Glenn
09-02-2008, 11:39 AM
:langlois:
MONDAY, September 1, 2008
Erges (Tirana, Albania): What does it mean when a team renounces a player? I know people have been curious about Amir's height, but I'm curious about Cheikh's. One of the Pistons assistants said Cheikh was longer than he expected.
Langlois: By renouncing a player, a team gives up its right to use the Larry Bird, Early Bird, or Non-Bird exceptions to re-sign that player. Basically, teams renounce players to create more cap space. Philadelphia renounced a laundry list of players to create cap space to sign Elton Brand. Even though the renounced players were not under contract, they still occupied cap space. As for Samb, we've said 7-foot-1. But he does look longer than some other 7-foot-1 guys, especially when he extends his arms.
Bryan (Remus, Mich.): I don't get why there's all this fuss about getting Ben Wallace back. He is an undersized center and was overpaid. He was great, but he's no longer explosive on the defensive end. Maxiell is almost putting up the numbers Ben was at his age. Is it possible Maxiell can be a future Ben?
Langlois: I think Maxiell will be a valuable piece of the rotation for many years to come, but it would be a stretch to expect him to ever have the type of impact Big Ben had. If there's a next step for Maxiell, it will be to become the kind of player who can assume starter's minutes, 30 to 35 a night. The trouble for him, as Flip Saunders often noted, is that he has to play so hard to be effective that he wears down. When Maxiell loses his explosiveness, his numbers drop dramatically. He needs to stay fresh to be effective. So he has to prove he can play more than 20 minutes a night. But if that's all you can get from him - 20 minutes of mayhem - that still makes him a coveted asset.
Kobina (Baton Rouge, La.): Shaq, never the workout enthusiast, will be one year older and slower. Nash, though still good, is aging and might already be on the downside. If Phoenix looks like it won't have the right stuff, what are the chances we could get Amare Stoudemire for Rasheed Wallace? Their contracts match and it would give the Suns money to chase the talent-rich free agent class of 2010.
Langlois: I could have seen that happening if the Suns hadn't traded Shawn Marion for Shaq. I think it's less likely now. There were many indications that Stoudemire was ready to move on, but now he's talking enthusiastically about playing for ex-Pistons assistant Terry Porter. If the season goes bad in Phoenix, they might be inclined to do something bold around the trade deadline. But it would seem to me that if the Suns are trying to set themselves up for the summer of 2010, they'd want to hang on to Stoudemire to players like LeBron and Wade would be intrigued about playing there. Remember, the big contracts of Shaq and Nash will be off the books by then, so they shouldn't have to move Stoudemire.
John (Houston): What is the probability for Detroit and Houston to face off in the NBA Finals? If everyone stays healthy and Artest behaves himself, they both have a great mix of talented veterans and young players.
Langlois: Houston is very intriguing, John, but you do bring up a few red flags. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady both have daunting medical histories and Artest makes Dennis Rodman seem low maintenance. I'll give you one more question mark with Houston - point guard.
Adeel (Plymouth, Mich.): I understand the difference between an unrestricted free agent and a restricted free agent. But if an unrestricted free agent's current team matches the offer of another team, will he have to go back to his current team or does he have a choice?
Langlois: There is no right to match with an unrestricted free agent, which is what makes him "unrestricted" in the first place. Once he hits the market, he can sign with anyone he wants.
Muris (New York): Why not go out and sign Patrick Mills of Australia. He looks to me kind of like Rodney Stuckey only faster.
Langlois: Can't sign him. Mills, who just turned 20 and presumably will return to St. Mary's, in California, for his sophomore season, must go through the draft process to get to the NBA. It's possible a good sophomore season will encourage him to test the waters next June.
Riley (Evart, Mich.): I've been hearing that the signing of Kwame Brown is a bad move, but I think he's a missing piece and one more of Joe Dumars' signings that will go down as one of the greatest in Detroit basketball history. What do you think?
Langlois: I'll hold off on calling it one of the greatest in history just yet, but it was pretty close to a no-lose proposition for the Pistons. To not only get Brown to sign for significantly less than the starting point for a mid-level exception contract but also to have him agree to just a two-year deal, meaning it has no long-range implications on the Pistons' salary structure and won't affect their ability to make trades or use the MLE again next summer made it an easy decision. If Brown shows enough to become a rotation staple, chances are he's going to want to exercise his option to stay next year and stake his future with the Pistons.
Tyler (Port Huron, Mich.): Will Arron Afflalo be in the lineup this year?
Langlois: If you mean starting lineup, no. If you mean rotation, you bet. He'll be first in line behind Rip Hamilton at shooting guard. I would expect Afflalo to get a consistent 15 to 20 minutes a night next season, Tyler. Michael Curry absolutely loves Afflalo.
