Re: FORUM

[deusXango]

I remember when Carmelo Anthony was the 2nd highest rated player in America (behind LeBron James) and won the NCAA championship in his freshman year, but the Pistons looked past him, with the 2nd pick and selected Darko who never really played for us; when the team began to decline, he was gone.

I'm not comparing these two players, but I am looking to the future; Justin Jackson has the potential to be a flat out beast (if he's utilized as a SG; he has the skillset to do so), starred on this years NCAA championship team, and is certain to be available at #12. What's wrong with a 6' 8" SG who can shoot an effective floater and moves without the ball like Rip Hamilton? He's also a better than reliable 3 pt. shooter like Rip. His age and credentials should make him an interesting prospect for the Pistons, but.....

Switching gears, I'm going to revisit my choice for the Pistons coach, if SVG has the stones to bring in a coach who can create team spirit and motivate maximum effort from a young team; he also has a history of understanding the young players of today and developing/giving a chance to play to those players. That choice is Mark Jackson. Why can't his record with establishing the Warriors as the premier team in the NBA be considered? Steve Kerr is not the "father" of the Warriors we see today, he's the beneficiary of a well oiled machine that was established before he got there. Maybe Mark Jackson just ain't "our kind of guy."

Will Henry Ellenson get a fair shot at being the Pistons starting PF next season or is it a foregone conclusion, in SVG's mind, that Jon Leuer is our PF, once his confidence returns over the summer? Will Tobias Harris get an opportunity to beat out Marcus Morris for the starting SF spot? In addition to shooting 1,000 threes a day over the summer, must he learn to fly also? Okay, SVG won't humble himself enough to hire Mark Jackson as the Pistons coach, you think he'll realize the need to try and bring Arnie Kander out of retirement for the health of the teams sake? The man was a wizard at what he did for years!!

What if Stanley and Boban show up this fall, vastly improved and kicking ass, will they be mainstays on the 2nd unit in the rotation, or every now and then afterthoughts like last year? Stanley, Marcus, and Boban make a very interesting 6-8 man bench (I left Leuer out because I think he needs to be traded, or rather his contract needs to be traded...Stanley, Marcus, and Boban all make less than Jon). Speaking of contracts, how many more years must we pay Josh Smith?

What grizzled vet does SVG have in mind that we can get for #12 and pieces that'll move the needle? If the team should play up to expectations, how can we tell if the vet made a difference or he rode on the coattails of a developing team?

[Sparma]

Cool: "Back in the day when the Bad Boys kicked ass and took names they were so good especially on the defensive end that even though the officials tried to determine the Pistons finals series, our players overcame this disadvantage."

Rewatched the 30 for 30 on the Bad Boys. That foul call against Laimbeer leading to frees for Kareem is still a killer. That bad call cost us a championship.

[cool breeze]

I have an opinion here that's based on what I've observed, and it is either right or wrong.

I think the Cavs are frauds!

The reason I feel this way is because they finished 2nd, which allowed them to play all of the teams they have an easy time beating. The avoided the Wizards who beat them to a pulp this year, even at full strength. I believe they may have beat them, but it would have been a war with the outcome unclear.

So my theory goes that they aren't nearly as good as they appear, but there's always the possibility that they did wake up and find their game and confidence, so I'm not totally sure.

Tonight won't prove anything unless they beat GS, but I'll be watching closely to see how the matchup goes.

My Pick: GS wins game 1

As usual the officials will have an impact on this series. Last season when Green was not allowed to play game 5, Cleveland played the muscle game with Thompson sneaking up on the player guarding Labron above the free throw line. He actually got a running start and made hard contact on the defensive player's blindside. No whistle could be heard though out that game. And so it went in the rest of the games. Even in the Cleveland Boston series after Boston had finally won a game, sure enough there was Thompson actually hitting the defensive man with his blind knock down screen. There was always an official who could easily make that moving screen call but the game plane had to be to try to string out the series. I think that Labron is the best player on earth right now but because of the front office impact on officiating, I hate it when Cleveland wins.

Back in the day when the Bad Boys kicked ass and took names they were so good especially on the defensive end that even though the officials tried to determine the Pistons finals series, our players overcame this disadvantage. I am also thinking about the finals series between Miami and Oklahoma where Durant was clearly hacked by Labron in the closing seconds. Otherwise that shot would have gone in. No call was made and OKC took it on the chin for the pointed shoe lawyers who ran the front office. How dare a place like Oklahoma ever win an NBA title. Anyway I hope you are correct about the game tonight.

[Oracle]

I have an opinion here that's based on what I've observed, and it is either right or wrong.

I think the Cavs are frauds!

The reason I feel this way is because they finished 2nd, which allowed them to play all of the teams they have an easy time beating. The avoided the Wizards who beat them to a pulp this year, even at full strength. I believe they may have beat them, but it would have been a war with the outcome unclear.

So my theory goes that they aren't nearly as good as they appear, but there's always the possibility that they did wake up and find their game and confidence, so I'm not totally sure.

Tonight won't prove anything unless they beat GS, but I'll be watching closely to see how the matchup goes.

My Pick: GS wins game 1

[Oracle]

Ballin, I applaud the attempt you're making, but you keep proving that you can never ignore opinion because everything you keep saying is YOUR opinion, not fact, which I'll show.

I've heard of make up calls to clean up something, but a cleanup post... Not at all, just communicating.  I don't care whether you or anyone else agrees, I just present another perspective from which to approach the old tired narratives due to assumptions, opinions, wishful thinking.  It is actually closer to the Greek philosophy of Stoicism than anything else. Being Greek myself, I appreciate the shout out to my Bro's, hence my name is to reflect the Oracle at Delphi in history. You do present another perspective, and I do like that. However, you don't seem to see that you state not only opinion, but beliefs, then proceed to attempt to attach picked out information BECAUSE in your opinion mostly everybody else are either homers or ill informed.

Agreed on fairly evaluate.  While trying to see clearly, I do not give players the Pistons cushion.  I do not toe the party line, I try to be objective and not pick favorites.  We are all astute observers, each in our own way, and I respect that.  I have found many bloggers, reporters and forumites (here and elsewhere) simply repeat what authority figures have said until the consensus view is debunked or they are confronted on BS.  I am a former Detroit News staff writer, so I know something about what objectivity is supposed to look like. - This isn't possible, but you can try. Physics tells us that in the process of observing anything, we change it. In your attempt to NOT give a Piston Cushion, you can easily give the reverse of it. While trying to not toe the company line, you attempt to find reasons to NOT toe the line, which could result in reverse bias.  Oracle, first off, I like that you try to bring in the observer effect from physics to the table, and I agree that true objectivity is more an objective than a reality.  But since we're only debating basketball, and we mostly agree anyway, presenting ignored facts seems to be appropriate.  Reverse bias is not liking anything about the team, or some gradation of it, but that is not at all true. It is a great team if you want to be mediocre, but if you want to challenge for a ship or put yourself in that position, then change is needed, that's all. Again, it's opinion that the things you bring up are ignored, I can only speak for myself, but I read the whole article, both of them, and I only presented what was left out, and encouraged others to read the full article.

When I highlight certain points, it is because everybody or most everybody is toeing the company line and I feel the alternative facts need highlighting to prevent GroupThink; hate it.  It is like by the sheer volume of the people repeating the lie, someone must also shout out the alternative facts.  This is a forum though, and we all want the Pistons to win or get back in a position to win.  - You seriously can't believe this! First the obvious, there is NO such thing as alternative facts, facts don't have alternatives! Secondly, where have you been? Damn near everybody here is going against the company line of SVG! You guys are on constant SVG, KCP, Reggie, Drummond hateraide 24/7, where is this oasis of company love you're dreaming about. So when you, on two occasions, highlighted ONLY the negative, when both times major positives were present, that certainly can't be the reason... try again.  The so-called positives are parroted by all and the negatives are ignored by most, hence the need for balance, but in truth there are no positives and negatives, only facts.  I pointed out to you the difference between facts and opinions.  I know you believe this, but what basis do you keep saying that most parrot the positives, I asked before, but you keep saying that without backing it up with facts. Of the people posting here, I haven't found that to be the case. In fact, Don is the pound for pound champion of negative posts, filling up volumes on his own.

