The Monroe Chronicles...

[Oracle]

This is why I keep saying its not an issue of Josh vs Monroe but what fits best with Andre since the idea is to build around him.  Josh fits now oppose to the hopes of Monroe fitting later and that taking a sure thing over and unknown.  

Yes, you have been saying that for some time. However, there seems to be a consensus that Monroe is the piece we should keep if possible. Here is the growing train of thought.

"The report leaves out another reason the Drummond-Monroe pairing didn’t work: the signing of Josh Smith, who was forced to play out of position at small forward.

There is the strong possibility that the Pistons could seek to trade Smith this off-season, with the expectation of not getting much in return because of the $40 million he is owed over the next three seasons. It could be a case of addition by subtraction." - Stan Van Gundy calls pending restricted free agent Greg Monroe, says he's a fan

"Of that trio, Drummond is by far the most valuable player. After that, I’d rank Monroe – even on a max deal – simply due to his age. Smith (28) is likely to have declined by the time Drummond (20) enters his peak, but Monroe (23) will have a career arc that more closely overlaps with Drummond’s. The Pistons should focus on maximizing their roster for Drummond’s prime years, when he could be one of the NBA’s top players.

Plus, Monroe is already about as good as Smith. Monroe averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last season, and although he doesn’t defend as well as Smith, he also doesn’t destroy the flow of the offense with as many forced shots and sloppy turnovers.

Van Gundy has the power, based on salary and title (president of basketball operations, head coach), to take the long view. Monroe is a good, young, big man, and that makes him valuable. You don’t let valuable pieces walk away for nothing, even if they don’t fit right away.

The Pistons – if they can’t find a trade that returns equal value – should re-sign Monroe and try to trade him and/or Smith later. It’s not worth selling low now. Van Gundy’s job is not in jeopardy, and he can survive the growing pains that result from keeping Monroe.

Soon enough, Monroe would help the Pistons – either by another team stepping up with a better trade offer without Monroe on the free agent market or Van Gundy realizing he can use a player of that caliber after all." - Report: Greg Monroe out with the Stan Van Gundy’s Pistons (update: maybe not)

""I know, I know [Smith] has 3 years and 40 million left. But unmovable [Rudy] Gay was traded twice in a calendar year. ...Gilbert Arenas was moved. Now, you might not get anything of value back, but if you just want to move somebody, it's possible."

Should the Pistons be offered a draft pick or two, just get Smith out of "The D." Shipping the 10-year pro elsewhere frees up even more cap space for future seasons and relieves an ongoing offensive headache.

Re-signing Monroe—even at max-contract money—and relying on Van Gundy to find a way to use him effectively is clearly the better option, and that should be the preferred method in Detroit." - Josh Smith or Greg Monroe: Who Should Detroit Pistons Keep?

[WTF]

DX & Wise, Josh Smith is NOT the Pistons, neither is Monroe, so let's not get it twisted!

Jumping down Josh's throat, or bashing Monroe is fine if it's coming from a perspective of making the team better. - Oracle


Oracle, its all from a perspective of making the team better, when I speak about either Josh or Monroe it based solely on their capability as players as of today and not on the premise of what could be later down the road.

There's always three sides to a story Monroe's, Josh's and then reality. The reality is the perspective of making the team better so from that, the idea thing would be to do what should have been done from the very beginning which was to start Josh and Monroe and bring Drummond off the bench. Still it comes down to what the team wants in the end.

IMO all three players (Josh, Moose, and Andre) are all individually talented players in their own right and they all bring something different to the team but those talents aren't used correctly. I never been one of trying to make something fit that doesn't and it was almost obvious before the three hit the floor that it wouldn't work.

I don't care if Moose ever has a mid-range game but as long as there this insistence that he plays PF then he needs a mid range game. I don't care if Josh improve his 3's percentage but as long there the insistence to play him as a SF he needs to get better. In either case neither is in the perspective of making the team better but getting them both in their proper position is.

