I thought everyone has had enough but over the summer some fans will be drinking the cool aide still

[cool breeze]

The propaganda will keep on coming relating to the Piston's prospects next season. The homer announcers have been spoon feeding fans throughout the last half of the season boosting up the fake potential of some of the players. Will the Pistons try to sign Ish Smith to another contract? Reggie Jackson finally looks healthy so maybe he will be really great next season. Andre Drummond is a beast on the boards. Just look at those stats. Bullock might be available and he might be really good next year. All of those guys might do better on offense. How about their defense? Can they stop anyone in the playoffs?

What is the owner, GM and head coach doing in their meetings now? Are they working together to create another fake team that might break even next year? I think this has been their strategy for a long time. They don't want their team to be really bad so they create a team with an Ish Smith and Reggie Jackson. Hope for the best with a guy like Bullock. How about signing KCP? Maybe the fans will be happy with that. What should we do Dwayne? How about signing Bullock. He can shoot the 3 point shot. Fans like that.

Notice that nobody could actually penetrate effectively into the paint in regular season games but Blake and Luke. Reggie at times could do it but he hesitated a lot until the playoffs. Notice the playoff guys who are in the 2nd round now. Guys like the 3 perimeter players for Houston, all of the Golden State players, those two guards at Portland, The Boston players, you can go on and on. Those players can do everything. Casey must just accept average and not demand that the owner figure it out and secure some high draft picks. Notice Casey created an offense that is based on 3 point shooting. He must have done that because he doesn't have enough top talent to play any other offense. How about the defense? In those meetings does Casey go on a rant and say why in hell can't you get me some guys who are willing to sacrifice themselves on defense. I can't get these guys motivated enough to play hard on defense. Also, why can't you get me a shot blocker? I doubt Casey says anything. He is getting paid a lot of money to keep his mouth shut and let the owner flip a coin as to what is going to happen next. This is a total joke. The Pistons are going nowhere and it is time for the fans to call this owner out and the head coach and GM as well for their attitude to just try to create a team that can make the playoffs. Signing Ish Smith and playing him big minutes again will just add another nail to the coffin. I like Ish as a 3rd point guard. The only way the Pistons can move in the right direction is obtain winning caliber players. To do that they cannot make any more bad free agent signings. They also will have to trade both Blake and Drummond to move in the right direction. The Pistons need a lot of new talent. If they cannot obtain at least one high quality big man and at least two outstanding perimeter players, they are going nowhere. To bad because if the coach had played two of the young guys instead of Smith, Jackson, and Galloway for mega minutes, we fans might have more hope. That didn't happen and I do not expect anything to change until fans demand more.

[cool breeze]

Here's what we predicted.

2018-2019 Regular Season
Member	Wins
DX	49
Murph	47
Oracle	46
Stones	45
Lemonpen	45
Sparma	44
BallinD	43
Phil1980boy	41
Cool Breeze	39
Wise	39

Quite frankly, we predicted this because that's what would have likely happened if the year hadn't so disrupted by injuries and roster churn.

It takes a team playing together over time to become whoever they're capable of being. Some posters think you just slap them together and it all works out, but that's not how anything works.

So what happened to the Pistons this year?
Injuries & New Roles: 
1. Reggie Bullock was injured(yet again) and was up and down. Kennard was supposed to be auditioning for PG, but injury derailed that, and then during the season he was out again. Our two best 3 point shooters were mostly not there for almost a quarter of the season, and when they both showed up they were rusty and out of sync.

2. Ish Smith was out for an extended period of time and during that time the bench totally sucked

3. Reggie wasn't anywhere near himself until the end of the year. However it wasn't only injury that cause him to be ineffective, he was also learning a new role of playing off the ball. He did that fairly well, but once he became a secondary ball handler and regained some of his explosiveness, he because a real reason we got better.

4. Drummond wasn't hurt, but he was redefining his role. He had to learn to play within himself, but more importantly, he had to focus on something he'd never tried... playing defense, and he excelled at that this year.

It all started to come together near the end of the year, but it was also a team that had been truly playing together for about a quarter of the season.

Now stop and tell me the team in the playoffs that's been playing together that short of time?

IMO, getting to the playoffs was a miracle under the circumstances this team and staff went through. Kennard, Brown and Maker will be better from the arse whooping they got because nobody wants to repeat that. They'll be working their butts off this offseason.

Oracle bless you for providing Tom Gores with an out. The Pistons were hit by the injury bug. How about about every NBA team sustaining injuries to their rotation players? The greed by both players and owners by playing too many games might be the cause. The fans who buy season tickets are the real victims. They pay the big money and get 2nd rate basketball for way too many games. Piston fans go out into the cold to attend a home game where their team has just returned from a 10 day road trip and played in LA the night before. Tired legs makes it impossible for players to play with much passion. I should have my head examined because I try to watch every Piston game. I record the games so I can at least fast forward through the commercials, time outs and half time delays. But for the fans who are loyal to the Pistons, what can they do to avoid sleeping for the entire first half and most of the 3 quarter. I attend a lot of college games here and even if the home team is not very good, there is incredible excitement in the air. The players give an amazing effort and the students go crazy and have a great time at the games.

You must know that the Pistons perimeter players have nobody who can defend any of the guards or small forwards who are now playing in the Golden State-Houston series. In fact I can't think of one Piston player who could be in the rotation. Those players are incredibly smart and have the God given stamina that allows them to give a strong effort on defense. They all have a mid range game, have the ability to get into the paint, and they know where their teammates are located and can pass the ball accurately. That is why I say Dwayne Casey is attracted too much to specialist type players. He plays extremely weak players on the perimeter. I strongly disagree with you that the Pistons did not meet fans expectations because the team suffered too many injuries. The simple fact is that Spencer Dinwiddie is a stronger, taller, smarter player on both offense and defense. And Spencer is still not in the same league as the perimeter players who are playing on the elite NBA teams. I want the Pistons to acquire some elite players. Our players just do not have the potential to ever get to top tier status. I even include Blake because he is no longer top tier. He cannot play strong defense in the paint. His age and history of injuries is significant and I really cannot believe that he has played so well this season on the offensive end. That cannot last. He must limit his excursions in the paint to survive another season. AD is a crappy defender, and AD is no paint protector in my opinion. We need a superstar type defensive minded center to compliment Blake if he is not traded. As for the back court, Detroit has no Zeke. Until they get a guy like him, they will keep on losing or breaking even. The only way the team can improve very much is to move up in the draft for the next three years.

Meanwhile it is still fun to watch some of these series. It restores some faith I have that the NBA can provide some good basketball. Some of the current players are fantastic. We have none of them.

[Oracle]

Here's what we predicted.

2018-2019 Regular Season
Member	Wins
DX	49
Murph	47
Oracle	46
Stones	45
Lemonpen	45
Sparma	44
BallinD	43
Phil1980boy	41
Cool Breeze	39
Wise	39

Quite frankly, we predicted this because that's what would have likely happened if the year hadn't so disrupted by injuries and roster churn.

It takes a team playing together over time to become whoever they're capable of being. Some posters think you just slap them together and it all works out, but that's not how anything works.

So what happened to the Pistons this year?
Injuries & New Roles: 
1. Reggie Bullock was injured(yet again) and was up and down. Kennard was supposed to be auditioning for PG, but injury derailed that, and then during the season he was out again. Our two best 3 point shooters were mostly not there for almost a quarter of the season, and when they both showed up they were rusty and out of sync.