IMHO, Win Now is not an option for many reasons, including coach, team composition, GS and Cleveland, stockpiled assets (we have none) lack of a star. - Yes, but you get a star by doing the hard work of developing your talent so that you can trade two or three of them for a super star, or keep pulling a Philly and hoping that hail Mary gets caught.  Or you draft well.  How would Booker or Myles Turner look on our team, would they be difference makers? Yes, but no one can be blamed unless hindsight is considered, the draft is a crap shoot beyond the top 5 and it's shaky there too. You may as well go to Vegas and build your team if you expect LUCK to define you. Again, you can look for luck or you can do the hard work of really building a team, nobody has EVER done it through the draft, not even the Bad Boys! They got Zeke and built a team around him mostly via trades. The 2004 team was ALL through trades and FA's except for Prince. 

I want us to get in position to win, meaning we must play chess not checkers, must not misrepresent where we actually are.  If you don't know where you are, you cannot figure out how to get to the next developmental step.  If you won't admit where you are because you are a homer, or have vested interest in overstating the team's position, or simply repeat what everyone else says, then that is a hindrance, not a help, and we need all the help we can get if we will be "Going to Work."

The reverse is also true! If you won't admit where you are because you're a hater, or have a vested interest in understating the teams position to advance that hate...  I know it is fashionable to call opposition (hate) but it is certain the terms are not synonyms and it is true that you have to break eggs to make an omelette.  Understating the team's position...let me see.  about to go over the cap to sign an average player and be in purgatory for the forseeable future with the 7th-8th seed as the ceiling and capped out with no star and a roster of underutilized parts. No, it's not fashionable, and it only applies to some, not all. IMO, most of us are not haters, but sincerely have the teams best interest at heart. But AGAIN, you put forth OPINION, not fact! It's 100% opinion to predict the future without considering the valid and best options(IMO) we have. A developed team is a team with players other organizations want. Stars become available to these teams because they have something to trade that people can build around when they need to reset. Jimmy Butler is available if you have the assets to give up, and other stars will be too as teams go through their life cycle. But you ignore this to support your opinion.

If there is one thing that I see as screwing up the ability to be objective, it's the tight coupling of opinion and facts.

In the future I'm going to try to make it much clearer as to what I feel is opinion and fact, but I don't know how much it will help because we all generally know the facts.

The difference is that when confronted with them, some ignore them, and even if we all accept them, the decision about what to do is pure opinion. The only question after that is if that opinion is supported by any logic.Agreed, except I would say facts, not logic.! 

This it totally wrong, facts and logic go hand in hand. Logic is the glue used to string facts together into something coherent. Facts are deductions based on evidence. Logic helps us understand what those facts mean. 

[BallinD]

I've heard of make up calls to clean up something, but a cleanup post... Not at all, just communicating.  I don't care whether you or anyone else agrees, I just present another perspective from which to approach the old tired narratives due to assumptions, opinions, wishful thinking.  It is actually closer to the Greek philosophy of Stoicism than anything else.

Agreed on fairly evaluate.  While trying to see clearly, I do not give players the Pistons cushion.  I do not toe the party line, I try to be objective and not pick favorites.  We are all astute observers, each in our own way, and I respect that.  I have found many bloggers, reporters and forumites (here and elsewhere) simply repeat what authority figures have said until the consensus view is debunked or they are confronted on BS.  I am a former Detroit News staff writer, so I know something about what objectivity is supposed to look like. - This isn't possible, but you can try. Physics tells us that in the process of observing anything, we change it. In your attempt to NOT give a Piston Cushion, you can easily give the reverse of it. While trying to not toe the company line, you attempt to find reasons to NOT toe the line, which could result in reverse bias.  Oracle, first off, I like that you try to bring in the observer effect from physics to the table, and I agree that true objectivity is more an objective than a reality.  But since we're only debating basketball, and we mostly agree anyway, presenting ignored facts seems to be appropriate.  Reverse bias is not liking anything about the team, or some gradation of it, but that is not at all true. It is a great team if you want to be mediocre, but if you want to challenge for a ship or put yourself in that position, then change is needed, that's all.

When I highlight certain points, it is because everybody or most everybody is toeing the company line and I feel the alternative facts need highlighting to prevent GroupThink; hate it.  It is like by the sheer volume of the people repeating the lie, someone must also shout out the alternative facts.  This is a forum though, and we all want the Pistons to win or get back in a position to win.  - You seriously can't believe this! First the obvious, there is NO such thing as alternative facts, facts don't have alternatives! Secondly, where have you been? Damn near everybody here is going against the company line of SVG! You guys are on constant SVG, KCP, Reggie, Drummond hateraide 24/7, where is this oasis of company love you're dreaming about. So when you, on two occasions, highlighted ONLY the negative, when both times major positives were present, that certainly can't be the reason... try again.  The so-called positives are parroted by all and the negatives are ignored by most, hence the need for balance, but in truth there are no positives and negatives, only facts.  I pointed out to you the difference between facts and opinions.  

IMHO, Win Now is not an option for many reasons, including coach, team composition, GS and Cleveland, stockpiled assets (we have none) lack of a star. - Yes, but you get a star by doing the hard work of developing your talent so that you can trade two or three of them for a super star, or keep pulling a Philly and hoping that hail Mary gets caught.  Or you draft well.  How would Booker or Myles Turner look on our team, would they be difference makers?

I want us to get in position to win, meaning we must play chess not checkers, must not misrepresent where we actually are.  If you don't know where you are, you cannot figure out how to get to the next developmental step.  If you won't admit where you are because you are a homer, or have vested interest in overstating the team's position, or simply repeat what everyone else says, then that is a hindrance, not a help, and we need all the help we can get if we will be "Going to Work."

The reverse is also true! If you won't admit where you are because you're a hater, or have a vested interest in understating the teams position to advance that hate...  I know it is fashionable to call opposition (hate) but it is certain the terms are not synonyms and it is true that you have to break eggs to make an omelette.  Understating the team's position...let me see.  about to go over the cap to sign an average player and be in purgatory for the forseeable future with the 7th-8th seed as the ceiling and capped out with no star and a roster of underutilized parts.

If there is one thing that I see as screwing up the ability to be objective, it's the tight coupling of opinion and facts.

In the future I'm going to try to make it much clearer as to what I feel is opinion and fact, but I don't know how much it will help because we all generally know the facts.

The difference is that when confronted with them, some ignore them, and even if we all accept them, the decision about what to do is pure opinion. The only question after that is if that opinion is supported by any logic.Agreed, except I would say facts, not logic.!

[Sparma]

BallinD:

"Sparma, objectivity is damn near impossible often because the bosses want a slant that is sexy, timely, topical, lures readers, appeals to advertisers and contributors/sources. Most writers have a an unseen bias they believe they can easily justify based on their belief systems which support the facts as they see them. If you are incapable of seeing, then it is often because you may not believe in what you see."

That sounds like a heartfelt lament, Ballin, with a lot of experience in the background. What would an example be, preferably Piston-related, of being incapable of seeing, because you may not believe?

Objectivity's problematic, I agree. A few thoughts. Objectivity can still serve as an ideal, even if it's not "objectively" attainable, as when I seek to draw a perfect circle, even though I can't do it. Also, it would take a major argument to show that because objectivity isn't attainable in one realm -- quantum physics -- it isn't attainable in any. Objectivity can come in many forms, each of which would need to be evaluated on its own merits, unless it can be shown (which I doubt) that there's a single form which covers all instances. For instance, I hold that a $20 bill has "objective" value even though that's intersubjectively derived. Closer to our realm, I not only think it's an objective fact that Al Kaline played for the Tigers, but that the objective evaluation can made [once the context is properly introduced] that he was a better hitter than Ray Oyler. Beyond that, skeptical arguments, for instance, regarding objectivity, threaten to become self-defeating. For instance, if I say: "Objectivity is impossible" that itself sounds like an objective assertion.