This is why I keep saying its not an issue of Josh vs Monroe but what fits best with Andre since the idea is to build around him. Josh fits now oppose to the hopes of Monroe fitting later and that taking a sure thing over and unknown.

[Phil-Good]

"Van Gundy is a big fan of Monroe's game and called him once a deal was struck on Tuesday evening."

That's A really good first few hours on the job. I get the feeling Van Gundy already has A plan for every player on this team.

I would love to see his face when the shot clock has 22 seconds left on it and Jennings jacks up his famous walks up 3pt shot without running 1 play  

Or when J.Smith jacks up `3's like he is Steph Curry. Jennings might get A chance to prove himself but I don't see it going down for him or Smith.

IF getting in contact with Monroe was any sign of things to come I'm A happy Piston fan tonight.

[merc]

From the guy that said SVG will not resign Monroe (Sean Deveney)... "Multiple league executives said that New Orleans, where Monroe is from, would be on his list, and it is easy to imagine a pairing of Monroe with young star big man Anthony Davis."
This doesn't sound like a writer just trying to sell more mags.

[merc]

Maybe Phil Jackson should hire Tom Gores as a consultant.

Right... at least he can get his man

[Oracle]

Singler - SVG will LOVE Singler, BUT the love affair may not last if Singler can't develop a consistent midrange or 3 point game! Singler looked good on a team of dummies that can't shoot, the jury is out if he'll fit in with better mates.

Bynum - Why waste ink, his freelance calling his own number won't fly at all!

Drummond - He'll get a pass on his putrid defense, but it will have to get better

Monroe & Josh - TBD

KCP - Likely won't be starting, and will get the rookie treatment until he gets better! Ditto Mitchell & Siva.

Loyer - He goes back to being a towel waving troll on the bench!

[Oracle]

It's not angst, it's knowing that I can't know what else is in the works that prevents me from jumping to a conclusion.

You repeated what I said as ONE option, and I get it, that's the one you like, and that's fine, but it's ignoring the other options that I find not in the interest of the TEAM!

I said Josh is more ready, but that's a short sighted view, he's still not optimum for the position! He's NOT a stretch 4 and he's undersized, and needs to pack on some pounds!

So if you believe Monroe I a poor fit, Josh is no better, and logically(IMO) you should have liked getting rid of both to get the BEST fit.

Like I said, we don't have enough information to do more than state a preference, which you did, just don't think it's the only or best way to go... we don't know enough!

[deusXango]

DX & Wise, Josh Smith is NOT the Pistons, neither is Monroe, so let's not get it twisted!

Jumping down Josh's throat, or bashing Monroe is fine if it's coming from a perspective of making the team better.

So in that spirit, let's look at both.

Why do teams want Monroe: It's simple, Monroe can do things Smith can only dream about! Monroe is in the top 5 of bigs in this league in the post! Right now he can score on just about anybody! He's developing into a guy that you can toss the ball to and say get me 2 points or get to the line! He's not there yet, but he's close!

Add to that the fact that he's very young, you can bet that while he probably won't be a good shooter from distance, his defense will get better, but you will need to pair him with a defensive big to cover his mistakes!

In short, Monroe can anchor a team and be very effective given a defensive big and some great shooters!

But he can also do that for Detroit if both him and Drummond switch up roles from time to time, but realizing that both are likely to be post dwellers in what they call a 2 in 3 out style offense!

Why do teams want Josh: Josh is a capable scorer from the PF position, and he's well above average defensively! He's at his peak, so loss of talent isn't a major concern yet, but the closer your team is to contending, he's a better choice!

Josh could also excel in a 2 in 3 out style offense! He's more contender ready than Monroe, and quiet as it's kept, this team has contender talent with a couple of new additions, which any GM should be able to make with Stuckey & CV coming off the books and hopefully a #8 draft pick, trades and the MLE!

My Bottom line: If you've got time, get rid of Josh & keep Monroe! In the east, we could be a major contender next year, and in that case Josh is the one you keep then S&T Monroe for some good pieces. The Lakers, Bobcats & Wizards all want Monroe, so picking the right partners will make all the difference(a 3rd team may be required).