Don (Coldwater, Mich.): I've heard bickering about Rasheed Wallace being a "cancer" to the Pistons with his temper getting him technical fouls and costing them crucial games. Do you see any validity to that and do you think trading him would be a good thing for the team?
Langlois: "Cancer" would be grossly inaccurate. There are times he lets his emotions sweep him away and, because he has such a dominant personality, that inarguably affects the team. I think Michael Curry is going to help mitigate that effect, though. Trading him would only help the team if you can somebody back who can provide at least some of the things he offers. And that's not very likely unless it's part of a bigger package, which is very unlikely to happen at this point.
Peter (Warren, Mich.): I really want the scoop on any possible deals Joe Dumars might be working on. The fans have been itching for a monstrous deal to be struck.
Langlois: Check out the Q&A I did recently (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/dumars_080822.html) with Joe D, Peter. No big deal is very likely.
Mitchell (Bettendorf, Iowa): I just wanted to comment on the recent "Steering Clear" article you wrote on True Blue Pistons (http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/). I think you are absolutely right. Ignore the fact I love everyone on the current roster - Joe D has done an excellent job of keeping us away from bad long-term contracts and I see no reason to give anyone the kind of money Posey or Pietrus received to be a backup to a much better player in Prince. The only trade I would have been behind is for a big guy, but the signing of Kwame Brown took care of that.
Langlois: The contracts you don't sign, Mitchell, are just as important as the ones you do. There were probably 15 teams in the league this year that couldn't consider signing a player who would have been a great fit because it would have meant tax consequences, meaning a dollar-for-dollar penalty to the league so that a $5 million player, in essence, becomes a $10 million player. The Pistons, thanks to the trade that got Nazr Mohammed's contract off the books, didn't face that situation. And in Kwame Brown, 26, they got someone who could blossom into a better player than Mohammed at a fraction of the cost.
Donald (Howell, Mich.): I've been trying to figure out why general managers are leery of making trades with the Pistons. Do you think it might be because of the success Joe Dumars has had in resurrecting players that have had problems? Are other GMs wary of making a trade because it might make them look bad?
Langlois: There could be an element of that for some among them, Donald. There are some GMs who are reluctant to make anything approaching a significant trade because there is an inherent risk involved - and if the trade backfires, it could lead to their firing. Some GMs develop such a track record for success that others among their peers, less sure of themselves, think they must be making a mistake - if that other guy thinks it's a good deal for his side, then it must be a bad deal for me. But I don't think that played a role in this summer's inactivity. I think they were merely trying to get good players from the Pistons in return for less than market value.
Christian (Carrollton, Mich.): I was wondering when the Pistons' open practice would be? I want to make sure I take that day off from work.
Langlois: Nothing official yet, Christian, but you might want to keep flexible on Oct. 2.
Steve (Caledonia, Mich.): I was heartbroken when the Pistons lost to the Celtics. I have a lack of optimism for their success this season. Do you feel that this year will be as successful as the last few years?
Langlois: Given the benefit of good health, Steve, I think these Pistons will again challenge for best record in the East and be a formidable playoff team. I see plenty of potential for a team better positioned for playoff success because there is still so much room for growth among players like Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo. I also think Michael Curry's emphasis on defense and getting into the paint will gradually forge a mind-set that serves the Pistons well in the muck and grind of the postseason.
Josh (Hsinchu, Taiwan): ESPN recently posted its predictions for the coming season in which it said Boston would finish the regular season atop the East again with the Pistons only slightly edging out Cleveland for second place. Even if you disagree with this statement, as I do, you must admit that all doors to the championship seem to go through Boston. How does Detroit plan to beat the Celtics next year?
Langlois: I can just imagine how Joe Dumars might answer that question. Probably something like, yes, Boston deserves to be considered the front-runner going into the season, but there are no doors to a championship. Everybody starts from the same point and it's up to your team to get to the finish line before the other guys. The Pistons just need to do a better job of taking care of their business this year. There's nothing they can do about Boston until they're lining up on the same court with the Celtics, and when that happens, we'll see. From my perspective, I have some real doubts that Boston is going to come back with the same hunger it had a year ago when its three stars were all focused on proving wrong the critics who had panned their careers for lack of postseason success and doubting whether they could co-exist.
Bruce (Windsor, Ontario): Is there still a chance to land Josh Smith? A player of his energy and shot-blocking ability would fit well with the rest of the Pistons young players.
Langlois: Smith cannot be traded until at least Dec. 15 of this season after signing with Memphis as a restricted free agent and then having Atlanta match the offer to retain him. It would not be a surprise if Atlanta shopped Smith next summer to see what it could get in return for him. The Hawks might ultimately decide they need to get bigger and move Smith to switch Al Horford over to his more natural power forward position.
