Glenn
01-17-2008, 12:56 PM
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Richard (Las Vegas): I’ve been paying attention to Walter Herrmann since I was in Europe during the 2004 Olympics. At the time, I thought he would be a great pickup for somebody. Herrmann’s story of persevering through personal tragedy is a testament to his grit. I hope he gets the chance to show what he’s made of, because he’s the real thing.
Langlois: Herrmann’s story is an incredible one, Richard. For those not familiar with it, Herrmann lost his mother, younger sister and fiancée in a July 2003 car crash in Argentina. On the one-year anniversary of their deaths, he scored 39 points to lead Argentina to the South American championship, then came home to find his father had died of a heart attack. He competes fiercely and he can shoot. Those are two traits that should keep him in the NBA for a long time.
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Fran (Southfield): He hasn’t had much playing time, but from the bits and pieces I’ve seen of Walter Herrmann, I really like his game. After the job he did on Dirk Nowitzki, any chances the Pistons try to keep him?
Langlois: Joe Dumars went out of his way on the night the trade for Nazr Mohammed went down to insist that, even though the primary reason for the trade was the financial aspect of shedding Mohammed’s contract, he and his staff have liked Herrmann for some time and asked about his availability last season. He can play either forward position, though Flip Saunders said last week that he sees him more as a four than a three. It’s tough to say how free agency will shake out. When the season ends, the first priorities are the draft and the trade market. When the dust settles on that, the Pistons and other teams will scour the list of free agents and adjust their priorities accordingly. It very well could come down to Herrmann seeing greater opportunity elsewhere – a more certain role and more playing time, which would mean a better contract. But it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if he wound up back in Detroit.
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Hussain (Duisburg, Germany): The Pistons have been my favorite NBA team since Rasheed Wallace joined the team, but shouldn’t the Pistons be getting more offense from him?
Langlois: Rasheed is averaging 12.8 points in 37 games. In the nine losses in which he’s played, he’s averaging 16.8 points a game. In the 28 wins in which he’s played, he’s averaged 11.3. I’m not sure what it means, but I know it would be hard to argue that they need him to score more points based on that evidence. Rasheed could average 20 points easily – but so could any of the four other starters if they were a first or second scoring option. The way the Pistons are constructed, nobody is going to get enough shot attempts or playing time to be a dominant scorer.
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Jack: It’s great to see the Pistons playing well with so many new pieces. I’d like to see Joe Dumars stand pat with the current group. It has a great mix of talent, experience, depth and youth. Wouldn’t more roster tinkering jeopardize a championship push?
Langlois: I think you’d have to trust Joe D on this one, Jack. He’s certainly not going to do anything reckless, and my guess is that you get your wish on him standing pat. He likes his team, too, and won’t do anything dramatic unless something presents itself that’s too good to turn down.
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Marcos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): I don’t sense chemistry in our frontcourt. I feel like we’re one key player shy of the title. Please convince me I’m wrong.
Langlois: It’s pretty doubtful that any contender is going to be able to add a significant piece to the puzzle, Marcos, unless they give up something of fairly equal value. So here’s why the Pistons are in better shape than most – because nobody’s seen the best of Rodney Stuckey yet, and nobody is going to be able to add someone of his caliber. Let’s see where Stuckey’s at in March. My hunch is you’ll consider him the key player you see the Pistons as lacking now.
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Kyle (Negaunee): Are you sick, like I am, of all the people worrying after the losses to New York and Dallas? If losing to underachieving teams becomes a habit, then the alarm sounds. But that’s not the case as of now.
Langlois: It’s understandable that fans who care about the Pistons are going to be disappointed and concerned when they get manhandled by a lousy team like the Knicks, but most are able to find some perspective in a hurry. You’re right, Kyle – the Pistons have been pretty remarkably consistent in their effort so far this season. If they start losing to sub-.500 teams routinely, then there will be legitimate cause to worry. And one more thing, Kyle – go Negaunee Miners! I expect to see you at the Breslin Center in March.
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Rick (Pleasant Ridge): A few of us who were watching the Knicks game were curious if the Pistons were aware how close they were to setting a record for fewest points in franchise history as the game was winding down. Do you think it affected the way they played? And did the Knicks know?
