Glenn
09-11-2008, 03:51 PM
:langlois:
THURSDAY, September 11, 2008
Toy (Auckland, New Zealand): What’s up with Joe Dumars in terms of trades? He made a statement about moving players for sure after the conference finals loss to Boston. Nothing has happened and surely fans are starting to wonder if he’s waiting for the trade deadline to come around. Please shed some light on this for me. I’m going crazy thinking about it.
Langlois: Take a look at the Q&A I did with him in late August (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/dumars_080822.html), Toy. He said there was no trade proposal that came across his desk that would have improved the Pistons and he fully expected to go to training camp later this month with what he has. If he likes what he sees of the team as it responds to first-year coach Michael Curry, who has given indications that young players will be given a greater opportunity to crack the rotation, then all’s well. If he still feels it necessary to shake up the chemistry, then he has until late February to get it done. Remember, some of those GMs who were taking a hard line with him this summer are going to be overseeing disappointing teams this season and figure to be more open to deals they didn’t find attractive in July and August.
Robert (Toledo, Ohio): If things go badly in Denver for Carmelo Anthony, could a Rip Hamilton-for-Anthony trade work?
Langlois: Their salaries would be close enough that they could make it work, but I’d have a hard time seeing Hamilton being the one to go back to Denver. The Nuggets would either want Chauncey Billups, still a hometown hero who fills a glaring need at point guard, or Tayshaun Prince, who’d take Anthony’s spot at small forward in the lineup. In point of fact, they’d probably ask for both and then try to unload an undesirable contract on Joe Dumars in the process. The key would be finding a middle ground. Things would probably have to deteriorate pretty badly in Denver for the Nuggets to move Anthony – it would probably require Anthony to grow restless enough to publicly demand a trade – but it’s not out of the question for a franchise that rates pretty high on the dysfunctionality charts.
Walter (Boca Raton, Fla.): I go back to the first game ever played by the Pistons in Detroit at the old Olympia Stadium. When we retired and moved to Florida, I made sure we would be able to receive DirecTV. I get the NBA package and watch most Pistons games that way. The Canadian fans who wrote about trouble receiving FSN should consider DirecTV. I assume that’s available in Canada.
Langlois: Thanks for the note and the suggestion, Walter. Satellite TV is an attractive alternative for many fans. The horror stories of frequent signal disruption seems a thing of the past. It’s always good to hear from longtime Pistons fans.
Philip (Dresden, Ontario): I think FSN completely snookered Mr. Skorich. There is good reason that FSN can’t be carried on Canadian cable channels. It’s called our CRTC, which is a federal agency based in Ottawa that has to approve it. It moves at glacial speeds and I guarantee you Canadian Pistons fans will no longer see Pistons games. One Canadian cable company, Cogeco out of Toronto, has a monopoly in Windsor, Sarnia and Chatham and won’t be moved on this. They carry Raptors TV and definitely won’t change this. I’ve contacted them once again. I’ll relay their reply when I get one.
Langlois: So are you saying the CRTC contractually bars Canadian cable companies from picking up FSN? That wasn’t the impression FSN provided to us. If it’s something else – if it’s your local cable companies simply refusing to enter into good-faith bargaining with FSN – then I can’t imagine that public pressure won’t persuade them otherwise, and, as I said before, I can’t imagine that the combined interests of Pistons, Tigers and Red Wings fans wouldn’t amount to a significant force. All of that aside, is DirecTV or another satellite carrier an option?
John (Houston): What are the primary offense and defensive responsibilities of both shooting guards and small forwards? And speaking of shooting guards, has Rip ever considered putting on more muscle. He is only 193 pounds, which is severely underweight for a man of his stature. I think if he got up to 220 to 230 pounds of lean muscle mass, he would be much stronger and more explosive.