MONDAY, September 1, 2008
Erges (Tirana, Albania): What does it mean when a team renounces a player? I know people have been curious about Amir's height, but I'm curious about Cheikh's. One of the Pistons assistants said Cheikh was longer than he expected.
Langlois: By renouncing a player, a team gives up its right to use the Larry Bird, Early Bird, or Non-Bird exceptions to re-sign that player. Basically, teams renounce players to create more cap space. Philadelphia renounced a laundry list of players to create cap space to sign Elton Brand. Even though the renounced players were not under contract, they still occupied cap space. As for Samb, we've said 7-foot-1. But he does look longer than some other 7-foot-1 guys, especially when he extends his arms.
Bryan (Remus, Mich.): I don't get why there's all this fuss about getting Ben Wallace back. He is an undersized center and was overpaid. He was great, but he's no longer explosive on the defensive end. Maxiell is almost putting up the numbers Ben was at his age. Is it possible Maxiell can be a future Ben?
Langlois: I think Maxiell will be a valuable piece of the rotation for many years to come, but it would be a stretch to expect him to ever have the type of impact Big Ben had. If there's a next step for Maxiell, it will be to become the kind of player who can assume starter's minutes, 30 to 35 a night. The trouble for him, as Flip Saunders often noted, is that he has to play so hard to be effective that he wears down. When Maxiell loses his explosiveness, his numbers drop dramatically. He needs to stay fresh to be effective. So he has to prove he can play more than 20 minutes a night. But if that's all you can get from him - 20 minutes of mayhem - that still makes him a coveted asset.
Kobina (Baton Rouge, La.): Shaq, never the workout enthusiast, will be one year older and slower. Nash, though still good, is aging and might already be on the downside. If Phoenix looks like it won't have the right stuff, what are the chances we could get Amare Stoudemire for Rasheed Wallace? Their contracts match and it would give the Suns money to chase the talent-rich free agent class of 2010.
Langlois: I could have seen that happening if the Suns hadn't traded Shawn Marion for Shaq. I think it's less likely now. There were many indications that Stoudemire was ready to move on, but now he's talking enthusiastically about playing for ex-Pistons assistant Terry Porter. If the season goes bad in Phoenix, they might be inclined to do something bold around the trade deadline. But it would seem to me that if the Suns are trying to set themselves up for the summer of 2010, they'd want to hang on to Stoudemire to players like LeBron and Wade would be intrigued about playing there. Remember, the big contracts of Shaq and Nash will be off the books by then, so they shouldn't have to move Stoudemire.
John (Houston): What is the probability for Detroit and Houston to face off in the NBA Finals? If everyone stays healthy and Artest behaves himself, they both have a great mix of talented veterans and young players.
Langlois: Houston is very intriguing, John, but you do bring up a few red flags. Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady both have daunting medical histories and Artest makes Dennis Rodman seem low maintenance. I'll give you one more question mark with Houston - point guard.
Adeel (Plymouth, Mich.): I understand the difference between an unrestricted free agent and a restricted free agent. But if an unrestricted free agent's current team matches the offer of another team, will he have to go back to his current team or does he have a choice?
Langlois: There is no right to match with an unrestricted free agent, which is what makes him "unrestricted" in the first place. Once he hits the market, he can sign with anyone he wants.
Muris (New York): Why not go out and sign Patrick Mills of Australia. He looks to me kind of like Rodney Stuckey only faster.
Langlois: Can't sign him. Mills, who just turned 20 and presumably will return to St. Mary's, in California, for his sophomore season, must go through the draft process to get to the NBA. It's possible a good sophomore season will encourage him to test the waters next June.
Riley (Evart, Mich.): I've been hearing that the signing of Kwame Brown is a bad move, but I think he's a missing piece and one more of Joe Dumars' signings that will go down as one of the greatest in Detroit basketball history. What do you think?
Langlois: I'll hold off on calling it one of the greatest in history just yet, but it was pretty close to a no-lose proposition for the Pistons. To not only get Brown to sign for significantly less than the starting point for a mid-level exception contract but also to have him agree to just a two-year deal, meaning it has no long-range implications on the Pistons' salary structure and won't affect their ability to make trades or use the MLE again next summer made it an easy decision. If Brown shows enough to become a rotation staple, chances are he's going to want to exercise his option to stay next year and stake his future with the Pistons.
Tyler (Port Huron, Mich.): Will Arron Afflalo be in the lineup this year?
Langlois: If you mean starting lineup, no. If you mean rotation, you bet. He'll be first in line behind Rip Hamilton at shooting guard. I would expect Afflalo to get a consistent 15 to 20 minutes a night next season, Tyler. Michael Curry absolutely loves Afflalo.