Langlois: From their comments after the game, no, they didn’t know. That doesn’t surprise. Most players are blissfully unaware of such things. They wouldn’t choose to be a part of that kind of history, of course, but it also would be well down the list of motivating factors. As for the Knicks, no, I’m sure they weren’t aware of it. And as poorly as their season is going, they have far bigger concerns than finding their way into opponents’ record books.
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Adam (Lansing): I’m a huge Pistons fan, but I’m getting tired of the excuse they were knocked out of the playoffs the previous two seasons due to fatigue. They have little reason to be more fatigued than their playoff opponents. I worry about the Pistons in the playoffs because they can’t score when defenses tighten up. This is the real problem.
Langlois: You raise some valid points, Adam. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Two years ago, I think the Pistons were emotionally fatigued, for certain. They had been the hunted all season as they got off to their 37-5 start – they were the biggest game on everyone’s schedule. Then Rasheed Wallace twisted his ankle in the second-round series with Cleveland and was greatly diminished – suddenly, that series became a mighty struggle that went seven games and delivered them to the conference finals worn out. Miami was fresh and hungry and hot. Last year was different. The Pistons ratcheted it way up for Chicago in the second round, convinced the Bulls were their biggest hurdle. After winning that series – and, yeah, they should have known better – they relaxed a little, figuring Cleveland would go quietly. But when LeBron James got a full head of steam, the Pistons couldn’t turn it back on. As for struggling to score, you’re right – but almost everybody finds points harder to come by in the playoffs.
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Joe (Saginaw): With a handful of expiring contracts sitting on the bench, several of whom could crack NBA rotations, is a deal likely before the trade deadline? Is there any chance we could pick up a lottery pick?
Langlois: Highly doubtful, Joe. There are still some poorly managed NBA teams, but no lottery bound team is likely to give up its No. 1 pick for somebody who can’t crack another team’s rotation.
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Lou (Warren): What happened to the 50 Seasons banner hanging on The Palace? Will it be back?
Langlois: Very observant, Lou. It’s down now because Auburn Hills would only allow it to stay up for two months consecutively and four months total over the course of the season. The plan is for it – or something similar – to go back up closer to the playoffs.
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Mike (Flint): With the value of Jason Maxiell clearer every day, it’s time to come up with a nickname for this round mound of rebound. My nomination: J-Max.
Langlois: The nominations start there, Mike. We’ll throw it open for more contributions.
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Arun (Detroit): I always wished that the Pistons had taken Carmelo Anthony instead of Darko Milicic in the 2003 draft. With Anthony in the starting lineup and Tayshaun Prince coming off the bench, Detroit’s lineup would have been really formidable. Is there any way possible to trade for players of similar caliber to Caron Butler without disturbing the core?
Langlois: The short answer: no. Caron Butler is more than likely going to make the All-Star team this year. So you’re asking if the Pistons can get an All-Star without having to trade any significant players. Not possible.
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Tyler (Houston): I think the Pistons should package the two new guys and Jarvis Hayes and a draft pick or two to the Clippers for Elton Brand. And what about Earl Boykins? He’s not playing for anyone right now.
Langlois: Brand has a big contract and can opt out at the end of the season, plus he’ll be coming off an Achilles tendon injury – that would especially worry me because of his bulk. As for Boykins, he’s an interesting player, but it’s instructive that no one has offered him close to the money he was expecting to get when he hit free agency last summer. Boykins is easy to root for because no one that size has any business being good enough to play in the NBA, but when his shot isn’t falling he simply is too big a liability in other aspects of the game to have much value. And the Pistons are full up on backcourt players these days.
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Julius (Lansing): In watching the Pistons this year, there are still two things that bother me. Flip Saunders still seems unwilling to play the young players off the bench in close games against good teams and their lack of offensive execution at the end of tight games. If the coach can’t start showing more confidence, I think it will cost them again in the postseason as the bench appears to be the one upgrade over the past couple of seasons.
