tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500414.post8988649345376702364..comments2023-10-20T10:53:46.272-04:00Comments on The Wayne Fontes Experience: 3 quick thoughts on the PistsonsBig Alhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08745424963722654158noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500414.post-13141319448388173752008-05-24T15:51:00.000-04:002008-05-24T15:51:00.000-04:00Big Al,Long time, no comment. I was similarly non...Big Al,<BR/><BR/>Long time, no comment. I was similarly nonplussed by Dumars drafting two guards. I'm not sure where Afflalo fits in with the team next year unless someone gets hurt. Between Billups, Rip and Stuckey there won't be a lot of extra PT to be had.<BR/><BR/>I can't believe Rasheed's contract is expiring already. It seems like just yesterday that Dumars resigned him and cut Memo lose. As you point out, expiring contracts are valuable in the NBA, but I don't imagine Joe D will trade him. Makes more sense to use him for a potential title run next year and evaluate after the season whether to resign him or use the cap room from the expiring contract to go after a free agent. According the EPSN NBA Trade Machine Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand and Shawn Marion could potentially be available on the free agent market after next season. The Pistons will also have to resign Stuckey.<BR/><BR/>I feel like we saw as close to the best that the Celtics have to offer with the lineup they used on Thursday, except for Rondo. He either needs to start shooting or get off the floor. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sam Cassell back in for Boston tonight. Either way, I just hope Pierce cools off a little. If he doesn't knock down so many tough shots with the shot clock running down on Thursday the Pistons would have run away with that game.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09822670113795896178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20500414.post-83855046187073426682008-05-23T23:27:00.000-04:002008-05-23T23:27:00.000-04:00Other than the Rodney White fiasco, I would posit ...Other than the Rodney White fiasco, I would posit that Joe D's drafts haven't been as bad as some would make out. I know that the Mateen Cleaves thing didn't work out, but when Joe drafted him he thought that Grant Hill was coming back and he didn't need to draft a forward and Cleaves was a local guy coming off a national championship. All of his prior injuries finally took their toll and he never quite made it--I just hope he invested his bonus money in something other than Escalades. <BR/><BR/>And Darko, the guy was 17 and everybody wanted him, except the Cavs. And, it made perfect sense at the time--he had a small forward in Prince who ready for a breakthrough even though Carlisle didn't think so, hence no need for Carmelo. He had two guards who were part of 50 win teams, hence DWade wasn't that attractive a commodity. He had Ben Wallace and Mehmet Okur playing pretty much full time, hence no real need for Chris Bosh. With this in mind, Darko makes sense as a project. It would have made more sense to return the pick to the Griz for Pau Gasol, which the Griz were ready to do, but failing that taking Darko made as much sense as any other pick at the time. It certainly didn't help his development that Darko broke his wrist or hand during garbage time of the fifth game of the Finals rout of the Lakers or that the Great Teacher, Larry Brown, apparently couldn't teach Darko or didn't care to try. <BR/><BR/>I think Joe D's strength has always been his ability to evaluate pro players and to pry the right ones loose at the right time for damned near nothing and to let the wrong ones go when necessary. That is why I expect to see some changes this summer, parade or not in June. Joe D will not commit long term to someone with only a year left on his tires--see Ben Wallace--nor will he overpay a "superstar" other GM's will--see the Nuggets and Allen Iverson.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com