TRADE: Ben Gordon to Bobcats

[Higherwarrior]

i'm furious because the ESPN headline actually says that WE got the 1st rounder from the bobcats...however when you read the article, it's clear that we're the ones sending them the pick. so that definitely takes the feeling of overwhelming joy from me.

but it's still a good deal i'd say. charlie v gonna get the amnesty now? that would officially do away with those 2 horrific FA signings.

[Koolaid]

"Sources confirm to Ken Berger that the first round pick is lottery protected in 2013, top-eight in 2014, top-one in 2015 and unprotected in 2016"


Fuck this. This team is lottery bound for a while so it looks like Charlotte is going to get a damn good pick in 2015 or 2016. I'd rather have had one more year of BG and kept the pick.

[Higherwarrior]

yeah i'm torn on that aspect of the trade too.

we'll have to hope we strike lottery gold in the next 2 years and get our franchise player.

what's the FA class looking like after this season? if we amnesty charlie v, we should have a lot of cap room. not that i expect detroit to be a place the top FAs would go, but one can dream.....

we never should've re-signed stuckey and particularly prince. this team needs a complete overhaul and a couple of years of HIGH lottery picks.

[Pharaoh]

I can see both sides of the trade for us:

Ilike the trade... because it now forces Joe to get this team into the fucking playoffs within a season or 2.

AND

If we amnesty Nova and let Maggette walk we'll have some good money to throw around...

AND

which makes this coming Draft choice even more important!

Monroe + Knight + WHO gives us a very good foundation to build around...

I don't like the trade...because we give up a future first... and IMO we should be trying to acquire future firsts!

AND

Maggette is shit, BG is shit... swapping turds and giving away picks is stupid

AND

At the end of the day BG is capable of taking over a game when he's on... Maggette isn't IMO

I will LOVE this trade if we draft well and if we use the coming cap space well...

When can we package Maxiell and Maggette in a trade? Both expiring... if only we had some picks to compliment the cap space!

[Higherwarrior]

just had a quick glance at the 2013 FA class. don't get too excited. josh smith is probably the biggest name who could potentially be willing to come to detroit- IF we show a ton of promise this season. but even he's doubtful IMO.

and of course there's no way on earth we have a shot at chris paul or dwight howard. there are some other lower level guys but nobody i'm particularly excited about.

i think we've shown that FA is the worst way to build a team as you overspend for players. this is why the more i think, the more frustrated i am with trading away a 1st. like P said, we need to be stockpiling picks. our only real hope to build this talent base if through the draft. one of the articles i read mentioned how the trade gives us flexibility to re-sign monroe down the line. really? we need to do a lot better than just re-sign 1 of our only solid young talents.

we need to build through high lottery picks and (possibly) smart trades. however this trade means that we can only build through the draft for the next 2 years and then probably have to give up a valuable asset to charlotte.

although, i could definitely see us being a playoff team in 2 years. is that all we're aiming for though? to be a fringe playoff team with no hope of ever winning a title again? no thanks. i think we need/ed to tear this team down to knight, monroe, jerebko and maybe 1 or 2 other role players. and go with a youth movement that will allow us to develop AND get high draft picks. re-signing prince was ridiculous and even stuckey is not a guy i want to build around or tie in to that kind of contract. let's hope we can overcome those poor signings.

oh well, let's hope joe hits a couple of homeruns on thursday night. lord knows we need it.

[Koolaid]

On another note, Charlotte is definitely poised for a good turn around. Biyombo could be a good defensive anchor as soon as this year. Walker and BG is a lot of offensive power to have, and they still have this years #2 pick as well. I'm guessing they'll take robinson or a SF now. add that to their next picks as well the pistons next picks and you've got a nice looking team for the future with speed, defense and shooting.

He might have never got over on him as a player, but MJ just fucked up Dumars here as a GM. (who'da thunk it?)

[mercury]

Not a fan of competing with several other teams that have max $'s available for F.A.s
The extra wiggle room does allow you to win F.A. battles against teams with just the MLE to offer
IMO the real value is what teams are willing to deal to get some relief (picks & young talent).
If played right we could add two above average players without breaking the bank (plus re-sign Monroe).

[Pharaoh]

IMO the real value is what teams are willing to deal to get some relief (picks & young talent).
If played right we could add two above average players without breaking the bank (plus re-sign Monroe).

THIS is what some of us wanted to do when Joe was King!

Use the space to absorb 2 year contracts (who gives up an expiring?) AND get a future first round pick for helping a team get under the tax threshold or clear some dead weight early

2 Quick questions no one might be able to answer:

Does the pick we give the Bobcats have to be our own pick?

Could we trade our 2 second rounders this Draft for a 2012 first and then give Charlotte that pick as payment?

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

These are my thoughts. Any first rounder, then we are good.

What this shows more than anything is that we are Not going to Amnesty anyone. We could have done it on Ben G but giving away money is not an option. The reality is the possibilities. We will have cap room next season and absolutely no one worth resigning (sorry Austin). 29M in 2013 and more if we remove ourselves of Charlie V. If we suck, which is imperative and probable, we can add a high pick and a quality free agent to Monroe, Knight, Stuck, Tayshaun, and this years pick. That would be 7 pieces in place. Too bad we just couldn't lose a couple more damn games this year.

Now if Joe can move someone or our pick for Houstons three first I will do backflips.

[Joe Asberry]

Wow the Pistons made a trade! first since July 2009, i still can't believe this happened!

I think its pretty clear Dumars is not willing to ever tank and follow the OKC model for rebuilding, it can work, but you have to be really lucky and actually be able to draft a guy like Durant.
Dumars won't rebuild the Pistons through the draft, we already got Monroe and Knight, plus this years pick (+Stuckey) thats a solid building block, other improvements have to come via trade or free agency. (remember thats how we got Chauncey, RIP, Big Ben and Sheed)
After the amnesty is used on Charlie we could look at 30 + mil in capspace for next summer, of course it all the depends who you sign. Everything is possible from Big Ben and Chauncey for MLE money to Charlie and BG for allstar money, its risky but its a possible faster rebuilding-plan than to tank until you get that superstar.

This was a good trade, it really opens us many trading opportunities and flexibility, the question now is can Dumars get the right guys or will he blow this opportunity again. Then again if the rebuild doesnt go as fast as the Pistons hope, they could give up a pretty decent lottery pick to the Bobcats, it all depends on the summer of '13 and what happens with all that capspace. This team lacks a lot of talent to be a playoff team, 3 decent guys aint enough.
Right now i am just happy Bengo (and soon Charlie) is gone, time for a fresh start.