Wise

[Sparma]

WTF: "the culture around basketball now makes my stomach turn."  That sounds intense, Wise.  Nothing against walking away from basketball, but what would take its place for you?  I've got mixed feelings about being a basketball fan, and about following sports in general: a) much of it amounts to a waste of time, yet b) sports provides important markers (in my life) linked to what makes life meaningful, not least because of the connections with others, including this forum, triggered by sports.

I didn't watch a single minute of the NBA Finals because I'm on the cusp of losing total interest in the NBA all together.   I find it very difficult to accept the current state of once a great league.  Change is okay but it not necessarily always good, I'm okay that the 80's and 90's style of basketball is gone perhaps never to be seen again but the culture around basketball now makes my stomach turn.

It's nothing wrong with players making huge amounts of money provided they're earning it but they don't. I understand that technology has change and gotten better and one could think that everything else around it has to.  Sadly it only made the players fragile and soft so we can toss better medicine out the window and the use of social media has made them more stupid.

[WTF]

I didn't watch a single minute of the NBA Finals because I'm on the cusp of losing total interest in the NBA all together.   I find it very difficult to accept the current state of once a great league.  Change is okay but it not necessarily always good, I'm okay that the 80's and 90's style of basketball is gone perhaps never to be seen again but the culture around basketball now makes my stomach turn.

It's nothing wrong with players making huge amounts of money provided they're earning it but they don't. I understand that technology has change and gotten better and one could think that everything else around it has to.  Sadly it only made the players fragile and soft so we can toss better medicine out the window and the use of social media has made them more stupid.

[Sparma]

The Pistons now have 500-1 odds to win the NBA championship next year, tied for worst with eight other teams (per mlive).

Not sure what to say about that. It's not good though.

[cool breeze]

I really could care less about what Labron James will do next. Everyone knows he will not ever play for the Pistons and I am OK with that. Eventually his body will break down like everyone. It is a guessing game as to when that will happen. Perhaps James should consider staying in Cleveland. If he did that regardless of what happens to his body, Labron would be viewed to eternity as a loyal hero by everyone in the State of Ohio.

We Piston fans love the fact that Isiah Thomas never created any drama relating to demanding a trade to places like Hollywood. That is why some of us are so upset with this current owner for not even mentioning Zeke's name relating to the vacant GM and head coaching job. How far off from the Piston fans pulse is this idiot owner anyway? The first thing Tom Gores should have done after the season ended was say that he would be consulting with Isiah Thomas before making any decisions about the GM and head coaching positions. Instead, Mr. Gores said that he would be contacting Andre Drummond before meeting with SVG. It is very puzzling for many of us that the owners group does not consider how the fans feel about the team. They buy the tickets. Does this owner enjoy knowing that the new arena would be close to empty if he didn't give out thousands of free tickets? It appears he is obvious to anything that makes good sense. When television analysts suggest that the Pistons should be looking to Isiah Thomas for any future job relating to the Pistons and the owner simply ignores even those comments and the local media also shuts down any critical thinking relating to this owner's failure to consider some former Piston heroes, then all of us know that something has gone really wrong. Does this owner perhaps have a plan to move the Pistons to another city like Las Vegas? Maybe that is what is going on.

I do not want Toronto's former head coach or any of the people suggested so far with the exception of Jason Kidd. Zeke as GM and Kidd working with Zeke as head coach. Two great point guards working together would mean that there would not be a future for Reggie Jackson in Detroit for very long. For sure both men would decide that the Pistons need a complete rebuild relating to where the team is spending most of their money. I believe the Pistons have some young players who possibly might become solid players. Somehow all of the highly paid players need to be moved eventually and develop the young guys already signed. The emphasis needs to be the draft. The Pistons need to get a top two pick somehow. Then they need to also find players off the radar. I see that Boston under Danny A. is bringing in some players now who are not even listed in the 2nd round of this coming draft. Ainge works harder than any GM in the NBA. He personally travels throughout the basketball season to see college players perform. I saw him at almost every Arizona home game last year and the year before. Danny is never satisfied. Steve Kerr is never satisfied and always finding young talent to fill holes. How much traveling did our former GM do or the GM before that? How many college games did Joe Dumars attend when he ran the Pistons? Having any paid job working for an NBA team should get your juices flowing but somehow the Pistons seem to always hire the weak and lazy people even in their management jobs. The Pistons are below average on the hardwood and in the front office. Just where does this Piston owner rank among the league owners group? Pretty close to last wold be my guess. Maybe the owner wants things to get a little worse so Piston fans won't feel any pain when he moves the franchise to another city.

