DX

[Oracle]

Andre Drummond requests to train with Hakeem Olajuwon

By Dan Feldman • 2:21 pm • May 2, 2013

The vocal segment of Pistons fans who believe any NBA player can turn into an elite post player simply by training with Hakeem Olajuwon might get their wish. Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:

This teaser on @DRE_DRUMMOND_ Plans not final, but he’s reached out to Hakeem Olajuwon for a summer session with the HOFer in Houston.

Kudos to Andre Drummond for taking this proactive step, but don’t assume this will fix his very raw post game. There’s no doubt Olajuwon is one of the best and most-developed interior players of all-time, but that doesn’t mean he’s a great teacher or Drummond is a great student – and, even if they both are, that doesn’t mean their teaching and learning styles will mesh.

Michael Jordan practices with the Bobcats, and they’re still terrible. Not every great player can transfer his skills to every current player.

Hopefully, Drummond will work with Olajuwon and learn a lot, but don’t mistake this for a guaranteed success.

[Oracle]

Per CBS sports "The Pistons are pursuing Sampson and McMillan, the former Trail Blazers coach, sources said. Team president Joe Dumars has long admired McMillan, and owner Tom Gores is taking a leading role in the search. "He's looking to put his stamp on this one," a person familiar with Gores' approach said."

This is disturbing on several levels, but we must be wary of the many head fakes that will be thrown in this process!

The first thing that bothered me was the Gores part. Wasn't it reported that Joe would handle this and Gores would take a back seat?

Then you have to wonder how the McMillian interview went. If they're looking wider, it could mean the interview went bad, or they couldn't get a commitment, or they want to him, but need to show him he's not the only one in the race, who knows!

It's turning into a dance, so I'm going to sit back and see how this shakes out... hopefully for the best!

[WTF]

FAT BOY better watch his back I'm sure the Phil thing is Gores idea and Phil looking to be the next Riley and why not here in Detroit? Many of you were always yakking about who you replace Joe with, well I think you just got your answer.

[Oracle]

FAT BOY better watch his back I'm sure the Phil thing is Gores idea and Phil looking to be the next Riley and why not here in Detroit? Many of you were always yakking about who you replace Joe with, well I think you just got your answer.

If on your way to work you find out that all doughnut shops in the area have been raided, now you know why!

Wise, you're on to something, and Joe has to be sh!ting bricks with holes in the middle!

Phil Jackson isn't here for his health, this is serious business!!!

We have an unprecedented opportunity at this franchise with two big men that should dominate the east(and likely everybody else to), you don't want to blow either the coaching choice or the cash reserves!

Gores didn't waste any time with that loser Frank, and it looks like Joe is being put on notice, if not on the brink!

[WTF]

FAT BOY better watch his back I'm sure the Phil thing is Gores idea and Phil looking to be the next Riley and why not here in Detroit? Many of you were always yakking about who you replace Joe with, well I think you just got your answer.

If on your way to work you find out that all doughnut shops in the area have been raided, now you know why!

Wise, you're on to something, and Joe has to be sh!ting bricks with holes in the middle!

Phil Jackson isn't here for his health, this is serious business!!!

We have an unprecedented opportunity at this franchise with two big men that should dominate the east(and likely everybody else to), you don't want to blow either the coaching choice or the cash reserves!

Gores didn't waste any time with that loser Frank, and it looks like Joe is being put on notice, if not on the brink!

Yep next it will be Phil hired to advise on Draft Selection and before you know Phil will have the permanent title of President of Basketball Operation.

May guess is if Brian Shaw ends up with the coaching position it all but says it's a wrap for Joe and this team will be running the Zen Master Triangle Offense under Shaw's guidance.

[deusXango]

FAT BOY better watch his back I'm sure the Phil thing is Gores idea and Phil looking to be the next Riley and why not here in Detroit? Many of you were always yakking about who you replace Joe with, well I think you just got your answer.

If on your way to work you find out that all doughnut shops in the area have been raided, now you know why!

