Pistons Front Office has their marching orders from the owner - keep the status quo

[cool breeze]

Tom Gores said he was thrilled that the Pistons made the playoffs. This was supposed to be the Pistons stepping stone. Our team could only move up from that experience of getting their asses kicked worse than any other team that made the playoffs. Mr. Gores was trilled with Andre Drummond's performance and believes what AD said after the last loss. Yes AD just got too excited and couldn't function as well as fans expected. Was it that hard to run hard out to contest shots after your assigned man had been making a lot of them? How did that happen? Is it true that a professional basketball player can actually get so excited that they jog back in transition defense instead of going full out like Lopez did? What I don't understand is the posters who continue to believe in the snake oil that this owner is selling.

Now after the Pistons GM announced that he is going full out with the Pistons famous Big Three. Yes we have Blake, Andre, and Reggie once again and why not? The Pistons have been very successful with those three players right? Is there any season ticket holder who actually believes in this nonsense? The real story is that this owner will not part with Andre Drummond regardless of the facts. He is really not interested in building a championship team. He likes the fact that Andre is playing with Blake and Reggie. So out of those three players, who can defend anyone in the NBA? The playoffs showed that you don't win with lazy or inept defenders. You have to have the right instincts to anticipate. You have to study opponents offense and know which spots they want to score against you. When was the last time any Piston fans had been able to identify that our team has ever followed a game plan created by the coaching staff to make stops against any opponent? I have just not been able to see where the Pistons have ever had a real specific plan. They play every opponent the same way. Are Piston players incapable of performing as a team? The Pistons always look like a group of individuals who are playing their first game together like a pick up game. Meanwhile winning teams do the opposite.

Maybe now that Chris Paul has proved that he is way past his prime, Tom Gores will make a blockbuster trade to get him maybe giving up the next 5 years of our first round picks and Luke as a throw in by trading Blake to Houston? How can any Piston fan trust anything that Piston management has already decided as their long term plan for success? It looks to me like the GM and head coach are just puppets who really have no influence in who will play or what the overall strategy might be. Run the pick and roll with AD and RJ. Shoot the 3 ball. Play one side of the basketball court. Keep ball and player movement down as low as possible. If Stefanski really believes the nonsense he has spoken, it is time to throw in the towel.

[Oracle]

Phillip was right, at least about Boston:

The NBA insider also reported that the Celtics have been aggressive in shopping their three first-round picks. According to Wojnarowski, Boston does not want three rookies on its roster following Thursday's draft.

"(Boston has) assets. I'm told they have been really aggressive out in the market place," he added. "Again, three picks in Thursday's NBA draft; I'm told they don't want to have three rookies on the team. You could expect one way or another, at least one, maybe two of those picks end up somewhere else."

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In other news: REPORT: Pistons willing to pay luxury tax for a franchise-altering player

[Oracle]

Not on this one, I'm with you 100%.

This kid checks all of the Piston DNA boxes, he has a high BBall IQ, he shoots well and he plays defense.

Plus he has very good size at the PG position and that size will serve him well on switches and is absolutely what we need for a future PG as they appear to be getting larger.

There is concern that he is not explosive, but I agree with the Orlando article assessment,

His physical limitations are definitely clear. He is not a burst or explosion athlete. But he is quick, agile and twitchy. He is similar to James Harden in that he is not a poor athlete, but he is a different athlete.

IMO, this pick fills a glaring need and with Reggie here for one more year, we can ease him in while he learns.

I believe tht Bruce Brown will get his shot together and as someone here said, be more like a mini Westbrook, and the two could be dynamic if it works out.

This is A important draft for the Pistons. This draft is weak but the Pistons boss has to come away with two guys who can help this team get better.

My first round pick is  Nickeil Alexander-Walker. No questions about it.

I like this guy Ed. Stefanski. He knows his S.H.I.T Go check out his interview on Pistons.com

He understands that you have to draft players of your team culture. He also understands to pick the best player available.