Concerning Ballin's "alternative facts" I think forumites should be allowed a bit a poetic licence, as a courtesy if not as an acknowledgement of our own fallibility. What I'm hearing is the perfectly intelligible assertion that there are neglected facts, which are sometimes ignored for self-serving reasons, rather than the self-contradictory claim that there are facts which, in fact, are not facts.

[cool breeze]

Does anyone who watched the last half of the season not believe players on the current roster do not respect each other as players? Some players show up for every game and even if they are having a bad night will still play hard with passion. As I recall the players only meeting was called for the purpose of the players to all get on the same page and right the wrongs and somehow reverse the way in which this team was losing. Getting blown out in the first quarter caused by defects in the way the starters played together should have sounded alarm bells with all the players. But as I recall the only thing that came out of the meeting were statements from Andre Drummond and Stan Van Gundy. This is another bothersome trait of this head coach. He has acted like a pussy or submissive teacher who allows the class bully to set the course. How many coaches would have tried to put a stop to players only team meetings. But that is what Stan did based on his relationship with Andre Drummond. As for the franchise player, it is equally puzzling regarding hw Drummond responded to what happened in the players only meeting. He criticized some of the players without naming them to the press. Who in hell does that? I was on a team in high school and we had a players only meeting when the coach walked out during halftime when we were sitting in the locker room. That was a good thing for our team. We were behind in that game and emotions were high among the players but we all came to a meeting of the minds and then went out and opened a can of whip ass. We were all fired up and everyone dug down deep in that game. It also happened on my college team two times. Every time we had a positive result. Players know what is going on and where the holes are coming from. This is part of building a solid together type team. I think dX first brought up this Piston players only meeting. Andre Drummond complains that some players in the meeting were too hard on certain teammates. Imagine Isiah Thomas ever saying such a stupid thing. This came from the coach designated team leader. Fast forward after every player ended up with a sour taste in their mouths from the criticism of the players only meeting to the other incident where Morris told his teammates something to the effect that if they didn't want to play to go back into the locker room. Meanwhile as the loses piled up, Andre Drummond told the media not to make much of the recent slide and the team was just going through a period of bad patch or bad luck. The team chemistry clearly became worse after the players only meeting rather than better. And the Morris rant had no effect on the team for more than a few minutes.

At the end of the season this Piston team had to be the worst team in the NBA. Teams fighting for good positioning in the draft were beating the Pistons and kicking their asses still in the first quarter of almost every game. When the team would fight back in the 2nd quarter, the same starters would then lay an egg in the 3rd to allow the opponents to get the game back to blow out status. Everyone was healthy with possibly the exception of Reggie Jackson but his knee did not appear to be the cause of his problems on the court. It was his stamina or his inability to play all out for anything more than a few seconds. He looked to be out of gas. Did Andre Drummond ever step up as the highest paid player on the team and the self proclaimed team leader? No Andre played a little more soft dragging those long legs slowly in transition. He always had this dumb look on his face like he might be sleep walking. My point with this post is that nothing the players or the coaches did had any positive effect on this team. So if you play for the Pistons where is your head now over the summer? Andre's answer to everything is just "rest". We are tired troopers. Tell that to the warriors who fought with the 101st in below freezing temperatures for a month in the Battle of the Bulge. This team has as the highest paid athletes real cream puffs. Debating on blowing the team up or not blowing it up is really silly. Stan wants one more go around with the same core of lemons. Yet he found no answers during the downturn this past season. He was extremely protective of Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson. He never flinched when Leuer played like crap and kept on starting him as if nothing had gone wrong. It wasn't until Stan was being ridiculed that he started Harris again. It was too late. The team chemistry was fractured. And my bet is that a lot of players would love to be traded right now. I cannot believe that anyone wants to play basketball with Andre Drummond. I know that Oracle will call me a "hater". But I do not hate Andre Drummond in any way. I just do not enjoy watching him play or how adversely he has affected the Piston team. If you don't want to play or work to get better or provide the team what it needs most, then should the people of Detroit organize a special parade for Andre Drummond? No the only sane thing that should be done is trade him if that is a possibility. I doubt that is a possibility after this past season. That is the hold up regarding lack of any action by management to improve this team. I cannot believe that Stan Van Gundy wants to spend another season mothering a guy who will be making $22 million plus. For some reason fans are not objective relating to what Andre Drummond brings to the team. He brings dysfunction.

[Oracle]

I've heard of make up calls to clean up something, but a cleanup post...

Agreed on fairly evaluate.  While trying to see clearly, I do not give players the Pistons cushion.  I do not toe the party line, I try to be objective and not pick favorites.  We are all astute observers, each in our own way, and I respect that.  I have found many bloggers, reporters and forumites (here and elsewhere) simply repeat what authority figures have said until the consensus view is debunked or they are confronted on BS.  I am a former Detroit News staff writer, so I know something about what objectivity is supposed to look like. - This isn't possible, but you can try. Physics tells us that in the process of observing anything, we change it. In your attempt to NOT give a Piston Cushion, you can easily give the reverse of it. While trying to not toe the company line, you attempt to find reasons to NOT toe the line, which could result in reverse bias.

When I highlight certain points, it is because everybody or most everybody is toeing the company line and I feel the alternative facts need highlighting to prevent GroupThink; hate it.  It is like by the sheer volume of the people repeating the lie, someone must also shout out the alternative facts.  This is a forum though, and we all want the Pistons to win or get back in a position to win.  - You seriously can't believe this! First the obvious, there is NO such thing as alternative facts, facts don't have alternatives! Secondly, where have you been? Damn near everybody here is going against the company line of SVG! You guys are on constant SVG, KCP, Reggie, Drummond hateraide 24/7, where is this oasis of company love you're dreaming about. So when you, on two occasions, highlighted ONLY the negative, when both times major positives were present, that certainly can't be the reason... try again.

IMHO, Win Now is not an option for many reasons, including coach, team composition, GS and Cleveland, stockpiled assets (we have none) lack of a star. - Yes, but you get a star by doing the hard work of developing your talent so that you can trade two or three of them for a super star, or keep pulling a Philly and hoping that hail Mary gets caught.

I want us to get in position to win, meaning we must play chess not checkers, must not misrepresent where we actually are.  If you don't know where you are, you cannot figure out how to get to the next developmental step.  If you won't admit where you are because you are a homer, or have vested interest in overstating the team's position, or simply repeat what everyone else says, then that is a hindrance, not a help, and we need all the help we can get if we will be "Going to Work."

The reverse is also true! If you won't admit where you are because you're a hater, or have a vested interest in understating the teams position to advance that hate...

If there is one thing that I see as screwing up the ability to be objective, it's the tight coupling of opinion and facts.

In the future I'm going to try to make it much clearer as to what I feel is opinion and fact, but I don't know how much it will help because we all generally know the facts.

The difference is that when confronted with them, some ignore them, and even if we all accept them, the decision about what to do is pure opinion. The only question after that is if that opinion is supported by any logic.

[BallinD]

Great stuff, BallinD.

I always wondered if objectivity was especially difficult to attain for local writers (a) because the needed access might diminish if coverage is unfavorable and (b) because there's a kind of symbiotic relationship between sports teams and local media, with both profiting from the same product, creating a shared motive to promote.   I realize that some writers, maybe especially in certain locations like NY, gain readership by being ruthlessly critical.  It looks like a tough business, with a lot to balance.  