[WTF]

I agree on Reggie there is no way in hell this team can reach next level with him running this team. Not that Reggie isn't talented enough he's just not smart enough and IMO he never will be.  

But I do believe the right coach and any average pass first PG will have them tinkering the line to being next level.  

I'm trying to be guardedly optimistic about a likely Dwane Casey appointment, but here's a statement he made that got me worried: "Stan Van Gundy did an excellent job of coaching that team. They only missed the playoffs by five games."

Sparma that comment is disturbing to say the least, but the other thing that's bothering me about Casey is premature hint he gave on First Take the day before.  He comes off exactly like I predicted as being about his own self interest above the team.  If I was the Pistons owner that would have automatically disqualified him from consideration.  

Gore needs to turn his attention to someone else

[Phil-Good]

"MO I don't see either taking this roster to the next level next season or the season after but if I was in a total rebuild would I give Udoka the job."

Take this roster to the next level??

It's only 10 people who could take this roster to the next level.

23 year old Lebron James

23 year old Michael Jordan

23 year old Tim Duncan

23 year old Magic Johnson

23 year old Jason Kidd.

23 year old Kobe Bryant

23 year old Kevin Garnett

23 year old Isiah Thomas

23 year old Grant Hill

23 year old Hakeem Olajuwon


Get what I'm saying? Reality is, this team is OK! Subpar.. Average. Below Average. Why stick with that. BLOW THIS S.H.I.T up or at least get A young coach who can survive the eventual blow up that's coming very soon..




Why is anybody think about the next level when Reggie Jackson is your starting PG??

Somebody explain that to me?

[Sparma]

I'm trying to be guardedly optimistic about a likely Dwane Casey appointment, but here's a statement he made that got me worried: "Stan Van Gundy did an excellent job of coaching that team. They only missed the playoffs by five games."

He's in an awkward in between spot where it's hard to know what to say, but come on!

I can't know for sure that Odoka wouldn't have said such a thing, but I can't picture those words coming out of the mouth of a Pops mentee.

[WTF]

I still say that fans both old and new bare some responsibility for the state of this franchise but mainly on the old fans because we all knew better but many got caught up with accepting changes we knew weren't good for the game.  I've decided today that I'm going to compose a letter of my concerns and mail it the organization.  It may get there or not, it may be laughed at or taken seriously but I'm sending it for me and my own peace of mind.  We sit here post and moan daily amongst each other to each other but who hears us besides us.  

I'm tired of the media not doing it's homework and due diligence on reporting on this team,  I need them to report on facts and not entertainment, I want them to stop selling the bullshit be for the fans and not against us because they need to promote themselves as know it all's and kiss ass for player access and do their jobs.   It's a sad day when I miss McCloskey reporting on the team and his 2 cents on Pistons Talk.  

But we old fans know better because we've seen what winners look like, and we know what it took for our team to come out on top and yet we sit right along with this current fan base making excuses for players making millions of dollars.  We way more harder on the 2004 team for not being the Bad Boys yet we somehow come to making excuses for AD and RJ when we use to kill Grant Hill for not getting out of the first round.  Some still hate the Teal Years as if it was the worse thing to happen to this franchise.  Sorry this moment is the worse thing to happen to this franchise in history.  

But there's another reason why things are the way they are and the new breed of fan is special.  I can log on to FB right now of people from the D and you would swear they lived in Cali and were GSW fans or lived in Cleveland.  They don't root for the home team or have any real interest in the Pistons.  These same people don't even speak of the Pistons during the season or in passing.  In fact they cheer for James and Curry before they acknowledge AD.  Please tell me whatever happen to fan loyalty.  

So it's up to the old fans to do something, to make a last stand because this franchise is dying.  I'm going to write about my displeasure that Zeke and CB didn't get strong consideration, I'm going to write about the traditions this once storied franchise was build upon.  We need to stop telling ourselves that those days are behind us and gone because when you say that you're saying that hard work and dedication is no longer valued.  The game may be played differently but hard work and dedication should still be there.  