The Pistons need A trade and I look at Portland, OK City, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Boston as teams who would be willing to dump A late first round pick for cash. Detroit needs to jump on that train FAST!

[Phil-Good]

This is A important draft for the Pistons. This draft is weak but the Pistons boss has to come away with two guys who can help this team get better.

My first round pick is Nickeil Alexander-Walker. No questions about it.

I like this guy Ed. Stefanski. He knows his S.H.I.T Go check out his interview on Pistons.com

He understands that you have to draft players of your team culture. He also understands to pick the best player available.

The Pistons need A trade and I look at Portland, OK City, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Boston as teams who would be willing to dump A late first round pick for cash. Detroit needs to jump on that train FAST!

[lemonpen]

This is a smart move!

The Rockets know that only the Warriors were good enough to knock them off, and with them out of the way, they need to keep their core together and look to add one more piece.

GM: Paul won't be traded, Rockets trying to add another star

The media tried to make the viewers believe the cheering was coming from Raptor fans when KD dropped to the floor. Little did they know it was from a bit further south.

[Oracle]

This is a smart move!

The Rockets know that only the Warriors were good enough to knock them off, and with them out of the way, they need to keep their core together and look to add one more piece.

GM: Paul won't be traded, Rockets trying to add another star

[cool breeze]

Come on Pistons front office. You cannot win with Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin playing on the same team. The Pistons need a high energy center who can protect the paint while Blake rests on defense so he can score on offense. New Orleans has a ton of future picks and maybe they might not have watched AD in the playoffs. Make a deal. Change the Pistons future from sure doom to hope. Some team must want Andre Drummond after all he has been our heroic franchise player for a long time. Doesn't any team want him? There I go dreaming again.

I guess the Pistons front office has done everything they could and there is no hope of trading AD. So what is left? More pick and roll plays with our stars AD and RJ? More dysfunction on defense with AD and BG playing together? More head coach dysfunction when he plays AD, RJ, LG, IS Smith together with one other unfortunate Piston player who hates playing with those 4 players? Maybe another Tom Gores trade where he gives up our next four first round picks for 4 2nd round picks and cash? Will the Pistons end up with the worst home attendance record in the entire NBA next season? Will AD wear his stats on his uniform next season so fans don't have to look them up? Will the Pistons be able to lose to the Bucks in every game and avoid a 30 point differential? Will the pre game players circle dance be televised instead of the National Anthem if you purchase NBA season ticket pass? Will Tom Gores hire Lonzo Ball's father to announce the Piston games next season and fire Greg Kelser? Kelser was perhaps too critical of the Pistons strategy last year. We could get an entire season of Ball talking trash about his kids and the Lakers. Any of you have an ideas on how we can make the Pistons more exciting next year? what will coach Casey cook up this time? He is out working hard to find the best 3 point shooters who play the weakest defense. We need more of that. Yes we need a players coach who is not interested in how much effort his players are giving. Not important because his players need to save energy to shoot the 3 point shots. Even though Curry and Thompson have the ability to finish in the paint, make mid range shots and score from beyond the 3 point line, the Pistons coach is targeting more specialist 3 point shooting only type players. Playing defense with high energy is not an option. You must rest on defense especially if you are playing on the perimeter. Don't challenge the shooters. Let them shoot it. Rest is what our players need more of. What an amazing plan which for sure will make fans bond with the entire Piston organization. Bring out the teal uniforms to seal the deal. Hire Charlie V to teach transition defense. Go team go!

[cool breeze]

It has been like a breath of fresh air this season without Labron James being a factor in the playoffs. Many fans including me are tired of watching Labron using his incredibly strong arms to hammer defenders when he decides to drive to the basket. Surprise surprise, Labron knocks anyone who stands in his way to the floor then makes a layup and the ref sends the Chosen One to the line for a possible 3 point play. I think the officiating as been pretty equal to all teams this playoff season. Now it will go back to the norm of making sure Labron plays in the Finals. Maybe another NBA team will help the lakers as well to create the super team now that Golden State will need a miracle to even make the playoffs. Labron James must have averaged 15 fouls a game over his career but somehow he ends the game with only 1 foul called against him.

