Don

[Oracle]

I have to agree!

When the scuttlebutt is about bringing Stuckey back from the dead from the two coaches(Chauncey being the floor coach), I wonder where this logic comes from!

I hope it's all designed to get the last drop of productivity out of Stuckey before they dump him, because the lunacy of giving Stuckey another contract should make every Piston fan sick!

I'll be the first to say Knight didn't live up to what we thought he would be in his 2nd year, but he's got more qualities for the PG position than Stuckey, whose idea of getting anywhere on the floor he wants, involves running someone over!

Even though Knight failed to impress me with his FT shooting, questionable turnovers constantly trying to split defenders, poor decisions on passes, all of that is symptomatic of a young player.

Where he did impress is on defense where he handled ALL of the top young PG's on a regular basis as the Pistons fared well against those teams. I'll take that level of defensive improvement and see if he can correct the other problems(70's percent FT shooting is horrible for a PG).

I do want Stuckey to have a great year because it enhances his value and ultimately, I really do wish him success on his next job!

BTW, I do agree with Seb on one thing! If Joe wants to correct more wrongs, bringing Afflalo back would be a good thing to do! Pope won't be that good for awhile, and Afflalo is a high quality SG!

In the Oddities Department: Andre Drummond is a 50-percent career 3-point shooter... go figure  !

[cool breeze]

How many Piston fans have any knowledge of an ACL injury. I know a lot of my former teammates and myself ended their careers as players with that injury. I don't know of anyone who has ever been the same. We will see how Rose plays this season. Great players will still be able to outsmart some of the mentally challenged and they will still be effective but that edge that made them great will never be there again. Today the surgery offers a much better outcome if there was no other damage to the knee other than the ACL. Would Joe Dumars give away a guy like Knight or another rotation player to pick up Rondo? I really didn't think he played very well this past season before his injury. Rondo is a weird guy who doesn't get along with many people. I just wish that I could trust our GM more. That is what I feel bad about these days. I have no confidence that Joe Dumars is capable of making the right moves because of all the crazy things he has done in the past. I am still wondering what in hell was going through Dumars mind when he gave away Affalo and Budinger to protect playing time for Daye. Why did Joe draft Daye? Why did he sign Bynum to a 2 year contract? Is Cheeks a YES MAN? Has he been talking to Brandon Knight or does he expect Dumars will trade him before training camp? Like I said, I have zero confidence in the ability of Joe Dumars to do the right thing or the smart thing anymore. I hope he proves me wrong. I like the Billups pickup and Pope might help the team. But we still have Bynum and Stuckey who were the two guards who have been part of a lot of losing games. Neither seem to be interested in playing defense. Nobody wins if they cannot play defense in the NBA these days.

[FlyDog]

Hi Oracle and Wise. I've been fine......just needed to not think about the Pistons for awhile. They are truly depressing. Same reason I haven't been on the Lions Forum since the end of last season. Just posted there today too: http://www.lionslair.net/Forum/index.php?p=/discussions

I'll try them again this year......it seems there may be a glimmer of hope. We'll see.

[WTF]

Da Return Of Da Dog! Sweet!!!

First Mr. Fly, What happen to the Lions site? and second Ho Da Hell Have Been?

Okay I've been sitting back reading everyone the past couple of weeks especially concerning our back-court and I must say where's all the freaking optimism go. Granted everyone thinks Knight I a lock to turn the corner soon but, I don' think Joe and Cheeks are feeling the same way. If they think they can resurrect Stuckey game I say go for it because as bad as he's been he's still the best guard on this team when focused.

Siva could very well be here to take to take Knight's spot so don't be surprised if that happens and Knight is dealt. I can see the backcourt when Joe is done looking like CB, Stuckey starting and Pope and Siva backing them up. Still not sure why we signed Bynum and yes Joe slipped on offering Nate Robinson a deal.

IMO perimeter shooting is being over-stated as being an issue. I'm not going to panic because Smith can' he 3's you still can't argue the numbers he produce and say we can't benefit from them. Tay shooting percentages weren't that much better and he certainly couldn't score and rebound in the manner of Smith. Charlie still is capable of stretching the floor and as old as Billups my be you can't leave him open. Really the whole team is damn near capable of stretching the floor and in all honesty the 2004 wasn't that great at it either and won with their defense.