I want my letter to be read by the entire organization from top to bottom, from the players to the towel balls, from the coaches to the roaches.  I'm fed up and can't take this **** anymore.   We all need to be writing letters to this organization

[cool breeze]

Imagine being a billionaire owner of a professional sports team. you meet with the board of directors. Listen to advise from close friends who know squat about the kind of players Detroit and Michigan fans want to see play. Then you hire two men to interview prospective coaches and the meeting ends.

Meanwhile we old time Piston fans try to make sense of how a billionaire thinks about our Pistons if he really gives much thought at all. Could it be that he is thinking about how nice it is to be rich and live in LA? We all waste too much time dreaming about the past glory days of our Pistons. It was those players who made it all happen and an owner who did love basketball. As it stands now, the Pistons have a bleak future. That is what grinds on us. We see the talented players who participated in the playoffs. We have watched young rookies on Boston and Golden State play hard and smart. We notice the finals where Steve Kerr managed to find the smartest rookies who all have higher basketball IQs when it comes to playing defense than our alleged All Star AD. Some of the switching going on in the Finals by Golden State takes some grit and brain power. How did Kerr find those guys? All we have are questions and no answers are coming soon because there are no answers. This roster has no elite players, few above average players if any and no first round draft picks and a bloated payroll. The owner doesn't care because the overall book value of the Pistons looks good. That is what his ownership group talks about in their board meetings.

[Murph]

I had forgotten about the disastrous Ben Gordon trade. Detroit gave Gordon and a 1st rounder to Charlotte for filler, so that they could clear cap space to sign....(drum role please)… Josh Smith, who was cut after 1 1/2 seasons, and who we are STILL paying.

The draft pick turned into the 11th pick of the 2014 draft. Charlotte took Noah Vonleh. However, Elfrid Payton, Dario Saric, Zach LeVine, Rodney Hood and Clint Capela all went after #11.

That trade exemplifies the combined stupidity of Joe Dumars and SVG as Pistons GMs.

[WTF]

P-Boy why so sold on Udoka?   Being on Pop staff and under 40 shouldn't be an instant qualification, what other real qualification he has beyond that? I'm not in support of either him or Casey really and neither are the best fit for this current roster. This being the case the nod should go to Casey if it's truly down to these 2 for the coaching job. I hope Gore scraps the idea of hiring either and do hire Kidd.

IMO I don't see either taking this roster to the next level next season or the season after but if I was in a total rebuild would I give Udoka the job.  What Gore need to find is another prospect in the mode of Beilein that capable of handling this current roster or a young roster rebuilding.   

I don't think there's a definitive method to this other than getting the right fit for current make up of this roster.   Just look at the past success of some of our coaches or even other from different teams.  You keep bringing up age but most of coaches over history have been older, just look at Chuck and LB two of our own Championship Coaches.   I think if you compare the number of young vs older and you likely want an older more experience coach.  

Then you have to look at the overall pedigree of the people you hire and the people you're hiring around them.  Think about Kerr and where he's being as a players, his success as a player and the success he's being around over a period of time.  Kerr is not a spring chicken, and then you think Stevens in Boston but his success could be the direct and indirect result of Ainges success as a player and the success he's being around over time.   This is why I have issue with Gore not tapping into our great tradition and hiring our own.  

Whatever Gore does though it needs to make sense from top to bottom and he's already jacked that up.  It's dumb not to have a GM and President in place while in the process of hiring a coach.   Every piece needs to be own the shame page heading in the same direction, it must all fit but it seems Gore is just throwing **** together again hoping it sticks.

[Murph]

I guess I have to reluctantly agree with Phil.  Casey is a known quantity.  You know what you're getting.  You're getting a good (not great) coach who can lead the Pistons to the playoffs.

Udoka is a complete crap shoot.  There's an 80% chance that he'll be good, mediocre or poor.  But there's a 20% chance that he'll be an excellent coach.  And there's about a 3% chance that he'll be a great coach, like Brad Stevens or Steve Kerr.

Under the circumstances, Gores and his people should probably take the long shot.  I mean as fans, we want to win an NBA Championship, not just make it to the 2nd round.


However, like Wise, I would prefer Zeke, Laimbeer or Jason Kidd in that order.

[Phil-Good]

So what you going to do Gores?

Casey or Udoka?

Young man vs Old Man??

Can Gores see past 2019? Or can he only see 2019?


In my opinion, If Udoka made it this far in the interview process, then he is your guy. This S.H.I.T is common since.