2. Ish Smith was out for an extended period of time and during that time the bench totally sucked

3. Reggie wasn't anywhere near himself until the end of the year. However it wasn't only injury that cause him to be ineffective, he was also learning a new role of playing off the ball. He did that fairly well, but once he became a secondary ball handler and regained some of his explosiveness, he because a real reason we got better.

4. Drummond wasn't hurt, but he was redefining his role. He had to learn to play within himself, but more importantly, he had to focus on something he'd never tried... playing defense, and he excelled at that this year.

It all started to come together near the end of the year, but it was also a team that had been truly playing together for about a quarter of the season.

Now stop and tell me the team in the playoffs that's been playing together that short of time?

IMO, getting to the playoffs was a miracle under the circumstances this team and staff went through. Kennard, Brown and Maker will be better from the arse whooping they got because nobody wants to repeat that. They'll be working their butts off this offseason.

[Oracle]

I would not be opposed to trading Blake Griffin to the Heat, if they are interested.  But I would want more than Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones.  I don't even think the salaries match up on that trade, although I am no longer sure of the NBA salary restrictions on trades.  

If there are no longer any salary restrictions on trades, I would trade Griffin for Richardson, Olynyk and Miami's 1st round pick this year.

Then that would clear the decks to trade Drummond or let his contract expire, if the team under-performed next year.  

In that way, we could undergo either a partial or full scale re-build.

Murph, I'd add a future 2nd round pick to that and call it a day. Love Blake, but moving that contract would be huge.

I wouldn't want to move Drummond, but there's no way he would be worth another max or near max contract.

IMO, Blake is a prime candidate to be moved to a few other teams as well. Teams that are one player away from being a real threat like OKC would need him.

However, I think this owner is allergic to the word and concept of REBUILD...

BTW, this is a good read: Dwane Casey vs SVG: A battle of styles

[Murph]

I would not be opposed to trading Blake Griffin to the Heat, if they are interested.  But I would want more than Josh Richardson, Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones.  I don't even think the salaries match up on that trade, although I am no longer sure of the NBA salary restrictions on trades.  

If there are no longer any salary restrictions on trades, I would trade Griffin for Richardson, Olynyk and Miami's 1st round pick this year.

Then that would clear the decks to trade Drummond or let his contract expire, if the team under-performed next year.  

In that way, we could undergo either a partial or full scale re-build, if necessary.

[Oracle]

No Oracle Indiana would have easily swept our Pistons with Blake at the top of his game. What you should be worried about is the fact that the Bucks lost by a wide margin after killing the Pistons with some key players out with injuries. The best players kick their game up by 30% or more when the playoffs come around. This Piston team is really flawed in a big way. What you and others should dream of is having high IQ dedicated athletes who have a long history of winning at every level. We do not have those players with the exception of Blake who is not a young guy to build a team around. I could get really excited if Detroit traded Blake to Miami. The Pistons need to start over with a better plan to only go after incredibly gifted high achievers. That can only come through the draft. The Pistons need 3 really good drafts getting top 5 picks in each draft. And with that they need to get one of those three players to be a MVP candidate. We have middle of the road players at every position with the exception of Blake when he is healthy. I would exchange our roster for all but perhaps two other NBA teams now. We have a losing long term plan and a losing short term plan for future success. - Everything is relative, a life lesson that's missing here. If your expectations are high and you get low results, you're upset because relative to your expectations, you've under achieved. I'm 100% sure that if you got any of the desires you claim to want, you'd be complaining and wanting to trade players on any team that didn't win it all, and some of it would be with good reason. So I don't think you're being honest with yourself here.

Speaking of relative, you expected the Pistons to miss the playoffs, but they exceeded your expectations and you still weren't at least happy for them at all, which is surprising.

Watching this last game between Golden State and Houston should make Piston fans understand that this owner has created a nightmare. All anyone can say is that maybe just maybe something new might be coming once Jackson, Drummond, Galloway, Leuer come off the payroll. If the Pistons keep Blake then need to get rid of all of the above as soon as possible. We need an athletic hard nosed defensive minded center to compliment Blake. All that player has to do on offense is dunk. That is all AD is good for now on offense. We need players at all positions who show that they love playing ball which means they will do anything necessary to create havoc on defense because they hate losing. Our players just don't hate losing enough. AD doesn't hate being embarrassed when he gets beat by his man back in transition. Opposing teams are targeting AD's defects relating to consistently bringing full concentration to his overall game. He is on again and off again with the mental part. I am tired of it. We need big change. Ben Wallace brought big change. Isiah Thomas brought big change. - GS is playing terrible, IMO. A GS fan should be concerned a bit that they're not playing at the level I believe they're capable of. However, this paragraph continues your theme that the grass is always greener somewhere else. The other theme of this paragraph is the longing for the past. The past, for all of it's good and bad is GONE... beyond our reach. We need to be looking forward.

Trying to come up with excuses or small tricks to improve this roster is foolish. Detroit shouldn't have made the playoffs. They got worse rather than better towards the end of the season. The Pistons are very predictable and it is very easy to create a winning strategy to blow them out in a 7 game playoff format. By the way Indiana had their best player out for the season early on but because of the way they play defense, the Pacers were really fun to watch. Notice this series between Golden State and Houston. We just do not have players like those two teams are blessed with. How about Portland's guards? How can any Piston get excited about where the Pistons are now and their prospects for the future? We fans need to demand more from this owner. He has shown no ability to make solid decisions so far and maybe that is because he is determined to create his team around Andre Drummond. How some fans enjoy watching AD is still puzzling to me. Looking at those rebounding stats means nothing when his team loses and he makes a lot of the mistakes that cause the loses to pile up. Take a guess at what other teams value him now. You might be surprised. - This is just plain crazy! What teams do have players like GS & Houston, or Portlands guards. Losers complain and act like victims, winners figure out ways to beat those teams. There's more than one way to win, looking at players is NOT the way to think, every player has another player that's a bad matchup for them. Every player can be defended which is the foundation of Piston thinking.

Where I do agree with you is that the process is important: However, if you really believe that the process is important, then you can't be overly concerned about the little things that happen on the way to getting things right. It's too early to call the current managements process wrong, they haven't implemented it yet, they're still working with what they inherited. Gores made a mistake giving SVG so much power, but to his credit, he didn't let him finish out his contract and brought in a better crew.

You knew he was a rookie owner when he came, being surprised that rookies make mistakes is a bit odd wouldn't you say?

Bonus: Do you have any theory why we don't develop young players like other teams do?

[cool breeze]

I wonder who Don would be trading on the Bucks if he was a Buck fan. Or imagine trading the whole Pacer team after getting swept out of the playoffs.

Our Pistons were a formidable team before Blake went down. That last west coast trip was very good, and we were a tough out on the road against superior teams. We were the best of the bottom 3 playoff teams and while I didn't expect a first round win, I felt we would acquit ourselves well.

But it wasn't to be, Blake went down, we stumbled down the stretch and limped into the playoff. We were a wounded team, but that didn't stop people that didn't even think they could make the playoffs from overlooking the fact that they didn't have the margin of error to lose even Ish or Kennard, or Ellington, let alone our one true star.

Nobody feels sorry for you in the NBA if you're wounded, you're just easier to beat and they'll gladly do it. However, even a wounded animal expects to come home and find some solace, some comfort and encouragement, but not our Pistons.

