(a sorta) League Preview: Detroit Pistons

You could argue that Charlotte, Indiana, Golden State, Minnesota and New York could be included in the sorriest. I might agree. I placed them together above the worst teams because, however improbable, I could envision one or two of these teams in the race for a playoff berth. The next three squads may be cut from a better cloth than the first five. Just the same, they are lottery likelies. We start with the 3^rd best team in the East’s Central Division.

Detroit Pistons

PG Rodney Stuckey Will Bynum

SG Richard Hamilton Ben Gordon

SF Tayshaun Prince Austin Daye DaJuan Summers

PF Charlie Villanueva Jason Maxiell Chris Wilcox

C Kwame Milicic Ben Wallace

Wild times in Mo-Town. Gone is the stability and sense of cohesion that defined the Pistons for the better part of the decade. After the failed experiment with Iverson, Joe D. is paring Stuckey and Hamilton with Ben Gordon. Though younger (and currently better), Gordon presents many of the same challenges. He does not have the disposition of a point guard, or the size of a two guard. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective and is a volume scorer. Stuckey must be wondering if he still gets to hold the keys to the car. Hamilton must be wondering if Joe D thinks he needs help holding down the two spot. Who starts? Who finishes? Small ball, anyone?

Considering their bigs, small ball may be a decent option. Prince could play the Marion role at power forward. The multi skilled forward is going to be called on like no time before to set the tone defensively. Villanueva at center sounds horrible. He has great skills, but where is the fire? His rebounding is uninspired and he does not protect the rim. Maxiell will give you the fire, but he is undersized and lacks an offensive game. Together Ben Wallace, Chris Wilcox and Kwame Brown equal a whole lot of nothing.

Instability in the backcourt. Clowns in the front court. Rebuilding is a painful process. Even including Dumars’ heralded draft selection of Rodney Stuckey, the past 3-4 seasons have not been his finest. Dumars simply could not plug the hole created with the departure of Ben Wallace in 2006. The Billups move was essentially for cap space: a poor deal for a very, very effective player. The Billups move also seemed to be a vote of full confidence for Stuckey as the pg of the future. But when you look at Stuckey next to young point guards in his age range--like Paul, Williams, Rondo, Rose, Westbrook, Chalmers, Aaron Brooks, and even Monta Ellis--he certainly does not stand out above the crowd. Retooling with Gordon, Villanueva, and rookie forwards Daye and Summers hardly inspires thoughts of better days. It does give Detroit some pieces. Rebuilding is all about pieces.

Perhaps Gordon, Villanueva and one of the rookies can join Prince, Hamilton, Maxiell and Stuckey to anchor a rotation capable of a run at the 8 seed. 36 wins and late lottery pick seems a lot more likely.