Wise, you're on to something, and Joe has to be sh!ting bricks with holes in the middle!

Phil Jackson isn't here for his health, this is serious business!!!

We have an unprecedented opportunity at this franchise with two big men that should dominate the east(and likely everybody else to), you don't want to blow either the coaching choice or the cash reserves!

Gores didn't waste any time with that loser Frank, and it looks like Joe is being put on notice, if not on the brink!

Wise, Oracle, I'm not trying to "one up" you guys, I'm just excited! Whew. Okay. Are you ready for Rick Carlisle 2.0 only without the attitude? (drum roll) Brian Shaw ta daaa!!! Thus far he's not been able to get past the dreaded "interview" process but, he's already passed that stage with Phil Jackson, and Phillip has all the confidence in the world in him. Hand picked assistant and mentored by Jackson, Shaw will finally get the opportunity in Detroit that our own Laimbeer should have been given by Dumars.

Advisor my ass! Phillip can get from Stern's regime things that Dumars could never dream of (like mysteriously moving up in the lottery) and he can get trades done that GM's in the league have been laughing at Joe for suggesting and turning him down. Stuckey? Gone! Villanueva? Gone!! There'll be some changes made. When the coaching hire is completed and Phillip reports to Gores just how confused, lazy, and stupid Joe is; he's gone also. I'm excited!!!

[Oracle]

This article has a lot more info and a twist on some of the details - [Only admins are allowed to see this link]

IMO, the good news for us is that with this high level involvement, all of a sudden we become a much more attractive FA target!

This is also kind of sweet because it meshes 3 of the top 5 super franchises together historically, the Bulls, Pistons and the Lakers!

That's a lot of MoJo, and it's all driven by the huge opportunity ahead with our talented frontcourt!

I'm loving this news along with the Dream possibly schooling Drummond! IMO, Drummond better invest in a free throw shooting coach FIRST!

[deusXango]

Oracle, the good news is, Olajuwon hasn't seen a teenage phenom like Drummond, that has the combination of physical gifts, mental acuity, and humility, up close; that in and of itself, with mutual respect, will make for a growing friendship so that the next few summers can be spent working with "the master." Three years being mentored by one of the games greats and still only 22-23 years old is downright awesome to think about. If he worked on adding one post move each summer to his repertoire, that's more post moves than any big man has in his game today.

The last thing Drummond said at the end of the year was he was going to work on his free throws (practice, practice, practice) over the summer, and the fans wouldn't have that to make jokes about next year. His shooting form is fine and I believe that with his determination and drive to succeed he'll come back better each year....keep in mind, this is a kid; big, strong, and gifted but, a kid none the less. There's no one affiliated with the Pistons organization who can teach Drummond the things that Olajuwon can, and to poo-poo him training our young Drummond, for any reason, is shear madness on that person's part. This has been a good day.

[Phil-Good]

I will give it up to Gores. He has way more Hollywood pull then I thought.

This is the end result of Tom Gores begging Phil Jackson to coach the Pistons. Phil passed but Phil is doing Tom A favor by tossing his name into the Piston ring as A adviser. This makes Tom Gores and the Pistons look good.

It looks like Brian Shaw should become the guy to fill the head coach seat. And that's with Phil Jackson full blessing.

In no way could this be bad news for the Detroit Pistons.

[Murph]

As much as I like and respect Phil Jackson, I'm not sure what he's going to do for us. I mean if he recommends we hire Brian Shaw...then so what? Shaw doesn't have any more experience than Michael Curry or John Kuester, when they were hired. Shaw could turn into another Mark Jackson...or he could turn into another Michael Curry. And no one knows which it will be, including Phil Jackson.

I mean Dave Checketts is an accomplished and respected NBA executive also, but he recommended Lil Larry Frank. How'd that turn out?

Forget about Phil Jackson and Brian Shaw. Hire Nate McMillan as Head Coach. Nate has a proven track record of success as an NBA Head Coach. He's coached 12 seasons, for 2 different teams. He's amassed 478 wins. He's taken struggling franchises and turned them into winners. And he's taken his teams to the playoffs 5 times.