Will this year's finals MVG snuff Toronto and sign with the Lakers now to form the Big Three? If so the Pistons will have their work cut out for them to win the championship. Of course our team will still have a chance as long as the franchise player, Andre Drummond gets that contract extension. We have to have him on our team. What would we do without him? Tom Gores knows what he is doing for sure. AD was one of the best players who performed in the playoffs this season. Yes it is true that every Eastern conference team is very worried about AD's contract extension as well as signing Ish Smith as our back up point guard again. We have the Big Three as well with AD, IS and of course RJ. Our team is all about giving a strong effort. That is what the Pistons are known for in this era. WOW I can't wait for next season.

[cool breeze]

It is funny for me to read some of the posts relating to Golden State. Did fans miss what I saw in this year's finals? I thought this year was incredible relating to the playoffs. The regular season was a dud as usual. But what GS did my even making the Finals was incredible. This proves that what counts most in sports is effort. The teams that win in sports have the best coaches who know that you can't win if you have players who cannot give amazing effort. That is what most fans saw in the playoffs and especially the finals. Did Toronto have an exceptional team? I say yes because every player played incredibly hard. To do that you have to do the work to get your ass in amazing physical condition. Undermaned with horrendous injuries, Golden State managed to hang in and win game 5 and then took the game to the last possession even after losing Thompson. This finals was like a heavy weight boxing match. Every players left it all on the court. what was cool to me was how effective Dray Green was as the captain of the defense. He was pushing teammates to their spots and covering so much space yet battled for those key rebounds as if he was not tired at all.

Now flash back to the Pistons and how inconsistent the effort was by several players including our All Star center. Who could predict from game to game if AD would even actually run from baseline to baseline. I say this because 80% of the time he was jogging or walking. For those of you who think for a second that the Pistons have a real NBA team you must be in LaLa Land. We saw exciting basketball in the Finals. When we watch the Pistons, it is as if we are watching Junior High vs varsity high school basketball. The Pistons front office and owner has hired a head coach who told his players over last summer especially Stanley Johnson to work on the 3 point shot. Instead of immediately telling all of the players coming back that what he wanted most was for his players to come into training camp in the best physical condition of their lives and be ready to show the effort it takes to win or you will be sitting on the bench. But instead, Casey make it all about shooting the 3 ball. How many can you make? Why not play HORSE all summer? The great players like Curry go through a physical endurance torture that no fan could understand. Green also puts in the conditioning and strength work for about 7 hours a day. Meanwhile the darling of some Piston fans, Andre Drummond said two summers ago, all my teammates and myself need is a lot of rest. That tells it all about the coaching staff at the time with SVG and in current times with Casey. Where is the Meat? Where is the effort? Other teams were beating the hell out of the Pistons because they were willing to make a more extreme effort than our Piston players. Here is my analysis of the Piston players relating to their basketball Heart. Players who win know they have to be in better physical and mental condition compared to the players they go up against.

Andre Drummond - SOFT-LAZY-MOODY-LACKS THE RIGHT GOALS- CAN'T BE COUNTED ON TO HAVE A CLEAR HEAD UNDER PRESSURE AND EXECUTE- OVERWEIGHT-OUT OF SHAPE COMPARED TO THE SUCCESSFUL NBA PLAYERS WHO KNOW HOW TO WIN.
THe Pistons cannot win with Drummond. Griffin and Drummond combination cannot win by playing together. TRADE ANDRE DRUMMOND FOR A 2nd ROUND PICK IF NECESSARY. We need a new Ben Wallace to change the culture.

