able to carry a team of otherwise above-average talent to the playoffs (i.e. Dwyane Wade and the ’09 Heat), those Pistons did have one player — Billups — who stood ahead the rest on the court, even if it was just a half-step in some cases.
And if Chauncey was the heart of the Pistons, Ben was the face of the franchise: the most visible and symbolic figure of Detroit’s defense-first, hustle-hard mentality. While the Pistons endured and still made the Eastern Conference Finals without Big Ben and even after Rasheed lost his effectiveness, they quickly fell apart when Chauncey was traded.
So now that Joe Dumars has tried to rebuild on the fly without sacrificing a Lottery season and rolls out a kinda/sorta new-look Pistons in ’09-10, he’s left a noticable void: Who is Detroit’s centerpiece?
Rip Hamilton might seem like the logical choice. For the duration of his career in Detroit he’s been their top scorer and a multiple-time All-Star who isn’t totally slowing down at 31 years old. He’s a remaining link to the glory days, but at the same time, that’s what gets in his way. Rip reacted to last season’s changes — the Billups trade, the Iverson pickup, his temporary move to a sixth-man role — like Ray Griffin (“Starting tailback!”) in The Program, and doesn’t seem like he’d be cool moving to fullback anytime soon. Throw in Ben Gordon‘s $50 million arrival as just another challenge to Rip’s minutes/shots/status, and he might go into this season looking out for the Team Of Me too much to look out for the Team Of Detroit. (I wouldn’t be surprised if Rip is traded mid-season.) He is the veteran who has the ear of the majority of the roster, though, so he might have to be made the focal point simply to avoid another mutiny against new coach John Kuester.
That brings us to Gordon, the high-profile summer addition who will sell the most jerseys in Detroit and be the immediate face of preseason marketing. But is he the one to lead the Pistons on the court? As nice as BG was in the ’09 playoffs, he’s still a career sixth man who is a bit limited as a one-note scorer. He’ll hit shots in the fourth quarter and win games for you in crunch-time, but is he the one who gets you to that position in the first place? Gordon is a closer — not necessarily an ace who can pitch a complete game shutout.
Tayshaun Prince
So what about Tayshaun? Even more than Rip, he’s the mainstay, the one who hasn’t missed a game since forever and is the current lynchpin of Detroit’s defense. Prince can make a case for being the best role player in the League, but he never has been and never will be the star on a top team. And if this most recent postseason showing was any indication, Tayshaun is wearing down faster than his age (29) indicates.
Rodney Stuckey is being groomed for the star spotlight — hence the refusal to make him sit when Iverson and Hamilton could’ve shared the backcourt — but last season showed he wasn’t ready yet. Stuck has talent and could eventually be one of the top guards in the East down the line, but it’s not his time yet.
This is a strange time for the Pistons. While they’re trying to move on from the championship era without losing much ground as playoff contenders, it’s tough to make a smooth transition without lucking into a franchise player in the Draft (Tim Duncan in San Antonio, LeBron in Cleveland) or going through years of rebuilding (Bulls, Celtics). Rarely do you get a team like the Lakers, who were able to retain their franchise cornerstone while rebuilding another championship-caliber team around him.
For Detroit, they’re willing to spend the money and have a solid front office manager who won’t stand for losing too long. They can get back to a contending level, but eventually will have to jettison some of the old horses before truly making the next step. (Which is why bringing Big Ben back to town was a confusing move.) Gordon and Charlie Villanueva and Stuckey are good complimentary pieces, but this team doesn’t have an identifiable “face.”
Dumars can make trades to get Rip and Tayshaun’s combined $23M off the books for 2010-11, freeing up cap space to land a major player next summer. In the meantime, it’ll be a season of uncertainty in Detroit without that rock to depend on.