[Oracle]

Fly Dog...I'm glad I flushed you out of the tall grass.  Don't be a stranger, and how ya been?

Back on topic:  I know after 4 years that it's hard to accept that the Pistons might have actually improved enough to be a playoff team.  I'm pretty jaded by the last 4 years also.

But look at our competition...the Hawks, Wizards, Cavs and Bucks.  Logically speaking, do you really think it's unrealistice that the Pistons finish ahead of 2 of those crummy teams?   I like our chances.

Hi Murph.......I'm doing well, thanks for asking.  Unrealistic?  No, not at all.  But certainly no lock.  I don't blame the pundits for brushing us off, after 4 straight years of misery, incompetence and basically hardly even an NBA afterthought.

Hey Fly, good to see you posting again, don't be a stranger!

I don't like the way we've been dissed by ESPN and some of the other talking heads, but I do agree with you!

Why should they believe in a team that's made so many dumb mistakes that unfortunately we all hoped would work, but never did!

This time is different, but again, it's NOT a lock, there are things that could go wrong! At the risk of repeating myself, here are the possible biggies.

1. Playing Smith at the 3 is a disaster
2. Our outside shooting doesn't improve enough
3. Cheeks can't coach, or is only slightly better than Frank
4. Joe botches the guard situation and promotes the wrong guard and trades the right guard
5. Smith becomes disgruntled because nobody likes his long 2's and brick 3's

Any of those 5 would be a problem, but 2-3 out of the 5 likely spells lottery!

[Sebastian]

Sebastian, I see you working and you're very talented; I was sold on the pure logic of your post (BK7 returning home, and the fact J.J. needs an opportunity, better than the one he has in Detroit), and then I looked at your bottom line. :lol):This is no more than a move to clear space for Stuckey to dominate the PT at PG, resigning him to another outrageous contract, and getting the main competition out of town! That's why we lost Arron Afflalo in the first place! I personally hope it doesn't happen. I know this is going to be hard for you to swallow, but Stuckey is the closet thing to an anti-good luck charm as you can get; THIS TEAM HAS GONE DOWN SINCE HE'S BEEN A FEATURED PLAYER!! Coincidence? I don't think so. What I believe is that in spite of what talent he does have, he' doesn't have what it takes to be a Piston. He doesn't fit in the mold of a long line of great Pistons guards, and I would rank him near the end of all of them. Good post though, and a great idea.

Sebastian, thanks for the warning, that was thoughtful.

DX, the trade proposal to swap B. Knight and Jerebko for Afflalo is a genuine proposition of acquiring a legitimate starting two guard and not some diabolical attempt to set Stuckey up to be a Piston for life, although (admittedly) this trade could set Stuckey to wearing the Piston #3 far longer than yourself and an audience of others would like.

Seriously, this trade, puts a real pro at the two guard position. Afflalo is a player who can get his on the offensive end; has three point range; and is a very good free throw shooter. He would be the perfect player to serve as a tutor to KCP. And, as stated in the previous, related post, KCP would get some quality minutes. Must I remind Pistons fans that KCP has yet to play a single NBA game. It wouldn't be very smart to have KCP, as the only true SG on the roster.

As I have written: I like B; Knight and Jerebko, as players. But Aaron Afflalo gives US what WE will need at the starting SG-position. He totally balances OUR backcourt. He is an elite defender at the position and a serious-minded player. An addition of Aaron Afflalo would make US a serious opponent to any of the so-called "elite" NBA teams and adding Afflalo to OUR roster puts everybody else in their correct positions.

Folks must admit that Stuckey would be the quintessential first guard off the bench, relieving the wise, soon-to-be 37-year old Chauncey. Equally, as important moving B. Knight makes Will B.'s signing more useful. The glut at the PG position is way too unbalanced at the present time.

[FlyDog]

Fly Dog...I'm glad I flushed you out of the tall grass.  Don't be a stranger, and how ya been?

