Glenn
04-07-2008, 12:55 PM
:langlois:
Monday, April 7, 2008
Doug (Riverview): I understand the Pistons want to rest starters and give young players more experience and I’m all for that, but how about some moderation? They darn near threw a game away by not dressing three starters against Minnesota. They only had a one-game lead in the loss column over New Orleans. Anything to improve those odds should be done. I would prefer to have the starters come out for the initial minutes and hand off a big lead to the bench as they did so many times early in the year.
Langlois: There’s no doubt that if the Pistons lose a game or two down the stretch on a night they are resting a starter or two and it winds up costing them home-court advantage in the playoffs, that issue will be raised. So you make a perfectly fair point, Doug. But what’s the tradeoff? And, by the way, that is the only thing out there for the Pistons right now – securing home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. They’re locked in as the East’s No. 2 seed. I’m not trying to speak for Joe Dumars and Flip Saunders here, but my guess is that they figured they’ll take that risk because they know they’re going to need contributions from guys like Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson in the postseason and what those guys could gain from getting major minutes and – maybe more importantly – from going into a game knowing that the security blankets of Billups, Hamilton and Wallace weren’t going to be there to bail them out in the fourth quarter will deliver them to the playoffs with confidence. Except for a few cameos from Maxiell last spring, none of those guys has experienced the playoffs yet. It’s going to be disorienting enough for them. They’d better be in the best mental frame of mind at the start – have some recent NBA successes in the bank to draw on when the going gets tough – if they’re going to be able to perform when called upon in the postseason. The way that Minnesota game turned out, with Stuckey taking over down the stretch against a team that had won four straight home games, including a win over a Utah team scrambling for its own playoff survival, pretty much made the slight gamble a win already.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Darko, Macedonia): I really think that Flip Saunders should give Cheikh Samb more playing time or a chance to earn minutes because whenever he plays for the Pistons he gives his best and he can definitely help the defense with his long arms and jumping ability. I’m also hoping that he won’t get traded.
Langlois: The Pistons don’t make a habit of trading young, promising big men, Darko (really? Darko?), unless they express a desire to be traded. But this year was never supposed to be Samb’s time and next year isn’t very like to be, either. The timetable for Samb to make a push for a spot in the playing rotation is 2009-10.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike (East Lansing): I saw on the Mad Ants Web site that they’ve added Dahntay Jones to the roster. He had a pretty good season last year and I was surprised the Kings let him go. Was this just to fill the open spot on the roster or is there a chance he could see time with the Pistons next year? As a Duke fan, the possibility of that is exciting for me.
Langlois: A Duke fan in East Lansing? There’s something not right about that, Mike. There might be some confusion with the way the NBA D-League works. The Pistons have a working relationship with Fort Wayne, which means they can assign players who are Pistons property and eligible to play in the D-League – players in their first or second years in the NBA – to the Mad Ants. But the only players who would fit that description for the Pistons this season are Cheikh Samb, Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo. Samb has had two stints in Fort Wayne. Nobody else on the Mad Ants is property of the Pistons. So Dahntay Jones can sign with any NBA team that wants him today, tomorrow or after the season. I expect somebody to sign him over the summer, maybe to play in the Summer League, and he’ll almost certainly get invited to an NBA training camp. But most teams won’t make a decision on a player like Jones until after the draft and the first wave of free agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andre (Detroit): Who is the most aggressive player on the Pistons? Also, do you think Lindsey Hunter will become a coach after he retires?
Langlois: Most aggressive Piston – interesting question, tough to answer. The way “aggressive” applies to basketball, it can mean a lot of different things. I think Rip Hamilton is the most relentless scorer – constantly looking for an opening to get a shot off. So that’s one application for aggressive. Lindsey Hunter is the most aggressive one-on-one defender. Jason Maxiell might go after loose balls harder than anyone, though Antonio McDyess is right there. No one attacks the job of being a basketball player more aggressively than Arron Afflalo from the standpoint of showing up early, staying late, knowing every assignment and playing hard. Lots of possible answers for that one. As for Hunter’s retirement plans, he’s said in the past that he’s more interested in settling in to the management side of things, but he seems to have taken to his unofficial role of player-coach this season, constantly in the ear of the rookie guards.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jerry: Miami is a terrible team this season, but if they win the lottery they could turn things around pretty quickly next season. The idea of Michael Beasley, Shawn Marion and Dwyane Wade in the starting lineup is pretty frightening.