Then there is one final option... get rid of both of them and build a new front court around Drummond and call it a day!


That's why I said "What to do", this is a hard one, well above my pay grade, but I'm confident that SVG can figure it out!

Oracle, this may help you with your angst:
The fact that Van Gundy opted for the Pistons over the other team in pursuit of him—the Warriors—offers some insight, one league general manager told Sporting News.

“There are two things that made that job better for Stan,” the GM said. “One is the fact that he gets to make personnel decisions, that is a big deal of course. But the other is Andre Drummond. If you want to build your team around a young player, Drummond is the guy.

"You’re not going to build around both him and Monroe, they had too much trouble making that work. You pick Drummond and move on from Monroe.”
-Sean Deveny

You're right, Monroe or Smith is NOT the Pistons, Drummond is (I didn't get that twisted) and that's who you build around; an honest basketball observer will agree that Smith is a better fit simply because he plays defense, is athletic, and gets up and down the floor faster than Monroe...he's a better PF!!!

[Fennis Dembo]

Maybe Phil Jackson should hire Tom Gores as a consultant.

[cool breeze]

To the Warriors!!!

David Aldridge        ✔ @daldridgetnt   
   
Stunner: Steve Kerr spurns the Knicks, accepts Warriors' head coach job. Story coming on http://NBA.com .
8:12 PM - 14 May 2014

Good move Steve! I will miss Kerr announcing college and NBA games next season. He is by far the best announcer in the game today.

[cool breeze]

DX & Wise, Josh Smith is NOT the Pistons, neither is Monroe, so let's not get it twisted!

Jumping down Josh's throat, or bashing Monroe is fine if it's coming from a perspective of making the team better.

So in that spirit, let's look at both.

Why do teams want Monroe: It's simple, Monroe can do things Smith can only dream about! Monroe is in the top 5 of bigs in this league in the post! Right now he can score on just about anybody! He's developing into a guy that you can toss the ball to and say get me 2 points or get to the line! He's not there yet, but he's close!

Add to that the fact that he's very young, you can bet that while he probably won't be a good shooter from distance, his defense will get better, but you will need to pair him with a defensive big to cover his mistakes!

In short, Monroe can anchor a team and be very effective given a defensive big and some great shooters!

But he can also do that for Detroit if both him and Drummond switch up roles from time to time, but realizing that both are likely to be post dwellers in what they call a 2 in 3 out style offense!

Why do teams want Josh: Josh is a capable scorer from the PF position, and he's well above average defensively! He's at his peak, so loss of talent isn't a major concern yet, but the closer your team is to contending, he's a better choice!

Josh could also excel in a 2 in 3 out style offense! He's more contender ready than Monroe, and quiet as it's kept, this team has contender talent with a couple of new additions, which any GM should be able to make with Stuckey & CV coming off the books and hopefully a #8 draft pick, trades and the MLE!

My Bottom line: If you've got time, get rid of Josh & keep Monroe! In the east, we could be a major contender next year, and in that case Josh is the one you keep then S&T Monroe for some good pieces. The Lakers, Bobcats & Wizards all want Monroe, so picking the right partners will make all the difference(a 3rd team may be required).

Then there is one final option... get rid of both of them and build a new front court around Drummond and call it a day!

That's why I said "What to do", this is a hard one, well above my pay grade, but I'm confident that SVG can figure it out!

Good analysis Oracle. What is exciting now is that we finally have a really smart basketball mind making those decisions. My bet is that Stan has already figured out what he wants to do with the roster. Go Pistons!

[Oracle]

To the Warriors!!!

David Aldridge        ✔ @daldridgetnt   
   
Stunner: Steve Kerr spurns the Knicks, accepts Warriors' head coach job. Story coming on http://NBA.com .
8:12 PM - 14 May 2014

[Oracle]

DX & Wise, Josh Smith is NOT the Pistons, neither is Monroe, so let's not get it twisted!

Jumping down Josh's throat, or bashing Monroe is fine if it's coming from a perspective of making the team better.

So in that spirit, let's look at both.