Back on topic:  I know after 4 years that it's hard to accept that the Pistons might have actually improved enough to be a playoff team.  I'm pretty jaded by the last 4 years also.

But look at our competition...the Hawks, Wizards, Cavs and Bucks.  Logically speaking, do you really think it's unrealistice that the Pistons finish ahead of 2 of those crummy teams?   I like our chances.

Hi Murph.......I'm doing well, thanks for asking. Unrealistic? No, not at all. But certainly no lock. I don't blame the pundits for brushing us off, after 4 straight years of misery, incompetence and basically hardly even an NBA afterthought.

[Murph]

Fly Dog...I'm glad I flushed you out of the tall grass. Don't be a stranger, and how ya been?

Back on topic: I know after 4 years that it's hard to accept that the Pistons might have actually improved enough to be a playoff team. I'm pretty jaded by the last 4 years also.

But look at our competition...the Hawks, Wizards, Cavs and Bucks. Logically speaking, do you really think it's unrealistice that the Pistons finish ahead of 2 of those crummy teams? I like our chances.

[FlyDog]

This team has been so bad for so long. Not sure how adding an overrated Smith and an over-the-hill Billups instantly puts us in the Playoffs. ESPN is probably right. Sorry. And hello.

[Murph]

To emphasize one of Don's earlier posts...this is why ya gotta love Billups. He calls up Monroe and Drummond to take them out to dinner. Then he speaks up to support the embattled Rodney Stuckey. These are very simple gestures that go a long way toward building team chemistry.

For the price of dinner for three, Billups went a long way toward building chemisgtry and good will among himself, Monroe and Drummond.

And it costs nothing for Billups to support Stuckey, in an attempt to boost Stuckey's confidence and standing on the team.

Don is correct. In a matter of just a couple of weeks, Billups has demonstrated the leadership that the Pistons have been missing for 5 long years, since Joe inexplicably dumped Billups in a bout of temporary insanity.

[Murph]

So if you read ESPN's predictions for the Eastern Conference more closely, you'll see that ESPN projects the Hawks, Wizards, Cavs and Bucks to all finish ahead of the Pistons. So all the Pistons have to do to prove ESPN wrong is to finish ahead of 2 of those 4 teams. That should not be a problem. The Cavs were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season, and the Hawks lost a lot of talent when they lost Smith. And to be honest, the Wizards and the Bucks don't scare me much either.

In other words, I like our chances of making the playoffs. Joe finally went to work in a positive way this off season and Tom Gores opened up his wallet....when the Pistons signed Smith and Billups. We've been wondering in lottery hell for 4 long years now. Barring a serious injury to one of our front court starters, I'm looking forward to watching our 'Stones in a few first round playoff games this year.  

[deusXango]

Sebastian, I see you working and you're very talented; I was sold on the pure logic of your post (BK7 returning home, and the fact J.J. needs an opportunity, better than the one he has in Detroit), and then I looked at your bottom line. :lol):This is no more than a move to clear space for Stuckey to dominate the PT at PG, resigning him to another outrageous contract, and getting the main competition out of town! That's why we lost Arron Afflalo in the first place! I personally hope it doesn't happen. I know this is going to be hard for you to swallow, but Stuckey is the closet thing to an anti-good luck charm as you can get; THIS TEAM HAS GONE DOWN SINCE HE'S BEEN A FEATURED PLAYER!! Coincidence? I don't think so. What I believe is that in spite of what talent he does have, he' doesn't have what it takes to be a Piston. He doesn't fit in the mold of a long line of great Pistons guards, and I would rank him near the end of all of them. Good post though, and a great idea.

Sebastian, thanks for the warning, that was thoughtful.

[Oracle]

Something is going on here!

First Cheeks talks of Stuckey on day one, now Chauncey is saying that Stuckey could be a great player! Has the rehabilitation of Stuckey begun?

We all know that Jesus brought back Lazarus, and while Joe is a bit overweight and a few miracles short for the part of Jesus, I smell Joe trying to raise Stuckey's PG career from the dead!

But it makes no sense!!!

Why pass on two of the best PG's in recent years in Burke & MCW, and dream about Stuckey when Knight projects to me way better than Stuckey as a PG in just about every aspect?

