Why we haven't done anything so far...

[Pharaoh]

Um, we didn't have $18 mil in cap space last off-season.

Like it or not Joe has to spend some of that money on a new PF and C combo.

Or are Maxiell and Kwame gonna be our starters and play 48 minutes?

[MoTown]

I understand we didn't have the cap room we have this offseason, but guess what? People have to want to come here. It's not like a player costs a specified amount of money and you buy them. There is a bidding process for every player. How attractive is the Detroit situation right now with a moronic head coach and no superstars? Sure we could overpay a couple players to play here, but that would set us back five years.

Is that better explained?

[Pharaoh]

I think many people are expecting a franchise altering move, but we've seen it already. Billups for Stuckey was it and it doesn't matter if you like it you better learn to love it cause it ain't changing IMO.

The fact that Joe spoke about getting guys who could compliment Stuckey and develop with Stuckey over the next 3 to 5 years kind of tips you off to what Joe is thinking.

Richard Hamilton fits only ONE part of what Joe stated he was looking for this off-season. He can't create his own shot. He isn't a high volume 3 point shooter. He isn't an extra ball handler on the floor.

But doubt creeps into my thinking because Joe said he wants to add a player or 2 that will re-energise our current squad. That includes Rip, right?

Anyway, all the above things Rip doesn't do apply to Prince as well. But isn't he gonna be re-energised by our signings?

You could say Joe was spewing bullshit to the media but I think his first option is to sign 2 quality players (does the character thing mean Boozer is out?) to re-energise those 2.

If the 2 he is chasing don't end up here then he'll have other things in mind.

We all need to remember it's extremely unlikely a stud like Bosh arrives here this off-season.

And we all need to remember the last time Joe built a team he did it mostly with guys under the radar.

Which is why I've pimped Charlie V, mentioned Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake, mentioned Marvin Williams etc.

They don't appear to fit the mold of Piston players...

But they cover several basis Joe spoke about.

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

Pharoah, lets not forget that Joe D's efforts to fill out a roster with non-studs (like the 04 champ team) largely started after a complete inability to both acquire other studs (like AI at the time) as well as the inability to retain our own stud (Hill). Perhaps Motown is hoping for Dumars earlier strategy of making a stud splash first and then quality non-studs if it doesn't work out.

And I agree with your post. I am warming up to Marvin Williams, Charlie V, etc, but personally any offseason where you are the only one with cap room and a willingness to spend it should net us at least one near stud IMO. Maybe BG will fill that role. I still don't know.

[Pharaoh]

Obviously you don't just buy them but let's put things in perspective:

We are the best team out there with money to spend.

(I think some fans will claim we overpaid a player to come here but really the only bidding going on will be between us and the free agents' current teams)

We have a legend as GM, a guy players respect.

We have 2 All-Star calibre wingmen.

We have a history of winning and making the playoffs.

For any free agent we chase it's gonna come down to staying where they are now or moving to Detroit and joining our organisation.

Joe needs to sell our history to these free agents.

For a guy like Marvin Williams (just an example) I think it's a pretty easy choice. All we have to do is make the right offer so that A) he accepts it and B) they choose not to match.

As for Curry - Coaches come and go quickly in the NBA. I would be sure to inform any free agent that there is no guarantee Michael Curry will still be coaching the Pistons in 12 months time.

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

Obviously you don't just buy them but let's put things in perspective:

We are the best team out there with money to spend.

(I think some fans will claim we overpaid a player to come here but really the only bidding going on will be between us and the free agents' current teams)

We have a legend as GM, a guy players respect.

We have 2 All-Star calibre wingmen.

We have a history of winning and making the playoffs.

For any free agent we chase it's gonna come down to staying where they are now or moving to Detroit and joining our organisation.

Joe needs to sell our history to these free agents.

For a guy like Marvin Williams (just an example) I think it's a pretty easy choice. All we have to do is make the right offer so that A) he accepts it and B) they choose not to match.