Langlois: I don’t know about frightening, Jerry, but that could be the nucleus of a pretty solid playoff contender, at least. Miami has lots of work to do, but there’s no question that if the Heat get a lucky break in the lottery – and they’ll have the best odds, 25 percent, of landing the No. 1 overall pick – they won’t be a pushover next year by any means. If Beasley and Derrick Rose both come out, as most expect them to, it’s going to be a tough call for the Heat if they land the top pick. A backcourt of Rose and Wade would be pretty dynamic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul (Essexville): One final thing on the great East-West debate and strength of schedule. I rarely hear anyone talk about the number of back-to-back games and four games in five nights. I’ve checked and most teams don’t have the type of schedules the Pistons do ever year. Everybody talks about San Antonio’s Rodeo Trip – the Spurs did eight games in 18 days and came from twice for two- and three-day rests. Meanwhile, the Pistons played 11 games during that period.
Langlois: The Pistons have been on top or close to it for number of back-to-back sets the last several seasons. They had 20 this year, down from 22 a year ago. This year’s schedule, on balance, didn’t strike me as quite as demanding as last year’s. But they all play 82 games in the same amount of days, so I try not to get too caught up in scheduling. Actually, I think it’s tougher for teams out West, especially the Pacific Northwest teams. Everywhere they go is a long trip. The Pistons at least have very short flights when they go to places like Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Indiana, Toronto, Minnesota, Washington, New York and Philadelphia. Even the flights to Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis and Charlotte aren’t much. From Seattle, pretty much everything except Portland is a haul, and vice versa. Lots of very late arrivals for the Sonics and Blazers, I’d guess.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew Shaw (Makati City, Philippines): I’ve noticed that Pistons starters are being rested for the playoffs. Doesn’t the team think that it needs to win more games in order to ensure home-court advantage against Western Conference opponents in the Finals?
Langlois: Pretty much the same question I got from Doug up above, Matthew. I thought we’d sneak your question into Mailbag, too, just so we get to show we got mail from someplace called Makati City.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin (Greencastle, Ind.): Does Tayshaun Prince remind you of Cal Ripken, Jr.?
Langlois: The obvious connection is the consecutive games streak, so in that respect, sure. When the Pistons were deciding which players to rest down the stretch, they knew talking to Prince about not starting was, pardon the phrase, a non-starter. There’s an important point to be made about that, though, because I’ve heard criticism of varying degrees that goes something like this: If the idea is to rest starters for the playoffs, shouldn’t Prince be included? After all, he’s been the one the last few postseasons that’s seemed most affected by fatigue, right? OK, a few considerations. It’s important to Prince to play every game – when he’s capable of playing – because it’s ingrained in him. To give him a night off would actually be counterproductive, because he feels he needs to play to stay in rhythm. Yes, it’s true that he’s appeared worn out, especially against Cleveland last spring. But he has played significantly fewer minutes this season – it’ll add up to about five full games when the season’s over. And he won’t be playing extended minutes over the final six games of the season, either. He might play normal minutes in the games against Toronto, Philly and Washington – potential first-round playoff opponents – but he won’t be playing 40-plus in any of them. He’ll be fresh to start the playoffs. If he gets worn down after that, it won’t be because he didn’t take a day off in early April. It will be important for the Pistons bench to continue playing well into the postseason so the starters don’t all of a sudden have to start playing the type of minutes they haven’t all year. Long way around your question, but, sure, in the sense that they’re both consummate pros, yeah.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debbie: What is the relationship between the players and referees after the game? There seems to be so much animosity during the game. The refs seem to be treated as a bad cop. Do refs have to go to ref school and complete strict certification requirements?