This behavior makes me believe that Joe has already seen his PG of the future and he's working his way towards getting him here, and that player may be Rondo!

Of course no GM in his right mind would pull the trigger on a trade for Rondo coming off that ACL injury, only the team of record has to shoulder that risk!

However, once Rondo proves that he's back, then it's time to clear up the log jam at PG and do a deal that moves Knight, who would be the center piece of the trade, plus filler to Boston for Rondo.

Since we won't give up either Monroe or Drummond, another team may be involved. Joe and Danny have a history of working deals together, and this is the only thing that makes sense from the behavior and signs given off by all of the Pistons that we know have inside information.

Either BK7 plays his arse off and makes himself untradeable or he will probably need to pack his bags!

[Sebastian]

Regarding OUR current roster of guards, the consensus seems to be of the lot:

1- Chauncey: probably will start; Leader; Teacher; Great decision-maker, big shoot maker, and free throw maker.
2- B. Knight: young, may start with Chaunce in the SG position, causing cross match-up scenarios when playing defense, good shooter with 3-point range, questionable handle, young, tough player who still has no true position (rookie contract)
3- Stuckey: a good to decent PG, plays better when the ball is in his hands, guards the position very well, very good free throw shooter, who gets call, contract season ('13-'14); the dude can play. Perfect in a 6th-man role. (expiring contract)  
4- Will B.: Spark plug off the bench. He's the alley to Dre Drummond's oop. Good on ball defender on opposing PG, physically strong player.
5- KCP: A 21-year old rookie. Who has range on his jumper. Can stay in front of his man, during his college career and during the Orlando Summer League (I hate that they play in that small ass gym. Las Vegas is the real Summer League.). I like the kid and glad that WE drafted him.
6- Siva looks like the odd man out.

The Trade:
DX make sure that you are not chewing anything from this point of the post.

B. Knight and Jerebko to Orlando for Afflalo.
http://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/6325249

This trade benefits all parties involved.

The Magic get a young and bigger PG to play in their youth movement. B. Knight can be easily marketed to the community, as he is from the area. Jerebko adds to their front line. An active player, who does a lot of different things when on the floor. Again, a guy who can be sold to the Orlando community. And, a good player under a very reasonable contract.

WE get a true, starting NBA SG, who has range on his jumper, cerebral player and tough defender. Under a reasonable contract for the next three years. A fixture at the SG position. KCP fans, which includes me, need not worry, Afflalo want play 48 minutes, maybe 32-33 minutes which leaves KCP about 15-16 each night.

This trade would correct a wrong that Joe made, when he just gave Afflalo to the Nuggets for absolutely nothing in return. It would not be a feel good story act, either, it would be the move that cements US in the 4th-spot in the East and a serious ass contender to make real noise.

I like Jereko, but there is no need for him with Smoove, Singler, Linguine, T. Mitchell, hell Charlie V., Moose, too.  And, this move would create a possible roster spot for you, Peyton Siva fans.

PG- Chauncey/Stuckey*/Will B.
SG- Afflalo/KCP

Joe could save his job with this move.

*Stuckey can play 32 minutes per night, saving Chauncey from killing himself;or if Chauncey gets hurt he can start, if needed.

[merc]

DX, There shouldn't be a set rotation that is set in stone... it should come down to matchups and who is playing well together.
Most of our points won't come from offensive sets... the boards will be crashed... offensive rebounds for putbacks and kickouts... the key to beating the Pistons will be to get enough rebounds (hard to do)... our bigs should be able to back down most players... then the slugfest is on.... it should be ugly beauty :^)

[deusXango]

I understand that what I'm about to say is going to be unpopular, and rub some people the wrong way, however, the open-minded will take a look at it. The national media and a great number of fans have questioned the wisdom of signing Josh Smith, and wonder how effective our Big 3 will fare out, over the course of the season; this sense of doubt is rooted in the awkward idea of playing them all together, which could spell doom.