They expect and want constructive criticism, it's healthy and good to right the ship... I just hope they get a lot more of it.

No Oracle Indiana would have easily swept our Pistons with Blake at the top of his game. What you should be worried about is the fact that the Bucks lost by a wide margin after killing the Pistons with some key players out with injuries. The best players kick their game up by 30% or more when the playoffs come around. This Piston team is really flawed in a big way. What you and others should dream of is having high IQ dedicated athletes who have a long history of winning at every level. We do not have those players with the exception of Blake who is not a young guy to build a team around. I could get really excited if Detroit traded Blake to Miami. The Pistons need to start over with a better plan to only go after incredibly gifted high achievers. That can only come through the draft. The Pistons need 3 really good drafts getting top 5 picks in each draft. And with that they need to get one of those three players to be a MVP candidate. We have middle of the road players at every position with the exception of Blake when he is healthy. I would exchange our roster for all but perhaps two other NBA teams now. We have a losing long term plan and a losing short term plan for future success.

Watching this last game between Golden State and Houston should make Piston fans understand that this owner has created a nightmare. All anyone can say is that maybe just maybe something new might be coming once Jackson, Drummond, Galloway, Leuer come off the payroll. If the Pistons keep Blake then need to get rid of all of the above as soon as possible. We need an athletic hard nosed defensive minded center to compliment Blake. All that player has to do on offense is dunk. That is all AD is good for now on offense. We need players at all positions who show that they love playing ball which means they will do anything necessary to create havoc on defense because they hate losing. Our players just don't hate losing enough. AD doesn't hate being embarrassed when he gets beat by his man back in transition. Opposing teams are targeting AD's defects relating to consistently bringing full concentration to his overall game. He is on again and off again with the mental part. I am tired of it. We need big change. Ben Wallace brought big change. Isiah Thomas brought big change.

Trying to come up with excuses or small tricks to improve this roster is foolish. Detroit shouldn't have made the playoffs. They got worse rather than better towards the end of the season. The Pistons are very predictable and it is very easy to create a winning strategy to blow them out in a 7 game playoff format. By the way Indiana had their best player out for the season early on but because of the way they play defense, the Pacers were really fun to watch. Notice this series between Golden State and Houston. We just do not have players like those two teams are blessed with. How about Portland's guards? How can any Piston get excited about where the Pistons are now and their prospects for the future? We fans need to demand more from this owner. He has shown no ability to make solid decisions so far and maybe that is because he is determined to create his team around Andre Drummond. How some fans enjoy watching AD is still puzzling to me. Looking at those rebounding stats means nothing when his team loses and he makes a lot of the mistakes that cause the loses to pile up. Take a guess at what other teams value him now. You might be surprised.

[Oracle]

I wonder who Don would be trading on the Bucks if he was a Buck fan. Or imagine trading the whole Pacer team after getting swept out of the playoffs.

Our Pistons were a formidable team before Blake went down. That last west coast trip was very good, and we were a tough out on the road against superior teams. We were the best of the bottom 3 playoff teams and while I didn't expect a first round win, I felt we would acquit ourselves well.

But it wasn't to be, Blake went down, we stumbled down the stretch and limped into the playoff. We were a wounded team, but that didn't stop people that didn't even think they could make the playoffs from overlooking the fact that they didn't have the margin of error to lose even Ish or Kennard, or Ellington, let alone our one true star.

Nobody feels sorry for you in the NBA if you're wounded, you're just easier to beat and they'll gladly do it. However, even a wounded animal expects to come home and find some solace, some comfort and encouragement, but not our Pistons.

They expect and want constructive criticism, it's healthy and good to right the ship... I just hope they get a lot more of it.

[cool breeze]

Remember the collapse that occurred at the end of the regular season with our Pistons again? Sure Detroit made the playoffs by winning the last two games but both of those teams had horrible records. Against Memphis the Pistons started the game much like they did in the previous 4 loses. Blake was injured to it appeared that the players who were healthy decided to throw in the towel and in all of those 4 loses, the Pistons were severely beaten in the paint. Remember that old word SVG used to use after losses? His key players just didn't look like they were fully "engaged". By a fluke after being down by 20 or more points in the first half our Pistons made a comeback against Memphis which had close to all of their starters out with injuries. We had seen this give up attitude for two straight seasons towards the end of the season. I think everyone thought it was over for the Pistons relating to making the playoffs but they did have the schedule in their favor with the last two games and also because the Eastern Conference was so weak this year. All though the downward spiral during the 4 game losing streak, Casey kept saying that his team needed to get better relating to interior defense and perimeter defense. But what bothered me most is that he did nothing to change anything. I am tired of fans saying now we have a good coach. What did Casey do throughout the season to create a more reliable paint defense? Did anyone but Casey select who would get playing time and what combinations would work best to achieve that goal? I think not. Casey played combinations that had no chance of stopping opponents. Towards the end of the season every team the Pistons played scored easily in the paint by either making layups or getting 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. Watch closely how teams currently playing in the playoffs challenge shots close to the basket and fight hard to prevent those 2nd chance opportunities. Casey has been around for a long time in the NBA. Casey played Smith, Jackson and Galloway together at times. He often played Smith and Galloway. And just how good is AD as a paint defender? I believe he is one of the worst in the league relating to giving consistent effort in that area. And AD had next to no help because Griffin did not do a very good job on defense either. But Casey was the person who decided he didn't want Moreland who was a high energy guy that got his ass back quickly in transition at least. Casey just ignored the real issues because he was determined to try to win by making a high percentage of 3 point shots. You would have to be an idiot to believe that this current roster was capable of doing that but what other explanation can anyone give as to what Casey's overall strategy was for for overall success. I believe that making the playoffs this season should not be anything to get excited about like Tom Gores wants to promote. This season was not a building block for success. The Pistons do not have a solid roster and the coach has shown that he cannot create a good strategy for success.

Imagine if Isiah Thomas had been the Pistons coach. There is no way he would have created a strategy model that Casey employed. First off, Zeke would have identified that he had too many players with the same weaknesses. There is no way he would be playing them all at the same time. Casey played specialist 3 point shooters who could do next to nothing else well. Then in post game interviews, he would advise that his paint defense and perimeter defense had to get better. It was all smoke and mirrors.

Some fans believe that if the Pistons could have played Toronto at least they might have won one game. There is no way that would have happened. Toronto played the Pistons had half speed in regular season games. They were not serious like they are now. Toronto went out and acquired some high basketball hard nosed players who excel in playoff situations. In fact pick any team that made the playoffs and the result would have been much the same for the Pistons. Opposing teams study weaknesses of the team they will be going up against and make adjustments to attach the weaknesses. Meanwhile, the Pistons played the entire season avoiding solving some of the biggest problems they had. The offensive and defensive strategy never changed. The Player combinations in the rotations system employed by Casey was extremely flawed. The stupid idea that Detroit could win with Blake Griffin dominating the basketball as the Pistons only weapon was foolish. The idea that AD could transform himself into a consistent hard nosed paint protector was insane. And the rest of the crew of designated shooters were all basically the same type of players. They were average to below average offensive players and below average defensive players. Casey created fake rotations that had no chance to work at the NBA level. He complained about the result when his team lost but did nothing to change things like at least getting two of the young players that Murph identified who might have offered some improvement at least relating to defense. Notice that all teams in the playoffs now have players who know how to rotate on defense. They don't make basic mistakes on pick and roll defense. They play with high energy as well on defense. The don't slack when getting back in transition.