Langlois: There is no fraternization between players and officials, nor should there be, but it very rarely gets personal between player and official or spills beyond the boundaries of the playing surface. The NBA generally scouts college officials and pursues those that express an interest in becoming NBA referees. Yes, they do have to prove their proficiency at NBA rules and go through the ropes to be accepted as an NBA official.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David (Grand Rapids): How come the NBA plays so many regular-season games? High schools play around 20, colleges play around 30. So many teams are worn down by the time the playoffs start.
Langlois: But that’s part of the test of a team, isn’t it? Look, these guys are professionals. It’s their job. It’s wrong to compare what professional athletes are tasked to do relative to high school and college athletes where sports is, after all, still considered an “extracurricular” – something done on the side. There is no “side” for pro athletes. Counting training camp, the regular season runs seven months. For two teams, the playoffs will last an additional two months. It’s a physical strain, but they get paid handsomely. How much cops have to work 365 days a year? They’re probably pretty worn out by the time Christmas rolls around. By the way, they’ve played 82 games in the NBA since 1967-68 and they were playing 79 games a year in 1960-61. So not much has changed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael (Long Island, N.Y.): Will the Pistons trade this year’s draft pick for a pick next year so they can get a player like Kevin Love?
Langlois: Most expect Love to enter this year’s draft, Michael, so that’s a losing strategy. There’s no consensus on what type of NBA prospect Love will be. Much like North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, Love’s game is decidedly below the rim and scouts are fearful it won’t translate very effectively to the NBA. But, no, I don’t expect the Pistons to trade this year’s pick for somebody’s first-rounder next year unless they’re trading with a team that gives them a chance to be in next year’s lottery – and it’s very doubtful that type of team would be taking that type of risk with a late first-rounder. Remember, the Pistons are likely to be picking 28th or lower.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack (Conroe, Texas): Does someone have to repaint the floor every time the Clippers play a game at Staples Center?
Langlois: The Clippers and Lakers have their own courts. They’ve played games on the same day – Clippers early afternoon, Lakers that night – on different courts. Courts are picked up and put down all the time at arenas all across the country. Conversion crews come in and get it done in a matter of hours.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barbara (Mount Clemens): Why don’t they change referees every quarter during the playoffs? It would be a lot more fair to the players.
Langlois: Trying to figure out why that would be more fair to the players. I think even the players would think that’s a bad idea. By the end of the first quarter, they’re probably just starting to figure out which way the game is being called that night. Then you want to bring in a new set of officials. Not to mention, your plan would require the NBA to have 12 officials on hand for every game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Larry (Ann Arbor): How do Pistons.com users honesty believe that Jason Maxiell possesses a greater highlight reel of dunks than Grant Hill? Even though Maxiell is a more recent player and that certainly sways the statistics, I would like to think Pistons fans would remember how truly spectacular Grant Hill was. Hill’s dunks came against the full attention of the opponent’s defense while Maxiell largely benefits from good passing. Do you think Maxiell has a better slate of dunks than Hill?
Langlois: Maxiell is a more powerful, more emphatic dunker than Hill, and that registers. There’s also the fact that dunking isn’t really the thing most people would identify first when they think about Hill, while it’s sort of Maxiell’s calling card – dunks and blocked shots. But the biggest reason, and you hit on it, is it’s in the present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris (Royal Oak): When Amir’s contract is up, will he be a restricted or an unrestricted free agent?
Langlois: Unrestricted. But fear not. That’s at the end of the 2009-10 season and the Pistons will have plenty of cap space available to them by then.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan (Livonia): Who do scouts see as being a better point guard in his career, Stuckey or Daniel Gibson? What are the chances of maybe picking up Robin Lopez late in the first round?
Langlois: Never asked a scout to compare Stuckey and Gibson. Two very different players at this point. Gibson is obviously the better perimeter shooter. Every other edge goes to Stuckey, including far superior size. I’d take Stuckey in a heartbeat and have to believe he’d be the overwhelming choice between the two, though Gibson certainly will have a long and rewarding career. Much will change between now and draft day, but right now scouts are guessing Robin Lopez will go late in the first round. So you can bet the Pistons are doing all the necessary homework on him and a list that probably goes about 20 or 25 deep right now.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Doug (Riverview): I understand the Pistons want to rest starters and give young players more experience and I’m all for that, but how about some moderation? They darn near threw a game away by not dressing three starters against Minnesota. They only had a one-game lead in the loss column over New Orleans. Anything to improve those odds should be done. I would prefer to have the starters come out for the initial minutes and hand off a big lead to the bench as they did so many times early in the year.