It comes down to this. This current roster can be blow up at any moment. When that happens what coach do you feel comfortable moving forward with. A 40 year old, young man with room to grow or A 64 year old coach who will have to deal with rebuilding and losing for A minimal 3 or 4 years?

This S.H.I.T is not ROCKET SCIENCE! It's common BRAIN!

But we are dealing with GORES HERE! Mr. WIN NOW! MR. Lose in the first round of the playoffs now or else!


So expect Casey to get the job. Gores is A dumb AZZ after all....Until proven other wise.

I do hope that dumb azz Gores has learn that taking short cuts in the NBA is how you stay SHORT-CUT from all the fun.

YOU CAN NOT CHEAT THE PROCESS UNLESS YOUR the LAKERS, MIAMI Or the NY Knicks. THAT'S IT.

Everybody else had to start with the NBA draft and hiring A head coach with little to no experience.

[WTF]

I just think that you have to make a decision about what you want, a coach for next year or a coach for the next 5 years. Once you decide that, the vision gets a lot clearer.

I'm not sure Gore vision is building a winning franchise because I don't think he's a 100% sold on what this team was traditionally build upon in the past. I think he's too much of an absent owner to be 100% committed to anything other than the bottom line financially. 

Udoka could be or potentially capable but this doesn't make it so and offer no guarantees that it ever will be.  He never coached before so it all guess work at this point to what we'll actually get from him.  So other than him being the next new shiny thing to toss at the wall and hoping it stick over the next 5 years isn't a smart decision right now.   If Gore had all the right people in place and the best basketball minds backing a Udoka then maybe it works but it's clear Gore doesn't do his homework. Other than playing 2 season under Pop and being an assistant what has he done really.

Casey has experience but I'm not calling it great experience, we are so quick to look at his accomplishment in Toronto, but it was also a failure as well isn't that why Toronto fired him.  Again we shouldn't always be so quick to jump the next shiny object because this could end in Detroit just as it ended there in Toronto. I mean really just google Casey and then tell me what so great about him.

Kidd I would put over both Casey and Udoka but I don't think I'm all that sold on him.  I like him over the above two because he actually had great NBA success as a player, some moderate success as a coach.  Udoka and Casey doesn't that winning pedigree of Kidd and to me that's more of an advantage and I also can see Kidd here long term while I can't see that with the other two.   

Beilein and I so hate he took himself out this hiring process is better than all three because he has all the thing things we expect out of a coach and he's more closely associated with all the things that were traditionally important to us being fans of this franchise.  In fact he's the next best thing to having a Zeke or Bill running and coaching this team.    IMO Beilein can fit both scenarios of being the coach for next or the next 5 years.  I would be shocked if he took this current group of players to the ECF this coming season and continue to do it over the next 5.

[Oracle]

You guys had two very interesting posts.

@Wise: "They keep coming up with all these other names and they IMO won't be committed to the team or organization more than they would their own self interest and of course the pay check.   Just imagine what SJ, Luke and Henry would be now as players if they had a coach they was interested in teaching them."

I confess that I didn't think about this angle, but once you said it, a light bulb went off! Beilein would have a level of caring about everything we stand for than any of the other coaches under consideration.

Having said that, I do think that a young coach like Udoka would be starting fresh and could get to that level easier than say a Casey, but even with Casey, with enough success, that would come as well.

I just think that you have to make a decision about what you want, a coach for next year or a coach for the next 5 years. Once you decide that, the vision gets a lot clearer.

BTW, I am pissed that a player like Stanley Johnson came into the league as damn near a sure fire star with super star potential has regressed under SVG's terrible development plan. He also stuck it to Ellenson and was on track to destroy Kennard! Job #1 for the new coach, IMO, is to not only get the most out of our big 3, but to restore the confidence of these promising youngsters.

This is a sure fire playoff team as is, and a real contender with the right coach and a better starting PG.

@Don: "I kept thinking that if AD became a monster defender in the paint that he could be a super star but there is so much switching going on now with NBA defenses that big slug centers are a thing of the past."

You noticed what I noticed about this years Finals... the massive switching. There was a time in the NBA where your ability to start depended on your ability to defend your position... Those days are GONE!!!

These days you have to be able to defend multiple positions because teams are looking to FORCE a switch to get advantage. This has less effect on super stars because switching generally won't help you defend much better, and that's what's happening to Cleveland. With fewer stars, any switch the Warriors get is sure to lead to a mismatch!