I think the Philly - Raptors series is exciting to watch. Meanwhile the Pistons are on the outside light years away from getting on the right track to have a chance to play like any of the current teams in the playoffs. Toronto made a great move firing Dwayne Casey. They also made some fantastic decisions relating to changing their roster so they could compete better in the playoffs. Fans should demand more from this owner who continues to sell snake oil. Some fans still like the taste. And as far as Casey is concerned, I haven't heard him say sorry fans I screwed up and made some really bad decisions but will do better. No his team made the playoffs so he is a hero in the eyes of the press. Oh and surprise surprise, the Pistons will not be getting a top 3 pick again. Maybe the owner will give Monroe a max contract to shore up the Pistons paint defense. Or perhaps he will bring back both Maxiell and Monroe to run pick and roll plays.

Sorry for the gloom and doom forecast for the Piston's bleak future. However, we must look at this coming draft for further proof that this owner has some serious flaws relating to making decisions that promote success. Notice that the teams in the Eastern conference that finished with worse records than the Pistons have positioned themselves really well in this coming draft. Cleveland has a good shot at getting the first overall pick. Atlanta will get two high picks as well. And then the Bulls are right there in the thick of it building as they should through the draft. The Suns in the Western Conference will get another high pick if not the first overall pick so they seem to have the right strategy to create a team that will eventually compete for the championship. Detroit has no chance in hell.

[cool breeze]

Remember the collapse that occurred at the end of the regular season with our Pistons again? Sure Detroit made the playoffs by winning the last two games but both of those teams had horrible records. Against Memphis the Pistons started the game much like they did in the previous 4 loses. Blake was injured to it appeared that the players who were healthy decided to throw in the towel and in all of those 4 loses, the Pistons were severely beaten in the paint. Remember that old word SVG used to use after losses? His key players just didn't look like they were fully "engaged". By a fluke after being down by 20 or more points in the first half our Pistons made a comeback against Memphis which had close to all of their starters out with injuries. We had seen this give up attitude for two straight seasons towards the end of the season. I think everyone thought it was over for the Pistons relating to making the playoffs but they did have the schedule in their favor with the last two games and also because the Eastern Conference was so weak this year. All though the downward spiral during the 4 game losing streak, Casey kept saying that his team needed to get better relating to interior defense and perimeter defense. But what bothered me most is that he did nothing to change anything. I am tired of fans saying now we have a good coach. What did Casey do throughout the season to create a more reliable paint defense? Did anyone but Casey select who would get playing time and what combinations would work best to achieve that goal? I think not. Casey played combinations that had no chance of stopping opponents. Towards the end of the season every team the Pistons played scored easily in the paint by either making layups or getting 2nd and 3rd chance opportunities. Watch closely how teams currently playing in the playoffs challenge shots close to the basket and fight hard to prevent those 2nd chance opportunities. Casey has been around for a long time in the NBA. Casey played Smith, Jackson and Galloway together at times. He often played Smith and Galloway. And just how good is AD as a paint defender? I believe he is one of the worst in the league relating to giving consistent effort in that area. And AD had next to no help because Griffin did not do a very good job on defense either. But Casey was the person who decided he didn't want Moreland who was a high energy guy that got his ass back quickly in transition at least. Casey just ignored the real issues because he was determined to try to win by making a high percentage of 3 point shots. You would have to be an idiot to believe that this current roster was capable of doing that but what other explanation can anyone give as to what Casey's overall strategy was for for overall success. I believe that making the playoffs this season should not be anything to get excited about like Tom Gores wants to promote. This season was not a building block for success. The Pistons do not have a solid roster and the coach has shown that he cannot create a good strategy for success.

Imagine if Isiah Thomas had been the Pistons coach. There is no way he would have created a strategy model that Casey employed. First off, Zeke would have identified that he had too many players with the same weaknesses. There is no way he would be playing them all at the same time. Casey played specialist 3 point shooters who could do next to nothing else well. Then in post game interviews, he would advise that his paint defense and perimeter defense had to get better. It was all smoke and mirrors.

Some fans believe that if the Pistons could have played Toronto at least they might have won one game. There is no way that would have happened. Toronto played the Pistons had half speed in regular season games. They were not serious like they are now. Toronto went out and acquired some high basketball hard nosed players who excel in playoff situations. In fact pick any team that made the playoffs and the result would have been much the same for the Pistons. Opposing teams study weaknesses of the team they will be going up against and make adjustments to attach the weaknesses. Meanwhile, the Pistons played the entire season avoiding solving some of the biggest problems they had. The offensive and defensive strategy never changed. The Player combinations in the rotations system employed by Casey was extremely flawed. The stupid idea that Detroit could win with Blake Griffin dominating the basketball as the Pistons only weapon was foolish. The idea that AD could transform himself into a consistent hard nosed paint protector was insane. And the rest of the crew of designated shooters were all basically the same type of players. They were average to below average offensive players and below average defensive players. Casey created fake rotations that had no chance to work at the NBA level. He complained about the result when his team lost but did nothing to change things like at least getting two of the young players that Murph identified who might have offered some improvement at least relating to defense. Notice that all teams in the playoffs now have players who know how to rotate on defense. They don't make basic mistakes on pick and roll defense. They play with high energy as well on defense. The don't slack when getting back in transition.

I think the Philly - Raptors series is exciting to watch. Meanwhile the Pistons are on the outside light years away from getting on the right track to have a chance to play like any of the current teams in the playoffs. Toronto made a great move firing Dwayne Casey. They also made some fantastic decisions relating to changing their roster so they could compete better in the playoffs. Fans should demand more from this owner who continues to sell snake oil. Some fans still like the taste. And as far as Casey is concerned, I haven't heard him say sorry fans I screwed up and made some really bad decisions but will do better. No his team made the playoffs so he is a hero in the eyes of the press. Oh and surprise surprise, the Pistons will not be getting a top 3 pick again. Maybe the owner will give Monroe a max contract to shore up the Pistons paint defense. Or perhaps he will bring back both Maxiell and Monroe to run pick and roll plays.

[cool breeze]

K Leonard takes a casual approach to regular season games appearing bored at times. How about this guy? He scores around 27 points in the first half while playing superior help defense in the paint. Then that block on Harris was incredible in the 3rd that led to a layup by a teammate at the other end. I guess some of us talk about developing young talent because we know that the veterans who have been playing now for many years are at best mid level performers. Toronto has added some real players and they have a really smart coach. Now it is getting exciting relating to the playoffs with the 2nd round series bringing out the best of the really good players.

[Sparma]

I appreciate your compliment, and agree that this forum continues to field outstanding contributions.

I'm expecting a dry season later until the Pistons resume some months from now, but there's still real vitality to this forum, in spite of our small numbers, with you being a crucial contributor.

And, closer at hand than next season, I think Murph makes a convincing predictions that our young Pistons will do well during the summer. Really, it should be quite an interesting off season.

The latest posts from Oracle, Sparma and Murph were outstanding.