Langlois: Those two positions are generally scoring positions, John, but it can vary from team to team. Basketball, at its core, is still a pretty simple game – try to stop your man from scoring or creating scoring chances for teammates by staying between him and the basket, and on the other end try to beat your man to open space to create scoring chances for yourself or others. Hamilton is what he is physically. I don’t think he’d ever comfortably carry that much weight. He’s incredibly wiry, a big reason why he never seems to tire as he runs his defenders around picks. One of the greatly overlooked stories on the Pistons is how well Hamilton holds up defensively. Last season two of the more remarkable defensive games I saw were Hamilton smothering Chris Paul and Hamilton shackling LeBron James. It’s amazing that he continues to be overlooked in the All-Defense voting.
Clinton (Detroit): It was clear Flip did not trust the young guys in the playoffs. I know it’s hard to take the starting five off of the floor because they’re so good, but do you think Michael Curry will play them not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs?
Langlois: How Michael Curry uses players in the playoffs is a little tough to project until we get a chance to see how they respond to the trust he shows in them during the regular season. But if they earn it, Curry won’t suddenly take it away from them just because it’s the postseason.
Donald (Howell, Mich.): At the 15th spot, what type of player will the team look at? And is there a shooter or a trade that they still covet?
Langlois: Just blogged about that the other day (http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/2008/09/pistons-likely-to-open-with-14-players.html), Donald. It’s probable that the Pistons won’t fill the 15th spot on their roster until well into the season, if at all. Not filling that spot allows them the flexibility to add a potentially significant player who might suddenly become available – through a buyout, or coming out of retirement, as two examples – while also giving the Pistons plenty of time to evaluate their roster and make a full determination on needs, if any.
Imtahaj (Hamtramck, Mich.): I think the Pistons should start Kwame Brown at center, put Antonio McDyess back on the bench and put Rasheed Wallace at power forward. What do you think?
Langlois: I think there’s a good chance McDyess goes back to the bench. Who starts up front with Wallace probably will be determined through preseason experimentation. Brown wouldn’t be my first guess, but I think he’ll get a shot.
Jason (Holly, Mich.): I found it very interesting to hear Joe Dumars not confirm that McDyess and Wallace would be starting in your Q&A. It’s obvious the Pistons need some young blood infused into the again starting lineup and McDyess can succeed in any role. The idea of Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Wallace and Amir Johnson could make for a rejuvenated first unit and Stuckey, Afflalo, Maxiell and McDyess would make for a very solid bench. I choose Amir over Maxiell because of his size and upside. Kwame Brown could be another choice, but that bury either Johnson or Maxiell. Your thoughts on who might have the lead?
Langlois: I think you’re on the right track, Jason. I do think all three of those guys – Maxiell, Brown and Johnson – will get the chance to work alongside Wallace in the preseason, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson is the choice. Let’s examine this. Michael Curry has said that Maxiell wears down and the life drains from his body if he plays in long stretches against much bigger opponents. When I hear that, I’m thinking he’d like to keep Maxiell in his current role, coming off the bench with that second unit and playing as hard as he can until his battery runs low. Brown? Maybe, but I think they’re looking at him as the utility big guy – a significant role, but someone who’ll be used more on some nights (against teams like Orlando or the Knicks, with big guys like Dwight Howard and Eddy Curry) than others. I think they’re intrigued by Johnson’s game-changing potential defensively, by his athleticism and his upside, and playing him alongside Wallace will be a great way to hasten his learning curve. Amir might start and still only play 20 minutes a night – if they’re going to play all five big guys, nobody’s going to be playing more than 30 – but starting him in tandem with Wallace makes a lot of sense.
Zak (Detroit): What are the chances of Rodney Stuckey being in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game? How about winning Sixth Man?