Sparma, objectivity is damn near impossible often because the bosses want a slant that is sexy, timely, topical, lures readers, appeals to advertisers and contributors/sources.  Most writers have a an unseen bias they believe they can easily justify based on their belief systems which support the facts as they see them.  If you are incapable of seeing, then it is often because you may not believe in what you see.

[Sparma]

Great stuff, BallinD.

I always wondered if objectivity was especially difficult to attain for local writers (a) because the needed access might diminish if coverage is unfavorable and (b) because there's a kind of symbiotic relationship between sports teams and local media, with both profiting from the same product, creating a shared motive to promote. I realize that some writers, maybe especially in certain locations like NY, gain readership by being ruthlessly critical. It looks like a tough business, with a lot to balance.

Agreed on fairly evaluate.  While trying to see clearly, I do not give players the Pistons cushion.  I do not toe the party line, I try to be objective and not pick favorites.  We are all astute observers, each in our own way, and I respect that.  I have found many bloggers, reporters and forumites (here and elsewhere) simply repeat what authority figures have said until the consensus view is debunked or they are confronted on BS.  I am a former Detroit News staff writer, so I know something about what objectivity is supposed to look like.

When I highlight certain points, it is because everybody or most everybody is toeing the company line and I feel the alternative facts need highlighting to prevent GroupThink; hate it.  It is like by the sheer volume of the people repeating the lie, someone must also shout out the alternative facts.  This is a forum though, and we all want the Pistons to win or get back in a position to win.  

IMHO, Win Now is not an option for many reasons, including coach, team composition, GS and Cleveland, stockpiled assets (we have none) lack of a star.

I want us to get in position to win, meaning we must play chess not checkers, must not misrepresent where we actually are.  If you don't know where you are, you cannot figure out how to get to the next developmental step.  If you won't admit where you are because you are a homer, or have vested interest in overstating the team's position, or simply repeat what everyone else says, then that is a hindrance, not a help, and we need all the help we can get if we will be "Going to Work."

[BallinD]

Agreed on fairly evaluate. While trying to see clearly, I do not give players the Pistons cushion. I do not toe the party line, I try to be objective and not pick favorites. We are all astute observers, each in our own way, and I respect that. I have found many bloggers, reporters and forumites (here and elsewhere) simply repeat what authority figures have said until the consensus view is debunked or they are confronted on BS. I am a former Detroit News staff writer, so I know something about what objectivity is supposed to look like.

When I highlight certain points, it is because everybody or most everybody is toeing the company line and I feel the alternative facts need highlighting to prevent GroupThink; hate it. It is like by the sheer volume of the people repeating the lie, someone must also shout out the alternative facts. This is a forum though, and we all want the Pistons to win or get back in a position to win.

IMHO, Win Now is not an option for many reasons, including coach, team composition, GS and Cleveland, stockpiled assets (we have none) lack of a star.

I want us to get in position to win, meaning we must play chess not checkers, must not misrepresent where we actually are. If you don't know where you are, you cannot figure out how to get to the next developmental step. If you won't admit where you are because you are a homer, or have vested interest in overstating the team's position, or simply repeat what everyone else says, then that is a hindrance, not a help, and we need all the help we can get if we will be "Going to Work."

[cool breeze]

My point is that we need to fairly evaluate, not pick and choose.

The main goal is to get the team better, and I admit it's not always straight forward. There's way too much trying to justify a certain conclusion when figuring out the best route to a good result is what's needed.

I'm clear, whatever is good for the team is the way I want to go, and I'm not wedded to any player on this team in that respect, but whatever we do needs to make good business sense because it's hard to recover form bad ones.

We have 3 high paid players in Reggie, Drummond and Harris, and one over paid(for his production) in Leuer, and one soon to be high paid player in KCP, and not one star in the damn group.

Only 3 of these guys have all star potential, Reggie, Drummond & KCP, each does things most NBA players can't. Screw the numbers, I'm always attracted to guys that have out of the ordinary skills, ESPECIALLY if they're young because with proper development, they WILL bloom. 

Harris is who he is and that likely won't change much over the years, that's why he's here, but he is steady if not spectacular, and that too is a gift.

Bottom line to me is that the CAP should rise to a level such that guys like Reggie, Drummond & KCP's salaries aren't a big factor, or give us back the old system because this one isn't working. This is a flaw in the way the NBA is being managed.

Failing that, we simply can't afford these guys, which means we'll never get a star in here unless we draft him or get lucky and find one on the cheap. Without assets to bargain with, you have absolutely nothing to bring talent in with.

Where did you come up with "out of the ordinary skills" when referring to any of the 3 players you mentioned? Your comment made me think about what you said and that is what is cool about this forum.

1. Reggie Jackson: Reggie has lost his skill set. There is something wrong with his motor or lungs not his heart. His defense has always been below average yet he has the long arms and quickness that should allow him to be the best guard defender on the team. When he was healthy and performed incredibly in the closing moments of most games, Jackson had issues with his energy and how to manage it. Everything in him was dedicated to offense maybe because he was the only player on the team that could not be stopped very often when it counted. I really thought that Reggie would have dedicated himself to finding that energy balance that could make him a much better defender. If he didn't have health issues where is seems to be in oxygen debt a lot I think he still could be a great performer. But I do not believe in the knee story line. You are right though that Jackson out of the three players you mentioned has demonstrated special skills.

Andre Drummond: Drummond could be very athletic if he was willing to put in the hard work it takes for a big man to get into elite basketball physical condition. Every elite NBA player now has tortured themselves in the off season to get to that level where they are consistently attacking on offense and are a nightmare on defense. Where Jackson has done the work in the past to be a force in the 4th quarter especially in the late season games where everyone is exhausted, Drummond has gone the other way. He signed the big contract and is now being a brat acting like a child at times. Tell me this if you were lucky enough to make it to the NBA and then had been gifted with Andre Drummond's contract wouldn't you do anything Stan Van Gundy asked you to do for the team? Van Gundy stuck his neck on the line and was given the power to agree to the big contract after all. So if the coach told you after the contract was signed that he wanted Andre to become a better defender and defensive board protector, would you then go out and practice all summer long on the baseline hook shot from 8 feet out? How about at least developing a short jump shot if you are going to ignore the coaches wishes? Then when Stan hires a shooting coach specificially to work with Drummond on his foul shooting, would you blow that idea off and tell the coach to stuff it and that he will make the decision as to which coach he wants to work with? What do you think SVG's gut was telling him when that happened? Did Andre go to the owner and complain and the owner than told SVG to keep the shooting coach away from his star player? Something smells. I can't believe that SVG would let Drummond push him around and do whatever he thought was best especially when he still sucked at the line. Something is really wrong with Andre Drummond. In high school if a kid came up to me and told me what he wanted to do, that player would be at the end of the bench regardless of if that kid was the son of the athletic director or Assistant superintendent. That happened to me by the way. The kid was a guard who would not pass the basketball or play defense. He thought that he had some special political power that protected him. He came around eventually but no coach can let a player be the person in charge unless you are Labron James who would never pull that kind of crap. I believe that SVG has not acted like he is in charge when it comes to Drummond and maybe he has taken that course of being a pussy because of his experience with Dwight Howard. Stan is willing to eat Andre's crap plan and simple. He has to beg Andre to play with more energy. Andre Drummond for that reason is not in the category of a player who ever can become special or elite. That type of player will end up like Charlie V. Those two players look the same to me. If ever management could make a trade now before it is too late, then it should be done.

KCP: I just cannot figure out how fans or management could place Pope when thinking of NBA players in the realm of elite. I have never seen him show " out of the ordinary skills". I hoped like hell he would show that this past season. Out of the ordinary when thinking of starting 2 guards from the past or present has to be something that stands out real clear. Pope is an average defender, average or below average 3 point shooter, below average mid range shooter and he is not a player I would trust to be able to finish at the rim or be able to dribble penetrate under control. Pope is average playing on a team of below average players. He is not a $20 mil a year player. No way in hell.