REGGIE JACKSON - Imagine Reggie playing in the finals for either Golden State or Toronto? There is something wrong with Reggie's cardio. He looks exhausted most of the time always trying to catch his breath. He has no energy to play effective defense. How did all those Finals players manage to summon up incredible energy to make everything difficult for who they were guarding? How did all of those players manage to sacrifice their bodies by helping other teammates or sprinting out to double team opponents? Hard grueling training and diet is the answer. Our pistons lack that work ethic and it shows.

Blake Griffin - No complaint because he gives extreme effort but I question how smart of a player he actually is at times. And Blake is not an exceptional defender which you need to win big. He is grossly over paid for the leadership by example he provides yet of course he really tries hard and has suffered injuries. So who can complain about Blake? It was just a stupid trade to make being that the Pistons have so many slugs who cannot defend anyone in the NBA as a group.

The rest of the players are fringe players where nobody has established themselves as a top tier consistent type players. We have too many of those.

Tom Gores made the worst possible hire with Casey. Casey likes to be called "a Players Coach". The Pistons needed a new coach to come in last year and change the culture from the Return of the Teal to Return of the Hare Nosed Bastards. No more sissy stuff allowed. No more slacking on defense allowed. The Pistons needed more players like Stanley Johnson than less. He was a hard nosed in your face individual defender and help defender. For Casey not to be able to identify that and instead select his pet Langston Galloway for max minutes was criminals. Is Dray Green in the game because he shoots a lot of 3 point shots? Would Casey bench Green if he had signed a contract with Detroit. Casey didn't identify the Pistons biggest weakness when he took over the team last summer. How can that be that he didn't look at the game tape where so many Piston players were coasting for half of a game? Why didn't he get on AD's ass when he played over weight? Why so much of Ish Smith who plays hard but is not a good shooter or defender? I question Casey's basic judgement relating to player combinations that might work after watching a season under his leadership.

Who are the Detroit Pistons now? How can anyone recognize any real character that would make you want to travel out on a cold night to spend 3 hours of boredom? What top tier players in their right mind wants to play basketball with Andre Drummond and company? I kept thinking that the owner would wise up but as it appears bent on actually signing AD to a new contract. How exactly will that change anything relating to the chances of the Pistons ever winning big again? Did you see any player who played in the Finals who plays like Andre Drummond? We saw him play in the first round and there is no doubt that he was one of the worst performers of any starter on any team. Yet some fans are standing firm with the owner. They actually want more of AD so they can keep rebounding stats. Meanwhile the Nets and Knicks are in great position to change their teams in a big way. The Pistons have had the lowest IQ front office in the entire NBA for too many years. The last two head coaches are a reflection of the owner's perception of what basketball should be about. Yes the Pistons will continue to provide smoke and mirrors to fool fans into buying season tickets. I guess those season ticket holders are the real losers. There is nothing to free good about if you are a Piston fan and it will continue to remain that way for a long time.

[Oracle]

The Raptors winning changes EVERYTHING!

Golden State is officially no longer a finals threat unless something happens that I can't see right now, and that changes the thinking of a LOT of teams.

Why is Golden State done?
1. Durant has a ruptured Achilles, and that means he's out for a whole year!
2. Thompson has a torn ACL, and that's another 1 year sentence, so he's out!
3. Looney & Boogie are unrestricted FA's, and neither need to be rocket scientists to decode the Warriors near term future.
4. Livingston is likely to retire...

With that churn, the Warriors could be competitive and snag a 4 seed, but that's about it.

That means that with them out of the way, the best team in the west looks like the Rockets if they stay together, but it also opens the door for Portland and Denver as well.
Rockets: They need to keep their core together as much as possible, maybe only replacing Chris Paul with a younger stud.
Portland: Get healthy for a long run
Denver: Add another star with the Joker, or just look for internal growth of their core, because they're young and inexperienced.

But hope springs eternal, and not just in the west.