Oracle thanks for providing the latest post. I didn't agree with some of the ideas of these experts but still I love reading stuff from anyone who has ideas on how the Pistons can improve. I think one of the biggest obstacles has to be this ownership group but hope I am wrong. Exactly what is Tom Gores vision long term for the Pistons. I don't think he has one. The owner believes that he has two star players in AD and BG. The massive amount o money being spent for those two is a big sacrifice. I liked Tobias Harris and the experts around the league believe he is the rising star not Blake Griffin who is in the twilight of his career. We didn't get him in his prime years although he clearly has been the best all around player the Pistons have had who can penetrate with power in the paint and have his way still to this day when healthy. I am not an Andre Drummond believer. I believe he is still a highlight type player looking for stats. One expert was hoping that Casey create more plays for AD next season to improve the Piston offense. AD has held himself back in the area of developing a better all around offensive game. Notice in the playoffs opponents slack off and give AD 5 to 10 foot jump shots. The Bucks were more than willing for AD to launch a jump shot from that area on the court. AD has no close range or mid range jump shot. WHY? And the other more important thing about AD is his lack of conditioning and his lack of interest in losing 25 extra pounds of body fat. I get on AD because he makes $25 Mil or more. Tom Gores is very satisfied though with AD's game so why should AD push himself? Regarding Casey, I think Toronto has not missed him this season. It seemed that all of the expert opinions had very little good to say about Langston Galloway but my gut feeling his that Dwayne Casey still loves his game and he will be a big part of the rotation next year unless the Piston's GM stops this nonsense. What I worry about more is with the Pistons give Ish Smith a multi year contract to set it in stone that he will continue to be the Pistons big time player off the bench. I like Smith a lot but we will know that the owner is not serious if he does not insist on change relating to the point guards. But all those ideas you provided from the experts were thought provoking. Opponents beat the Pistons with the tactic of attacking the paint. Every good team attacked the paint with success. Did the owner notice? A lot of the time the strategy was to beat AD down the court in transition. Maker needs to come back a lot stronger next year. Maybe he will. But the need is not only on the wings and point guard. The Pistons need an outstanding athlete like Ben Wallace to change the culture of being soft in the paint. At least that is my biggest disappointment this season. Lack of interest in protecting the paint really sucks.

Sparma and Oracle thanks for your thoughts on the draft relating to the Lions. It is clear at least in my mind that both the Lions and Pistons are years away from competing for championships. The Lions GM and head coach at least stand for something and the owner of the Lions seems much smarter than the Pistons owner. At least she knows that she doesn't know and allows the people she hired to make critical decisions unlike what goes on with the Pistons.

Murph thanks for providing the info on our players who participated for the Drive team. I have my doubts that Casey will do the right thing with these young players who could now be so much better if this coach would have given them meaningful minutes instead of playing contracts. There are too many players in Casey's rotation system who are willing to settle for long distance contested shots instead of putting the ball on the floor or working hard without the ball to get open for shots closer to the baskets. More than one player other than Blake has to be capable of entering the paint and being a threat to score. I guess that Luke and Reggie do that at times but I think the coach has two young players that you mentioned who can do that as well. I think this coach encourages settling for 3 shot attempts and that is why he loves Galloway's game. And perimeter defense is also not a priority of Casey it appears. He seemed content with soft perimeter defense based on who he played the biggest minutes. The players who are still competing in the playoffs do it all. They are in outstanding physical condition and play hard and smart on both ends. Perimeter players have multiple weapons and can take advantage of what the defense gives them. Too many Piston players can not take advantage of what opposing defenses give them. They are mostly specialist type players who also have limited ability to defend. The attitude of those in charge must change before the Pistons will be heading to the top. This ownership group scares me more than anything else. I don't like what they like. I wish someone like Zeke would be in charge. We would see immediate improvement and I for sure would feel more confident in the leadership where big decisions are made on the Pistons future.  

[cool breeze]

The latest posts from Oracle, Sparma and Murph were outstanding.

Oracle thanks for providing the latest post. I didn't agree with some of the ideas of these experts but still I love reading stuff from anyone who has ideas on how the Pistons can improve. I think one of the biggest obstacles has to be this ownership group but hope I am wrong. Exactly what is Tom Gores vision long term for the Pistons. I don't think he has one. The owner believes that he has two star players in AD and BG. The massive amount o money being spent for those two is a big sacrifice. I liked Tobias Harris and the experts around the league believe he is the rising star not Blake Griffin who is in the twilight of his career. We didn't get him in his prime years although he clearly has been the best all around player the Pistons have had who can penetrate with power in the paint and have his way still to this day when healthy. I am not an Andre Drummond believer. I believe he is still a highlight type player looking for stats. One expert was hoping that Casey create more plays for AD next season to improve the Piston offense. AD has held himself back in the area of developing a better all around offensive game. Notice in the playoffs opponents slack off and give AD 5 to 10 foot jump shots. The Bucks were more than willing for AD to launch a jump shot from that area on the court. AD has no close range or mid range jump shot. WHY? And the other more important thing about AD is his lack of conditioning and his lack of interest in losing 25 extra pounds of body fat. I get on AD because he makes $25 Mil or more. Tom Gores is very satisfied though with AD's game so why should AD push himself? Regarding Casey, I think Toronto has not missed him this season. It seemed that all of the expert opinions had very little good to say about Langston Galloway but my gut feeling his that Dwayne Casey still loves his game and he will be a big part of the rotation next year unless the Piston's GM stops this nonsense. What I worry about more is with the Pistons give Ish Smith a multi year contract to set it in stone that he will continue to be the Pistons big time player off the bench. I like Smith a lot but we will know that the owner is not serious if he does not insist on change relating to the point guards. But all those ideas you provided from the experts were thought provoking. Opponents beat the Pistons with the tactic of attacking the paint. Every good team attacked the paint with success. Did the owner notice? A lot of the time the strategy was to beat AD down the court in transition. Maker needs to come back a lot stronger next year. Maybe he will. But the need is not only on the wings and point guard. The Pistons need an outstanding athlete like Ben Wallace to change the culture of being soft in the paint. At least that is my biggest disappointment this season. Lack of interest in protecting the paint really sucks.

Sparma and Oracle thanks for your thoughts on the draft relating to the Lions. It is clear at least in my mind that both the Lions and Pistons are years away from competing for championships. The Lions GM and head coach at least stand for something and the owner of the Lions seems much smarter than the Pistons owner. At least she knows that she doesn't know and allows the people she hired to make critical decisions unlike what goes on with the Pistons.

Murph thanks for providing the info on our players who participated for the Drive team. I have my doubts that Casey will do the right thing with these young players who could now be so much better if this coach would have given them meaningful minutes instead of playing contracts. There are too many players in Casey's rotation system who are willing to settle for long distance contested shots instead of putting the ball on the floor or working hard without the ball to get open for shots closer to the baskets. More than one player other than Blake has to be capable of entering the paint and being a threat to score. I guess that Luke and Reggie do that at times but I think the coach has two young players that you mentioned who can do that as well. I think this coach encourages settling for 3 shot attempts and that is why he loves Galloway's game. And perimeter defense is also not a priority of Casey it appears. He seemed content with soft perimeter defense based on who he played the biggest minutes. The players who are still competing in the playoffs do it all. They are in outstanding physical condition and play hard and smart on both ends. Perimeter players have multiple weapons and can take advantage of what the defense gives them. Too many Piston players can not take advantage of what opposing defenses give them. They are mostly specialist type players who also have limited ability to defend. The attitude of those in charge must change before the Pistons will be heading to the top. This ownership group scares me more than anything else. I don't like what they like. I wish someone like Zeke would be in charge. We would see immediate improvement and I for sure would feel more confident in the leadership where big decisions are made on the Pistons future.