Langlois: There’s no doubt that if the Pistons lose a game or two down the stretch on a night they are resting a starter or two and it winds up costing them home-court advantage in the playoffs, that issue will be raised. So you make a perfectly fair point, Doug. But what’s the tradeoff? And, by the way, that is the only thing out there for the Pistons right now – securing home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. They’re locked in as the East’s No. 2 seed. I’m not trying to speak for Joe Dumars and Flip Saunders here, but my guess is that they figured they’ll take that risk because they know they’re going to need contributions from guys like Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson in the postseason and what those guys could gain from getting major minutes and – maybe more importantly – from going into a game knowing that the security blankets of Billups, Hamilton and Wallace weren’t going to be there to bail them out in the fourth quarter will deliver them to the playoffs with confidence. Except for a few cameos from Maxiell last spring, none of those guys has experienced the playoffs yet. It’s going to be disorienting enough for them. They’d better be in the best mental frame of mind at the start – have some recent NBA successes in the bank to draw on when the going gets tough – if they’re going to be able to perform when called upon in the postseason. The way that Minnesota game turned out, with Stuckey taking over down the stretch against a team that had won four straight home games, including a win over a Utah team scrambling for its own playoff survival, pretty much made the slight gamble a win already.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Darko, Macedonia): I really think that Flip Saunders should give Cheikh Samb more playing time or a chance to earn minutes because whenever he plays for the Pistons he gives his best and he can definitely help the defense with his long arms and jumping ability. I’m also hoping that he won’t get traded.
Langlois: The Pistons don’t make a habit of trading young, promising big men, Darko (really? Darko?), unless they express a desire to be traded. But this year was never supposed to be Samb’s time and next year isn’t very like to be, either. The timetable for Samb to make a push for a spot in the playing rotation is 2009-10.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike (East Lansing): I saw on the Mad Ants Web site that they’ve added Dahntay Jones to the roster. He had a pretty good season last year and I was surprised the Kings let him go. Was this just to fill the open spot on the roster or is there a chance he could see time with the Pistons next year? As a Duke fan, the possibility of that is exciting for me.
Langlois: A Duke fan in East Lansing? There’s something not right about that, Mike. There might be some confusion with the way the NBA D-League works. The Pistons have a working relationship with Fort Wayne, which means they can assign players who are Pistons property and eligible to play in the D-League – players in their first or second years in the NBA – to the Mad Ants. But the only players who would fit that description for the Pistons this season are Cheikh Samb, Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo. Samb has had two stints in Fort Wayne. Nobody else on the Mad Ants is property of the Pistons. So Dahntay Jones can sign with any NBA team that wants him today, tomorrow or after the season. I expect somebody to sign him over the summer, maybe to play in the Summer League, and he’ll almost certainly get invited to an NBA training camp. But most teams won’t make a decision on a player like Jones until after the draft and the first wave of free agency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andre (Detroit): Who is the most aggressive player on the Pistons? Also, do you think Lindsey Hunter will become a coach after he retires?
Langlois: Most aggressive Piston – interesting question, tough to answer. The way “aggressive” applies to basketball, it can mean a lot of different things. I think Rip Hamilton is the most relentless scorer – constantly looking for an opening to get a shot off. So that’s one application for aggressive. Lindsey Hunter is the most aggressive one-on-one defender. Jason Maxiell might go after loose balls harder than anyone, though Antonio McDyess is right there. No one attacks the job of being a basketball player more aggressively than Arron Afflalo from the standpoint of showing up early, staying late, knowing every assignment and playing hard. Lots of possible answers for that one. As for Hunter’s retirement plans, he’s said in the past that he’s more interested in settling in to the management side of things, but he seems to have taken to his unofficial role of player-coach this season, constantly in the ear of the rookie guards.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jerry: Miami is a terrible team this season, but if they win the lottery they could turn things around pretty quickly next season. The idea of Michael Beasley, Shawn Marion and Dwyane Wade in the starting lineup is pretty frightening.