With GS out of the running, others have a shot, especially because I believe Lemonpen's asterisk is a HUGE one, the Raptors got lucky.
Bucks: They have a legitimate shot at ruling the east if they can grow up a bit.
Philly: If they can survive the unrestricted FA's they have coming loose, they may be formidable
Boston: Same as Philly, lots of balls in the air, but now more opportunity to win it all if you can just get there
Lakers: All of a sudden, getting to the top of the west is more of a possibility if they can add Davis or Leonard, or another star to LeBron.

Just looking for table scraps:
Pistons: Not likely a threat to win the east, but an opportunity to move up the pecking order as other pieces become available in the frenzy fallout!

This is looking like one of the more interesting offseasons I've seen in my lifetime!

Should the Ship carry an asterisk.

I say Hail Yeah!!!

Why.  Facts are facts.  The Raps defeated a shorthanded opponent.  Ultimately, really shorthanded.  In addition, the level of struggle faced while doing so will continue lending credence to any theory doubting their success against the full Warrior squad, or even a less shorthanded one.  Count me as believing we were an ACL away from witnessing a monumental collapse.  7 quarters of close out game was clearly taking its toll.

The only way the asterisk gets erased is doing what several before them have done (Bad Boys, G.S to name a couple), make a return trip to the mountain top.

By the way, Golden State is the best passing team I have ever seen.

[lemonpen]

Should the Ship carry an asterisk.

I say Hail Yeah!!!

Why. Facts are facts. The Raps defeated a shorthanded opponent. Ultimately, really shorthanded. In addition, the level of struggle faced while doing so will continue lending credence to any theory doubting their success against the full Warrior squad, or even a less shorthanded one. Count me as believing we were an ACL away from witnessing a monumental collapse. 7 quarters of close out game was clearly taking its toll.

The only way the asterisk gets erased is doing what several before them have done (Bad Boys, G.S to name a couple), make a return trip to the mountain top.

By the way, Golden State is the best passing team I have ever seen.

[Phil-Good]

'The Pistons are NOT going to trade Drummond, and will most likely resign him to a contact extension at some point. Guaranteed."

I'm willing to bet money that Detroit will trade Drummonds before he get another max offer.

Warning. Don't bet me on this because you will lose your money. I can almost guarantee you the Pistons will trade Drummonds before his contract is up. Watch and see!!

Also, DAMN Golden State. Durant with the ACL. Now Klay.

Listen, I like Klay, Steph, Green, and all those guys Golden State drafted. I really do. But the tide had to turn on Golden State for stacking that team. I think it was weak and the Basketball Gods have found A cruel way to balance it out. I don't like super teams and I hope that super team era is over in the NBA.

[Murph]

Phil, Phil, Phil...where do you get these cray ideas?      

Trading Drummond is something else you will be dead wrong about. Just like their NOT going to draft a SG.  What world do you live in?  Just because you want something, doesn't mean it's going to happen.  

The Pistons are NOT going to trade Drummond, and will most likely resign him to a contact extension at some point.  Guaranteed.

Get on the Phone with New Orleans.

Offer Drummonds for that 4th pick to New Orleans. See if they will bite!!

Dump this clown right here, right now!

With that 4th pick. Draft that PG out of North Carolina, Colby White or Garland.

Spark this rebuild off right here. Right now!

[Phil-Good]

Get on the Phone with New Orleans.

Offer Drummonds for that 4th pick to New Orleans. See if they will bite!!

Dump this clown right here, right now!

With that 4th pick. Draft that PG out of North Carolina, Colby White or Garland.

Spark this rebuild off right here. Right now!

[Phil-Good]

So who is the Hall of Famer available with the 15th pick of this draft.

And Phil...don't be silly.  The next Michael Jordan isn't available with the 15th pick either.




Did I not say Durant had a torn Achilles?

You never know who's available. And what the pick will turn out to be. But I do know that drafting for need and not talent is why Kevin Durant was the 2nd pick and not the first.