Langlois: There’s a balancing act to be worked, Julius. Fans would feel cheated and the veterans would be put off if games against the likes of Boston and San Antonio were used solely for the purpose of getting young players big-game experience. And I’m not minimizing that as a goal – it is, clearly, one of the Pistons’ objectives. But I think it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that in close games, the minutes will be distributed a little differently than in blowouts when Flip Saunders can afford to clear the bench in the fourth quarter. As for late-game execution, I haven’t seen that as an ongoing problem. It wasn’t great in the waning minutes of the loss to Boston, but it was pretty good when they won at Boston and when they needed to be in the fourth quarter against San Antonio after the Spurs had closed the gap.
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Elliott (Marietta, Ga.): I hope we are not looking at another Darko situation with Amir and playing time. I thought he was going to get more minutes when Nazr was move. Now new guys with expiring contracts have moved ahead of him. Is the trust in Amir diminished?
Langlois: Not diminished, Elliott – it just never got a chance to get fully established. I’m not sure why it’s so tough for people to accept that Amir is 20 and he was the 56th pick in the draft and while he has some phenomenal skills, he also has some deficiencies – man-to-man defense, for starters, and the lack of a perimeter shot, for another – that limit his opportunities right now. The great thing about Amir is he fully understands why he’s not playing and continues to work hard on rounding out his game. My prediction for him is that when he comes, he comes fast.
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Byron (Detroit): When Amir comes in for short minutes he plays well – shot-blocking, rebounding, hustling down loose balls, dunking and he also seems like a good free thrower. Why won’t they let Amir get more minutes in more games to try to develop him for the playoffs?
Langlois: Flip Saunders talked about this again before the Toronto game Tuesday night. Amir needs a little more strength and experience in order to better defend his position without getting into quick foul trouble. It would help Amir if the other members of the bench weren’t in deep shooting slumps, too.
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Cindy: Is it a possibility to see Chris Webber back this year?
Langlois: It’s a real long shot, Cindy. Webber told a Sacramento TV station over the weekend that he has three teams in mind and will be back in the NBA within two weeks. The Pistons don’t have any roster spots open at the time, so if he’s coming back that fast it’s difficult to see the Pistons being in the mix. Even if they cleared a roster spot, where does Webber fit? He would be the fourth big man and, on some nights – when the Pistons were playing teams that play smaller, like Atlanta or Golden State or the many others who play without a true center for at least some of the time – he’d be out of the mix entirely. As much as Webber wants to win a ring and do it with his hometown team, I can’t see him willingly settling for such a minuscule role.
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Sam (St. Louis): Mickael Pietrus has fallen out of favor in Golden State. Given his defensively skills and 3-point ability, any chance of swapping Hayes and Murray for him?
Langlois: When Pietrus was a draft prospect, I know the Pistons were pretty high on his potential. But they also very much like the way Hayes has fit in. Hayes might not be quite the defender Pietrus is, but he’s a more skilled player on the other end and for what the Pistons need, Hayes fits. It’s certainly a proposal worth considering, Sam, but I think the Pistons are more inclined to go with Hayes.
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Oriel (Panama): Can Isiah fill the coaching vacancy if Flip doesn’t come back next season? And with Dallas, Orlando and Toronto looking for a guard, why don’t the Pistons trade Flip Murray to one of them?
Langlois: No reason to think Flip Saunders won’t be back next season at this point, Oriel. Isiah as coach? I think that would be a little uncomfortable for both he and Joe Dumars, given their playing relationship. Coaches know they’re hired to be fired 90 percent of the time and I’m not sure Thomas and Dumars would want to put themselves in that position. As for Flip Murray, he logically should have some market value around the league, but so many teams have luxury-cap consequences to consider that they’re hesitant to add any more salary. It’s 50-50 whether the Pistons move him by the trade deadline.
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Paul (Essexville): Did the Celtics game have a psychological effect on the “Zoo Crew” more than anyone is thinking? They haven’t been as good since then. Even Jason Maxiell seems off.
Langlois: There’s no arguing that their effectiveness has diminished, but I can’t imagine what about playing the Celtics would have traumatized them. They didn’t go in the tank after playing the Celtics in December, so what about playing them a few weeks later would throw them all off their game? I think the more logical explanation is that almost everybody coming off the bench is a young player dealing with new situations. Afflalo and Stuckey are rookies. Maxiell is being counted on to a far greater degree than last year. Even Hayes is learning how to pick his spots on a new team.