Langlois: I don’t know about frightening, Jerry, but that could be the nucleus of a pretty solid playoff contender, at least. Miami has lots of work to do, but there’s no question that if the Heat get a lucky break in the lottery – and they’ll have the best odds, 25 percent, of landing the No. 1 overall pick – they won’t be a pushover next year by any means. If Beasley and Derrick Rose both come out, as most expect them to, it’s going to be a tough call for the Heat if they land the top pick. A backcourt of Rose and Wade would be pretty dynamic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul (Essexville): One final thing on the great East-West debate and strength of schedule. I rarely hear anyone talk about the number of back-to-back games and four games in five nights. I’ve checked and most teams don’t have the type of schedules the Pistons do ever year. Everybody talks about San Antonio’s Rodeo Trip – the Spurs did eight games in 18 days and came from twice for two- and three-day rests. Meanwhile, the Pistons played 11 games during that period.
Langlois: The Pistons have been on top or close to it for number of back-to-back sets the last several seasons. They had 20 this year, down from 22 a year ago. This year’s schedule, on balance, didn’t strike me as quite as demanding as last year’s. But they all play 82 games in the same amount of days, so I try not to get too caught up in scheduling. Actually, I think it’s tougher for teams out West, especially the Pacific Northwest teams. Everywhere they go is a long trip. The Pistons at least have very short flights when they go to places like Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Indiana, Toronto, Minnesota, Washington, New York and Philadelphia. Even the flights to Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis and Charlotte aren’t much. From Seattle, pretty much everything except Portland is a haul, and vice versa. Lots of very late arrivals for the Sonics and Blazers, I’d guess.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew Shaw (Makati City, Philippines): I’ve noticed that Pistons starters are being rested for the playoffs. Doesn’t the team think that it needs to win more games in order to ensure home-court advantage against Western Conference opponents in the Finals?
Langlois: Pretty much the same question I got from Doug up above, Matthew. I thought we’d sneak your question into Mailbag, too, just so we get to show we got mail from someplace called Makati City.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin (Greencastle, Ind.): Does Tayshaun Prince remind you of Cal Ripken, Jr.?
Langlois: The obvious connection is the consecutive games streak, so in that respect, sure. When the Pistons were deciding which players to rest down the stretch, they knew talking to Prince about not starting was, pardon the phrase, a non-starter. There’s an important point to be made about that, though, because I’ve heard criticism of varying degrees that goes something like this: If the idea is to rest starters for the playoffs, shouldn’t Prince be included? After all, he’s been the one the last few postseasons that’s seemed most affected by fatigue, right? OK, a few considerations. It’s important to Prince to play every game – when he’s capable of playing – because it’s ingrained in him. To give him a night off would actually be counterproductive, because he feels he needs to play to stay in rhythm. Yes, it’s true that he’s appeared worn out, especially against Cleveland last spring. But he has played significantly fewer minutes this season – it’ll add up to about five full games when the season’s over. And he won’t be playing extended minutes over the final six games of the season, either. He might play normal minutes in the games against Toronto, Philly and Washington – potential first-round playoff opponents – but he won’t be playing 40-plus in any of them. He’ll be fresh to start the playoffs. If he gets worn down after that, it won’t be because he didn’t take a day off in early April. It will be important for the Pistons bench to continue playing well into the postseason so the starters don’t all of a sudden have to start playing the type of minutes they haven’t all year. Long way around your question, but, sure, in the sense that they’re both consummate pros, yeah.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Debbie: What is the relationship between the players and referees after the game? There seems to be so much animosity during the game. The refs seem to be treated as a bad cop. Do refs have to go to ref school and complete strict certification requirements?