Tobias Harris: You didn't mention Tobias for some reason. He is the best player on the team . Harris does know when to drive into the paint and finish. He does have a mid range game. He is a smart player as well. But the point guards do not fit Harris. No Piston player fits our point guard's style. But I expect Harris to become the captain and fight for a better offensive game plan.

Still I really am enjoying everyone's posts in this off season. Are we covering all the bases better than Stan Van Gundy?

[Oracle]

My point is that we need to fairly evaluate, not pick and choose.

The main goal is to get the team better, and I admit it's not always straight forward. There's way too much trying to justify a certain conclusion when figuring out the best route to a good result is what's needed.

I'm clear, whatever is good for the team is the way I want to go, and I'm not wedded to any player on this team in that respect, but whatever we do needs to make good business sense because it's hard to recover form bad ones.

We have 3 high paid players in Reggie, Drummond and Harris, and one over paid(for his production) in Leuer, and one soon to be high paid player in KCP, and not one star in the damn group.

Only 3 of these guys have all star potential, Reggie, Drummond & KCP, each does things most NBA players can't. Screw the numbers, I'm always attracted to guys that have out of the ordinary skills, ESPECIALLY if they're young because with proper development, they WILL bloom. 

Harris is who he is and that likely won't change much over the years, that's why he's here, but he is steady if not spectacular, and that too is a gift.

Bottom line to me is that the CAP should rise to a level such that guys like Reggie, Drummond & KCP's salaries aren't a big factor, or give us back the old system because this one isn't working. This is a flaw in the way the NBA is being managed.

Failing that, we simply can't afford these guys, which means we'll never get a star in here unless we draft him or get lucky and find one on the cheap. Without assets to bargain with, you have absolutely nothing to bring talent in with.

[BallinD]

Oracle:  It was a long article.  I left out this and this, below.  Most of what you posted were paragraphs that led with the word "If" and talked about potential.  Look, I want the good KCP to be the KCP we re-sign, but I have lots of doubts and the facts bear out my pessimism.  Especially, since Stupid Van Gundy has clearly annointed KCP our reigning Michael Curry (We will play him all game no matter how poorly he plays.)

SBNation:

It’s also worth considering whether it really was KCP’s shoulder injury that impacted him so severely. After all, his performance actually got worse as he got further away from the injury. After a full month back on the court, KCP shot 36 percent from the field and 28 percent from three while also playing lousy defense in March and April. So perhaps there were other factors at play. While not intending to make more of the incident than it deserves, it is worth noting that during this final stretch while he was playing so poorly KCP was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

And regardless of the cause for his ineffectiveness, it’s on Caldwell-Pope to figure out how to still be an asset on the court when his jumper isn’t falling. He was unable to adjust this season the way that he did in 2015-16 when his three point shot stopped falling, continuing to rely on his jumper even when it wasn’t reliable. Only 13 percent of his shots came from the restricted area after his shoulder injury, compared to 24 percent in 2015-16. Low BBIQ, He got worse the further he was from his injury, not better, just as our stretch run commenced.

SBNation:

Perhaps the biggest reason to pay KCP is his defense. However as Mike pointed out, KCP’s defense isn’t elite, and it’s easy to mistake activity for achievement in that area. Caldwell-Pope typically plays with nice energy on defense, but his results haven’t typically matched up with that energy. He still shows potential on that end, but potential is still a theory. Without those results, he’s not a particularly valuable player.

His 14 points per game on 52 percent true shooting percentage with a few rebounds and assists puts him in the company of the likes of Sean Kilpatrick or Brandon Knight. The Nets signed Kilpatrick out of the D-League and paid him less than $1 million this year. The Pistons are looking to be paying KCP in the $20 million neighborhood. That’s not exactly cost effective.But, oh no, we can't in any way replace KCP??

And even at his best, the salary Caldwell-Pope will command is a questionable investment. While he’s shown signs of being a solid starting shooting guard, there’s not been flashes of being a star. But we’re talking about a star-level contract.  If we can't S&T him, then we may be stuck, I agree.  Your points are not wrong:

1. We can go over the CAP to sign KCP, we can't do that with any other SG of value, but we seriously need to NOT pay KCP the max if we can avoid it.
2. Do a sign and trade of KCP if you can get the assets back. NJ sounds good on paper, but we can't get anybody in return and they have the cash to hurt us.
2. Move Harris, there are many role players to be had, likely some sitting on the bench. He is the easiest one to replace Easy is not always best.  We may be just as good, rolling with Bullock and SJ role players sitting on our bench.  Plus, Isiah Thomas pointed out you don't put your best scorer on the bench.  Tobias is not being used properly by SVG and Reggie hates him (will not usually pass to him in the flow of the offense for whatever reason) but we didn't draft him so no loyalty.
3. Get Ellenson into the starting lineup, even if you have to use a shoe horn.

Then see how the season progresses and then make your deals with the valuable assets you control.

[Oracle]

Ballin has done this twice, and only he knows why.

In that article they offer a VERY fair and balanced analysis and pose a good question. The question appears to be rather easy, but there are nuances to the answer, but basically it's a very good article.

It also shows why the fantasy of Harris is just that. Harris is a role player, not capable of putting any team on his back and leading them home and there's nothing wrong with that, he has a needed skill required by all good teams.

Any normal analysis always comes down to 3 people on this team with the greatest potential, Reggie, Drummond & KCP. But first, let's review what Ballin left out!

There were more than a handful of games this season where the Pistons were dead in the water until Caldwell-Pope caught fire offensively. He’s absolutely become one of those guys with a knack for “the moment,” who you want taking the shot when the game is on the line. Not to mention he also has the potential to be one of the top perimeter defenders in the league, even if his results don’t always tend to keep up with the eye test yet at this point. 

If you sign KCP to a max contract, you’re betting on the first half of this season being who he is going forward. Although you’re not a 40 percent three point shooter if you only shoot that mark through half the season, it’s at least an indicator of potential. For instance, Jimmy Butler took a nice step forward this season, posting career highs in scoring, scoring efficiency, rebounding, and assists. That improvement didn’t just come out of nowhere. In 2015-16 Butler posted a very similar line before the All-Star break, then faded down the stretch. 

If KCP is able to put together a full season like he did before his injury, salary isn’t much of an issue. He wasn’t just a three-and-D player, but an integral piece the offense. He carried a heavier role as a secondary ball handler, something that was previously a weakness for him. He was the team’s closer in the fourth quarter, regularly putting the team on his back in key moments. Even with his poor final stretch, KCP still led the team in second half scoring. 

This speaks to the difference in mentality between the two players. It’s impossible to say the cause in the difference, but we can speak to the results. KCP just seems to show a greater resilience. After a lousy shooting night, KCP has shown the ability to put his struggles earlier in the game behind him and step up to make huge shots. Like against the Hornets on February 23, when KCP started off 5-18 shooting through the first 45 minutes of the game. Then he reeled off 11 points in the final 2:20 of the fourth quarter, including nailing a three to send the game into overtime.

You really need to see the article to view the video that puts Don's silly statements about KCP's handles and dribbling to a complete and total lie.

However, the main point of the article is justified, how do you keep two players that are struggling to put it all together on the payroll and survive? The answer is easy, you just do it or you trade for something better.

It's usless to keep explaining the business of what we need to do when guys like Don just turn around and say things that make you shake your head. For those of us that are more concerned about the team than wanting to grind some player into the dust, here's the logical situational options we have.

1. We can go over the CAP to sign KCP, we can't do that with any other SG of value, but we seriously need to NOT pay KCP the max if we can avoid it.
2. Do a sign and trade of KCP if you can get the assets back. NJ sounds good on paper, but we can't get anybody in return and they have the cash to hurt us.
2. Move Harris, there are many role players to be had, likely some sitting on the bench. He is the easiest one to replace
3. Get Ellenson into the starting lineup, even if you have to use a shoe horn.

Then see how the season progresses and then make your deals with the valuable assets you control.