Why do teams want Monroe: It's simple, Monroe can do things Smith can only dream about! Monroe is in the top 5 of bigs in this league in the post! Right now he can score on just about anybody! He's developing into a guy that you can toss the ball to and say get me 2 points or get to the line! He's not there yet, but he's close!

Add to that the fact that he's very young, you can bet that while he probably won't be a good shooter from distance, his defense will get better, but you will need to pair him with a defensive big to cover his mistakes!

In short, Monroe can anchor a team and be very effective given a defensive big and some great shooters!

But he can also do that for Detroit if both him and Drummond switch up roles from time to time, but realizing that both are likely to be post dwellers in what they call a 2 in 3 out style offense!

Why do teams want Josh: Josh is a capable scorer from the PF position, and he's well above average defensively! He's at his peak, so loss of talent isn't a major concern yet, but the closer your team is to contending, he's a better choice!

Josh could also excel in a 2 in 3 out style offense! He's more contender ready than Monroe, and quiet as it's kept, this team has contender talent with a couple of new additions, which any GM should be able to make with Stuckey & CV coming off the books and hopefully a #8 draft pick, trades and the MLE!

My Bottom line: If you've got time, get rid of Josh & keep Monroe! In the east, we could be a major contender next year, and in that case Josh is the one you keep then S&T Monroe for some good pieces. The Lakers, Bobcats & Wizards all want Monroe, so picking the right partners will make all the difference(a 3rd team may be required).

Then there is one final option... get rid of both of them and build a new front court around Drummond and call it a day!

That's why I said "What to do", this is a hard one, well above my pay grade, but I'm confident that SVG can figure it out!

[deusXango]

Stan Van Gundy's teams have all had one thing in common, besides making the playoffs every year; they were very efficient offensively from top to bottom. The least efficient starter from last season was Brandon Jennings, and the least mature. More on that later.

I've been high on three players (Stauskas, McDermott, and Anderson) in the upcoming draft, but settled on the top two shooters (Stauskas and McDermott) because of our teams needs...I've got to go back to the drawing board because of the SVG hire. Nik Stauskas, and Kyle Anderson would be perfect fits on this young, developing team, and we need two early picks (our #8? and a late lottery) this year because of the forfeiture of our first round pick next year! Before you guys mount a posse to drag me off to the booby hatch, don't you think SVG might be taking a long look at these players? Check this out:

-Jameer Nelson was a PG in positional name only...he was efficient, smart, and durable; to call him a starting SF would have been ludicrous. Nik Stauskas can do everything Nelson did, but is longer, a more efficient shooter, and doesn't make dumb ass mistakes with the ball. You can call him a PG because...
-Hedo Turkulou had the offense ran through him, the majority of the time, in addition to being a highly efficient shooter. Kyle Anderson has shown the ability to be exactly that type of player...a 6 foot 9 PG who can facilitate the offense from the SF position, and shoot for a high percentage rate from the floor. This is practical and made possible because of our Big 3 being used properly.

We get up off that Josh Smith bashing (you don't persecute a man because he can't make a shot he shouldn't have been forced to take in the first place) and start to take a honest look at what we could have with Monroe and Smith as starters, give SVG a chance to coach those two borderline All-Star players and see what we look like in the won/loss column. Many are agreed that they need a PG who can get them properly involved in the offense and placed in the best possible position to succeed, but a shot first PG like Jennings ain't the solution! Maybe Anderson can be that facilitator. No one will ever convince me that Jennings will ever develop into a more efficient shooter than Stauskas, and Nik will look a whole lot better in the backcourt with KCP defensively...a set of 6 foot 5 and 6 foot 6 guards starting in the backcourt is something we haven't seen (we've been treated to a heavy diet of small ball), but that doesn't mean it won't work in the east. It makes more sense to trade Jennings than Smith, and the locker room would be free of the soft boy..."Coach Cheeks is gone and I don't know what to do; I just can't get it together." That ain't a professional attitude, and we don't need that in our floor general!