Langlois: There is no fraternization between players and officials, nor should there be, but it very rarely gets personal between player and official or spills beyond the boundaries of the playing surface. The NBA generally scouts college officials and pursues those that express an interest in becoming NBA referees. Yes, they do have to prove their proficiency at NBA rules and go through the ropes to be accepted as an NBA official.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David (Grand Rapids): How come the NBA plays so many regular-season games? High schools play around 20, colleges play around 30. So many teams are worn down by the time the playoffs start.
Langlois: But that’s part of the test of a team, isn’t it? Look, these guys are professionals. It’s their job. It’s wrong to compare what professional athletes are tasked to do relative to high school and college athletes where sports is, after all, still considered an “extracurricular” – something done on the side. There is no “side” for pro athletes. Counting training camp, the regular season runs seven months. For two teams, the playoffs will last an additional two months. It’s a physical strain, but they get paid handsomely. How much cops have to work 365 days a year? They’re probably pretty worn out by the time Christmas rolls around. By the way, they’ve played 82 games in the NBA since 1967-68 and they were playing 79 games a year in 1960-61. So not much has changed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael (Long Island, N.Y.): Will the Pistons trade this year’s draft pick for a pick next year so they can get a player like Kevin Love?
Langlois: Most expect Love to enter this year’s draft, Michael, so that’s a losing strategy. There’s no consensus on what type of NBA prospect Love will be. Much like North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, Love’s game is decidedly below the rim and scouts are fearful it won’t translate very effectively to the NBA. But, no, I don’t expect the Pistons to trade this year’s pick for somebody’s first-rounder next year unless they’re trading with a team that gives them a chance to be in next year’s lottery – and it’s very doubtful that type of team would be taking that type of risk with a late first-rounder. Remember, the Pistons are likely to be picking 28th or lower.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack (Conroe, Texas): Does someone have to repaint the floor every time the Clippers play a game at Staples Center?
Langlois: The Clippers and Lakers have their own courts. They’ve played games on the same day – Clippers early afternoon, Lakers that night – on different courts. Courts are picked up and put down all the time at arenas all across the country. Conversion crews come in and get it done in a matter of hours.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barbara (Mount Clemens): Why don’t they change referees every quarter during the playoffs? It would be a lot more fair to the players.
Langlois: Trying to figure out why that would be more fair to the players. I think even the players would think that’s a bad idea. By the end of the first quarter, they’re probably just starting to figure out which way the game is being called that night. Then you want to bring in a new set of officials. Not to mention, your plan would require the NBA to have 12 officials on hand for every game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Larry (Ann Arbor): How do Pistons.com users honesty believe that Jason Maxiell possesses a greater highlight reel of dunks than Grant Hill? Even though Maxiell is a more recent player and that certainly sways the statistics, I would like to think Pistons fans would remember how truly spectacular Grant Hill was. Hill’s dunks came against the full attention of the opponent’s defense while Maxiell largely benefits from good passing. Do you think Maxiell has a better slate of dunks than Hill?
Langlois: Maxiell is a more powerful, more emphatic dunker than Hill, and that registers. There’s also the fact that dunking isn’t really the thing most people would identify first when they think about Hill, while it’s sort of Maxiell’s calling card – dunks and blocked shots. But the biggest reason, and you hit on it, is it’s in the present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris (Royal Oak): When Amir’s contract is up, will he be a restricted or an unrestricted free agent?
Langlois: Unrestricted. But fear not. That’s at the end of the 2009-10 season and the Pistons will have plenty of cap space available to them by then.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan (Livonia): Who do scouts see as being a better point guard in his career, Stuckey or Daniel Gibson? What are the chances of maybe picking up Robin Lopez late in the first round?
Langlois: Never asked a scout to compare Stuckey and Gibson. Two very different players at this point. Gibson is obviously the better perimeter shooter. Every other edge goes to Stuckey, including far superior size. I’d take Stuckey in a heartbeat and have to believe he’d be the overwhelming choice between the two, though Gibson certainly will have a long and rewarding career. Much will change between now and draft day, but right now scouts are guessing Robin Lopez will go late in the first round. So you can bet the Pistons are doing all the necessary homework on him and a list that probably goes about 20 or 25 deep right now.