As for Curry - Coaches come and go quickly in the NBA. I would be sure to inform any free agent that there is no guarantee Michael Curry will still be coaching the Pistons in 12 months time.

Agreed about the money.

You will never see Rip or Tay in an ASG ever again. Do you honestly think they are remotely close considering LBJ, PP, Granger, Caron, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith (PF?), Joe Johnson, Iggy, and Wade? Hell I didn't even add Ben Gordon to that list, who I know you like better than Rip.

I would add to this list that I have definitely heard players in the past say they like Metro Detroit.

No argument about the winning. I am interested to know if players still thinks that is the case, but I give Joe's rep the advantage here.

I think these can be selling points. If this was next year, then the other teams would win, but I see no reason why we should be able to draw whomever we want this offseason without overpaying. I guess we will find out soon enough.

[Pharaoh]

Yeah, I remember when we tried to lure Jalen Rose and Chris Webber with cash and tried to acquire Iverson via trade.

Maybe Joe was lucky then that his big plan failed...

But surely he's learned after all this time what to look for and what to avoid.

I rip him for his shitty drafts but I have to be honest and say I believe he's improved since he was first appointed.

The Maxiell and Darko picks will forever piss me off but Stuckey, AA and the 3 dudes this year seem like being players. We can't judge them fairly yet (gotta wait 3 years) but if everyone is praising your picks it's generally a good sign (unless you picked some foreign fuck named Darko)

[Pharaoh]

Agreed about the money.

You will never see Rip or Tay in an ASG ever again. Do you honestly think they are remotely close considering LBJ, PP, Granger, Caron, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith (PF?), Joe Johnson, Iggy, and Wade? Hell I didn't even add Ben Gordon to that list, who I know you like better than Rip.

Let me state this for the record:

I, Pharaoh do not in any way, shape or form like Ben Gordon better than Richard Hamilton. If you've read my defense of Tay then imagine what my defense of Rip might say.

But my feelings don't matter here. My opinion doesn't count. Joe wants what he wants:

High volume 3 point shooter
Another ball handler
Can create own shot

Rip does none of those things. Ben Gordon does all of them. How well he creates or handles the ball can be debated by people who care...

The fact remains I do not like him more than Rip.

BTW, when I say All-Star calibre I mean dudes who are in that tier of players or aren't far from it.

Tay and Rip aren't far off that group IMO. Granted they are heading towards the other end of the scale as opposed to "developing" into All-Stars, but they are in the area.

[WTFchris]

I think Detroit has to be considered in the top 10 most desirable franchises to play for, and thus a destination for superstars. They might choose the Lakers, Spurs or Boston to play for first, but none of them have cap space (or will next year either).

NY may have trouble getting the first all star to sign there. Look at what happened in Orlando (when they had all that cap space). Sure, they have the aura of the city/arena, but they haven't proven they can do jack shit since Ewing left (and they never won it all with him either).

I'm confident we'd be able to add a player of Bosh's level next year. Perhaps Joe will simply add one major piece this year (and a 6th man scorer maybe) and save enough to go for Bosh next year.

Suppose he moves RIP and Max for a center and an expiring deal, signs Gordon and Odom or Charlie V and resigns Dice for a nice one year deal (with whatever space he has left)

PG Stuckey/Bynum
SG Gordon/Stuckey
SF Tay/AA
PF Charlie or Odom/Dice
C trade/Kwame

In 2010 he uses the space from Kwame and Dice to sign Bosh:

PG Stuckey/Bynum
SG Gordon/AA
SF Tay/Odom or Charlie
PF Bosh/Odom or Charlie
C trade/Bosh

that 2009/10 team wouldn't win the title, but would be good enough to attract Bosh still. It's possible this is a two year plan.

[Zekyl]

I understand we didn't have the cap room we have this offseason, but guess what? People have to want to come here. It's not like a player costs a specified amount of money and you buy them. There is a bidding process for every player. How attractive is the Detroit situation right now with a moronic head coach and no superstars? Sure we could overpay a couple players to play here, but that would set us back five years.

Is that better explained?

HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!