Here's the bet the Pistons make if they keep both Drummond & KCP:
1. Drummond gives up trying to be "The Dream" and focuses on defense! If this happens we get a BEAST in the middle capable of defending the rim and providing great help defense like Ben Wallace. A lot to expect, but certainly withing the physical capabilities of Drummond.

2. KCP, only coming off his rookie contract, finally puts it all together. His defense comes into balance, he breaks from sitting out on the 3 point line and uses his speed to get to the rim and pull up for jumpers or floaters. But this only happens with the right PG, and can Reggie be that guy?

I agree with SVG, no player on this team is untouchable, but whatever we do needs to make sense for the TEAM, and we have to take the emotion out of the decision.

[Oracle]

The part I don't get is in bold below.

Just what is the fear? If he's more physical that he may have to shoot free throws?

That doesn't make any sense to me, and if I'm the coach, I say keep attacking and foul them out. Never back down for this fear, it makes no sense.

But the only reason I believe Drummond doesn't do it is because he fears HE will be called for the foul and be taken out of the game.

This is again a bad reason and something the coach needs to address. If he doesn't start doing this, the refs will never get used to his style and he'll never learn how to modify his physical approach to be within the limits.

This is all coaching, SVG is missing the boat, or I'm way off base.

What "specifically" didn't you like about what Stan said.

SVG quotes (to the best of my recollection)

" the most immediate and impactful change Dre can make is on defense"

" improved free throw shooting will be tough"

" in practice Dre plays the more physical offensive game we want to see, but his subconscience fear of free throw shooting causes him defer to a softer style in-game"

" the organization had no stomach for the long term loosing associated with full out tanking"

SVG " doesn't believe full out tanking works (works = championship contender), and has seen no model of success"

" no one on this roster is untouchable"

" our contract status will limit the way in which the roster can be improved".

What did I miss?

[cool breeze]

After listening to the SVG interview with Valenti 97.1 FM, (On Freep.com) and after reading the insightful article referenced below "Pistons need to choose Andre Drummond or KCP:  Drummond or KCP and now hearing we may trade the pick in some delusional "Win Now" game of Smoke and Mirrors concocted by SVG, I am in shock.

Instead of trying to get another pick in this deep draft and position ourselves for the post-LeBron era, we dump our pick and roll with the core that rolls over for lottery teams playing their scrubs!?!?!?

But if we trade the pick and double down on our core, but add a grizzled veteran shooter, well won't that be fun to watch.  And on top of that, we hear Baynes may come back to put Boban (our "gifted scorer") back in his place on the bench.  This nightmare scenario is exactly why you don't put a veteran, glycemic, disingenuous, hyperbolic and narcissistic coach in charge of player personnell.  

The ship of fools is sailing...All Aboard!

Ballin this is why I am calling out Tom Gores to get control of his team before Stan Van Gundy does trade our pick. I am worried that Stan the Man will sign his old shooting guard who recently stated that he loved playing for Stan Van Gundy. It appears certain that SVG wants to return all of his dysfunctional core players for one more go around. Then Stan will walk away with a job well done in his attempt to ruin the future of the Detroit Pistons. He will laugh with his brother who is by far the worst announcer I have heard do a finals game. I have to turn the sound off to tolerate watching the games. Mr. Gores is just as much at fault as SVG has been in creating this mess. Now it is time to step in and stop the insanity. Is Stan's big project this summer working on trading the first round pick just to trade his bogus signing of Leuer? Those who believe that SVG is now the fool who other GMs will take advantage of might be correct. He is desperate and desperate people do stupid things. SVG needs to dig deep into his past and remember how he acted when he was an outstanding assistant coach in his younger days. I was in shock as to how badly he handled his dysfunctional players last season. He was not a leader. He was an appeaser who spent more time concentrating on politics than what was happening with his Piston team. While Stan might have talked about Drummond's need to concentrate on becoming a better defender, what steps has SVG made to force Drummond to comply? I don't hear Drummond talking about spending the summer with Kevin Garnett or someone else who will tell Andre the facts of life and not treat him like a little baby cub like Stan does. Andre says everyone just needs more rest. He is laughing at Stan Van Gundy and playing him like a fiddle.

The only person who can right the ship is Tom Gores. It won't be Stan Van Gundy. He will run the ship into the ground and walk away unless the owner either fires him or limits Stan's ability to make any more free agent signings.

[cool breeze]

Ballin provided important details in his post that this article provided. I noticed that most fans who took the quiz picked Pope by a wide margin over Drummond as the player to remain on the roster. The quiz didn't offer the option of keeping neither player. The other article "The Pistons need to choose: Andre Drummond or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope" selects Pope and provides some compelling reasons why. I know there are some of you who believe in Andre Drummond and do not want to part with the big guy. But if there is an opportunity for management to trade him before training camp I guarantee that by the end of next season you will be happy campers and in love with the new group of more fundamentally sound NBA players or the possibility of getting a really high draft pick that could be included in a trade for Drummond.

If Drummond goes Detroit is no longer in a horrible financial position. But if they do not sign Pope and can draft one of the shooting guards in the draft, Detroit is in an even better financial standing able to pick off some top talent. The sky is the limit if they dump both Andre and KCP. Although the reasons stated in the article " The Pistons need to choose" provide the worst case scenario especially relating to the effect on Detroit's defense with Pope's departure, I don't believe that would be the case. What if Pope leaves, Detroit does sign Bullock and he is healthy and plays up to his capability and is a better player than Pope next year? He has all the tools required. Bullock is a good defender and maybe better than Pope. Notice in both articles the writers did not give Pope a really high defensive rating. Pope is average at best and was not effective as an all ball defender against the top rated guards in their match ups last season. I was hoping to see that he could stop players like Wall and Beal or at least slow them down but it didn't happen. By signing Bullock Detroit has some insurance and the way the system is structured Bullock should be retained of a reasonable amount of money if Pope leaves. But my gut tells me that Stanley Johnson will be a really solid player next year and if he is placed in a starting role, that will give him the confidence he needs to become a star player. Johnson is capable of stopping some of the best skills players in the league. He is a smarter defender than Pope will ever be. Detroit should draft the best possible player regardless of position but preferably shooting guard or a power forward with outside shooting and defensive skills.

If Detroit dumps both players the highest paid player is Harris. He should be the captain of the team. By being the captain, the nonsense will end relating to the Reggie-Andre insanity who were the most dysfunctional team leaders I have ever witnessed.

It does not appear that the experts believe that any sign and trade could be worked out with Pope but it is worth a try at least. The most important job Piston management needs to work on this summer is working out a trade for Drummond. Then the pieces will fall in place and the Pistons will have a much brighter future. Please make this happen Mr. Gores. It appears that Drummond still has value or at least more than I thought. Boston, Phoenix, LA Lakers, Philly who else might be the perfect trade partner for the Detroit Pistons??? Do not trade this draft pick for a older weak defender who might have been a good 3 point shooter in his day.

[BallinD]

After listening to the SVG interview with Valenti 97.1 FM, (On Freep.com) and after reading the insightful article referenced below "Pistons need to choose Andre Drummond or KCP:  Drummond or KCP and now hearing we may trade the pick in some delusional "Win Now" game of Smoke and Mirrors concocted by SVG, I am in shock.

Instead of trying to get another pick in this deep draft and position ourselves for the post-LeBron era, we dump our pick and roll with the core that rolls over for lottery teams playing their scrubs!?!?!?

But if we trade the pick and double down on our core, but add a grizzled veteran shooter, well won't that be fun to watch.  And on top of that, we hear Baynes may come back to put Boban (our "gifted scorer") back in his place on the bench.  This nightmare scenario is exactly why you don't put a veteran, glycemic, disingenuous, hyperbolic and narcissistic coach in charge of player personnell.  

The ship of fools is sailing...All Aboard!