Langlois: Only two things keep him out of the Rookie-Soph game, Zak – missing a ton of games due to injury again, which cost him a spot in last year’s game, or being named to the All-Star team. As for Sixth Man, he’ll definitely go off as one of the favorites. I’ve maintained in the past that there should be some sensible parameters put on that award to limit the pool. A player like Manu Ginobili who plays 30 to 35 minutes a game is a sixth man by the letter of the law only, not by the spirit of it. And Stuckey will be that type of sixth man this year. He might not start, but I’ll bet he’s on the floor to end a lot of close games.
Andy (Midland, Mich.): I recently saw Bonzi Wells is still looking for a team. Could he be a possible option for the Pistons? He would be a great bench player.
Langlois: I think that train has left the station. Bonzi is about to turn 32 – and he strikes me as a very old 32. He has a few red flags on his character resume and he’s been at odds with coaches for years about his level of conditioning. When he’s in shape and not grousing about his role, he’s a dynamic player. But those are two pretty big ifs, especially for a team that doesn’t have an apparent role for him.
Matt (Allendale, Mich.): I was just wondering what your thoughts are on Stuckey. I can see him doing what Chris Paul does now – 20 points and 10 assists and five rebounds, too, in a few years. Would you agree?
Langlois: I think he will be a high-impact player, Matt. Whether that translates into 20, 10 and five, tough to say. A lot of that depends on the style of play – a team that plays at a fast tempo winds up with significantly more possessions and scoring chances over the course of a game – and the makeup of a team. The Pistons, as you well know, are incredibly well balanced right now. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. So Stuckey might not put up numbers quite that gaudy. For the record, Isiah Thomas has the only four 20 and 10 seasons in Pistons history. He put them up consecutively from 1983-84 to 1986-87 during seasons in which the Pistons averaged 117, 116, 114 and 111 points a game. By the time they rose to elite status the following season, their scoring was continuing to decline. They averaged 109 when they beat Boston in the conference finals in 1987-88, then 106 and 104 in their Bad Boys championship years. In those last three seasons, Isiah averaged 19.5 and 8.4, 18.2 and 8.3 and 18.4 and 9.4. The Pistons averaged 97.5 points a game last season, so do the math. If Stuckey can someday approach Isiah’s numbers during the championship era, he’ll be acknowledged as one of the elite point guards in the game.
Paul (Essexville, Mich.): Do you get the sense Walter Sharpe is a better prospect than Sammy Mejia, who seemed to do well last summer and preseason?
Langlois: No question he’s a more skilled player offensively, Paul, with a considerably higher ceiling than Mejia. Sammy was a jack-of-all-trades type who still might stick someday as a utility player. If he makes it, it’ll be for attitude and versatility – he can defend and handle the ball and shoot and be a good soldier in what he’s asked to do. But Sharpe could be a solid NBA starter someday – if he’s willing to put in the work and takes to coaching.
Drew (Ann Arbor, Mich.): I would love to get ahold of the 2004 NBA Finals. Is there a DVD I could buy someplace?
Langlois: Courtesy of our Stan Fracker, here’s a link to Best Buy’s product (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1361911&skuId=6678384&type=product&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=6678384).
Walt (Oak Park, Mich.): Can you explain the Larry Bird rule and give an up-to-date example of it?
Langlois: A team can use a player’s Bird rights to exceed the salary cap to sign one of its own players as a free agent provided he has not changed teams via trade or free agency in the last three years. One example – the Pistons signed Chauncey Billups to a free-agent contract last summer, going over the cap to do it, because they held his Bird rights. On the other hand, when they signed Rasheed Wallace as a free agent following the 2004 season, they had to be far enough under the cap to accommodate his 2004-05 salary because they did not own his Bird rights – they had just acquired him via trade a few months earlier.
Tony (Burnett, Mich.): Will Sammy Mejia be on the Pistons this season? If not, where will he be playing?
Langlois: He won’t be with the Pistons. Mejia is no longer property of the Pistons. They lost their rights to him last year when they waived him to get down to the 15-man roster limit just before the regular season started. Mejia went to the D-League, playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and then signed in January to play in Italy. Not sure if he’s returning to Italy or not.
