Detroit Pistons off-season thread

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Well to be honest I'm not too fussed at all. He was a hindrance to us in the playoffs because of his lack of offensive ability and he seemed to be slowing down. For that amount of money, the Bulls can have him. It will be sad to see him wearing another uniform though…

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

I can't believe Ben. I really thought he would take a little less money to stay in a city that loves him to death. Dumars gave Ben his shot, Dumars believed in Ben from day 1, Dumars did everything in his power to clear cap to give Ben as much money as he could...I can't believe Ben wouldn't consider that, and just leave us. Right now I'm actually really pissed at Ben, and have another reason to hate the Bulls.

This is the first move that actually blew up in Joe D's face. He traded the No.2 overall pick to give Ben more money. Now both are gone

Right now I still think were the No. 2 team in the east. If you think about it we lose no scoring. I will admit now that MIA is a pretty big step ahead of us, and CLEV has gained some ground on us. Bulls will be good, but I don't expect them to go no more then 2 rounds in the playoffs

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Exactly, we traded away Darko basically to keep Ben, assuming he would re-sign. And now we don’t have Ben and we don’t have Darko who could turn out to be a star. If only we held onto Darko for another few months we would have our solution, simply start him or at the very least give him more minutes. It’s all such a waste, we traded away our best young prospect with the intention of signing Wallace, and now he runs off just because he wants an extra $4. Very angry.

[Rampage_Winger 0]

I can't believe Ben. I really thought he would take a little less money to stay in a city that loves him to death. Dumars gave Ben his shot, Dumars believed in Ben from day 1, Dumars did everything in his power to clear cap to give Ben as much money as he could...I can't believe Ben wouldn't consider that, and just leave us. Right now I'm actually really pissed at Ben, and have another reason to hate the Bulls.

To be fair, Ben is a professional athlete. You play for one reason: to get paid. And this was not a little less money, this was in excess of 10 million dollars. He's smart to go to a team that has a coach that is more defensive oriented with a young nucleus rather than stay with Flip Saunders and a non-existant bench. Oh, and the many more millions, I think I mentioned that.

This is the first move that actually blew up in Joe D's face.

My balogna has a first name, it's D-A-R-K-O.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Looks like we may have found our replacement, and in my view, we're stuffed.

At 9 p.m. Portland time, Joel Przybilla will have a tele-conference with his agent, Bill Duffy, regarding an offer from the Detroit Pistons.

This comes after former Detroit center Ben Wallace agreed in principle to a free agent contract with the Chicago Bulls. The Pistons immediately made contact with Duffy regarding Przybilla, and apparently Przybilla will strongly consider the offer from the Pistons.

Reached at about 8 p.m. Portland time, Duffy said he expects Przybilla to make his decision by Tuesday morning after spending a night mulling over Detroit's offer.

Bottom line: It doesn't look good for Portland.

Both Portland and Detroit can offer the mid-level exception (about $5.3 million a year), and actually Portland can offer a little more with yearly raises, but the lure of being an instant winner with the Pistons appears to be very powerful with Przybilla.

[betterREDthandead 58]

I am scared to death to watch the tigers game tonight.

Well, they lost, but at least Pudge is still a Tiger.

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

I hope the Pistons don't try to aquire Joel Przilla (sp). I remember watching him at Minn, and he sucks

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I hope the Pistons don't try to aquire Joel Przilla (sp). I remember watching him at Minn, and he sucks

Just wait. He’s got Pistons DNA.

[timothy1997 0]

can't you just hear Mason saying.

AT CENTER, JOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLL PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

neither can i

[Rampage_Winger 0]

The Prza is actually one of the better centers available right now (great shotblocker and rebounder...not Ben Wallace great, but still). Tomorrow he's gonna choose between Portland, Detroit and...San Antonio. After he picks someplace, then the next center to fall in place is Nazr Mohammed.

[Rampage_Winger 0]

Well, Piston fans, you might like Nazr Mohammed. He has hands of stone, but he works hard and is capable of putting up decent offensive numbers (and can shoot free throws).

[timothy1997 0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2509256

Pistons add Mohammed today. 5 year, $30 million deal.