"I really think that Piston fans would enjoy watching a tanking type team for the next 3 years where the emphasis is on finding young talent and watching them grow..."

That would only be true if Piston fans had any patience. Fans here don't want to put up with two major components, and suffer one major flaw.
1. Failure to endure the growth process. Can you name the number of fans attacking KCP in year 2, and KCP's value wasn't that he was a lock down defender, he wasn't, but that he could defend 3 positions, which is why he got played so much... switching is important!
2. Failure to wait for chemistry to develop
3. The flaw is that even when we get the chemistry going, instead of letting it grow, fans believe that switching out players will make the team better, but it destroys the chemistry needed to be successful.

Sorry, I don't see Piston fans as capable to survive tanking unless we can get lucky and get a superstar. Besides, tanking is a risky venture, there are more Darko's out there than UniBrows 

[Murph]

I have to hand it to Curry and Kerr, together, they realized to potential of the 3 point shot.  For better or worse, they have revolutionized the game by making the 3 point shot the most important play in basketball...not just on the professional level, but at the college, high school and AAU levels as well.

They also managed to lure Kevin Durant to Golden State, completing the dynasty.

[cool breeze]

Hello Piston fans. Did you know that our owner gave away our number one pick in this summer's draft? Of course you know but most have just shrugged their shoulders and said what is new about that statement? We fans are used to the Piston's owner and his inept ownership group giving away draft picks or not insisting on tanking at mid season when it is clear that the Pistons at best are a below average NBA team. This owner took a different path than the successful owners. He gave away a number one pick a few seasons ago to save money by including the pick in the Ben Gordon fiasco. I blame the owner because his knucklehead management teams are no longer working for the Pistons. The owner has to OK anything relating to spending money. Then the owner decided to mettle by insisting that he could pick the team captains Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond. So is Tom Gores the real coach of the Pistons? There were several really good trade options that would have included some good top first round opportunities for Detroit if the owner would have agreed to trade Andre Drummond. Not going to happen and because Reggie Jackson is attached at the hip with the owner's pet AD, there is no way SVG's staff could dump RJ to improve the team's financial position. I think the rejection of Spencer Dinwiddie and the selection of Ish Smith as back up point guard is on SVG and his faithful GM Mr. B. And the signing of Jon Leuer and Langston Galloway for 5 times more than they were worth is also the decision of the departed SVG.

When you add up the general dysfunction created by the owner and SVG and his staff what other outcome could any Piston fan expect now? Having suffered through a lengthy period of time watching dysfunctional basketball where most of the time the Pistons never really looked like a real team of players all committed to a common goal, there is no reason to feel optimism now. Yet many of us hope that next season will be different that is until you watch a game like last night's finals game when Kevin Durant calmly made that 3 point shot towards the end followed by the next possession where he passed the ball to Curry who drew a double team and his teammate on the baseline was smart enough to make the cut to the basket for a dunk. Then Piston fans have to come back to reality. We have not been able to watch one top 3 draft pick play for the Pistons since the Darko blunder. That mistake should have been a sign for Piston fans that bad times were just around the corner. When will the Pistons get another Zeke? Does this owner somehow think that he will sign a free agent like Zeke some day? You would have to be insane to believe that with happen. Or does this owner believe that he has a player in Andre Drummond who will emerge into an impact player like Curry, Labron or Durant? With the current style of play in the NBA, players like Andre Drummond cannot make that kind of impact even if AD was a smart player which is is not. I kept thinking that if AD became a monster defender in the paint that he could be a super star but there is so much switching going on now with NBA defenses that big slug centers are a thing of the past. Big men like Anthony Davis can have an impact but the NBA has no other big man like Davis. The owner has an emotional attachment to AD. He will not part with him at all cost. So what is the big deal about who the next GM or head coach might be? It won't make any difference until this owner stays a far away from the team as possible and hires a GM and head coach with real power to do the right thing to make the team better. The only way to secure top talent is to lose big for perhaps three straight seasons.