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Joe (Richmond, Va.): It seems like the one area where Chauncey Billups has trouble is keeping his man in front of him defensively. What can be done to help this situation?
Langlois: Billups was a second-team All-Defensive guard in 2005 and 2006 and just missed another second-team berth last season, Joe. Keeping the quickest guards out of the lane is a challenge for him – it’s a challenge for every point guard in the league. The Pistons frequently put Rip Hamilton on players like Tony Parker and Chris Paul to great effect, and Billups’ size and strength accommodates such a strategy because he can match up effectively with most shooting guards. The Pistons also have two very mobile big men defending behind him in Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace. In short, if it’s a problem, it’s one almost every team would love to trade for their problems.
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Doug (Petoskey): Do you think the Pistons could trade Flip Murray and second-round pick for Quentin Richardson? It would give us another guy who can shoot beyond the arc.
Langlois: A really bad idea, Doug – not that it matters, because it’s an impossible deal to make under the salary cap. Murray makes less than $2 million this year and his contract is up when the season ends; Richardson makes more than four times that much and goes up from there over the next two years. And, yes, he certainly can shoot from behind the arc – it’s actually making 3-pointers that challenges him. Richardson has started 35 games this year and is averaging 6.5 a game while shooting 28 percent from the arc. Those are frightening numbers. He’s probably a better player than that if he could escape the madness of New York, but it’s certainly not a gamble a winning team would ever take.
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Mark (Commerce Township): Why doesn’t Joe Dumars trade Chauncey Billups straight up for Jason Kidd? Kidd has the hunger and will make everyone around him better. We will win a couple of championships with him and then still have Stuckey for the future.
Langlois: Kidd is four years older and makes twice as much money as Billups. Even if you believe Kidd is a better player than Billups today – and I’m pretty sure you’d find no such unanimity of opinion among NBA personnel folks – Kidd’s age and injury history, never mind his contract situation, should scare you off. Look, I think Kidd’s a no-brainer Hall of Famer and, if anything, has been underrated over the years – besides his elite playmaking skills, he’s been a superb defender and first-rate rebounder – but you have to ask yourself how a New Jersey team with Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson has been hovering around .500 so many years and can’t win a first-round playoff series.
Richard (Las Vegas): I’ve been paying attention to Walter Herrmann since I was in Europe during the 2004 Olympics. At the time, I thought he would be a great pickup for somebody. Herrmann’s story of persevering through personal tragedy is a testament to his grit. I hope he gets the chance to show what he’s made of, because he’s the real thing.
Langlois: Herrmann’s story is an incredible one, Richard. For those not familiar with it, Herrmann lost his mother, younger sister and fiancée in a July 2003 car crash in Argentina. On the one-year anniversary of their deaths, he scored 39 points to lead Argentina to the South American championship, then came home to find his father had died of a heart attack. He competes fiercely and he can shoot. Those are two traits that should keep him in the NBA for a long time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fran (Southfield): He hasn’t had much playing time, but from the bits and pieces I’ve seen of Walter Herrmann, I really like his game. After the job he did on Dirk Nowitzki, any chances the Pistons try to keep him?
Langlois: Joe Dumars went out of his way on the night the trade for Nazr Mohammed went down to insist that, even though the primary reason for the trade was the financial aspect of shedding Mohammed’s contract, he and his staff have liked Herrmann for some time and asked about his availability last season. He can play either forward position, though Flip Saunders said last week that he sees him more as a four than a three. It’s tough to say how free agency will shake out. When the season ends, the first priorities are the draft and the trade market. When the dust settles on that, the Pistons and other teams will scour the list of free agents and adjust their priorities accordingly. It very well could come down to Herrmann seeing greater opportunity elsewhere – a more certain role and more playing time, which would mean a better contract. But it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if he wound up back in Detroit.
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Hussain (Duisburg, Germany): The Pistons have been my favorite NBA team since Rasheed Wallace joined the team, but shouldn’t the Pistons be getting more offense from him?
Langlois: Rasheed is averaging 12.8 points in 37 games. In the nine losses in which he’s played, he’s averaging 16.8 points a game. In the 28 wins in which he’s played, he’s averaged 11.3. I’m not sure what it means, but I know it would be hard to argue that they need him to score more points based on that evidence. Rasheed could average 20 points easily – but so could any of the four other starters if they were a first or second scoring option. The way the Pistons are constructed, nobody is going to get enough shot attempts or playing time to be a dominant scorer.