A bench anchored by Andre Drummond and Kyle Singler is a big improvement over what we've been running...getting these two players to understand their worth to the team, coming off the bench, is SVG's strong suit, and he has some great possibilities waiting in the wings: Siva, Mitchell, Datome, Harrellson, and Jerebko. There are two things that I'd like to see SVG do; trade Jennings and don't bring back Stuckey.

[Go Stones!]

The first thing I thought when I heard the news is that he was going to use Detroit to get a better deal (money/power) with Warriors.  I wonder if that was actually the opposite.  I believe SVG may have been thinking that Warriors have high expectations and he could only keep it up or take them down.  With the Pistons he could look very good turning the team around.  Sounds like he had quite a bunch of research he presented on every player of the team.  He did his homework.  It has been a while since we had that type of coach/Prez.  

The 2nd thing I thought...his brother...did NOT like Dumars and all the coaches (colleagues) who Dumars used as toilet paper after a long deuce.  Trust is a factor here, my friends.

Third, was disbelief b/c I feel that having a name with power could really assist in turning this team around.  SVG reaching to Monroe is proof that he sees that position as being a huge variable...if he snubs MOnroe then Monroe is as good as gone without any thought of sign and trade.  If he kisses up MOnroe will look at Pistons with positive outlook...until someone offers him max deal and Pistons can't do it.  Again, the Pistons still look good.  

4th was my dreaming of what SVG would change...if anything.  This is where I wish he would give us a little more to go on.  I wouldn't be surprised if he gets his shooter...maybe a previous favorite veteran player and leader where there is a lot of trust between the two, resigns or gets something out of Monroe and then one or two small acquisitions and stop.  I don't think he will move Jennings or Smith.  Maybe at the deadline or during the year, but not initially.  He will do what all the coaches do and see first hand what the problem is.  

I love the fact that SVG is prez also.  This gives him cred to his players.  If he gets mouthed at or if he sees slack attitude, he can just adjust the lineup...permanently.

I wonder if he would draw any old players who would be an upgrade...hmmmm. Wade? Naw!

[WTF]

UP IN HERE!

The Josh Smith bashing I read in here is just insane, plain insane. Josh Smith is on the cusp of being an All Star sure his game needs tweaking and isn't complete, but he's the most complete player currently on the roster. Really is the 17pts, 6rebs, all the steals and blocks he gets and his overall defensive effort something terrible? Josh doesn't need to improve his shooting, SVG needs to get him in place where he's not taking perimeter shots.

Josh doesn't need to change how he's playing the Pistons need to change how they're using, and you can say this same thing about Moose if the plan is to keep him as well. Stop playing these guys to there weakness and start playing them to their strength and both will excel on the court.

Yeah most agree now on what I've been saying for years that Joe Dumars was a dumb ass, and yet many of you still hold on to the dumb ass ideas of Joe Dumars. Why in the fu@k do you all want to continue doing the same sh!t that wasn't working. Really stop trying to turn Moose into a perimeter shooting PF when he's a best post player on the team, stop trying to make Josh a SF when he shoots like sh!t from the perimeter and more suited to shoot 10 feet in and has mismatch at PF. If SVG can't see this then we made the wrong hire because it the same dumb sh!t all over. Seriously I hope SVG has the balls to move Andre to the bench, start Josh and Moose, resign Stuckey if reasonable and find a freaking competent PG.   

[Sparma]

having read pieces by brgulker and Matt Watson at Detroit Bad Boys on Van Gundy. Gulker provides plentiful evidence that SVG's engaged in detail with analytics, has well-articulated views (and criticisms!) on analytics. He's been a panelist at an Analytics conference, something I hadn't heard about my beloved Dumars or the well-intentioned Cheeks. Looks like he'll take analytics seriously, but only in conjunction with expert eye tests, which is how it should be IMHO. Watson passes along Vincent Ellis' comment that SVG's a fan of Monroe, that one of his first actions was reaching out to Monroe. Doesn't mean Monroe stays, but SVG ain't letting the big guy walk with no return. The place of analytics and the future of Monroe were two of my concerns, so I'm feeling heartened.

btw, Vincent Ellis seems to be most on top of SVG developments. Good work by him. He's showing the upside to having insider connections.

