http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/truebluepistons.html


Joe D: All 3 draft choices are going to stick

The most significant bit of news coming from Joe Dumars at this afternoon’s unveiling of the three hybrid forwards he made Pistons in last week’s draft was the fact that he thinks all three are worthy of roster spots this season.

That’s the clearest indicator yet that the draft turned out better than he could have anticipated. Every team, after every draft, says they couldn’t believe so-and-so slipped to them and they’re thrilled with the pick, but for the Pistons to commit 20 percent of the 2009-10 roster to their 2009 draftees lends substance to the claim.

The Pistons, trite as it sounds, truly couldn’t believe they walked away from draft night with DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko in the second round.

“You have to be fluid,” Dumars said of scrapping plans to season at least one of his second-rounders in Europe for a year or two. “Our intention is for these guys to be here now. We intend for all three of these guys to be a part of the team this year.”

How much they’ll be able to help depends on a lot of things, including their performance and, perhaps more significantly, what moves the Pistons make starting Wednesday when free agency officially opens.

Dumars went out of his way on draft night to make the point that he let his staff know that, beyond the given of identifying players who would upgrade the roster’s talent, he was intent on finding high-character players. He said he had more off-court issues to deal with last year than any previous season. All three players, Dumars said, pass the citizenship test.

“These three guys will represent the Pistons on the court as well as you can expect,” he said. “I think they’ll represent us off the court as well as you should expect. These are some character guys, some talented young men.”

“You need to present yourself in the right way,” first-round pick Austin Daye said. “Us three, I think we’re going to do a good job of keeping sure our heads stay level.”

“The way you carry yourself is important,” Summers said. “Just play our role and fall in. the veterans here have already laid the foundation.”

# It was 2001 when Dumars and John Hammond, then his vice president, trekked to Sweden for the World Championships. A mop-haired young Swede plopped himself down next to Dumars and for two days attached himself to Joe D’s side – fetching him popcorn, telling him who could or couldn’t play and making himself a generally amusing nuisance.

After Jonas Jerebko finished his predraft workout for the Pistons earlier this month, he showered and was invited up to Joe D’s office for a getting-to-know-you session. Jerebko asked Dumars if he remembered that kid.

“Why, did you know him?” Dumars asked Jerebko.

“That was me,” Jerebko said.

# Here’s a partial list of the Las Vegas Summer League roster: Daye, Jerebko and Summers; last year’s three second-rounders – Walter Sharpe, Trent Plaisted and Deron Washington; point guards Will Bynum and Ibrahim Jabber; shooting guard Clay Tucker, who most recently has played professionally in Spain; and big men Matt Freije and Dwayne Jones, who most recently played for Cleveland and Charlotte.

Jabber might be the most interesting prospect. He played with the Pistons in Las Vegas two summers ago after going undrafted out of Penn and while he did not see much game action because that was Rodney Stuckey’s first Summer League, he did leave an impression on the organization. Jabber was the starter over Brandon Jennings on his Rome team in the Italian pro league last season and has emerged as one of the best point guards in Europe. Jabber is under contract for next season in Rome, so it’s uncertain whether he would be available to the Pistons if they were ready to commit a roster spot to him.

Freije, a 2004 Vanderbilt grad who was drafted by Miami that year, played briefly in the NBA with New Orleans and Atlanta and played in Puerto Rico last season. It’s possible Freije, a perimeter-oriented power forward, will look for a better opportunity in light of the Pistons’ draft.

# More small-world stuff: Jerebko and Plaisted were briefly teammates for Angelico Biella in Italy before Plaisted’s early-season back injury forced his return to the United States for rehab. Jerebko carried his team past Jabber’s in a huge Italian league playoff upset. Jerebko and Summers played against each other in a Washington, D.C., summer league last year on one of many trips to the United States taken by Jerebko, whose father is an American who played collegiately at Syracuse before settling in Sweden after his pro career there.

so we've got 3 good "high-character" guys on the bench next season, well at least they are cheap, i hope at least one guy can really contribute next season @ backup SF position...i am still skeptical, when was the last time a 2nd round pick diid make our rotation in his rookie season? Memo?

