Report: Pistons name Michael Curry as coach

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080609/SPORTS03/80609039

Next task: Dumping Rasheed Wallace ASAP, and at almost any cost.

Sheed must be sent out of town ASAP before his bullshit further infects the younger players (or the vets for that matter).

He didn't respect Saunders, who has coached 14 years in the NBA with a .597 winning percentage, how much is he gonna respect a guy who has never head-coached a single game in his life?

There are deals out there to be had -- most prominently, Zach Randolph -- so it won't be necessary to dump Sheed for *nothing,* but he cannot be allowed to be on the roster when training camp opens. Curry's career depends on it.

Not that Randolph would be ideal, but he would be a near-equivalent trade -- worse defense, but better scoring and rebounding, and mentally, about a wash.

Once Sheed is gone, about 85% of the attitude problems go with him.

 

I don't wanna say I called "Michael Curry" on a previous thread, but I will anyway...even though everyone and their mother knew that was gonna be the case.

It seems as if the Pistons are controlling the hot stove market right now. I've read them being linked to Carmelo, Jason Richardson, Okafor, Iverson, the No. 2 pick and now Randolph.

Should be an interesting summer for Pistons fans. I'd like to see Carmelo, Richardson or Randolph the most, I think.

 

I also think it's absolutely hiliarious the guy on ESPN.com is already on his fourth NBA mock draft.

 

I can't see them taking on Iverson at his age.

Melo has none of the defensive intensity Dumars wants to see.

Okafor probably makes the most sense, he would toughen them up inside and on the boards. Randolph has defensive deficiencies, but scores and rebounds significantly better than Sheed, so they could afford a slight drop on defense.

I don't think the Pistons will, or should, blow the whole thing up -- get rid of Sheed, disinfect the poisonous atmosphere, put an end to all the woofing, yapping, finger-pointing and alibiiing -- and there's still a pretty good core there.

 

Completely agree on all your points, Starman. I do, however, think Dumars might take a chance on Carmelo if he's available. I think Dumars might realize the team needs an alpha-type scorer.

No matter who they trade, they're still going to have a strong core. Do you think Hamilton, Billups and Prince all stay? I think one of them will be moved...not sure who, though.

 

Actually, I think they all stay. Prince is the current hot choice to be shipped out of town due to his erratic/lackluster playoffs, but I think that was mainly a matter of matchups. Billups is probably tough to trade because he just signed a huge contract last summer and he seemed to dip slightly this season. I think they'll work the young depth, Stuckey, Maxiell and Amir Johnson, into much more substantial minutes next year.

 

I think they absolutely must start giving big minutes to Stuckey, Johnson, Maxiell, and to a lesser extent, Afflalo. This leads me to believe Hamilton might be the one to go. Relatively young, relatively cheap, good off the ball player and probably carries as much market value as anyone on the team. I think Stuckey is ready to start. Honestly.

I agree with your assessment of Prince, as well. He's the one I hope they absolutely keep, unless they can steal someone.

 

I don't see them dumping Prince for one reason: In their division/conference, who is the one single guy it is absolutely crucial you must be able to defend?

LeBron James.

Who is the one player on their roster who comes the closest to being able to effectively defend LeBron James?

Tayshaun Prince.

Of course, he needs help, and lots of it, to do it, but at least he can slow LBJ down somewhat, especially on the perimeter. Nobody else on their roster can slow down James at all. Given that, if I had to really really guess, I might say he's actually the LEAST likely to be shipped out.

 

I also heard the Okafor/Richardson thing; I want to start this internet rumor though. Billups and Sheed for Dwight Howard.

It has no legitimacy, but I think it would be fun.

 

Sheed for Zach Randolph?
For as overrated and underachieving as Randolph is, did you forget that Zeke is no longer running the Knicks?

And am I the only one who thinks the Pistons of the past few years have been vastly overrated?

 

The contracts of Sheed and Randolph are a close enough match they could be swapped even up. Sheed's contract is up after NEXT year, while Randolph has 3 years to go. If Sheed comes in and starts with his customary crap, they can waive him at midseason, only eat a half-year's salary, and have a huge hunk of cap space free next summer.

At this point, the Knicks have to be looking to get out from under as many long-term contracts as possible.


And yes, the Pistons have been wildly overrated for the last 3 years. Led by Sheed's championship-belt-waving, guarantee-making yapping and woofing, they've acted like they've been defending champions for three straight years.

(And even the one year they DID win it, they more or less backed into it when the Lakers self-immolated.)