[Oracle]

As much as I like and respect Phil Jackson, I'm not sure what he's going to do for us. I mean if he recommends we hire Brian Shaw...then so what? Shaw doesn't have any more experience than Michael Curry or John Kuester, when they were hired. Shaw could turn into another Mark Jackson...or he could turn into another Michael Curry. And no one knows which it will be, including Phil Jackson.

I mean Dave Checketts is an accomplished and respected NBA executive also, but he recommended Lil Larry Frank. How'd that turn out?

Forget about Phil Jackson and Brian Shaw. Hire Nate McMillan as Head Coach. Nate has a proven track record of success as an NBA Head Coach. He's coached 12 seasons, for 2 different teams. He's amassed 478 wins. He's taken struggling franchises and turned them into winners. And he's taken his teams to the playoffs 5 times.

Murph, I agree with hiring McMillian, that's the smart move, I don't have any faith that Shaw is the right man for the job, and he's as risky as hell!

However, I do like Phil being involved if only from the PR standpoint. IMO it lends a lot more credibility to the Pistons and raises our profile!

I wish they would down play the just doing a favor for a friend, because it makes it sound like a pity f@#k!

[deusXango]

I read, what I call idiotic meanderings, that the reason Bill Laimbeer shouldn't be considered is because if no other team wants him, why should the Pistons? How the obvious escape some people truly amazes me; if the Pistons don't want Laimbeer, why should anyone else give him a chance is the logical line of thinking?! Another thing, I'm so damn tired of hearing "the Pistons this, and the Pistons that" when what the real deal is it's all about Joe Dumars!! Lay the blame where it really belongs, on Joe Dumars, and stop generalizing by stating it's a team reason for failure!

[WTF]

I read, what I call idiotic meanderings, that the reason Bill Laimbeer shouldn't be considered is because if no other team wants him, why should the Pistons? How the obvious escape some people truly amazes me; if the Pistons don't want Laimbeer, why should anyone else give him a chance is the logical line of thinking?! Another thing, I'm so damn tired of hearing "the Pistons this, and the Pistons that" when what the real deal is it's all about Joe Dumars!! Lay the blame where it really belongs, on Joe Dumars, and stop generalizing by stating it's a team reason for failure!

It's a stupid claim and I agree it's solely been Joe's call on Laimbeer. No one was beating down McMillan's door either until now and the same can be said about others currently former coaches. "However" I still don't think Laimbeer is the teams best option or the best coach available for the job, but I wouldn't be mad if they gave him a chance here.

From experience in working all my life being both knowledgeable personally and from a far the best or most qualified doesn't always mean you'll get the job. There are a sh!t load of reason why Laimbeer should have at least been given a shot since Saunders was fired but I can only think of one reason why he hasn't and that reason is Joe.

There is no way that Hunter could be a more qualified candidate for coaching this team than Laimbeer, Yet he interviews and Laimbeer doesn't. The local media should be outraged by this and at least publicly call Joe to the carpet on this instead of following in footsteps with Joe in slighting Laimbeer.

[Sebastian]

I have posted in the past that if Joe makes it to Draft night as the President of Detroit Pistons Basketball, he will remain the GM at least through next season.

But, I believe that Joe has a real chance of losing his job, before Draft night.

If Phil recommends that the Pistons hire Shaw, which would not happen until the Pacers are eliminated from the Playoffs then Joe may as well kiss his job good bye. Phil will essentially then become the GM of the Pistons.

Since Gores has become the owner he has assigned various "consultants" and "advisers" to "assist" Joe. Joe has to know that his job is on the line, big time.

[lemonpen]

This stuff is giving me major "new owner nervousness".

Ok, Gores is defacto admitting he doesn't know-it-all on the pro basketbal front. Good News is he is seeking advise from a "trusted source". Bad News is despite the "trusted source" being one of the most sucessful coaches the game has known he has no front office experience, nor was his sideline success the result of some kind of outhouse to penthouse journey from which he might pickup executive pearls of wisdom. Kinda hard to imagine PJ looking past his fold.