Throwing in Deron Washington, that's 4 2nd-round rookies on the bench this year, and that's assuming Sharpe is getting cut loose, which if he's not even doing the summer league, is a given.

At least one of them is going to be a primary backup next season, possibly two or three.

Jerebko is the early favorite, simply because he's bigger, stronger and a very good defender.

Who said Captain Z wasn't doing the summer league?

Translation: Our roster will be dilapidated because we didn't do shit with our cap space, so our scrubs will be given a chance.

they can't sign anybody yet, retard.

Langlois' statement is future tense, as is mine.

Except he's basically speaking for Joe Dumars, who is actually informed and has control over the situation.

You, on the other hand, are simply talking out of your ass.

Duamrs has said a hundred times that he's going to be the biggest buyer out there this summer. It's up to you if you want to ignore the obvious.

Man, K, those are some harsh words. I always appreciate your strong opinions and informed posts, but whoa.

It irritates me when people want to bash Dumars over bullshit. He deserves better.

If he fucks up, he fucks up. But to not even wait for the end result is absurd.

I agree completely. I think, in general, the overall tone here has gotten pretty sour, and it seems that nobody thinks we can be a contender next year.

I'm with you in the sense that I think you have to let Joe play his cards before getting angry. As you said elsewhere, he took a maxed out team with only a few starting-quality players and molded it into a great team, and he has more tools at his disposal this time around.

Unfortunately, a few others here are just being Negative Nancys and, most noticeably, pissing you off with every post.

Except he's basically speaking for Joe Dumars, who is actually informed and has control over the situation.

You, on the other hand, are simply talking out of your ass.

Duamrs has said a hundred times that he's going to be the biggest buyer out there this summer. It's up to you if you want to ignore the obvious.
Having a lot of money isn't the same as spending a lot of money, and spending it wisely. We've seen several big-money deals blow up in our face. So, I'll be skeptical and snarky until I see it happen and it's good. At the moment, my big concern is that our chances for big-time FAs rely on other teams exercising financial discipline. They rely on the NBA NOT stepping in at this moment to rescue owners who've overextended themselves. Joe's fucked up such calculations before -- check out the history of the Corliss trade.

Huh? the only way another team's judgment even comes into play is restricted free agency, and Joe hasn't notably thrown his hat into that ring yet. Even so, the luxury tax doesn't even have bearing on some of these teams. Some owners are just cheap-asses.

The Corliss deal is also apples and oranges. Corliss was coming off a god-awful postseason and he felt he was sucking up needless cash.

I'm not at all a Dumars fan right now and haven't been for a while which is no secret. I am however waiting for free agency before I call for his head. I wasn't happy about the draft (it wasn't awful though) and I'm still really pissed off about keeping Curry but if Joe can get back some of his magic this off-season, I'll gladly bite my tongue.

could we really be giving up on sharpe this soon? i realise we got 3 wings to add to the mix and he's in trouble. but for a kid who supposedly had a world of talent...it seems premature to be dumping him this soon. granted he didn't do jack last year, but still.

in any case, i'm thrilled about these 3 kids. the two second rounders are poised to help this season in some capacity. and daye could in a very limited role. can't wait to see what else joe does with the roster in order to continue to upgrade and to get help in other positions of greater need.

if sharpe was part of the "issues" problem that Joe was referring to, and isn't working on his game, then there's no point in keeping him.

IMO, Deron Washington has a much better chance of being on the roster next season.

I don't want last years or this years 2nd rounders playing except to mop up.

....because you've seen so much of them on the floor to know how good they are....

Huh? the only way another team's judgment even comes into play is restricted free agency, and Joe hasn't notably thrown his hat into that ring yet. Even so, the luxury tax doesn't even have bearing on some of these teams. Some owners are just cheap-asses.
You're forgetting players like Boozer who have options to be free agents now, or gamble on teams having/spending mo' money in 2010. Note that the league's premier cheap-ass, Donald Sterling of the Clips, just did an unusual non-cheap-ass move and vetoed a money-saving trade involving Randolph. This isn't gonna be a great year for big-time FAs compared to 2010.