Steve Kerr is as much of a genius as Brad Stevens relating to his coaching ability. Just look at the stats in this last game. JaVale McGee scored 10 points on 5-7 shooting and had a big impact on defense. Jordan Bell scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting and also played exceptionally well on defense. I was really impressed with Jordan Bell during his last season at Oregon. I looked at how hard he played and how quick to the ball either blocking shots or rebounding the ball and said this guy looks a lot like Dennis Rodman. Kerr knew how good Bell was and got him in the 2nd round and then gave him the confidence he needed to make an impact in the NBA finals as a rookie. That is some smart coaching that we Piston fans have not seen in any person who has coached the Pistons in years. The previous head coach at Golden State was a grinder hard nosed type coach. Steve Kerr ran his first practice with the theme that playing basketball should be a fun thing to do. The practices were fun and yet extreme conditioning drills were all part of the experience in training camp. That interview with Kevin Durant after the game showed what as class act he is as a person. Durant said that his two teammates who had poor shooting nights play basketball for the fun of it. They don't feel pressure after missing shots because they love what they are doing on the court make or miss. That is what Steve Kerr brings to the table as well has his ability to recognize situations and opportunities for his team as the game progresses. Kerr is a soft spoken guy who knows what the hell he is talking about. Kerr created the opposite amosphere from SVG. It never looked like our Piston players were having any fun with the exception of AD dancing in pre game. Any current player should be on the trading block this summer if a deal could be made for the Pistons to get a number one pick.

I really think that Piston fans would enjoy watching a tanking type team for the next 3 years where the emphasis is on finding young talent and watching them grow instead of watching over paid mid level at best players dominating minutes while everyone knows that even if they were really engaged in playing the right way, they still wouldn't be good enough to beat the superior talented players.

[WTF]

Seriously. 
Not that there wasn't pain and disappointment. Not that he isn't competitive. Not that he doesn't love to win.  

It's just that those things miss the point. For him, a season is about learning, and improving, and watching habits he instills lead to success on the court. 
When someone told him his players were crushed they hadn't been able to win the title for him, this was his response: 
"Oh, man, don't worry about me. I would love to win a national championship for those guys. For the University of Michigan, for all those great students, for the alums. But, for me? This is why I coach. To be in that locker room with those kids. To have this opportunity to tell them: this is life, (and) all of a sudden, in a blink of an eye, you have this great sadness, your season is over … but in the long run there is a lot of joy."

Why not hire a coach like this I really think Beilein would be a great coach for the Pistons period.   They keep coming up with all these other names and they IMO won't be committed to the team or organization more than they would their own self interest and of course the pay check.   Just imagine what SJ, Luke and Henry would be now as players if they had a coach they was interested in teaching them.  

IMO Beilein has a little of each Chuck, Flip, and LB in him and I like that a lot about him as a coach.   His players all loved him a Michigan and has had great success with the players he's recruited.  Well he was getting great players he wasn't getting the ESPN ALL HYPED PLAYERS and he did get his team to the big dance twice.

Imagine him sitting dummy down to explain the importance learning, I bet if he was coach and we could get a hold of Trey Burke he would do it and Burke would love and I bet he would excel as a pro almost immediately.  

Beilein would no doubt be committed to the players, the team, organization and winning.  He would be accountable for what happens and not play the blame game as we watched SVG do the past 4 seasons.  

I don't see the substance in all the other names, I like Kidd but not sure how committed he would truly be and I don't just believe in Casey or Udoka they just looking for another pay check or a foot in the door.   There is no doubt in my mind Beilein wouldn't be committed the moment he hit the door and he certainly wouldn't come in the door thinking he know it all.  If anything he'll be the one looking to bring our former great in as assistant coaches and I think Sheed, Wallace, CB and, even Bill would love to be on his staff as well.  

This Team just have a DUMB ASS OWNER 

[Oracle]

[Murph]

Not only is Brad Stevens a genius, but Danny Ainge is an even bigger genius.  I mean after all, it was Ainge that went out on a limb and hired Stevens out of the college ranks, away from mid-major, Butler.  That certainly worked out.

And if you look at the current Boston payroll, the Celtics managed to be the best team in the East (until their best player Irving went down with a season ending injury) with the 15th highest payroll in the NBA, which was much lower than the Pistons.

Now, Ainge wants to put together an impressive package for Kawhi Leonard.  I seriously doubt any NBA team can put together a better package of players and draft picks to pry Leonard away from the Spurs.  And yet, not one of the players Ainge is offering will be a starter next year.  While Brown, Rozier and Morris had impressive seasons, none of them would start on a healthy Celtics roster.  And to top it off, Ainge is going to throw in two 1st rounders.  