THURSDAY, September 11, 2008
Toy (Auckland, New Zealand): What’s up with Joe Dumars in terms of trades? He made a statement about moving players for sure after the conference finals loss to Boston. Nothing has happened and surely fans are starting to wonder if he’s waiting for the trade deadline to come around. Please shed some light on this for me. I’m going crazy thinking about it.
Langlois: Take a look at the Q&A I did with him in late August (http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/dumars_080822.html), Toy. He said there was no trade proposal that came across his desk that would have improved the Pistons and he fully expected to go to training camp later this month with what he has. If he likes what he sees of the team as it responds to first-year coach Michael Curry, who has given indications that young players will be given a greater opportunity to crack the rotation, then all’s well. If he still feels it necessary to shake up the chemistry, then he has until late February to get it done. Remember, some of those GMs who were taking a hard line with him this summer are going to be overseeing disappointing teams this season and figure to be more open to deals they didn’t find attractive in July and August.
Robert (Toledo, Ohio): If things go badly in Denver for Carmelo Anthony, could a Rip Hamilton-for-Anthony trade work?
Langlois: Their salaries would be close enough that they could make it work, but I’d have a hard time seeing Hamilton being the one to go back to Denver. The Nuggets would either want Chauncey Billups, still a hometown hero who fills a glaring need at point guard, or Tayshaun Prince, who’d take Anthony’s spot at small forward in the lineup. In point of fact, they’d probably ask for both and then try to unload an undesirable contract on Joe Dumars in the process. The key would be finding a middle ground. Things would probably have to deteriorate pretty badly in Denver for the Nuggets to move Anthony – it would probably require Anthony to grow restless enough to publicly demand a trade – but it’s not out of the question for a franchise that rates pretty high on the dysfunctionality charts.
Walter (Boca Raton, Fla.): I go back to the first game ever played by the Pistons in Detroit at the old Olympia Stadium. When we retired and moved to Florida, I made sure we would be able to receive DirecTV. I get the NBA package and watch most Pistons games that way. The Canadian fans who wrote about trouble receiving FSN should consider DirecTV. I assume that’s available in Canada.
Langlois: Thanks for the note and the suggestion, Walter. Satellite TV is an attractive alternative for many fans. The horror stories of frequent signal disruption seems a thing of the past. It’s always good to hear from longtime Pistons fans.
Philip (Dresden, Ontario): I think FSN completely snookered Mr. Skorich. There is good reason that FSN can’t be carried on Canadian cable channels. It’s called our CRTC, which is a federal agency based in Ottawa that has to approve it. It moves at glacial speeds and I guarantee you Canadian Pistons fans will no longer see Pistons games. One Canadian cable company, Cogeco out of Toronto, has a monopoly in Windsor, Sarnia and Chatham and won’t be moved on this. They carry Raptors TV and definitely won’t change this. I’ve contacted them once again. I’ll relay their reply when I get one.
Langlois: So are you saying the CRTC contractually bars Canadian cable companies from picking up FSN? That wasn’t the impression FSN provided to us. If it’s something else – if it’s your local cable companies simply refusing to enter into good-faith bargaining with FSN – then I can’t imagine that public pressure won’t persuade them otherwise, and, as I said before, I can’t imagine that the combined interests of Pistons, Tigers and Red Wings fans wouldn’t amount to a significant force. All of that aside, is DirecTV or another satellite carrier an option?
John (Houston): What are the primary offense and defensive responsibilities of both shooting guards and small forwards? And speaking of shooting guards, has Rip ever considered putting on more muscle. He is only 193 pounds, which is severely underweight for a man of his stature. I think if he got up to 220 to 230 pounds of lean muscle mass, he would be much stronger and more explosive.