I also know that One of the best players was drafted by Indiana K.Lenard and then traded for A need, George Hill.

I will say this also. If I was New Orleans I would consider That FIRE PG out of Murry State as the top pick. Not just Zion. Zion is A ball player but he is A big..big kid. 285 pounds. Most of that is muscle but I have worries about his weight and being able to ball on A full time NBA schedule.

The Pistons need to focus more on development and stop signing the Jodie Meeks, and Jon Loure's of the world. Up the quality of the produce and stop shopping for pot-hole-filler, players.

[Oracle]

As NBA draft nears, Pistons faced with call to play it safe or swing for the fences

BTW, I notice that the Pistons fan base is still like rich kids that are used to having loads of cash, and struggle adjusting to being broke 

Here we have a team that hardly EVER makes the playoffs anymore, and when they make the playoffs, it's a tragedy of major proportions. I still say give the FO some time to get their act together. Let go of the debacle that was Stan Van Gundy's reign of terror, and stop blaming the guys trying to fix it for not fixing it yesterday   I'm looking at you Wise & Don 

[Oracle]

Nick Nurse is coming under fire for calling that timeout when the Raptors had momentum and allowing the Warriors to regroup and go on a 9-2 run to win the game. He had a reason that makes sense, but IMO, it was a bad call for anyone that knows the game so well.

An obscure NBA rule that is only 2 years old led to the Raptors' controversial timeout in NBA Finals loss

[Murph]

So who is the Hall of Famer available with the 15th pick of this draft.

And Phil...don't be silly.  The next Michael Jordan isn't available with the 15th pick either.




Did I not say Durant had a torn Achilles?

[Phil-Good]

[quote="Murph"]Let's just see what the Pistons do.  If they draft their 6th shooting guard on this roster, then you're right.  If they draft a small forward, then I'm right.


[quote="Phil-Good"]

We don't need anymore shooting guards.  We have SGs coming out of our ass.  We don't need a center or PF either.  And we can't get a good PG this late in the draft.

Take Okpala.  Also, for whatever reason Rui Hachimura is falling on the draft boards.  He would be an absolute steal, if he were to fall to us at 15.

Ok so name our starting SG who going into the hall of fame? What about all NBA first, second, or 3rd team? OK, what about A all star game? My point; We don't have A SG unless A 21 years old Michael Jordan is running out the tunnel.

In the NBA you build the best team available by drafting the best available players. Then when you have guys who have separated themselves from the other guys on the roster, you get your butt on the phones and make trades.

You don't pass on Carmelo Anthony because Tayshaun Prince had A coming out party. BIG MISTAKE!


You don't pass on Michael Jordan because you have Clyde Drexler.


You don't pass on Tim Duncan because you have David Robinson. And the Spur's didn't

[BallinD]

I’m of the mind that a hobbled KD is not enough to overcome the mastery of Kawhi, because reality bites narrative storylines time and time again.

Oracle, It would be nice to see some of the slim pickings from the summer Draft/Trade/FA to fall into our lap, but it seems like they want to have it both ways and do the donkey move to try and rebuild while kinda contending with half measures and an eye to the future after Blake, Dre and Weggie leave.

Realistically, even maxxing our upcoming middling picks, we may not have the ability to field a future team comparable to this core of Blake, Luke, Dre n healthy Weggie for another decade, thats why they need to go all in now and not tiptoe around the cap and instead snag a Beal caliber player. Go bold go big or go home.

Alternatively they could get some Marcus Morris Bullock style gangsta theft, go over the Lux Tax and go for the ECF, which is the absolute (delusional) ceiling predicated on Kawhi going west and Milwaukee losing Brook n Middleton to FA.

[Oracle]

LeBron's buddy is tweeting that AD is damn near a done deal. Who knows if that's true, but any AD trade is going to involve at least 4 teams and maybe more when the dust settles and players wind up in a final destination.