If that trade goes through, that will make next year's starting lineup look like this:
Irving
Hayword
Leonard
Tatum
Horford

That starting lineup has 5 All Stars or near All Stars, and 2 probable HOFers.  Yikes.

Now all the Celtics need to do is sign the 7 foot free agent, Enis Kantor, to back up Horford, and they are set to be the heir apparent to the Golden State Warriors as the NBA's best team for years and years to come.

As much as I disliked Danny Ainge as a player, there is no denying his genius as the GM.

They want Kawhi Leonard... BAD!!!

It is suggested the Celtics could be willing to do business with: Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Guerschon Yabusele, Abdel Nader, Kings first round pick, Grizzlies first round pick all in the deal for Leonard.

WOW!!!

[Oracle]

They want Kawhi Leonard... BAD!!!

It is suggested the Celtics could be willing to do business with: Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, Guerschon Yabusele, Abdel Nader, Kings first round pick, Grizzlies first round pick all in the deal for Leonard.

WOW!!!

[Oracle]

“It’s not what you are underneath. It’s what you do that defines you.” - Batman Begins

If you claim to have Christian values, if you've judged others by one standard, but when the time comes to make that judgement about someone else and you fail to do it....

Look, it's easy to say you have morals, easy to claim uber patriotism... until there is something to lose!

That's when we find out just how strong your values and principles are... no need to name names, they know who they are!

I'm sorry but I just can't relate to how things are now.  I recall when Championship Teams visited the WH it was in celebration of the team and not this country or the political agendas of a president.   But on the flip side of that players felt it was an honor to attend until this current president land in office it use to be an honor to meet the president and visit the WH.  

The fact that something this simple has become so complicated speaks volumes about our current situation as a country and as human beings.  We are in serious peril and we're knocking on the door of some form of a dooms day scenario if we don't fix our Moral Compass quickly.   Forget that it's effecting  what sports were traditionally about this **** is starting to plague humanity as a whole in all walks of life.  It lacks the simple solution of just doing the Right Thing period.  People this is a battle of Good vs Evil, Right vs Wrong and, Love vs Hate.  Today Evil, Wrong and Hate are winning SMH

[WTF]

I'm sorry but I just can't relate to how things are now.  I recall when Championship Teams visited the WH it was in celebration of the team and not this country or the political agendas of a president.   But on the flip side of that players felt it was an honor to attend until this current president land in office it use to be an honor to meet the president and visit the WH.  

The fact that something this simple has become so complicated speaks volumes about our current situation as a country and as human beings.  We are in serious peril and we're knocking on the door of some form of a dooms day scenario if we don't fix our Moral Compass quickly.   Forget that it's effecting  what sports were traditionally about this **** is starting to plague humanity as a whole in all walks of life.  It lacks the simple solution of just doing the Right Thing period.  People this is a battle of Good vs Evil, Right vs Wrong and, Love vs Hate.  Today Evil, Wrong and Hate are winning SMH

[Oracle]

Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman will reportedly be in Singapore next week to attend President Donald Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un.

Per Tina Moore of the New York Post, Rodman is expected to arrive in Singapore on June 11. 

Kim and Trump will hold a summit on June 12 to discuss, among other things, a nuclear deal that will lead to North Korea giving up control of its nuclear weapons program. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Tuesday the meeting will be held at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island.

Rodman has been a frequent visitor to North Korea in recent years, forging a relationship with Kim during that time.

Ok, now I know everything will work out, Rodman will defend the United States of America 

[WTF]

I'm okay with older coaches as long as they're good coaches.   If this old coach can lead them to basic fundamentals and a winning tradition then it's all good I say.  Keep in mind LB, Chuck and Flip weren't Spring Chickens either but they were winners.

These old cats will be all but gone before we know better enjoy them while you still can.  I'm of the mind new and fancy isn't necessarily good and better and I honestly don't think younger coaches can get us back to what traditionally made us a great organization to begin with.  We shouldn't be trying to relate to the current fades and trends of younger culture but try to get them to relate to the things that traditionally worked in the past.  

WE need a coach that can teach them about winning, because they were winners.  Today's players want to win lazily and we need to be promoting the value of work.   I do like Kidd over Casey but would take Bielien over both though he has never coached in the NBA.  I definitely for hiring one of our own but still think Cheeks deserve a real shot with us again.

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