The first thing I want to get said is, any team that boasts of having Greg Monroe, Josh Smith, and Andre Drummond on their roster is a force to be reckoned with! That being said, all of them don't need to hit the floor at the same time. The move that'll immortalize Mo Cheeks as one of the all time Pistons greats (as a coach) will be the one where he convinces/sells one of his big men to anchor the 2nd unit, ala, Vinnie Johnson. That 2nd unit will be equal to our starters, and our starting unit won't be anything to sneeze at! Employing two units didn't originate with Larry Brown, it goes all the way back to the Chuck Daly coached Bad Boys, and can be revived today, with the group of players Joe has assembled; all we need is for Cheeks to show a pair, and use the resources at hand to sell the team on it. Fans will kick, until the team starts to steamroll over other teams expected to make the playoffs.

Josh Smith is the starting replacement for Jason Maxiell, and is a fantastic upgrade over him; Greg Monroe has never had a talent in the paint with him that has the skill level and athleticism that Smith has. Think about it. Fans have been singing that Monroe is not capable of playing PF, he's a center and Smith is not a SF, but a PF, so why not play them where they'd be most effective? Drummond is the wild card. For 20-25 minutes a game there is no one in the NBA that's better than Andre Drummond coming off a bench! Don't pass out on me when you ate up that sh!t when it was coming from Lil' Larry, and the Pistons had nowhere near the talent it does now. Pair him up with Smith or Tony Mitchell, and the paint on the defensive end is nowhere for the weak to venture into, and this is where Chauncey can shine; him or Bynum (depending on Chauncey's health) as offensive facilitators.

Who's going to start with Monroe and Smith? Let's see what Luigi Datome is going to bring to the table; if he's as good as advertised, that's our floor spreader so the Moose and J-Smoove can operate on the interior, without bumping into each other. Brandon Knight has players around him to make his game show what we couldn't see, when we had a coach who didn't believe in running precise offensive schemes. KCP should be starting from opening night, in the backcourt with BK7, and Gigi should join J-Smoove in the new and improved frontline with the Moose; fans...paying fans want to see something different from what they've seem for the last few years, that was boring and mediocre.

THIS IS A ROTATION THAT CAN'T HELP BUT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, INSPITE OF WHAT ESPN (HOME OF THE GREAT OZ) PREDICTS!!! All we need to happen is for Cheeks to coach like he really knows how, and for Joe to stay the hell out of the way! Do like the great GM's do, sit back and watch what you've created do major damage, night after night.

[Sebastian]

Well ESPN has projected us to finish 10th in the east. Is that even possible?

Well, yes, but if it happens, it won't be because of the players!

If you started BK7 or Stuckey, or hell, even Bynum, this team should STILL make the playoffs! IMO, the point guards on board possess enough skill to  navigate a successful regular season and make at a minimum 8th seed!

The only way that we fail to make the playoffs could only be coaching, IMO!

If Larry Brown was coaching this team it would be a threat to WIN the east! He would tinker with the lineup for at least 30 games, and likely lose some games he could have won, but would stick to trying to figure out the best lineups and players weaknesses and strengths!

The rest of the season would be kicking ass and taking names!

But we don't have the great one, and Cheeks likely would get killed everywhere if he took that long and things looked bad! Cheeks is going to have to be a quick learner.

Some of what Cheeks needs to determine and we need to learn:

1. We have several PG's. Which PG is best in which situation, and situations will be determined by #2
2. What tempo will we play most often? The Pistons used to be the 9th slowest tempo team in the NBA last year, will that change? Will he adopt a playoff style all regular season, like LB? Style will determine best personnel.
3. How do you play the bigs? Do you start out with the big 3 and then substitute so that you either maximize scoring(Monroe/Smith) or defense(Drummond/Smith). How is Cheeks with in game adjustments?
4. How deep will you go into the bench? I don't know Cheeks, is he a LB type that limits the lineup, but substitutes based on matchups, or a Carlisle type that plays two groups of players?

Lastly, KCP & the Walter Herrmann looking dude need to be 3 point threats! If they are, everything else will be easy, and Cheeks may look like a genius!

Either way, IMO, coaching is the single biggest factor next season, and if Cheeks gets it together, we'll win big, if not, we could miss the playoffs(in the worst case).