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August 10th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Steve A says:
Since it seems doubtful through free agency, Detroit is going to need to draft a player that turns into a star before they do anything. Having a bunch of 2nd/3rd pieces is just gonig to guarantee them a first round playoff exit every year, if that. If I was a fan of their team, I wouldn’t be too happy with the direction they are headed (assuming winning titles is their goal). Spending all this money on guys like Gordon (3rd guy on good team if that) and Villy, to go along with convincing themselves Stuckey is a star player (he’s not).
August 10th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
ryan says:
Steve,
Sometimes you have to overpay for average talent to draw in bigger, better talent a la what the Detroit Tigers did when they signed Pudge Rodriguez to all that money before their pennant run.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Steve A says:
I see your point and your right. But the only attractive piece they have to play with would be Ben Gordon. Even then, that isn’t much. I still think they overpaid too much for those two. But, we’ll see what happens once the season starts.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
K Dizzle says:
Once again, this ain’t an issue if Joe D didn’t phuck up the draft in ’03. How different is this whole franchise when your face coulda been Melo, Bosh or DWade. Even worse, you coulda traded down if you couldn’t get one of the can’t misses and instead of Darko , taken Kaman, Hinrich, TJ Ford. Mike Pietrus, David West, Diaw, Josh Howard, Barbosa or even Ken Perkins…Point is, there were 10-12 players that were better than Darko and at least 5-6 that would be the face of the Pistons right now.
Oh well….Hindsight is spent money
I’m out
August 10th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
masqu says:
@3: i don’t know if ben gordon really attracts star players to your team. he likes to shoot the ball all day from everywhere (which is why he got that paycheck) but the shots he takes are shots the star player can’t take. i have the impression that ben gordon has the reputation to be take away team offense in favor of his own production. maybe he can change in detroit (teamspirit and so on…) but i don’t see ben gordon recruit guys like wade or bosh.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Yep says:
They better lose on purpose and get john wall and trade rodney stuckey for a legit center
August 10th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Lets Go Hawks says:
Does anyone see the sense in a Hamilton-Boozer trade? The salaries work out. Utah gets that starting-2 that it has been lacking and Detroit gets a borderline-all star that takes alot of pressure off stuckey. Ben can start at the two, Villanueva at the 3 (i mean really, he isnt a 4) and a scrub at the 5. Or even go small with Boozer at the 5, C-vill at the 4 and Prince and the 3
August 10th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Lets Go Hawks says:
Does anyone see the sense in a Hamilton-Boozer trade? The salaries work out. Utah gets that starting-2 that it has been lacking and Detroit gets a borderline-all star that takes alot of pressure off stuckey. Ben can start at the two, Villanueva at the 3 (i mean really, he isnt a 4) and a scrub at the 5. Or even go small with Boozer at the 5, C-vill at the 4 and Prince and the 3
August 10th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Lets Go Hawks says:
sorry for double post
August 10th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Joe Dumars says:
What about a four way trade
Detroit Out- Prince, Hamilton
Detroit in- Tracy McGrady and Scola
Miami Out Beasley, Oneal
Miami in Boozer, Prince
Utah Out Boozer
Utah in Hamilton and Miami First
Houston Out TMac and Scola
Houston in Beasley and Oneal
I think this helps all the teams out. Utah doesn’t need both Boozer and Milsap and their biggest weakness is solved with picking up Hamilton. Utah could round out their roster by signing one of the free agent pfs like Joe Smith.
Williams/Maynor
Hamilton/Brewer
Kirlenko/Korver
Milsap/Koufos
Okur/Fresko
Houston
Tmac hasn’t been hte franchise player that the rockets hoped he could be. Trading him for Oneal gives them another massive expiring contract and they also get Beasley who is a nice corner stone for their franchise and would be great next to Yao (if he ever returns to his old self)
Miami
Riley needs to keep Wade happy and bringing in two of his fellow Olympians should do that. Prince and Boozer would make the heat much stronger of a team
Chalmers/Quinn
Wade/Cook
Prince/Jones
Boozer/Haslem
Magloire/Anthony
Detroit
Trading for TMac is a huge risk. If T Mac can return from his injury he would be the face of the franchise and allow Ben Gordon to start at the 2. If he isn’t his contract is expiring and allows the Pistons to sign another player. Such as Joe Johnson. Scola is a solid PF and is also expiring.