[Oracle]

The team at PistonPowered is beginning to look ahead to the offseason. Some of our contributors compiled their wishes for the Detroit Pistons’ offseason as well as predictions for what they believe could happen this summer:

From Spyros Papadakos 

• Player development:
  “This should be priority no. 1. We don’t have cap space, major trade chips or a high draft pick. Getting value out of our own is the way to move forward. Thomas, Svi, Maker and whoever we draft have to be able to contribute if we’re going to make this work next year. That way, the Pistons can use all of your FA money on a starting SF and a back up PG. Getting the most out of Luke and Andre’s potential is also a huge part of the program.”
  
• Continuity:
  “Roster shake up and injuries have been the Pistons’ Achilles heel for years. Running the same system again with the same players will go a long way. Well defined roles is how teams reach elite levels of execution. Every time a player gets traded or injured those change and you got to start over. This summer we’re mostly looking at minor changes. I don’t see us moving Dre, Blake or Luke and i don’t think an elite PG will be available for us. Reggie has embraced his new role (and thrived in it), Luke can get into his rhythm coming off the bench (and finish games), Blake knows how teams come at him (and has an offseason to prepare) and Andre will have a better understanding of what he has to do (and be efficient).”
  
• Big wings:
  “We were short on the wings before the Stanley trade, but now we’re the Smurfs’ Village. We have to add at least two players that are 6’7 or taller, can defend both forward positions, make open shots, attack a close out and finish inside. Marcus Morris, Aminu, Ariza, Gay are all good MLE options. Our position in the draft also allows us to pick a big wing that fits the same criteria or most of them.”
  

---

From Ben Lanza 

• Make A Play for a Star Guard:
  “After how well Blake Griffin played when healthy this past season, the Pistons should have two things on their mind: maximize his prime and taking some of the load off of him. Acquiring a Mike Conley or Jrue Holiday would do both of those things. Both of those players will have lower asking prices this offseason, and if the price is right for the Pistons, they should do it.”
  
• Find a Wing Defender:
  “All Pistons fans should have nightmares about Thon Maker guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo for long stretches in the postseason. The Pistons will have their full MLE to use on a starting wing, and they should use it to finally bring in a quality small forward. Finding one that can knock down threes is a plus.”
  
• If Nothing Else, Stay Flexible:
  “With Reggie Jackson, Jon Leuer, and Langston Galloway coming off the books after next season, the Pistons may finally have some financial wiggle room. Those players will have added value next season as expiring contracts, or the Pistons can choose to keep the cap space and sign someone next summer. Either way, the Pistons should stay away from taking on big contracts unless that player can take them to the next level.”
  

---

From Joye Pruitt 

• No squad can fly without their wings:
  “The Detroit Pistons have Blake Griffin in tow, but one superstar isn’t enough. The Pistons don’t need to star-chase until they have proven that this is a progressive, or at least progressing organization. That picture can’t be painted until Detroit has some quality wing players to promote in the lineup. The options need to be both productive offensively and stout defensively. The only consistent wings the Detroit Pistons have at season’s end to bolster the position are Luke Kennard and Wayne Ellington.Bruce Brown’s lack of initiative to score makes him ineffective on one end of the floor. Glenn Robinson III just made it back into the rotation to contribute 13 points in a Milwaukee Bucks sweep. We could go on until our tongues are numb, but the fact is that the wings of a team carry their team’s offensive charge by standard and the Pistons lack the depth of wings with those qualities.”
  
• Draw up some Drummond plays for Christ’s sake:
  “Andre Drummond is the Detroit Pistons’ second scorer in line, right behind Blake Griffin. It’s time to understand that there are two characteristics of his game that are not mutually exclusive:a) Drummond is a double-double machine who has had more 20-point, 20-rebound games than I can remember. He deserves more credit than he is given due to his inability to stroke three-point jumper like Joel Embiid or Al Horford.b) There are pieces of his game that can improve. Under the previous regime, questionable player development has played a role in Drummond’s underrated reputation. He does make mistakes throughout the game from poor defensive rotation to his lack of offensive technique at times.Andre Drummond needs to become a more integral piece in Casey’s offensive scheme next season, nonetheless.”
  
• Keep Blake Griffin in the loop – for everything:
  “There is a negative stigma that surrounds a star basketball player’s need to control his environment. In most cases, his position in the organization yield’s a greater value for their bottom line. Blake Griffin’s arrival has provided a light for the Detroit Pistons that had been dim. Not to say he deserves autonomous control over the Pistons franchise, but he has earned an honest conversation about the direction of the team.His performance in the first round of the eastern conference playoffs was plagued with injury. Griffin could not be who he wanted to be and who everyone understood his team needed against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Blake Griffin still gives the Detroit Pistons a recruiting agent that they did not have before. Once the organization can create some financial freedom, Griffin is the nucleus of the plan moving forward. To make sure he is included is standard procedure.”
  

---

From Brendan Triola 

• Draft the best player available:
  “The Pistons don’t have a lot of flexibility this when it comes to cap space, so they need to get as much out of the 15th pick as they can. While the Pistons biggest need is certainly a wing with some length, they shouldn’t shy away from picking a canter or a guard just because of that need. No matter the position, aside from maybe shooting guard, the draft pick will certainly have an opportunity to make an impact.”
  
• Take a flier on Isaiah Thomas:
  “If Isaiah Thomas could be had for the veteran minimum, I am fully onboard with scooping him up. If he can get healthy, he can provide a scoring boost off the bench that the Pistons haven’t had at the point guard position, allowing Luke Kennard to get acclimated with the starting group. If not? He can get the Jose Calderon minutes. And there’s no way he could be any worse.”
  
• Look to move Langston Galloway, but don’t attach an asset:
  “After his vanishing act against Milwaukee, it is safe to say the Galloway experiment might be over. Even with a $7 million cap hit, I would rather see young players like  Khyri Thomas or Svi Mykhailiuk get those minutes to start the season. Should there be a destination for Galloway that doesn’t require an asset to be attached I would be all for shipping away, but I wouldn’t add a young asset to move him. No more Middletons.”
  

---

From Ryan Love 

• Find a backup center:
  “The Pistons were a total mess almost every time Andre Drummond could not be on the floor. Drummond was the team’s best defensive player all season and replacing him with the likes of Zaza Pachulia was not ideal. Pachulia will be gone next season and the team will want to count on more than Thon Maker to pick up the slack. Drummond has his fair share of games stuck in foul trouble so he will need a more effective backup going forward (We miss you Aron Baynes).
  
• Draft a playable wing:
  “Stanley Johnson and Reggie Bullock left Detroit before the trade deadline — leaving the team the thinnest it’s been on the wings in years. While I believe the trades were the right thing to do for the future, the immediate results were not pretty. The Pistons’ perimeter defense suffered the second half of the season as opposing guards and wings got into the paint and challenged Drummond regularly. This year’s draft is very top-heavy, but that means the Pistons should have a shot at several of the middle-of-the-road first-round caliber players with the 15th pick. Take a wing that can keep players in front of him and shoot the ball better than our old friend from Arizona.”
  
• Clear at least one pricey contract:
  “The Pistons are just one more season away from freeing up an immense amount of cap space — if they play their cards right. A lot of that strategy will require them to stay patient and wait it out. The old Josh Smith money and the crippling Jon Leuer contract will come off the books next summer. Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway are also going into the last years of their respective deals. Leuer is virtually stapled to the Pistons, but Jackson and Galloway could garner some trade value — especially after Jackson’s career-reviving season in 2018-19. The Pistons can find a deal to dump one of those contracts and I think they will. My only wish is they deal them for assets rather than bigger contracts in return.”
  