[deusXango]

"Of players who took at least 900 field goal attempts last season, Andre Drummond finished 2016-17 with the sixth-lowest true shooting percentage. Wanna take a guess who was just one notch better? That’s right, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
(Our Best Player??)
And this isn’t an anomaly. Last season, Drummond had the fifth-lowest TS while KCP had the 12th-lowest. In 2014-15 the pair finished eighth and seventh, respectively. They’ve developed a pretty strong track record of offensive inefficiency."

 

BallinD, I've missed your insights lately and you're welcome to jump in at anytime; it's a welcome and friendly gesture when forum participants don't act as if they can't read others posts. Dialogue is what makes this forum go. With that being said, whatever your frame of reference was, this is some eye-opening sh!t. I'd love for a comparison of Jackson vs. Smith's numbers (just from last year)...the reason being is to actually see what the 3rd highest payroll bought, or rather, what SVG invested in, in not only money, but time.

This gets weirder and weirder; dump Drummond (athletic big men grow on trees), sign KCP to whatever the market demands (some team with the money and smarts can/will? bury the Pistons in CAP hell by tendering an outrageous offer sheet to KCP) and set this franchise back for the next decade, ignoring the fact that we're going to war starting a gimpy PG that hogs the ball, is only inclined to play a selfish brand of basketball, and has no explosion to the basket, and the cherry on top of all this is to trade away our "hard earned" #12 pick. Fans are eating this sh!t up and ownership is not batting an eye; this is the death knell of basketball in Detroit. I can still barely hear the echoes SVG's ignorant, loud-mouthed brother saying, "Stan has no interest in going to Detroit...I mean why would he leave sunny Florida to go there?" Well it seems it was to kill a franchise that has gone to where he's unable to take it on his own.

#12 can bring in a valuable piece! It's important to know who to build around, at this point, and commit to that player. IMHO it's not one of our current "Big 3." If SVG is all the man he pretends to be, he'll begin a coach search now and fire himself as coach, while Bower evaluates talent for the upcoming draft; that takes a humility that I doubt SVG has. If both Jackson and KCP are more valuable than Drummond, why is it so much easier to find a trade partner for Drummond than those two? We should've struck while the iron was hot...in my heart of hearts, I truly believe that there was a time the Pistons could've landed another lottery pick and a 2nd rounder, by making a trade of Jackson, Leuer. Moot points now.

[BallinD]

Sparma:  But now the market's turned against us. We're left chasing the premium asset (shooting) with shaky offerings in return (at least as perceived by the league). What to do if you're SVG? No doubt a #12 is highly valued, and if packaged (Leuer?), a decent shooter can be brought to the D. Hence the rumors, which I'm inclined to think have some substance.

That kinda makes sense given the circumstances in which we find ourselves, but it's still dumb. Having done a bunch of smart things, SVG may be on the verge of leveraging the future for a halfway decent immediate return.

So I ask, what can we possibly get for #12 pick that is gonna take us over the top and suddenly contend when our core is as described in SB Nation Detroit Bad Boys:

Talk about we were only 7 games worse than last year's team.  How did we accomplish that, I ask?  We pooped the bed in the stretch run, being blown out by non-playoff teams competing for nothing and not even playing their starters.  Is that to be forgotten??  It matters!!  The team laid down!  The Core laid down!!  Facts matter and how the facts occur matter.

I wish it weren't so, but that's like wishing you didn't see your girl cheating on you, or didn't see your homie selling you out.  So, yeah, let's max KCP like we did Dre.  They are two peas in a pod.

"Of players who took at least 900 field goal attempts last season, Andre Drummond finished 2016-17 with the sixth-lowest true shooting percentage. Wanna take a guess who was just one notch better? That’s right, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
(Our Best Player??)
And this isn’t an anomaly. Last season, Drummond had the fifth-lowest TS while KCP had the 12th-lowest. In 2014-15 the pair finished eighth and seventh, respectively. They’ve developed a pretty strong track record of offensive inefficiency."

"Including his player option, the Pistons have more than $100 million invested in Drummond through 2021. Of course, this was a rough season for Dre. Going on his third straight season of nearly identical results, the worry is that he’s plateaued as a Hall-of-Fame-level rebounder, replacement-level offensive player, and G-League level defensive player. That’s not someone you want to pay $100 million."

So with that, we will double down and give up more of our future (first round pick) to continue to be mediocre so Stan can get the smoke machine cranked up one more time, as opposed to a true strategy for getting the team in a position to actually compete after Lebron fades into the sunset.  

[Sparma]

I've quoted what Lemonpen reported SVG said below.

Well, let's see.

Y'all know that I think that if Philly a contender in the foreseeable future it will be fair/ necessary to say: before Sam Hinkie left Philly (//was pressured out), he successfully gathered the parts that led to contention. Foolishly maybe, I'd gladly trade Hinkie's success with what SVG has wrought in the D, promising as it was at the outset. But enough about that.

Contra Don, I like what SVG said about Drummond. He's confrontational but constructive: D is the way forward; I know you care deeply about O, AD, but you're letting your embarrassment about FTs get in the way of what you care about. Not a bad teaching approach, I think, to a proud and sensitive guy like AD.

BUT the truth hurts: "our contract status will limit the way in which the roster can be improved". No doubt. You had to have a higher return by now, SVG, to garner broad confidence in your incremental approach which may well have been the smart way to go in the past, given the options. But now the market's turned against us. We're left chasing the premium asset (shooting) with shaky offerings in return (at least as perceived by the league). What to do if you're SVG? No doubt a #12 is highly valued, and if packaged (Leuer?), a decent shooter can be brought to the D. Hence the rumors, which I'm inclined to think have some substance.

That kinda makes sense given the circumstances in which we find ourselves, but it's still dumb. Having done a bunch of smart things, SVG may be on the verge of leveraging the future for a halfway decent immediate return.

Contrast the type of move needed in a hemmed in position (which SVG signals himself, in sugarcoated fashion) with Hinkie's credo of making trades for the long term, exploiting team's immediate cravings (eg landing the #3 pick from Sac). That was us, not long ago. Morris on the cheap in order to make a bid for Aldridge, anyone? SVG pounced, making an asymmetrical trade. Looks to me like now he's the one in the position so desirous of immediate upgrade (not unrelated to job security) that he's the one apt to be exploited, in the long run. They've got a smart front office team, so maybe they'll manage to make it work, but the odds are no longer in their favor, something I'm hearing SVG admitting in his prize winning fashion.

Lemonpen reports:

"What "specifically" didn't you like about what Stan said.

SVG quotes (to the best of my recollection)

" the most immediate and impactful change Dre can make is on defense"

" improved free throw shooting will be tough"

" in practice Dre plays the more physical offensive game we want to see, but his subconscience fear of free throw shooting causes him defer to a softer style in-game"

" the organization had no stomach for the long term loosing associated with full out tanking"

SVG " doesn't believe full out tanking works (works = championship contender), and has seen no model of success"

" no one on this roster is untouchable"

" our contract status will limit the way in which the roster can be improved".

What did I miss?"

[cool breeze]

A friend of mine said once Stan was hired he would be a short timer. Stan Van Gundy is not built for the long haul of being patient for years if necessary to build a solid base of players. His health is not good or so it appears with his excess weight and shaking in the hands and face. I am seriously worried about this man being able to do any of the jobs he was hired to do. Is he too tired to take on the task of properly evaluating the players on the roster or his assistant coaches before the next season gets underway? Has his judgment been sound in either category on his signing of players or hiring of assistant coaches. What are the standards set for the assistant coaches? How is their communication going with the players? Why hasn't Stan or any of his assistant coaches with the exception of the coach who handles the rookies helped improve any player in three seasons? Instead the players are actually worse now. How could that happen?