Stuckey/Bynum/Gordon
Gordon/TMac/Bynum
Tmac/Daye
Villanueva/Maxiell
Scola/Brown/Wallace
Thouhgts?
August 10th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
the cynic says:
this team is turning into a mess. No point guard and no center
August 10th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Dime is late on the Big Baby news! Sup fellas?
August 10th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
darkdefender says:
@10
You should be a Dime writer. That trade is pure gold.
No no scratch that, ur better than that.. U should be a legit GM. I don’t know if the salaries work, but if they do, you should take over the pacers or something. Every team in ur trade comes out a winner.
August 10th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Tim says:
As a Pistons fan I know this is strange…but I am looking forward to this season. Do I think they can contend for a title…No. Does that matter to me right now? Nope. The Pistons have been great for a while…but they spoiled the Detroit fans by being so solid, granted it was a weak conference…
A lot of you probably think this sounds crazy…which in some ways it is…but I would much rather watch a team with unknown expectations than the one of the last 3 years…
And Joe D didn’t mess up on that draft…Darko was listed as a top prospect by a lot of people…its not like he’s the only one that thought so…
August 11th, 2009 at 12:19 am
Kellan White (Joe Dumars) says:
@13
The trade works in the trade machine and I didn’t even have to launder money through Chris Wallace……..
@14 exactly Joe dumars gets a bad rap for the darko draft but the 2 and 3 were wrapped up ( rip and Tay) and they did win a title that year……
August 11th, 2009 at 12:25 am
johnny says:
Tim, that is a cool point about how a team with unknown expectations is entertaining.
I’m a big Pistons fan and find the overall picture of Dumars’ recent stuff to be regrettable. I like Austin Daye tho. Hopefully, he plays.
August 11th, 2009 at 12:27 am
johnny says:
@darkdefender
Good point. Except Detroit doesn’t come out well. But, they won’t mind, they will just be so happy for Houston that it won’t matter.
August 11th, 2009 at 12:39 am
jzsmoove says:
Deeetroit is gonna be alright. They are in good hands and they got able bodies. Rip (at the price of Prince)will both be packaged by midseason to complete the new look Pistons. Dont look away, Joe D is gangsta slick.
August 11th, 2009 at 1:04 am
capnkimo says:
Im not a detroit fan, but their ’04 finals against the star-studded Lakers is my fav final series of the last 10 yrs. THAT was teamwork at its finest.
August 11th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Coop says:
Dime,
‘i.e’ does not mean ‘for example…’
Learn that.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:09 am
YOUNGFED says:
Great article. Im looking foward to this year much more than other years. I think will be much funner to watch. However I would like to see Bynum start over Stuckey. But maybe Joey D see’s something nobody else see’s.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:36 am
JBond says:
I see some of you have failed to realize what winning is.. winning is not going to the finals every darn year and coming home with nothing… We’ve won 1 championship and that’s all IMO I think Joe waited too long to break that group up I mean cmon how many coaches have to be fall before you realize the players play the coaches coach and if you have more coaches then players you have a problem. I’m excited about the up coming season and some of you bang wagon fans who only want to ride when we’re winning well.. you weren’t really fans at all…. GO PISTON!
August 11th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
I think Joe D is attached to that ’04 title team and just sticks to that formula. He’s basically recreating that team with younger players if you think about it.
He’ll trade rip for a good bench player. Then you’ll essentially have a younger version of that ’04 squad.
Billups = Stuckey if he continues to develop
Rip = Ben Gordan same style of play but Gordans younger
Tayshaun = Daye they can acually keep Prince also
Rasheed = Charlie V can step out and hit the three although not as much D
Ben = reason they’re bringing him back but can also groom Maxiell