From Joe Minyawi 

• “Detroit needs a reliable big man who can chip in off the bench all around. A big who can defend and hit shots. Someone like bringing back Aaron Baynes.”
  
• “Draft the best player at 15. A player who is a play making wing. Able to create for himself and defend multiple positions.”
  
• “Build on this season and grow together as a gritty tough defensive team. This way the Casey mentality will grow more and Blake can lead a better team to more success.”
  

[Oracle]

I didn't like the Lions first 2 draft picks at all.

Hockenson is an unathletic dude that I don't see as being anything other than serviceable as his ceiling. They picked him when Oliver had slipped right into their hands, and IMO, was the best player available. Some rate him as a possible game changing defensive talent, I'm not totally sure about that, but he's pretty damn good.

Then in the 2nd round they pick Tavai a LB, who looks decent, but the head scratcher is that they pass on a bevy of cornerbacks and receivers, which I would think should be a higher priority for the Lions, like CB Greedy Williams. Add to that, Tavai has a serious shoulder injury, which hopefully they evaluated and don't have a concern about, however, I would have preferred picking a healthy option.

Oh well, we'll have to see how it plays out, and fortunately in the NFL, unlike the NBA, rookies can have an immediate impact.

[Sparma]

I kinda like the Lions' draft class, contrary to most fans whose reactions I've read.  I'm no kind of college football wonk, but it looks to me that there's a definite strategy to what Quinn and Patricia are doing.  The second pick is especially controversial, but it sounds like a scheme pick, that may help shift already productive LB Davis into a position of greater comfort.  Patricia's not everyone's cup of tea, and they seem to draft bearing that in mind, consistently looking for hard workers rather than the most talented player at the times (like maybe Greedy Williams in the second round).  The earliest prediction I saw had the Lions at 7-9, improving by a game.  A 7-9 would be about enough to put both Quinn and Patricia on the brink of being fired.  They must know that, and are going all in, following their own vision.  There's a courage to that which I admire.  This being the Lions, I can't be too optimistic about the restructuring as a whole, and if Q+P leave, the next regime would like face a mess given how tailored the crafting has been to their own vision.  Still, I'm curious about how their plan unfolds, and I give them credit for really putting themselves out there, without a safety net.

To draw a connection with the Pistons, Casey too seems to have a very definite vision.  That vision, however, doesn't fit comfortably with the roster, given the need for a slew of superior shooters.  That's a problem.

Quinn & Patricia have a clear sense of what they want (like Casey), and they're working like crazy to get the roster to conform with that vision (unlike Casey who, I'd argue, faces bigger obstacles to dramatically transforming the roster (eg, in the NFL, Jackson, Galloway, and Leuer would all be gone this summer)).  

I'd give another edge to the Lions in that Martha Ford seems content to let Quinn & Patricia do their thing, until it's clearly failed, whereas Gores's commitment from the the outset to winning now and winning more later (expressed recently by Gores as: we have two "great" players and we need to provide them support) has required a parallel vision not only with SVG but Casey, both of whom happily supplied such agreement.  I'm not so sure about Stefanski who seems a bit more flexible than Gores.

The Lions may well fall apart, or may be stuck at in the 7-9 - 9-7 range (with an occasional 6-10, 10-6 as the outlier).  But there's at least the possibility of a big jump forward, even to the point of somehow landing in the Super Bowl.  I don't see analogous possibilities for the Pistons (to a good extent due to the nature of the respective leagues the teams play in), but I hope I'm proven wrong.

[Murph]

Kennard is the best play maker on the team. It is time to start him at point guard. Mykhailiuk and Thomas should have played in the G League. It is so stupid to have them sitting for an entire season playing scrap minutes if any. The Pistons have acquired the worst reputation relating to failing to develop their players. Poor management by the head coach in my opinion. Does he have too much on his mind to remember that the team has invested good money you young guys who are not getting game experience. Meanwhile as they are sitting they are watching Piston players who have horrible habits when playing defense. What can they learn from Langston Galloway, Ish Smith or Reggie Jackson relating to defense? It would be better if these designated permanent bench players watched the cheer leaders and read books while the games are going on. The two new draft picks will have experienced more pressure in big games than Thomas and Mykhailiuk for the last year. Talk about a confidence killer. Thanks Pistons management. Your grade is F for player development.

Don...here are this year's stats from the Grand Rapids Drive:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/gleague/teams/GRR/2019.html

As you can see, Khyri Thomas played 10 games for the drive.  Henry Ellenson played 8 games, Svi Mykhailiuk played 3 games and Bruce Brown 2 games.

Thomas' performance really stood out.  Khyri averaged 21 pts, 3 rbds, 2 asts and 1 steal per game  He also reached that exclusive benchmark for shooters of 50, 40, 90 on FG%, 3P% and FT%.

I agree with you that the Pistons should have split Galloway's minutes between Thomas and Mykhailiuk.  There was no reason Galloway should have played.  Casey should have bench Galloway like he benched Leuer in favor of Maker.

[cool breeze]

It's going to be a long off season, with only the draft, free agency and the summer league to look forward to.  

I have to say, we are going to have a killer summer league team.  We did surprising well last year, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual summer league champs, the Lakers.  This year with a starting line-up of Brown, Thomas, Mykhailiuk and our 2 draft picks, we should win it all.  And hopefully some of that success will carry over into the regular season.

The question that sticks out in my mind is will Thomas, Mykhailiuk, and at least our 1st round pick be joining Brown in the rotation next season and will we see a stud FA joining the Pistons starting lineup?

Personal wide-eyed thought: What would the "Stones" have to loose by starting Kennard and Mykhailiuk in the backcourt, as soon as possible; with the offense running through Griffin, wouldn't two high I.Q., deadly shooters, space the floor enough for Griffin and Drummond to take their games to a higher level?

The crock of B.S. that should be thrown out: The hating on Drummond and calling for the breaking up of the Drummond/Griffin duo because of current contracts and Drummond isn't a reliable 3 point shooter; how many 3 point shooting big men out rebounds, has more steals, and blocks than Drummond? I haven't seen enough in one season to write these guys off as being a waste and I haven't got it twisted; Griffin is the leader of this team!! Drummond is a complimentary player.

Oracle, thanks for the warm words...I've enjoyed reading the posts of you guys this season, some more than others.

Kennard is the best play maker on the team. It is time to start him at point guard. Mykhailiuk and Thomas should have played in the G League. It is so stupid to have them sitting for an entire season playing scrap minutes if any. The Pistons have acquired the worst reputation relating to failing to develop their players. Poor management by the head coach in my opinion. Does he have too much on his mind to remember that the team has invested good money you young guys who are not getting game experience. Meanwhile as they are sitting they are watching Piston players who have horrible habits when playing defense. What can they learn from Langston Galloway, Ish Smith or Reggie Jackson relating to defense? It would be better if these designated permanent bench players watched the cheer leaders and read books while the games are going on. The two new draft picks will have experienced more pressure in big games than Thomas and Mykhailiuk for the last year. Talk about a confidence killer. Thanks Pistons management. Your grade is F for player development.