Edited July 4, 2006 by timothy1997

[dallas27 7]

Nazr blows.

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

Always thought Nazr was very overated, but he's entering his prime and may excell when he becomes a starter.

[timothy1997 0]

Always thought Nazr was very overated, but he's entering his prime and may excell when he becomes a starter.

Who says he will be a starter??

C: Rasheed Wallace

PF: Antonio McDyess

SF: Tashaun Prince

SG: Rip Hamilton

PG: Chauncey Billups

Bench

Nazr Mohammed

Jason Maxiell

Carlos Delfino

Lindsey Hunter

Mike James

Alex Acker

Amir Johnson

Will Blalock

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

ESPN crew was saying he would start for Ben. I don't want McDyess starting...I love the guy, but I think it would be to hard on his knees. I think coming off the bench is perfect for him.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

What a horrible day for Detroit. Stevie and Ben.

Now I'm pissed at both sides of this deal. Was a cheesy million per year enough to bolt the team that gave you the chance to have that opportunity in the first place? And on the flip side, was a cheesy million per year really so hard to come up with from the Pistons' end?

Thanks for the ring, Ben. May you learn the hard way the grass isn't greener. Talk to Grant Hill to find out how that went.

The Pistons deal was fair imo. It would have made Ben the highest paid player on the team - and probably not the most valuable one. He had a good thing going in Detroit - Dumars gave him the opportunity to be the star that he is - gave him a great deal when noone else wanted him - now he walks w/o even trying to negotiate with the Pistons. Ben Wallace was the most popular athlete in town - aside from Stevie Y of course - he had a good thing going here. That legacy just died. I knew there was a reason I always liked hockey players farrrrrrr more than NBA players.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Nazr Mohammed?

He's a good defender, very good rebounder, but this is a little too expensive. Ah well, we're desperate now.

[timothy1997 0]

The Pistons deal was fair imo. It would have made Ben the highest paid player on the team - and probably not the most valuable one. He had a good thing going in Detroit - Dumars gave him the opportunity to be the star that he is - gave him a great deal when noone else wanted him - now he walks w/o even trying to negotiate with the Pistons. Ben Wallace was the most popular athlete in town - aside from Stevie Y of course - he had a good thing going here. That legacy just died. I knew there was a reason I always liked hockey players farrrrrrr more than NBA players.

Let us not forget tho that the guy who brought him here and tried to resign Ben, is a retired player who played the game with the utmost respect and class....very similar to Yzerman. Ben could learn a lot from BOTH Dumars and Yzerman.

NEW POST:

Thought you guys might like to see this. I got this from the Freep this morning.

Ben Wallace talked with WDIV-TV Local 4 sports anchor Fred McLeod on Tuesday. Some excerpts from the former Piston:

"Everything happened so fast. You know, I think the Bulls are a great organization and a young and up-and-coming team. They made me an offer that I pretty much couldn't refuse."

"In order for me to leave Detroit it had to be under these circumstances. Anything else, you know, I wouldn't even consider. But I feel like it was an offer I couldn't refuse. Everybody in this league would like to have an opportunity to do something great and have an opportunity to be successful in this league financially. And I thought this was my opportunity to take care of not only my family, but my family's family."

"With me coming here, in the way they opened up and accepted me, it was a dream come true. It's tough to go into any situation feeling like you wasn't wanted, but coming here, I feel like the fans appreciated what I did and what I brought to the table. And they always inspired me to be a little bit better than the last year, and try to be a bit better the next year.

And you know, next year's going to be tough, especially having to come back here and play in front of these fans, it's just going to be tough."

"I hate to leave, but it's going to be a situation where I got an opportunity to go out and do something different. And for the most part (the Piston players) have been supportive, they've all given me great advice throughout this whole thing. Some guys you play with because they're your teammates, and some guys you play with long enough, you become friends and you build that bond. I definitely think I'm leaving some lifetime friends here."

"I didn't shed any tears, but it's tough. You work so hard all your life to feel like a part of something and I definitely thought that what we had here was something great, something special. And now to get up and leave, it's tough.