Don (Coldwater, Mich.): I've heard bickering about Rasheed Wallace being a "cancer" to the Pistons with his temper getting him technical fouls and costing them crucial games. Do you see any validity to that and do you think trading him would be a good thing for the team?
Langlois: "Cancer" would be grossly inaccurate. There are times he lets his emotions sweep him away and, because he has such a dominant personality, that inarguably affects the team. I think Michael Curry is going to help mitigate that effect, though. Trading him would only help the team if you can somebody back who can provide at least some of the things he offers. And that's not very likely unless it's part of a bigger package, which is very unlikely to happen at this point.
Peter (Warren, Mich.): I really want the scoop on any possible deals Joe Dumars might be working on. The fans have been itching for a monstrous deal to be struck.
Langlois: Check out the Q&A I did recently (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/dumars_080822.html) with Joe D, Peter. No big deal is very likely.
Mitchell (Bettendorf, Iowa): I just wanted to comment on the recent "Steering Clear" article you wrote on True Blue Pistons (http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/). I think you are absolutely right. Ignore the fact I love everyone on the current roster - Joe D has done an excellent job of keeping us away from bad long-term contracts and I see no reason to give anyone the kind of money Posey or Pietrus received to be a backup to a much better player in Prince. The only trade I would have been behind is for a big guy, but the signing of Kwame Brown took care of that.
Langlois: The contracts you don't sign, Mitchell, are just as important as the ones you do. There were probably 15 teams in the league this year that couldn't consider signing a player who would have been a great fit because it would have meant tax consequences, meaning a dollar-for-dollar penalty to the league so that a $5 million player, in essence, becomes a $10 million player. The Pistons, thanks to the trade that got Nazr Mohammed's contract off the books, didn't face that situation. And in Kwame Brown, 26, they got someone who could blossom into a better player than Mohammed at a fraction of the cost.
Donald (Howell, Mich.): I've been trying to figure out why general managers are leery of making trades with the Pistons. Do you think it might be because of the success Joe Dumars has had in resurrecting players that have had problems? Are other GMs wary of making a trade because it might make them look bad?
Langlois: There could be an element of that for some among them, Donald. There are some GMs who are reluctant to make anything approaching a significant trade because there is an inherent risk involved - and if the trade backfires, it could lead to their firing. Some GMs develop such a track record for success that others among their peers, less sure of themselves, think they must be making a mistake - if that other guy thinks it's a good deal for his side, then it must be a bad deal for me. But I don't think that played a role in this summer's inactivity. I think they were merely trying to get good players from the Pistons in return for less than market value.
Christian (Carrollton, Mich.): I was wondering when the Pistons' open practice would be? I want to make sure I take that day off from work.
Langlois: Nothing official yet, Christian, but you might want to keep flexible on Oct. 2.
Steve (Caledonia, Mich.): I was heartbroken when the Pistons lost to the Celtics. I have a lack of optimism for their success this season. Do you feel that this year will be as successful as the last few years?
Langlois: Given the benefit of good health, Steve, I think these Pistons will again challenge for best record in the East and be a formidable playoff team. I see plenty of potential for a team better positioned for playoff success because there is still so much room for growth among players like Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo. I also think Michael Curry's emphasis on defense and getting into the paint will gradually forge a mind-set that serves the Pistons well in the muck and grind of the postseason.
Josh (Hsinchu, Taiwan): ESPN recently posted its predictions for the coming season in which it said Boston would finish the regular season atop the East again with the Pistons only slightly edging out Cleveland for second place. Even if you disagree with this statement, as I do, you must admit that all doors to the championship seem to go through Boston. How does Detroit plan to beat the Celtics next year?
Langlois: I can just imagine how Joe Dumars might answer that question. Probably something like, yes, Boston deserves to be considered the front-runner going into the season, but there are no doors to a championship. Everybody starts from the same point and it's up to your team to get to the finish line before the other guys. The Pistons just need to do a better job of taking care of their business this year. There's nothing they can do about Boston until they're lining up on the same court with the Celtics, and when that happens, we'll see. From my perspective, I have some real doubts that Boston is going to come back with the same hunger it had a year ago when its three stars were all focused on proving wrong the critics who had panned their careers for lack of postseason success and doubting whether they could co-exist.
Bruce (Windsor, Ontario): Is there still a chance to land Josh Smith? A player of his energy and shot-blocking ability would fit well with the rest of the Pistons young players.
Langlois: Smith cannot be traded until at least Dec. 15 of this season after signing with Memphis as a restricted free agent and then having Atlanta match the offer to retain him. It would not be a surprise if Atlanta shopped Smith next summer to see what it could get in return for him. The Hawks might ultimately decide they need to get bigger and move Smith to switch Al Horford over to his more natural power forward position.