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Jack: It’s great to see the Pistons playing well with so many new pieces. I’d like to see Joe Dumars stand pat with the current group. It has a great mix of talent, experience, depth and youth. Wouldn’t more roster tinkering jeopardize a championship push?
Langlois: I think you’d have to trust Joe D on this one, Jack. He’s certainly not going to do anything reckless, and my guess is that you get your wish on him standing pat. He likes his team, too, and won’t do anything dramatic unless something presents itself that’s too good to turn down.
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Marcos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): I don’t sense chemistry in our frontcourt. I feel like we’re one key player shy of the title. Please convince me I’m wrong.
Langlois: It’s pretty doubtful that any contender is going to be able to add a significant piece to the puzzle, Marcos, unless they give up something of fairly equal value. So here’s why the Pistons are in better shape than most – because nobody’s seen the best of Rodney Stuckey yet, and nobody is going to be able to add someone of his caliber. Let’s see where Stuckey’s at in March. My hunch is you’ll consider him the key player you see the Pistons as lacking now.
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Kyle (Negaunee): Are you sick, like I am, of all the people worrying after the losses to New York and Dallas? If losing to underachieving teams becomes a habit, then the alarm sounds. But that’s not the case as of now.
Langlois: It’s understandable that fans who care about the Pistons are going to be disappointed and concerned when they get manhandled by a lousy team like the Knicks, but most are able to find some perspective in a hurry. You’re right, Kyle – the Pistons have been pretty remarkably consistent in their effort so far this season. If they start losing to sub-.500 teams routinely, then there will be legitimate cause to worry. And one more thing, Kyle – go Negaunee Miners! I expect to see you at the Breslin Center in March.
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Rick (Pleasant Ridge): A few of us who were watching the Knicks game were curious if the Pistons were aware how close they were to setting a record for fewest points in franchise history as the game was winding down. Do you think it affected the way they played? And did the Knicks know?
Langlois: From their comments after the game, no, they didn’t know. That doesn’t surprise. Most players are blissfully unaware of such things. They wouldn’t choose to be a part of that kind of history, of course, but it also would be well down the list of motivating factors. As for the Knicks, no, I’m sure they weren’t aware of it. And as poorly as their season is going, they have far bigger concerns than finding their way into opponents’ record books.
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Adam (Lansing): I’m a huge Pistons fan, but I’m getting tired of the excuse they were knocked out of the playoffs the previous two seasons due to fatigue. They have little reason to be more fatigued than their playoff opponents. I worry about the Pistons in the playoffs because they can’t score when defenses tighten up. This is the real problem.
Langlois: You raise some valid points, Adam. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Two years ago, I think the Pistons were emotionally fatigued, for certain. They had been the hunted all season as they got off to their 37-5 start – they were the biggest game on everyone’s schedule. Then Rasheed Wallace twisted his ankle in the second-round series with Cleveland and was greatly diminished – suddenly, that series became a mighty struggle that went seven games and delivered them to the conference finals worn out. Miami was fresh and hungry and hot. Last year was different. The Pistons ratcheted it way up for Chicago in the second round, convinced the Bulls were their biggest hurdle. After winning that series – and, yeah, they should have known better – they relaxed a little, figuring Cleveland would go quietly. But when LeBron James got a full head of steam, the Pistons couldn’t turn it back on. As for struggling to score, you’re right – but almost everybody finds points harder to come by in the playoffs.
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Joe (Saginaw): With a handful of expiring contracts sitting on the bench, several of whom could crack NBA rotations, is a deal likely before the trade deadline? Is there any chance we could pick up a lottery pick?
Langlois: Highly doubtful, Joe. There are still some poorly managed NBA teams, but no lottery bound team is likely to give up its No. 1 pick for somebody who can’t crack another team’s rotation.
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Lou (Warren): What happened to the 50 Seasons banner hanging on The Palace? Will it be back?
Langlois: Very observant, Lou. It’s down now because Auburn Hills would only allow it to stay up for two months consecutively and four months total over the course of the season. The plan is for it – or something similar – to go back up closer to the playoffs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike (Flint): With the value of Jason Maxiell clearer every day, it’s time to come up with a nickname for this round mound of rebound. My nomination: J-Max.