[Murph]

I seem to be the only decenting opinion on Stan Van Gundy.

I always viewed Van Gundy as an incredibly lucky man to have coached two of the greatest centers in NBA history. And what did he achieve with those centers?...not a lot. He did manage to win an Eastern Conference Title one season, before he managed to alienate Howard to the point that Howard couldn't take it any more, and demanded out of Orlando.

Hope I'm wrong about Van Gundy.

[lemonpen]

I'm stoked again. SVG was my first choice a year ago, and now we got um. He turned an undersized guard into an All Star, turned a raw but uber athletic big into an All Star, and managed huge egos (Howard and Carter). I like his prickly nature and willingness to openly discuss team / player underachievement. He is a no nonsense guy who is able to laugh at himself. Gimme a SVG jersey.

[Sebastian]

There is no question that Josh Smith has the most potential of any player on the team. Drummond has great potential but appears to be several years away from being one of the best big men in the game. Smith, on the other hand has special quickness and ability to finish inside as well as the smarts to play effective defense now. All Josh needs is a new mind and hard work to develop more consistency in his outside shooting. Josh is at a cross road in his career. He could coast and sit back and count his money and be known as a player who never reached his potential, or he can CHANGE. It is all up to Josh Smith. If Smith gets on board and starts working his butt off NOW, he could really accomplish a lot with Stan Van Gundy. No more moody moments can be tolerated. Josh has to lead by example which means he needs to change his attitude both on the court and off the court with his lifestyle and interaction with his teammates. If he doesn't want to change, then it won't fit in in the new era with Stan Van Gundy. This is going to be great. Van Gundy is no fool. He will demand the best effort from all of his players.

First off, I would like to go on record as stating that Tom Gores made a very good hire with the acquisition of Stan Van Gundy and to hire him as both President and Head Coach was a genius-level decision.

But, SVG is not the Wizard of Oz. Indeed, he was a successful coach with the Magic (.641 winning percentage), but I don't believe that he can work magic that will or can make Josh Smith a smarter player. Only, Josh can do this for himself and it may be to late to teach an old dog new tricks, who will just be entering the 2nd year of a 4 year $14+ million dollar contract.

I would almost say, let's try to move Josh to somewhere like Houston for maybe T. Jones and Omir Asik.

[cool breeze]

There is no question that Josh Smith has the most potential of any player on the team. Drummond has great potential but appears to be several years away from being one of the best big men in the game. Smith, on the other hand has special quickness and ability to finish inside as well as the smarts to play effective defense now. All Josh needs is a new mind and hard work to develop more consistency in his outside shooting. Josh is at a cross road in his career. He could coast and sit back and count his money and be known as a player who never reached his potential, or he can CHANGE. It is all up to Josh Smith. If Smith gets on board and starts working his butt off NOW, he could really accomplish a lot with Stan Van Gundy. No more moody moments can be tolerated. Josh has to lead by example which means he needs to change his attitude both on the court and off the court with his lifestyle and interaction with his teammates. If he doesn't want to change, then it won't fit in in the new era with Stan Van Gundy. This is going to be great. Van Gundy is no fool. He will demand the best effort from all of his players.

[cool breeze]

It was a crime that Joe didn't make a move to get Collison in here! He's better than any small guard on the roster, and while not a great point guard, he's better than the lot we have. He was just sitting there for anyone to take, and Joe liked Chauncey, Bynum & Jennings better??? What a dufus!

In this article, it looks like neither Josh or Monroe fits SVG's bill for a stretch 4, and both may need to go!

"If Stan Van Gundy wants to build a 1-in/4-out offense in Detroit, one of his first moves will be to sign-and-trade Greg Monroe.  Despite showing significant improvement in low-to-high post shooting efficiency in 2013-14, Monroe is certainly not a 3-point shooter nor does he shoot long twos.  As promising (and adored) as Monroe is, he would not fit Van Gundy's scheme, and he'd most likely be moved for a return at another position.