Piston fans will remember this proclamation. Remember, ESPN "experts" were the same bozos, who a year ago pick the Lakers to win the West.

Oracle, your analyses and concerns are very keen. Mo' will need to get to know each guy's strengths and weaknesses and then he must determine their specific job descriptions. Have this roster playing in a playoff-mode from the very first session of Training Camp.

WE have an array of talent, no doubt. Certainly a tremendous talent upgrade compared to recent season's past ('09-'13).

Your question/concern regarding Mo's application of the talent is something that even he will need to sharpen each day going forward. Signing Chaunce was a masterful move by Joe, as Chauncey's value will be priceless for the next year and/or two.

That dude, Thibbedeau, is a coach who's focus I respect, a lot. I'm not expecting Mo to become Thibbs, but I would appreciate it greatly if he has a much sharper focus than during his previous stints.

[Oracle]

Well ESPN has projected us to finish 10th in the east. Is that even possible?

Well, yes, but if it happens, it won't be because of the players!

If you started BK7 or Stuckey, or hell, even Bynum, this team should STILL make the playoffs! IMO, the point guards on board possess enough skill to  navigate a successful regular season and make at a minimum 8th seed!

The only way that we fail to make the playoffs could only be coaching, IMO!

If Larry Brown was coaching this team it would be a threat to WIN the east! He would tinker with the lineup for at least 30 games, and likely lose some games he could have won, but would stick to trying to figure out the best lineups and players weaknesses and strengths!

The rest of the season would be kicking ass and taking names!

But we don't have the great one, and Cheeks likely would get killed everywhere if he took that long and things looked bad! Cheeks is going to have to be a quick learner.

Some of what Cheeks needs to determine and we need to learn:

1. We have several PG's. Which PG is best in which situation, and situations will be determined by #2
2. What tempo will we play most often? The Pistons used to be the 9th slowest tempo team in the NBA last year, will that change? Will he adopt a playoff style all regular season, like LB? Style will determine best personnel.
3. How do you play the bigs? Do you start out with the big 3 and then substitute so that you either maximize scoring(Monroe/Smith) or defense(Drummond/Smith). How is Cheeks with in game adjustments?
4. How deep will you go into the bench? I don't know Cheeks, is he a LB type that limits the lineup, but substitutes based on matchups, or a Carlisle type that plays two groups of players?

Lastly, KCP & the Walter Herrmann looking dude need to be 3 point threats! If they are, everything else will be easy, and Cheeks may look like a genius!

Either way, IMO, coaching is the single biggest factor next season, and if Cheeks gets it together, we'll win big, if not, we could miss the playoffs(in the worst case).

[Oracle]

"Oracle a lot has been said about the impact Billups will have with this Piston team next season. Some fans believe that Billups is finished as a real NBA player. And people try to figure out how things will play out relating to who will be the starting point guard. I really don't believe that the focus should be on this stuff. What is important is that Billups is part of the Piston organization again. He will have a huge impact on this team in many ways just like he did when the Pistons made the Final 4 so many times during his years as a Piston. Just reading today's article in the News about Billups taking Monroe and Drummond out to dinner as those two players compete for spots on the USA future team makes me happy. Billups has done so much behind the scenes to bring teammates together and to creating the belief that winning is possible. Billups can still set up an offense and he is still a good outside shooter and a guy who can make key shots in games. It shouldn't matter who starts at point guard because they will both play that position a lot. I am wondering which player will play the best with the 2nd unit. Any point guard playing with Smith will look good for sure. There are so many more options for a point guard when Monroe and Smith are playing together on offense. It will be more difficult for the point guard who plays with the 2nd unit when Smith is not playing. Drummond is not an efficient offensive threat. Will JJ step up this season? I look at the other players who are playing with a point guard when trying to predict how well the offense will perform. But one thing I know for sure is that Billups will bring a winning attitude regardless of how much time is plays this season. This will be a new thing for the young players. He will make those guys become more responsible players. I am looking for the young guys including Monroe to show that they can play at a high level for more than one game in a row this year. Billups and Rasheed will be so good for the young guys learning the mental part of being consistent players who build up to the point that they refuse to lose basketball games." - Don

Excellent post!!!