Langlois: The nominations start there, Mike. We’ll throw it open for more contributions.
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Arun (Detroit): I always wished that the Pistons had taken Carmelo Anthony instead of Darko Milicic in the 2003 draft. With Anthony in the starting lineup and Tayshaun Prince coming off the bench, Detroit’s lineup would have been really formidable. Is there any way possible to trade for players of similar caliber to Caron Butler without disturbing the core?
Langlois: The short answer: no. Caron Butler is more than likely going to make the All-Star team this year. So you’re asking if the Pistons can get an All-Star without having to trade any significant players. Not possible.
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Tyler (Houston): I think the Pistons should package the two new guys and Jarvis Hayes and a draft pick or two to the Clippers for Elton Brand. And what about Earl Boykins? He’s not playing for anyone right now.
Langlois: Brand has a big contract and can opt out at the end of the season, plus he’ll be coming off an Achilles tendon injury – that would especially worry me because of his bulk. As for Boykins, he’s an interesting player, but it’s instructive that no one has offered him close to the money he was expecting to get when he hit free agency last summer. Boykins is easy to root for because no one that size has any business being good enough to play in the NBA, but when his shot isn’t falling he simply is too big a liability in other aspects of the game to have much value. And the Pistons are full up on backcourt players these days.
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Julius (Lansing): In watching the Pistons this year, there are still two things that bother me. Flip Saunders still seems unwilling to play the young players off the bench in close games against good teams and their lack of offensive execution at the end of tight games. If the coach can’t start showing more confidence, I think it will cost them again in the postseason as the bench appears to be the one upgrade over the past couple of seasons.
Langlois: There’s a balancing act to be worked, Julius. Fans would feel cheated and the veterans would be put off if games against the likes of Boston and San Antonio were used solely for the purpose of getting young players big-game experience. And I’m not minimizing that as a goal – it is, clearly, one of the Pistons’ objectives. But I think it’s perfectly reasonable to expect that in close games, the minutes will be distributed a little differently than in blowouts when Flip Saunders can afford to clear the bench in the fourth quarter. As for late-game execution, I haven’t seen that as an ongoing problem. It wasn’t great in the waning minutes of the loss to Boston, but it was pretty good when they won at Boston and when they needed to be in the fourth quarter against San Antonio after the Spurs had closed the gap.
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Elliott (Marietta, Ga.): I hope we are not looking at another Darko situation with Amir and playing time. I thought he was going to get more minutes when Nazr was move. Now new guys with expiring contracts have moved ahead of him. Is the trust in Amir diminished?
Langlois: Not diminished, Elliott – it just never got a chance to get fully established. I’m not sure why it’s so tough for people to accept that Amir is 20 and he was the 56th pick in the draft and while he has some phenomenal skills, he also has some deficiencies – man-to-man defense, for starters, and the lack of a perimeter shot, for another – that limit his opportunities right now. The great thing about Amir is he fully understands why he’s not playing and continues to work hard on rounding out his game. My prediction for him is that when he comes, he comes fast.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byron (Detroit): When Amir comes in for short minutes he plays well – shot-blocking, rebounding, hustling down loose balls, dunking and he also seems like a good free thrower. Why won’t they let Amir get more minutes in more games to try to develop him for the playoffs?
Langlois: Flip Saunders talked about this again before the Toronto game Tuesday night. Amir needs a little more strength and experience in order to better defend his position without getting into quick foul trouble. It would help Amir if the other members of the bench weren’t in deep shooting slumps, too.
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Cindy: Is it a possibility to see Chris Webber back this year?
Langlois: It’s a real long shot, Cindy. Webber told a Sacramento TV station over the weekend that he has three teams in mind and will be back in the NBA within two weeks. The Pistons don’t have any roster spots open at the time, so if he’s coming back that fast it’s difficult to see the Pistons being in the mix. Even if they cleared a roster spot, where does Webber fit? He would be the fourth big man and, on some nights – when the Pistons were playing teams that play smaller, like Atlanta or Golden State or the many others who play without a true center for at least some of the time – he’d be out of the mix entirely. As much as Webber wants to win a ring and do it with his hometown team, I can’t see him willingly settling for such a minuscule role.