Gores is distancing himself further and further from the guy who puts good people in place and allows them to succeed; and closer and closer to the gotta put his own stamp on everything type. Gotta wonder if he will reach the level of a full blown meddler.

[Go Stones!]

RE: Phil Jackson

I'm going to agree that Gores is going for Brian Shaw. The fact that Phil Jackson is coming in and offering his opinion makes me KNOW that Gores doesn't completely trust Joe Dumars. Or is it that he is keeing Dumars accountable?

Either way, if Jackson endorses Shaw it will look good on Gores either way. Gores either looks good that he got someone who is knowledgeable on his team (for free), Phil to go out on a limb and turns out great, OR Shaw is no better and Gores can blame Jackson. He also could say bye to Dumars and offer Jackson the job at some point with justification. Maybe Gores will say, "Phil, if Shaw doesn't work out, I expect you to step in and coach our team."

Additionally, does this make it interesting that Phil is dating Buss' daughter (owner of Lakers)...does this potentially mean that there may be a nice trade between the 2 clubs? Does Phil working for Pistons mean that some of the star players may consider playing for Pistons a little higher priority?

Time will tell.

[Oracle]

Flew under the radar!


[Only admins are allowed to see this link]

[WTF]

I have posted in the past that if Joe makes it to Draft night as the President of Detroit Pistons Basketball, he will remain the GM at least through next season.

But, I believe that Joe has a real chance of losing his job, before Draft night.

If Phil recommends that the Pistons hire Shaw, which would not happen until the Pacers are eliminated from the Playoffs then Joe may as well kiss his job good bye. Phil will essentially then become the GM of the Pistons.

Since Gores has become the owner he has assigned various "consultants" and "advisers" to Joe. Joe has to know that his job is on the line, big time.

Phil was not only hired to consult on the coaching search, but his duties read like this: Consult on search for coach and other stuff. What would/could be classified as "Other Stuff" ?

[WTF]

It should be a simple choice for Tom Gores. Either he trusts the man running his basketball operations or he doesn’t.

If it’s the latter, fire him.

It’s an insult to Joe Dumars that Gores tapped Phil Jackson as a special adviser in the Detroit Pistons’ latest head coaching search. It suggests that Dumars requires a babysitter, somebody looking over his shoulder to make sure that he doesn’t do anything that might upset Daddy. It’s a blatant lack of respect for a chief executive whose entire legacy of service still shades far more toward the favorable than the flimsy. - Drew Sharp Detnews

Ain't this some sh!t? Really as I see Joe would be getting back what he dished out and practiced. Drew how do you think Flip felt being infiltrated with Joe adding Curry to his staff as an assistant to undermine Flip? How do you think Rick felt, or even Kuester for that matter, How did Curry feel? Damn how did CB feel? or Rip......

F@#k Joe and what is fair, what goes around comes around!!!

[WTF]

Flew under the radar!


[Only admins are allowed to see this link]

Naw this was like 2 weeks ago, I just refuse to bring it up. Smart move by Minny I think. Still think we need to consider rehiring Flip.

[Oracle]

"Phil was not only hired to consult on the coaching search, but his duties read like this: Consult on search for coach and other stuff. What would/could be classified as "Other Stuff" ?" - Wise

It's possible that Gores has figured out that the best way to get Joe out of town is to leave a trail of doughnut crumbs to the nearest city, and that's Jackson's gig

"Ain't this some sh!t? Really as I see Joe would be getting back what he dished out and practiced. Drew how do you think Flip felt being infiltrated with Joe adding Curry to his staff as an assistant to undermine Flip? How do you think Rick felt, or even Kuester for that matter, How did Curry feel? Damn how did CB feel? or Rip......

F@#k Joe and what is fair, what goes around comes around!!!" - Wise

Wise, the way you say things are COLD and cruel! I wouldn't say it like that, but yeah, Joe has been pretty evil to players and coaches alike. I never liked the way he never took responsibility, but threw players under the bus constantly.