I totally agree, and I'm not fixated on who starts although, IMO, an improved Knight is in the best interest of this team next season and into the future.

But the gist of your post is what Chauncey brings to the team, and you're right, it goes so much further than his play!

Chauncey is a statesman, a fierce competitor, and more importantly, a winner! Sheed is everything that Chauncey is minus being a statesman

I'm really looking forward to next season because even though we have that big 3, mixing and matching them will be interesting!

With Monroe & Smith in there, we have a potent scoring duo that will be hard to stop!

With Drummond & Smith, we have the most athletic duo in the NBA, and defensively will be a terror!

Exciting stuff!

[Oracle]

How Detroit Pistons Can Make Sure Josh Smith's Arrival Actually Works

Andre Drummond vs. Jonas Valanciunas: Which Center Will Have Better NBA Career?

[cool breeze]

The entire article is good, but I thought this was interesting about Knight vs Chauncey!

"Regardless of Billups' leadership and experience, Knight will be the Pistons' best option to start at point guard if he shows even moderate improvement from last season.

Last season Billups was the more efficient offensive player, with a PER nearly three points higher than Knight. He turned the ball over less and was 20 percent better from the line (93.8 to 73.3 percent). But outside of those areas, Billups wasn't much better.

Billups was the slightly better scorer, averaging 15.8 points per 36 minutes, compared to Knight's 15.2. Knight shot half a percent better from the field (40.7 to 40.2), and both made 36.7 percent of their threes. He also averaged slightly more rebounds and assists per 36 minutes than Billups.

Knight is just 21 and will benefit from the best surrounding cast he's had in his three NBA seasons. Billups will be 37 at the start of the season and has suffered foot and Achilles injuries over the past two seasons.

The ceiling for Knight's 2013-14 season is substantially higher than Billups'.

Throw in Knight's superior defensive ability (he gave up a PER of 11.2 to opposing point guards, Billups gave up an 18.6, per 82games.com), and there's no doubt that he brings the most to the table at point guard for the Pistons. But given his lack of improvement from his first to second year, there's no guarantee he will maximize his talents.

Knight has a great deal of skill, but he's underperformed during his first two seasons. His ability to start living up to his potential and become an above-average NBA point guard will play a big role in how successful the Pistons are this season." - Players Who Must Step Up for the Detroit Pistons Next Season

Oracle a lot has been said about the impact Billups will have with this Piston team next season. Some fans believe that Billups is finished as a real NBA player. And people try to figure out how things will play out relating to who will be the starting point guard. I really don't believe that the focus should be on this stuff. What is important is that Billups is part of the Piston organization again. He will have a huge impact on this team in many ways just like he did when the Pistons made the Final 4 so many times during his years as a Piston. Just reading today's article in the News about Billups taking Monroe and Drummond out to dinner as those two players compete for spots on the USA future team makes me happy. Billups has done so much behind the scenes to bring teammates together and to creating the belief that winning is possible. Billups can still set up an offense and he is still a good outside shooter and a guy who can make key shots in games. It shouldn't matter who starts at point guard because they will both play that position a lot. I am wondering which player will play the best with the 2nd unit. Any point guard playing with Smith will look good for sure. There are so many more options for a point guard when Monroe and Smith are playing together on offense. It will be more difficult for the point guard who plays with the 2nd unit when Smith is not playing. Drummond is not an efficient offensive threat. Will JJ step up this season? I look at the other players who are playing with a point guard when trying to predict how well the offense will perform. But one thing I know for sure is that Billups will bring a winning attitude regardless of how much time is plays this season. This will be a new thing for the young players. He will make those guys become more responsible players. I am looking for the young guys including Monroe to show that they can play at a high level for more than one game in a row this year. Billups and Rasheed will be so good for the young guys learning the mental part of being consistent players who build up to the point that they refuse to lose basketball games.