Langlois: Those two positions are generally scoring positions, John, but it can vary from team to team. Basketball, at its core, is still a pretty simple game – try to stop your man from scoring or creating scoring chances for teammates by staying between him and the basket, and on the other end try to beat your man to open space to create scoring chances for yourself or others. Hamilton is what he is physically. I don’t think he’d ever comfortably carry that much weight. He’s incredibly wiry, a big reason why he never seems to tire as he runs his defenders around picks. One of the greatly overlooked stories on the Pistons is how well Hamilton holds up defensively. Last season two of the more remarkable defensive games I saw were Hamilton smothering Chris Paul and Hamilton shackling LeBron James. It’s amazing that he continues to be overlooked in the All-Defense voting.
Clinton (Detroit): It was clear Flip did not trust the young guys in the playoffs. I know it’s hard to take the starting five off of the floor because they’re so good, but do you think Michael Curry will play them not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs?
Langlois: How Michael Curry uses players in the playoffs is a little tough to project until we get a chance to see how they respond to the trust he shows in them during the regular season. But if they earn it, Curry won’t suddenly take it away from them just because it’s the postseason.
Donald (Howell, Mich.): At the 15th spot, what type of player will the team look at? And is there a shooter or a trade that they still covet?
Langlois: Just blogged about that the other day (http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/2008/09/pistons-likely-to-open-with-14-players.html), Donald. It’s probable that the Pistons won’t fill the 15th spot on their roster until well into the season, if at all. Not filling that spot allows them the flexibility to add a potentially significant player who might suddenly become available – through a buyout, or coming out of retirement, as two examples – while also giving the Pistons plenty of time to evaluate their roster and make a full determination on needs, if any.
Imtahaj (Hamtramck, Mich.): I think the Pistons should start Kwame Brown at center, put Antonio McDyess back on the bench and put Rasheed Wallace at power forward. What do you think?
Langlois: I think there’s a good chance McDyess goes back to the bench. Who starts up front with Wallace probably will be determined through preseason experimentation. Brown wouldn’t be my first guess, but I think he’ll get a shot.
Jason (Holly, Mich.): I found it very interesting to hear Joe Dumars not confirm that McDyess and Wallace would be starting in your Q&A. It’s obvious the Pistons need some young blood infused into the again starting lineup and McDyess can succeed in any role. The idea of Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Wallace and Amir Johnson could make for a rejuvenated first unit and Stuckey, Afflalo, Maxiell and McDyess would make for a very solid bench. I choose Amir over Maxiell because of his size and upside. Kwame Brown could be another choice, but that bury either Johnson or Maxiell. Your thoughts on who might have the lead?
Langlois: I think you’re on the right track, Jason. I do think all three of those guys – Maxiell, Brown and Johnson – will get the chance to work alongside Wallace in the preseason, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson is the choice. Let’s examine this. Michael Curry has said that Maxiell wears down and the life drains from his body if he plays in long stretches against much bigger opponents. When I hear that, I’m thinking he’d like to keep Maxiell in his current role, coming off the bench with that second unit and playing as hard as he can until his battery runs low. Brown? Maybe, but I think they’re looking at him as the utility big guy – a significant role, but someone who’ll be used more on some nights (against teams like Orlando or the Knicks, with big guys like Dwight Howard and Eddy Curry) than others. I think they’re intrigued by Johnson’s game-changing potential defensively, by his athleticism and his upside, and playing him alongside Wallace will be a great way to hasten his learning curve. Amir might start and still only play 20 minutes a night – if they’re going to play all five big guys, nobody’s going to be playing more than 30 – but starting him in tandem with Wallace makes a lot of sense.
Zak (Detroit): What are the chances of Rodney Stuckey being in the Rookies vs. Sophomores game? How about winning Sixth Man?
Langlois: Only two things keep him out of the Rookie-Soph game, Zak – missing a ton of games due to injury again, which cost him a spot in last year’s game, or being named to the All-Star team. As for Sixth Man, he’ll definitely go off as one of the favorites. I’ve maintained in the past that there should be some sensible parameters put on that award to limit the pool. A player like Manu Ginobili who plays 30 to 35 minutes a game is a sixth man by the letter of the law only, not by the spirit of it. And Stuckey will be that type of sixth man this year. He might not start, but I’ll bet he’s on the floor to end a lot of close games.