The problem is that the team is committed to Josh Smith for the next three seasons, and Smith's most pronounced weakness is his 3-point shooting.  Smith is averaging less than 28 percent from 3 over the last three seasons, and this sort of range would be wholly unacceptable under Van Gundy's scheme.  Perimeter shooting from the power forward is what makes the 1-in/4-out offense work.  If Smith can't do it, the whole scheme won't either.  The team would be better served (as shown in 2013-14) to prevent Smith from shooting on the perimeter entirely.  Without Monroe and with Smith, the team isn't just back to square one, it's worse off than it would be with Monroe just to satisfy Van Gundy's Orlando scheme.

For it to work, the team would have to not only part with Monroe, but also Josh Smith.  If it couldn't immediately fill the role of stretch four, playing time to Jonas Jerebko and Tony Mitchell would work while the team looks for another option.  The problem here is that there aren't any championship-caliber stretch fours available on the current market.  There rarely are." - What to expect from Stan Van Gundy's Detroit Pistons

Oracle this is the best post of the day! Yes Joe Dumars was an idiot for not trying to sign Collision. Darren has his defects  but it was just as insane that Dumars didn't go after him as it was for Joe to give away Affalo. Joe went after Will Bynum and we still have him for another season. Let's see if Bynum can talk his way into the rotation with Stan Van Gundy and play the same style of defense he gave the team last year. All the guards will now have to EARN playing time with defensive EFFORT. 

I would like to see Stan sign Gortat if that could be possible. I loved the interview with him and the panel after last night's game. The team needs at least one big man who can defend and has an all around effective offensive game. 

I am sure that Stan already knows that he needs new guards. He will love Singler and Singler will love to play for Stan The Man. If he has to dip down to the D League for awhile, Van Gundy will do it. I do not believe we will be seeing the same type of stuff that happened under Dumars control. Joe would tolerate inept lazy players after placing his trust in those players with nice contracts. Joe's style was they are under contract so you fans are stuck with them until the contract runs out. Stan will not want to watch weak Queen type guards playing soft defense while going up against up and coming guards like those young Washington guards. It will be great to have the head coach in control of every aspect of basketball operations. Way to go Tom Gores!!!

[Murph]

With all the HOF coaches or near HOF coaches available (Karl, Jackson, Woodson, Thomas)...Gores hires Stan Van Gundy??? WTF?

And Gores doesn't even have a GM in place to blame this on.

Gentlemen...it looks as if we have a serious ownership problem. GM and Coaching problems pale in comparison to an ownership problem. We're never going to get rid of this guy.   

[Sparma]

Stan's pitch might well have gone something like this:

1) I'll emphasize defense, something that's unnecessarily was a disaster for the team last year.

2) Given a long term deal and front office authority, I'll be able to cut back on the foolish, low percentage, shots that helped do the team in.  If Josh Smith stays, he'll go back to playing the way he did one year in Atlanta when he limited his long range shooting.  If he can't do that, I need the authority to cut ties.

3) I have a vision for building around a big man.  I need the authority to make tough decisions and the time to radically revamp the roster.   My one promise is that I'll keep Drummond as long as possible.

4) I've demonstrated I understand the importance of good shooters.  I'll do what I can to create space for Drummond.

4) I played guard.  I can help Jennings develop, partly by forcing him to cut back on bad decisions by controlling his playing time.  If he doesn't respond well to my coaching, I want the authority to cut ties.

5) My undoing in Orlando was preventable.  Having enough front office clout will prevent a recurrence in Detroit.

6) I'm more than willing to cooperate with the stats folks and to incorporate their ideas into roster building and into the game plan.

7) I have a very good coaching track record.  I've got the smarts to do well in the front office.

I'm a basketball junkie.  I'll give everything I have to this venture.

9) I have enough status to be able to be the face of the franchise; at the same time, my known grittiness fits with the blue collar environment.  I'm a fit in Hollywood and in Flint, Mr. Gores, just like you.

[WTF]

LMAO this is so true, technology has made many this stupid

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