However, the interesting thing is that the Pelicans want high draft picks, and have a strong desire to cut the deal BEFORE the June 20th draft so as to get the most bang for the buck.

This is a draft where you need multiple 1st round picks just to have a good shot at getting a couple of future rotation players, luckily, they already have what looks like their next star.

With all of that churn, we should be able to snatch something, if not on the first quake, maybe one of the aftershocks.

Finals: If Toronto doesn't win tonight, they're going to lose 3 straight is my prediction. I really wonder how well KD is, even though Thompson played well, he still didn't look like himself to me... we'll see tonight.

BTW, even if Toronto wins, I still see Kawhi leaving because on that team, it's him and a bunch of role players that as soon as he leaves will turn back into pumpkins immediately. That team even with him probably couldn't beat the sixers if they field the same team(unlikely), who so far have proved to be the best team they've played, and certainly won't beat the Bucks again if they stay together and improve.

[Oracle]

I don't care right now, I would draft for best player available, but Phillip has that only partly right.

The definition of Best Player Available varies all over the map, and includes drafting for position.

If your need at a position is dire and it's not a severe talent drop off, you go for need, which would be the best player for YOU.

BTW, I can't wait for the finals to be over, I'm excited about the moves we'll make. Lots of drama and excitement there.

How aggressive will we be? Well, it better be pretty damn aggressive because our competitors aren't sleeping and neither should we.

The Nets just added an additional $18M to their CAP space in a trade with the Hawks: Nets clear cap space, reportedly share interest with Kyrie Irving

We better have something up our sleeves or the other teams will certainly shove something up our arses 

[Murph]

Let's just see what the Pistons do. If they draft their 6th shooting guard on this roster, then you're right. If they draft a small forward, then I'm right.

We don't need anymore shooting guards.  We have SGs coming out of our ass.  We don't need a center or PF either.  And we can't get a good PG this late in the draft.

Take Okpala.  Also, for whatever reason Rui Hachimura is falling on the draft boards.  He would be an absolute steal, if he were to fall to us at 15.

NEVER! EVER DRAFT FOR NEED! Always draft best player available unless you have A FRANCHISE TYPE OF GUY AT THAT POSITION. The Pistons don't have any Franchise type of players. I would draft every position with the Pistons from 1-5

So if A SG is the best player available, you take that guy. If Center is the best player available, you take the Center.

[Oracle]

Kawhi Leonard: Win or lose, he won't be staying in Toronto, and why should he? He knows he dealing with a bunch of snakes up there, they traded their most loyal player and fired their best coach ever, so why would he believe that these guys would have his back on anything.

He's going to make a business and personal decision, and he's GONE!

Kevin Durant: His situation is a bit different. He wants the finals to be over and he doesn't want to play, and who can blame him? Why risk further injury when he's getting set for a big payday as a FA? He's going to wait and watch, but he isn't coming back under any circumstances, it's too risky.

Falling in love with scrubs: That's our good buddy Don. He praises the scrubs on GS, but he fails to see how weak they are when the superstars can't play. I felt sorry for JJ as Siakam just abused him play after play. When will he learn that role players look better when they're around superstars.

He should know that there's a reason that pretty women hang around ugly ones and vice versa. The pretty ones look a lot better and the ugly ones pick up the scraps the pretty ones don't want. It's a symbiotic relationship 

[Phil-Good]

We don't need anymore shooting guards.  We have SGs coming out of our ass.  We don't need a center or PF either.  And we can't get a good PG this late in the draft.

Take Okpala.  Also, for whatever reason Rui Hachimura is falling on the draft boards.  He would be an absolute steal, if he were to fall to us at 15.

NEVER! EVER DRAFT FOR NEED! Always draft best player available unless you have A FRANCHISE TYPE OF GUY AT THAT POSITION. The Pistons don't have any Franchise type of players. I would draft every position with the Pistons from 1-5

So if A SG is the best player available, you take that guy. If Center is the best player available, you take the Center.

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