[cool breeze]

So why would Joe Dumars let Payton walk away from this team? This must be an agent thing once again. I know many of you don't believe there is anything true about the power of sports agents. I still cannot get on the program relating to Bynum. It makes no sense yet Joe did it. Everyone in the league knows that Bynum is not a point guard. At Arizona he was a shooting guard because the coaching staff recognized that he had no idea as to how to involve other players in an offense. Nothing as changed. He is a guy who needs the ball in his hands for one purpose and that is to shoot the ball. What kind of point guard do we currently need on this team? Do we need a guy who dribbles out the shot clock on every possession and makes a mad drive to the basket? That stuff should be in the past because Detroit now has better players. Siva has shown through his career that he knows how to set his teammates up and demands discipline from his teammates relating to spacing on the floor. We have players who can score including Monroe and Smith. They need to touch the basketball. If Dumars wanted to sign Smith then why didn't he see that Bynum is not a good fit? I think this signing of Bynum has nothing to do with what is good for this Piston team. It has everything to do with Bynum's agent and his relationship with Dumars. When things make no sense, then we need to start looking at things that have nothing to do with what is best for the team. And I am amazed at how some of the sports writers have jumped on the bandwagon saying stuff like Detroit really made a great deal getting Bynum so cheap. That is a damn joke. How much did Darren Collison sign his contract for or Nate Robinson? No Joe gave Bynum a two year deal for a significant amount of money. And Bynum has been part of the losing culture where individual play is more important than team play. And the big weakness for the last two seasons was defense played by our guards. In my opinion, Bynum has been the worst guard defender on the team for the past two seasons. I am not mad at Will, but all focus should be on Joe Dumars and his lack of insight on building a real playoff team. If Dumars signed Bynum for purposes of including him in a trade deal then he is a better man than I am thinking he is right now. That idea makes no sense to me either because few teams really want a guy like Will Bynum who are building a young team not capable of making the playoffs. And any team that is capable of making the playoffs already knows that guys like Bynum are a liability because the opposing team can attack Bynum on offense and easily stop an offense with Bynum playing the point guard position. Some of us fans have been coaches and players. We must watch Piston games with a more objective view than the GM who feels he must appease certain agents at times.

[Oracle]

The entire article is good, but I thought this was interesting about Knight vs Chauncey!

"Regardless of Billups' leadership and experience, Knight will be the Pistons' best option to start at point guard if he shows even moderate improvement from last season.

Last season Billups was the more efficient offensive player, with a PER nearly three points higher than Knight. He turned the ball over less and was 20 percent better from the line (93.8 to 73.3 percent). But outside of those areas, Billups wasn't much better.

Billups was the slightly better scorer, averaging 15.8 points per 36 minutes, compared to Knight's 15.2. Knight shot half a percent better from the field (40.7 to 40.2), and both made 36.7 percent of their threes. He also averaged slightly more rebounds and assists per 36 minutes than Billups.

Knight is just 21 and will benefit from the best surrounding cast he's had in his three NBA seasons. Billups will be 37 at the start of the season and has suffered foot and Achilles injuries over the past two seasons.

The ceiling for Knight's 2013-14 season is substantially higher than Billups'.

Throw in Knight's superior defensive ability (he gave up a PER of 11.2 to opposing point guards, Billups gave up an 18.6, per 82games.com), and there's no doubt that he brings the most to the table at point guard for the Pistons. But given his lack of improvement from his first to second year, there's no guarantee he will maximize his talents.

Knight has a great deal of skill, but he's underperformed during his first two seasons. His ability to start living up to his potential and become an above-average NBA point guard will play a big role in how successful the Pistons are this season." - Players Who Must Step Up for the Detroit Pistons Next Season

[cool breeze]

Michael Curry is Better Than He's Given Credit For

Very funny Oracle. We better hope that Joe doesn't read this stuff or he might want to sign Curry again to start at the 3. How can we forget how opposing defenses could leave Curry all alone as well as Ben Wallace. It was 5 against 3 with Detroit going down 3-1 in that series against Orlando. Wouldn't you know once Curry sustained an injury, Prince came in to help the Pistons win that series. Otherwise, Joe would have been puzzled as to why Detroit lost so badly.

[Sparma]

Jurrjens and Bonderman back with the Tigers.

Billups and Sheed back with the Pistons.

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