[cool breeze]

[quote="Murph"]That was certainly a bitter sweet article on Reggie Jackson.  I'm glad Reggie is finally feeling better, getting stronger and raring to go.  And I'm glad that he's playing his best at the end of an 86 game season. But I can't help but wonder, "what might have been."  What if Jackson had actually been healthy last year and the year before?  How far would the Pistons have gone?  Would they not have gotten desperate and mortgaged their future for Griffin?  Would they have kept Harris and their 1st round draft pick?  

Anyway, the ship has sailed on Reggie Jackson.  He'll be 30 years old next year on the last year of his contract.  It's time to move on.

While this story appears to be about Reggie Jackson, it's really a tale about Arnie Kander and his ability to understand the bodies of his players. He told Reggie something that at the time Reggie thought was totally crazy, but turned out to be so true - After strong close, Pistons' Reggie Jackson ready for healthy offseason

YES!! Reggie has had his moments on offense. He has never had very many positive moments on defense. He could help a team with a strong roster for another season or two. Meanwhile Arnie is fantastic outstanding person who is at the head of his class.

[cool breeze]

It's going to be a long off season, with only the draft, free agency and the summer league to look forward to.  

I have to say, we are going to have a killer summer league team.  We did surprising well last year, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual summer league champs, the Lakers.  This year with a starting line-up of Brown, Thomas, Mykhailiuk and our 2 draft picks, we should win it all.  And hopefully some of that success will carry over into the regular season.

The question that sticks out in my mind is will Thomas, Mykhailiuk, and at least our 1st round pick be joining Brown in the rotation next season and will we see a stud FA joining the Pistons starting lineup?

Personal wide-eyed thought: What would the "Stones" have to loose by starting Kennard and Mykhailiuk in the backcourt, as soon as possible; with the offense running through Griffin, wouldn't two high I.Q., deadly shooters, space the floor enough for Griffin and Drummond to take their games to a higher level?

The crock of B.S. that should be thrown out: The hating on Drummond and calling for the breaking up of the Drummond/Griffin duo because of current contracts and Drummond isn't a reliable 3 point shooter; how many 3 point shooting big men out rebounds, has more steals, and blocks than Drummond? I haven't seen enough in one season to write these guys off as being a waste and I haven't got it twisted; Griffin is the leader of this team!! Drummond is a complimentary player.

Oracle, thanks for the warm words...I've enjoyed reading the posts of you guys this season, some more than others.

I want a different type of center like Ben Wallace to play with Griffin who uses all his energy on offense and has little left to defend the paint. AD is not a good paint protector. Everyone should know that after watching this series and in most games last season. The stats mean nothing when the opponent is able to beat our center down court and get easy paint points before our center arrives. AD needs to lose at least 25 pounds to be able to keep up with other NBA big men. The strategy of every NBA team in the last half of last season was to attack the paint. Sure the Pistons played extremely weak defensive perimeter players but face it the NBA is loaded with great back court players unlike the Pistons back court. AD takes up a huge chunk of salary. He cannot score from 4 feet out to 10 feet from the basket. He has no reliable jump shot. I get tired of fans trying to protect Andre Drummond's weaknesses acting as if they might he his agent. AD is not a big time player when it counts. But what if the Pistons could obtain a really outstanding athlete who had strong desire to play all out seating away those shots near the basket? The Pistons have nobody like that. As Griffin is under contract for a long time, the Pistons need a stronger and smarter defender to compliment Blake. This is not about hating anyone. Some of us want to see better more competitive basketball while watching the Pistons. I see that from other NBA teams and only wish something would change with our team. Other teams have been willing to make hard decisions knowing that they do not have the right stuff on their existing rosters. The Piston owner seems OK to compete for the 8th seed year after year. Next year if the Pistons do not have a better roster, surprise surprise the Pistons will end up out of the playoffs. I see Andre Drummond slacking a lot on defense. He makes the wrong decisions on pick and roll plays. He doesn't box out. That should not happen when a player is paid the amount of money AD makes. I just cannot love that style. But I do not hate anyone.

[lemonpen]

Git er Done

[deusXango]

It's going to be a long off season, with only the draft, free agency and the summer league to look forward to.  

I have to say, we are going to have a killer summer league team.  We did surprising well last year, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual summer league champs, the Lakers.  This year with a starting line-up of Brown, Thomas, Mykhailiuk and our 2 draft picks, we should win it all.  And hopefully some of that success will carry over into the regular season.

The question that sticks out in my mind is will Thomas, Mykhailiuk, and at least our 1st round pick be joining Brown in the rotation next season and will we see a stud FA joining the Pistons starting lineup?

Personal wide-eyed thought: What would the "Stones" have to loose by starting Kennard and Mykhailiuk in the backcourt, as soon as possible; with the offense running through Griffin, wouldn't two high I.Q., deadly shooters, space the floor enough for Griffin and Drummond to take their games to a higher level?

The crock of B.S. that should be thrown out: The hating on Drummond and calling for the breaking up of the Drummond/Griffin duo because of current contracts and Drummond isn't a reliable 3 point shooter; how many 3 point shooting big men out rebounds, has more steals, and blocks than Drummond? I haven't seen enough in one season to write these guys off as being a waste and I haven't got it twisted; Griffin is the leader of this team!! Drummond is a complimentary player.

Oracle, thanks for the warm words...I've enjoyed reading the posts of you guys this season, some more than others.

[Murph]

It's going to be a long off season, with only the draft, free agency and the summer league to look forward to.  

I have to say, we are going to have a killer summer league team.  We did surprising well last year, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual summer league champs, the Lakers.  This year with a starting line-up of Brown, Thomas, Mykhailiuk and our 2 draft picks, we should win it all.  And hopefully some of that success will carry over into the regular season.

[Murph]

That was certainly a bitter sweet article on Reggie Jackson. I'm glad Reggie is finally feeling better, getting stronger and raring to go. And I'm glad that he's playing his best at the end of an 86 game season. But I can't help but wonder, "what might have been." What if Jackson had actually been healthy last year and the year before? How far would the Pistons have gone? Would they not have gotten desperate and mortgaged their future for Griffin? Would they have kept Harris and their 1st round draft pick?

Anyway, the ship has sailed on Reggie Jackson. He'll be 30 years old next year on the last year of his contract. It's time to move on.

While this story appears to be about Reggie Jackson, it's really a tale about Arnie Kander and his ability to understand the bodies of his players. He told Reggie something that at the time Reggie thought was totally crazy, but turned out to be so true - After strong close, Pistons' Reggie Jackson ready for healthy offseason

[Oracle]

While this story appears to be about Reggie Jackson, it's really a tale about Arnie Kander and his ability to understand the bodies of his players. He told Reggie something that at the time Reggie thought was totally crazy, but turned out to be so true - After strong close, Pistons' Reggie Jackson ready for healthy offseason

Luke Walton is in trouble, and it's either totally deserved or he'll be a victim that won't ever be able to remove the taint. The thing that bothers me is that what she describes reminds me of so many of these complaints, and it goes like this.

Out of the blue, a normal man, for some unknown reason will exhibit behavior that is really strange. I say that because as a man who grew up around many other men, I've never known a man to behave in that fashion. I haven't heard women tell me anything like that.

I've heard of a lead up to things like that, but never just out of the blue behavior. I'm not saying Walton is innocent, but he's not stupid. For him to do that he'd have to know that everything he holds dear was in terrible danger by that action. I'm just saying that it reeks of being very odd.

Anyway, the process begins: Kings, NBA begin sex-assault inquiry into coach Walton

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