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Sam (St. Louis): Mickael Pietrus has fallen out of favor in Golden State. Given his defensively skills and 3-point ability, any chance of swapping Hayes and Murray for him?
Langlois: When Pietrus was a draft prospect, I know the Pistons were pretty high on his potential. But they also very much like the way Hayes has fit in. Hayes might not be quite the defender Pietrus is, but he’s a more skilled player on the other end and for what the Pistons need, Hayes fits. It’s certainly a proposal worth considering, Sam, but I think the Pistons are more inclined to go with Hayes.
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Oriel (Panama): Can Isiah fill the coaching vacancy if Flip doesn’t come back next season? And with Dallas, Orlando and Toronto looking for a guard, why don’t the Pistons trade Flip Murray to one of them?
Langlois: No reason to think Flip Saunders won’t be back next season at this point, Oriel. Isiah as coach? I think that would be a little uncomfortable for both he and Joe Dumars, given their playing relationship. Coaches know they’re hired to be fired 90 percent of the time and I’m not sure Thomas and Dumars would want to put themselves in that position. As for Flip Murray, he logically should have some market value around the league, but so many teams have luxury-cap consequences to consider that they’re hesitant to add any more salary. It’s 50-50 whether the Pistons move him by the trade deadline.
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Paul (Essexville): Did the Celtics game have a psychological effect on the “Zoo Crew” more than anyone is thinking? They haven’t been as good since then. Even Jason Maxiell seems off.
Langlois: There’s no arguing that their effectiveness has diminished, but I can’t imagine what about playing the Celtics would have traumatized them. They didn’t go in the tank after playing the Celtics in December, so what about playing them a few weeks later would throw them all off their game? I think the more logical explanation is that almost everybody coming off the bench is a young player dealing with new situations. Afflalo and Stuckey are rookies. Maxiell is being counted on to a far greater degree than last year. Even Hayes is learning how to pick his spots on a new team.
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Joe (Richmond, Va.): It seems like the one area where Chauncey Billups has trouble is keeping his man in front of him defensively. What can be done to help this situation?
Langlois: Billups was a second-team All-Defensive guard in 2005 and 2006 and just missed another second-team berth last season, Joe. Keeping the quickest guards out of the lane is a challenge for him – it’s a challenge for every point guard in the league. The Pistons frequently put Rip Hamilton on players like Tony Parker and Chris Paul to great effect, and Billups’ size and strength accommodates such a strategy because he can match up effectively with most shooting guards. The Pistons also have two very mobile big men defending behind him in Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace. In short, if it’s a problem, it’s one almost every team would love to trade for their problems.
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Doug (Petoskey): Do you think the Pistons could trade Flip Murray and second-round pick for Quentin Richardson? It would give us another guy who can shoot beyond the arc.
Langlois: A really bad idea, Doug – not that it matters, because it’s an impossible deal to make under the salary cap. Murray makes less than $2 million this year and his contract is up when the season ends; Richardson makes more than four times that much and goes up from there over the next two years. And, yes, he certainly can shoot from behind the arc – it’s actually making 3-pointers that challenges him. Richardson has started 35 games this year and is averaging 6.5 a game while shooting 28 percent from the arc. Those are frightening numbers. He’s probably a better player than that if he could escape the madness of New York, but it’s certainly not a gamble a winning team would ever take.
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Mark (Commerce Township): Why doesn’t Joe Dumars trade Chauncey Billups straight up for Jason Kidd? Kidd has the hunger and will make everyone around him better. We will win a couple of championships with him and then still have Stuckey for the future.
Langlois: Kidd is four years older and makes twice as much money as Billups. Even if you believe Kidd is a better player than Billups today – and I’m pretty sure you’d find no such unanimity of opinion among NBA personnel folks – Kidd’s age and injury history, never mind his contract situation, should scare you off. Look, I think Kidd’s a no-brainer Hall of Famer and, if anything, has been underrated over the years – besides his elite playmaking skills, he’s been a superb defender and first-rate rebounder – but you have to ask yourself how a New Jersey team with Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson has been hovering around .500 so many years and can’t win a first-round playoff series.