Andy (Midland, Mich.): I recently saw Bonzi Wells is still looking for a team. Could he be a possible option for the Pistons? He would be a great bench player.
Langlois: I think that train has left the station. Bonzi is about to turn 32 – and he strikes me as a very old 32. He has a few red flags on his character resume and he’s been at odds with coaches for years about his level of conditioning. When he’s in shape and not grousing about his role, he’s a dynamic player. But those are two pretty big ifs, especially for a team that doesn’t have an apparent role for him.
Matt (Allendale, Mich.): I was just wondering what your thoughts are on Stuckey. I can see him doing what Chris Paul does now – 20 points and 10 assists and five rebounds, too, in a few years. Would you agree?
Langlois: I think he will be a high-impact player, Matt. Whether that translates into 20, 10 and five, tough to say. A lot of that depends on the style of play – a team that plays at a fast tempo winds up with significantly more possessions and scoring chances over the course of a game – and the makeup of a team. The Pistons, as you well know, are incredibly well balanced right now. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. So Stuckey might not put up numbers quite that gaudy. For the record, Isiah Thomas has the only four 20 and 10 seasons in Pistons history. He put them up consecutively from 1983-84 to 1986-87 during seasons in which the Pistons averaged 117, 116, 114 and 111 points a game. By the time they rose to elite status the following season, their scoring was continuing to decline. They averaged 109 when they beat Boston in the conference finals in 1987-88, then 106 and 104 in their Bad Boys championship years. In those last three seasons, Isiah averaged 19.5 and 8.4, 18.2 and 8.3 and 18.4 and 9.4. The Pistons averaged 97.5 points a game last season, so do the math. If Stuckey can someday approach Isiah’s numbers during the championship era, he’ll be acknowledged as one of the elite point guards in the game.
Paul (Essexville, Mich.): Do you get the sense Walter Sharpe is a better prospect than Sammy Mejia, who seemed to do well last summer and preseason?
Langlois: No question he’s a more skilled player offensively, Paul, with a considerably higher ceiling than Mejia. Sammy was a jack-of-all-trades type who still might stick someday as a utility player. If he makes it, it’ll be for attitude and versatility – he can defend and handle the ball and shoot and be a good soldier in what he’s asked to do. But Sharpe could be a solid NBA starter someday – if he’s willing to put in the work and takes to coaching.
Drew (Ann Arbor, Mich.): I would love to get ahold of the 2004 NBA Finals. Is there a DVD I could buy someplace?
Langlois: Courtesy of our Stan Fracker, here’s a link to Best Buy’s product (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1361911&skuId=6678384&type=product&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=6678384).
Walt (Oak Park, Mich.): Can you explain the Larry Bird rule and give an up-to-date example of it?
Langlois: A team can use a player’s Bird rights to exceed the salary cap to sign one of its own players as a free agent provided he has not changed teams via trade or free agency in the last three years. One example – the Pistons signed Chauncey Billups to a free-agent contract last summer, going over the cap to do it, because they held his Bird rights. On the other hand, when they signed Rasheed Wallace as a free agent following the 2004 season, they had to be far enough under the cap to accommodate his 2004-05 salary because they did not own his Bird rights – they had just acquired him via trade a few months earlier.
Tony (Burnett, Mich.): Will Sammy Mejia be on the Pistons this season? If not, where will he be playing?
Langlois: He won’t be with the Pistons. Mejia is no longer property of the Pistons. They lost their rights to him last year when they waived him to get down to the 15-man roster limit just before the regular season started. Mejia went to the D-League, playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and then signed in January to play in Italy. Not sure if he’s returning to Italy or not.