But I feel like I'm going to a great organization, a great city and I hope we become a team who comes out and plays hard every night, and if I thought it was anything less than that I'd still be in Detroit."

"I think biggest problem is I had some coaches who didn't feel like they had to coach me, that I would police myself, and do whatever it takes to get the job done. But sometimes you're out there and you need someone to push you to try to take it to the next level and not let you settle."

"I think Chauncey probably (politicked) the hardest (to keep me here). Me and Chauncey have been here for a minute, we had a brief stay in Orlando, and I think the level of respect we have for each other as players and as a person is great. He's just one of those guys that when I was having tough times here in Detroit, he'd always pick up the phone and call me and be like, 'I don't want nothing, I'm just calling to see what you're doing. Just making sure you got your head right and you're coming ready to play.' " He's always been one of those guys that you know everybody would love to have as a teammate."

"I was never insulted (at the Pistons' offer). I'm from a small town in Alabama, we only got one stop light, and when I left Alabama, I pretty much left with the clothes on my back and my pride and who I was. And to say that I was insulted by someone offering me $46 million, that would be crazy. I didn't feel insulted. But looking at the league and the market and what players are paid, I thought I could get more, I thought I deserved a little bit more, but I was never insulted by the offer. $46 million, I mean, at the end of the day who can say they had an opportunity to turn down $46 million."

"Every time I got an offer, me and my agent were talking and before we'd hang up I'd be like, 'Call Joe (Dumars), call the Pistons,' and see if they've got any flexibility or just see what's going on. Every time I got an offer, I definitely called Joe and talked to him and tried to see if they had any flexibility or see if they were willing to budge or move up a little bit. ... They held firm to their numbers."

"I think my relationship with Flip (Saunders) is pretty good. At times we bumped heads when we're out there on the floor, but that's a given. When you're out there trying to reach greatness, and try to do something special, you're going to have conflicts. I don't think there's anything wrong with conflicts. I think the way you sit down and get them resolved are the key. My relationship with Flip had nothing to do with my situation of me leaving, because since I've been here, every other year or every two years, we've been having different coaches, so how can I get along with five or six different coaches and not get along with Flip?"

Edited July 5, 2006 by timothy1997

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Everybody in this league would like to have an opportunity to do something great and have an opportunity to be successful in this league financially. And I thought this was my opportunity to take care of not only my family, but my family's family."

And $48 million couldn't do that Ben?

[Grind_Lines_#1_Fan 0]

Pistons got Nazr Mohammed for 5 years and also re-singed Lindsey Hunter for 2 years.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Who says he will be a starter??

C: Rasheed Wallace

PF: Antonio McDyess

SF: Tashaun Prince

SG: Rip Hamilton

PG: Chauncey Billups

Bench

Nazr Mohammed

Jason Maxiell

Carlos Delfino

Lindsey Hunter

Mike James

Alex Acker

Amir Johnson

Will Blalock

$30 million coming off the bench? Not likely. Mohammed was signed as Ben's replacement, straight up - and kind of a panic move, I think. I hope not. Joe D. has always been a pretty astute judge of talent. We'll see though. There are probably three legit centers in the league, and one just took off. The others, including Nazr, aren't any different from one another.

[timothy1997 0]

$30 million coming off the bench? Not likely. Mohammed was signed as Ben's replacement, straight up - and kind of a panic move, I think. I hope not. Joe D. has always been a pretty astute judge of talent. We'll see though. There are probably three legit centers in the league, and one just took off. The others, including Nazr, aren't any different from one another.

McDyess is almost making $6 million this year. You want him on the bench and put Mohammed in who is getting around $5 million

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

Pistons got Nazr Mohammed for 5 years and also re-singed Lindsey Hunter for 2 years.

Would have been a great pick up in addition to keeping B. Wallace. But as a replacement he ain't gonna cut it. Garnett rumors are abundant on the national sports radio circuit - but I see no way they could financially swing that - unless Kevin is detemined to play in Detroit and would give up salary (how hard should I laugh - an NBA player sacrificing salary )

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

2 more years of Hunter? I thought for sure he was done this year. I think I heard on the radio yesterday that Speedy Claxton is off our radar because he signed with someone else (forgot who)