Stan Van Gundy has directed a loose ship. Under his reign players have become less disciplined. Last season it was very evident that Stan did not have any control of his key players. There was no accountability. The Pistons would start out games where the big men were always getting beat in transition that resulted in easy layups. Power forwards and centers played with their arms down and didn't move their feet. They switched (especially Drummond) when guards and small forwards were properly guarding their man staying in front of them with their arms moving. Then especially Andre would switch onto the Piston guard's man for no reason and then force the guard to defend a center. This switch happened inside the paint. The coach did nothing about it. Andre only made the switch because his man was moving and he didn't want to move for go body to body with a big player. Andre would avoid the physical contact his man would dish out. The coach did nothing. Leuer would reach and not switch when he should switch as well. This dysfunctional defensive play went on for months while the Piston paint leaked like a broken water pipe. Meanwhile when the Pistons did get a stop and were running in transition often Pope would suddenly launch a 3 point shot way out of his range sometimes 4 feet beyond the 3 point line. There would be at times two open players on the baselines and he shot it anyway. This usually resulted in a transition basket by the opponent. Night after night of mindless basketball where players were not playing together as a team. Nobody was setting screens in the starting lineup. To see that happen the 2nd unit would have to be on the court. All of this has been ignored by many fans who have a very short memory. But what is most disturbing is the Piston coaching staff who let it all happen as if it was not happening.

Detroit has had many teams that could not figure out how to win many games. But there were always some players who played the right way. And I always felt that the coaching staffs were trying at least to instill some discipline and accountability for the team. Over the last 6 weeks of the season, we had no team at all. We had a group of individuals who individually played anyway they wanted to night after night. There was no trust among the players. The players did not respect the coaches. The coaches ignored every principle i know relating to getting all the players to play as a team making sacrifices for each other to obtain a favorable result. The coaches have created a monster. Now the head coach is thinking about trading our first round pick. He doesn't want to bother teaching another young player how to play the right way. Stan has not been able to get the vets to play the right way. It is time for the entire coaching staff to go. Stan is a short timer who is not looking out for the long term success of the Detroit Pistons. Maybe Tom Gores is ready to sell the team as well. I have never seen anything like this in my life regarding the way this Piston organization operates. It is time to hire a younger GM and a younger head coach. The path this team is going on now is nowhere. Success means getting lucky and winning the 8 sport in the playoffs. The other bad teams will start a rebuild and be ahead of Detroit in two years.

[cool breeze]

In the talent gamble game and the odds are stacked against you, why not trade a $80 million player for whatever you can get when he's obviously in great decline? Denial is not a viable solution nor will false hope fix things in a business...trade that player, if/when you can. Take the Pistons for instance who have a $18 million player who clearly outperformed a $80 million player, by progressively improving over the course of 21 games and had the team playing an exciting and competitive brand of basketball, but because of past performance (a one year contributor to the playoff run) we held our collective breath as the established flow turned to a trickle, waiting on the high-priced player to regain his mojo...didn't matter that the team became sluggish, and disconnected trying to follow the leadership of their floor general and the record plummeted to an unexpected low. It seems to me that a "pennies on the dollar" player can be of value and looking at the playoffs this year, there were a lot of "pennies on the dollar" players that made quite an impact on the competitive side of the ball. It ain't the money or the hype that wins games, but fit and cohesiveness of team play.

Nobody seems to care for Ish Smith, but he had Drummond routinely putting up 20/20 games (in which we won) before changes were made; KCP, Marcus Morris, and Tobias Harris were looking like a well oiled, unstoppable, offensive machine and the wins started to consistently pile up and then, changes were made. We had one of the leading defenses in the NBA, before the changes, and Ish Smith was the "pennies on the dollar" little engine that was making things work...he and a guy named Beno, another "pennies on the dollar" player! Some will say that it wasn't all on Smith and Udrih, but those same voices would shout accolades from the rooftops for the high-priced player, if the roles were reversed.

Our backs are against the money wall, when it comes to expenditures, and we're talking about the need for superstars in the media, but our "Going To Work" crew has shown the world that it's not necessary to have superstars to consistently win in the NBA; we had a monkey wrench thrown into the development of a good group of young players before we could see what they could do. Oracle has suggested the importance of addressing matters of business for the teams future and I totally agree; KCP needs to be retained, but if we keep hope alive by repeating last years folly and sign KCP to a max contract, going over the luxury tax threshold by say $15 million, we've got a $40 million a year SG! Is that sound business? Though he doesn’t have to, all Van Gundy has to know – and he does – is that Jackson is not close to the performer he was a season ago. And that he may never be again...trade him for pennies on the dollar, sign KCP (who's healthy), and roll with Smith as our floor general. Our next money challenge is to find a trade partner for Leuer, so that Ellenson can get an opportunity to develop on the pro floor, and our payroll will drop with the exchange of Leuer's over-priced contract for Kennard's rookie contract.

I've gone too far, but to keep it simple, SVG has made some f@cked up changes, that's cost the team valuable development time, isn't it time he made some 21st century NBA coaching changes that'll benefit us all? If I can see a way out of this potential mess, that'll last for years if not addressed logically, I know a professional mind can grasp the need to reengineer this team and make it better. If Reggie goes on to become an All-Star, God bless him, we want to be in the business of bringing down giants!

I could not agree more with taking whatever we can get for Reggie and rolling with ISH & Beno. Otherwise, it makes no sense to resign KCP. KCP+RJAX = Oil&H2O.

As far as I'm concerned Leuer would have to return as a completely different guy in order to continue as the starting PF. Otherwise Ellenson gets the nod and JL the pine.

What is taking Baynes so long to opt out. Or did I miss the announcement.

I was hoping SVG told Baynes that he was going to trade Andre Drummond before training camp. That would free up $24 million and no worries as to if Andre has it in him to ever play smart and hard. I am not sure what it would take to sign Baynes but SVG likes him. I see some shortcomings with Baynes as well but there is no doubt that he doesn't back down on defense in the paint. Baynes and Boban share the center spot. Right now I would take a 2nd round pick and lose Drummond's contract. But I know that I a lot of fans still love the big guy and feel he can change now that he has had the nose surgery. But he is getting the kind of money the 24 year old Anthony Davis has earned though superior performances and hard work. I still believe that by just by losing the contracts of both Jackson and Drummond the Detroit Pistons are big winners. When a team plays the way Detroit played in the last half of the season no owner should be playing anywhere near max money for any player. No player on the roster stood out during the big slide. Get the payroll way down by losing lemons and sit back and pick off the young talent until you score two stud players and then build a new team around those two guys. I do like the potential of Harris but everyone else is just a big question mark. Knowing Cleveland is going to be at the top of the heap for at least two or more years, build a team with less flaws for less money until the team has some superior talent. Why build for the 8th spot in the playoffs. With the current players, 12th spot in the draft lottery is about right for them. It seems that many people have bonded with the idea that Pope needs to be signed or it will be the end of the world. To me Stuckey had better potential than Pope when he was KCP's age. And I never believed Stuckey was in the category of a superior player. Paying Pope the money his agent is asking for will never make him a superior player. Stuckey seemed to be more consistent as a player on both ends but was injury prone. Pope has been able to endure playing a lot of minutes but you need to have luck in the injury department. What if Pope gets the big money and he either doesn't become a superior player or now suffers a series of injuries? Signing Pope is a huge gamble that should not be taken. For those who believe the other way, I never see any details provided as to what Pope brings to the team that we can't do without. Does he bring stability and predictability based on consistency from previous seasons? The last half of this season was not so good. He did hit some 3 point shots in two games in the 4th quarter that were amazing. Hamilton was a scoring machine almost every night. He looked the same in the 1st quarter as he did in the 4th running full blast from the weak side to the strong side and back again to get himself open for the deadly mid range shot. He ran all summer long getting himself in supreme condition so he could perform at the highest level for an entire season and the playoffs. This management team for the Pistons needs to get a lot smarter and find superior players and then lock them up for the long ride up to the top of the heap. Any mistake made ( such as the Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson mistakes) will prevent and thought of the Detroit Pistons ever competing for a championship.

[Sponsored content]