Still, that's no excuse for Gores! But Joe has dished it out, so now it's his time to take it!

IMO, Sharp didn't just pen that article without some inside skinny! Sure you could come up with that on your own, but I don't think you print it unless you got a word or two from Joe! At least that's my guess!

[Oracle]

A little history and context for thinking...

[Only admins are allowed to see this link]

BTW, here's the Drew Sharp article Wise mentioned.

[Only admins are allowed to see this link]

[WTF]

Wise, the way you say things are COLD and cruel! - Oracle

Yeah I know, but it's doesn't come close to how cold and cruel Joe has been to players. Man I remember how everyone single local reporter killed Rip for his behavior and remove all blame away from Joe when he was the main reason. I've always felt that Rip was played on the resigning of his contract and the whole CB trade. Then Joe wanted to sit him to start AI and Stuckey when he (Rip) was clearly the best player in the back court and on the team for that matter. Then Joe followed that up bringing in Ben Gordon and when Rip finally snapped no one in the media blamed Joe for it.

I'm not glad Joe getting a taste of what he dished out, but I'm definitely not sad about it either.

[WTF]

Here's what's wrong with Jackson.

In the 1980's and 1990's, the Pistons and Bulls provided fans with an intense and bitter rivalry.The Bad Boy Pistons were the champs at the end of the 1980's, and the Bulls were up-and-coming. - Terry Foster

More Bullsh!t! Terry don't talk about tradition as if it means something now. Joe never gave a crap about the tradition of this team because if he did thing would have been slightly different. Not one former Bad Boy player hold or held a meaningful role on this team since Joe been in place as GM and President. Not Zeke, not Bill, not Sally, not VJ and even now local media don't stand up for Bill. Yeah Bill was head coach of the Shock but not because of Joe, Wilson hired Laimbeer and ran the Shocks.

Don't moan about Phil at least you can understand where he was coming from, the sh!t Joe's does is beyond explanation and its nothing traditional about it. Who's next? Goodwill and Ellis

[deusXango]

Phil Jackson is the only "big gun" in the NBA that can check Joe Dumars in Detroit on his choices of players and get away with it; underneath every bad decision made since Rodney Stuckey has been a Piston has been a contrived effort to justify building a winner with him as the starting PG. When it became apparent that Stuckey was in over his head as a PG then it was all about making him the focal point of the Pistons success; how many teams reach a level of success with their players playing second fiddle to a player with the limited skill set of a Rodney Stuckey? Joe Dumars went through players on the team and gave away the best, ignored better players in the draft, wasted time with "yes men" coaches, and stubbornly held onto Stuckey; re-signed him to a contract that far over-paid him for his true worth (Stuckey held out for more and there were some fans that agreed he was worth more than $10 million a year; probably the same a-holes that constantly talk about what the Pistons shouldn't pay Josh Smith!).

Some of the other stuff Phil Jackson will be advising Gores on is finally getting rid of Stuckey, not re-signing Maxiell, and doing a general upgrade in team talent sparing no one who has a value in accomplishing that end. If Jackson does indeed steer the decision on a new coach Shaw's way, he won't be turning him over to a team of misfit clowns like Joe has been known to assemble. Other stuff is recognizing the better player, fit wise for this team, between Knight and Burke and looking to trade BK7 on draft night to obtain Burke. Other stuff is acquiring additional leverage in this draft and the next (things Joe is always supposed to be doing but, the results never seem to materialize). Other stuff is restoring dignity and respect to the highest office in the organization (how can you be looked on with dignity and respect when Lindsey Hunter is given as much media attention as he's received for the vacant coaching position, with his record as a coach, in a local media that's controlled by the GM?).

When friends gather around the campfire and are just kickin' it, things that are non-political and bias free are discussed; "don't mean to tell you how to run your business Tom, but, Joe's driving your team into the ground with his lazy ass nonsense. Just think about this....."

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