The Corliss deal is also apples and oranges. Corliss was coming off a god-awful postseason and he felt he was sucking up needless cash.
Dumars' stated reasoning for the trade at the time was in anticipation of the cap being lower. It wasn't, and additionally, teams over the cap got a cap holiday. It was a mistake and, given how close the Finals were and understaffed our bench was and how run-down Tay was with no backup, might've cost us another 'ship.

well, the league's premier cheap-ass remains in New Orleans, but that's another story.

Again, nobody was calling the summer of 2002 a gold mine either, and it netted Joe a championship backcourt and a small forward so go with them. And that was with zero cap space, fewer trade assets, and a draft pick 7 spots lower.


How quickly people forget...

agreed. i guess it just hurts to admit that sharpe seems to be a complete bust. i held out a glimmer of hope that he would somehow emerge and at least become a serviceable player.

he still COULD....but i wouldn't hold my breath. he doesn't seem to have the fire necessary. and yeah- if he was part of that situation joe was referring to, then he can hit the bricks. i just so badly want us to uncover a diamond in the rough that i was eager to see how he'd develop. not that i thought he'd be it....but he had a lot of potential and physical tools to work with at least.

will be interesting to see what happens. but yeah i totally agree that the 3 kids we got have the 'it' factor and i'm really excited about them. especially the 2nd rounders as those are 2 guys i was hoping we could get. didn't think we'd get them both though....

Sterling's the #1 tightass, Shinn's #2 and catching up. :)

....because you've seen so much of them on the floor to know how good they are....

I've seen so much of them falling into the 2nd round of drafts that I know how good they are.

I've seen so much of them falling into the 2nd round of drafts that I know how good they are.


Obviously. Why is why Ben Wallace, Paul Millsapp, Monta Ellis and Gilbert Arenas also suck, right?

Moron.

considering how "weak" this draft was, i can understand where hermy is coming from.

Obviously. Why is why Ben Wallace,



Why is why you list UDFA, not 2nd round pick? Why is why you think Joe have special magic, pick rotation players from a draft that not have talent in 1st round?

I'm actually hoping Jarebko stays overseas one more year. We're going to have a crowd at SF with Washington potentially making the team (SG-SF), then Daye (SF) and Summers (SF-PF). Plus we'll have whoever starts at SF, because its not likely any of those 3. Nothing wrong with letting the guy stay overseas one more year.

Anyone know if he has a buyout from his current overseas contract?

Let's see who's the best, then we decide.

If Jarebko's the best, I don't want him overseas.

I think out of the four guys (including Washington), two of them make the team and two get sent overseas. Can Daye be sent to the NBDL or overseas even if he's a first round draft pick?

Regardless, I hope only one of them crack the rotation, Daye not being the one. He's not ready yet.

Can Daye be sent to the NBDL or overseas even if he's a first round draft pick?




NBDL, yes. Overseas if he wants to....but he doesn't I'd imagine.

apparently his buyout is a small one and will not prohibit him coming over whenever he wants. that's what he and his agent said- i don't think any further details have been released.

well i'm presuming we will have space for all 3 guys this year, even with some moves in FA. i am hoping we make a trade or 2 to open up another spot. and with 15 roster spots i think we can keep them. looking at the player's skill sets, i think unless he's REALLY stepped up his game, it could actually be WASHINGTON that stays overseas for another year.

all up to the players to prove themselves though.

Daye will make the team no matter what. Whoever is the best of Jarebko, Washington, and Summers should stay, with the other 2 spending time overseas unless they really show they should be here. Afflalo is going to be the primary backup SG, most likely, with Daye and whoever makes it from those 3 getting all of the backup SF time. You'd have to really show something special for me to want you on the team not getting any game-situation development when you could play overseas and get 25 minutes a game.