Detroit Pistons – Blake Froling

Pistons Hit Rough Stretch, Drop Five of Six

FEB 26 – 23-34 is not usually the record of a team in playoff contention.

Through a coach firing, bricks galore and a horrible conference, the Detroit Pistons miraculously find themselves four games out of the playoffs with 25 games remaining. Their recent 1-5 stretch has not helped their chances, but with no one wanting to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, Detroit is in prime position to screw up yet another season.

Here is a breakdown of their last six games.

The Cavaliers came to the Palace for the last game before the All-Star break. Trailing the Pistons by three games at the time, this was viewed as a must-win for both teams.

Detroit held a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter and looked in control on their home court. The Cavs went on an 8-0 run midway through the quarter to cut the deficit to two points. Tristan Thompson came up clutch for Cleveland late, scoring eight straight for his team in the final frame and 25 points overall. He also pitched in with 15 boards.

A pair of Kyrie Irving free throws with two minutes remaining gave the Cavaliers a one-point lead. Irving showed why he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the league by hitting a three-pointer with 27 seconds left to seal the game for the Cavs. They went on to win 93-89.

After a much-needed reprieve for the Pistons due to the All-Star break, they opened a back-to-back home-and-home series with the Charlotte Bobcats. Detroit received a thumping in both contests, dropping the first game at home 108-96 and the road game 116-98. The Pistons’ bigs had no answer for Al Jefferson, as he scored 32 and 29 points, respectively. Detroit was tied with Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East before the two games, which turned into another opportunity squandered.

After the brief one-game road trip, Josh Smith got some revenge on his former team in their next game against the Atlanta Hawks. The Pistons found themselves in a familiar position at halftime, down by 11. In uncharacteristic fashion, Detroit was actually able to mount a comeback. An 8-0 run midway through the third quarter brought the Pistons even with Atlanta at 71.

With two minutes left in the game, Kyle Singler broke a 104-104 tie with a bomb from beyond the arc and an and-one by Will Bynum a minute later extended the lead. Singler sealed the deal with another three as Detroit walked away with a 115-107 win.

Dallas, a sneaky good team flying under the radar in the Western Conference, was next up for the Pistons. Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis were too much to handle for Detroit and handed them yet another home loss. The Pistons were never really in the game, down by 10 at halftime and unable to get closer than four points for the rest of the game. Nowitzki scored 24 for the Mavs and Ellis dished out 13 assists.

The final game of Detroit’s 1-5 streak came against Golden State on Monday. The Splash Brothers (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson) made their only visit to the Palace this year. It was an entertaining game throughout, with the Pistons hanging tough with the hot-shooting Warriors. They found themselves up three at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The final frame always seems to be the Achilles heel for the Pistons, and Monday’s matchup was no exception. Detroit could only muster 13 points in the fourth quarter and were outscored by 10 points. With Curry only shooting 6-15 from the field and 3-9 from deep, the Pistons had their best shot at beating Golden State. But the defense collapsed and the Warriors made it rain from three-point land, running away with a 104-96 win.

Through this six-game stretch, new interim coach John Loyer inserted Singler into the starting lineup in place of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Singler has been averaging 13.3 points per game in the last six, including hitting 50 percent of his three-pointers. The switch seems to be helping Singler, but at this point any roster changes may be too little too late.

Josh Smith was nearly traded at the deadline, but Joe Dumars could not swing a deal in time. In the last six games, his play has improved slightly, averaging 18.5 points per game with double-digit rebounds in four of those games.

Greg Monroe, also rumored to be on the trading block, remains a Piston until at least the end of the season. He has been one of the most consistent players on the team, scoring at least 13 points in the last six and making at least five shots per game.

Detroit might be the most frustrating team to watch in the NBA. With so much star power and young talent on the team, they should be bound for the playoffs. But every time they appear to be turning a corner in their season, they fall flat on their faces. As of right now, no one knows if they will make the playoffs, and we might not know until the final game has been played.

Blake Froling is the co-host of Impact Izzone for Impact Sports.

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NBA Trade Deadline Targets: Jeff Green

FEB 4 – With just two weeks until the All-Star break, the Pistons find themselves a half game out of the playoffs in an embarrassingly weak Eastern Conference. With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, Joe Dumars will almost certainly make a move that could make or break the season.

Jeff Green was a standout at Georgetown before being drafted No. 5 overall in 2007 by the Boston Celtics. He was traded to Seattle on draft night and spent three years with the SuperSonics and the Thunder. Green was traded back to the Celtics in 2011 at the trade deadline, but missed the entire 2011-2012 season with a heart complication

Green leads the Celtics in scoring with 16 points per game and has started every single game this season. This is by far the best season the 6-foot-9 small forward has had in his career and would be a perfect fit for the Pistons.

* * *

What Would the Deal Look Like?

The trade would likely be Jeff Green and a 2014 first round draft pick for Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko. Green makes $8.7 million per year, which is a hefty price, but the pick sweetens the deal enough. Green has two more years on his contract after this season and is only 27 years old. The first round pick depends on how Brooklyn finishes because the Celtics acquired it as part of the Garnett/Pierce trade.

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Why the Deal Would Help Detroit?

The Pistons would be getting an athletic small forward that plays better defense than any small forward the Pistons have. According to nba.com, Green’s defensive rating is better than Josh Smith’s and Kyle Singler’s, but their offensive ratings are both better than Green’s. With Green not having to carry the team in scoring like he does in Boston, he could focus on defense, but still provide an outside threat that would help clear the paint.

With Monroe gone, Smith could move to his natural power forward position and hopefully stop shooting threes. He is much more effective around the basket and would see a drastic improvement in his numbers. His shooting has been awful this season and he is on pace to set the record for worst three-point percentage in the history of the NBA.

Andre Drummond would not have as much competition for minutes and rebounds with Monroe gone. We could really see just how special Drummond is going to be without another big man stealing some of his thunder.

Teams could no longer collapse the paint whenever the ball goes inside with viable shooting options outside. Green and has made 73 three-pointers so far, which would be second best on the Pistons behind Brandon Jennings. His 36.3 shooting percentage from beyond the arc would be the best on the team among players who see meaningful minutes.

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Why the Deal Would Help Boston?

Rajon Rondo and Greg Monroe are two of the best young players in the NBA and would be perfect to build a franchise around. Rondo is a pass-first guard and would give Monroe more touches than he gets in Detroit. Monroe’s defense leaves something to be desired, but he has many years ahead of him to improve.

Jonas Jerebko has seen his minutes steadily decline for the past few seasons. In his rookie season, he started 73 games and averaged 9.3 points and six rebounds per game. He’s only 26 years old and could help the Celtics in their rebuilding process.

* * *

Could it Happen?

It is no secret that the Celtics are in rebuilding mode. They are clearly out of playoff contention and trade rumors have been swirling all season. Green is their best player until Rondo gets healthy, and he also has one of the biggest salaries on the team.

Rondo’s contract expires in the summer of 2015, and barring any health setbacks, he will most likely seek a max contract. Boston has every intention of re-signing him and needs to clear cap space. Among other players, Green is one player that Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge has talked about dealing before the deadline.

This move makes sense for both teams. Monroe would be the best big man that Boston has and Green would be a perfect fit at small forward for the Pistons. Joe Dumars is always a wildcard when it comes to making smart personnel decisions (see Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Corey Maggette), so at this point he could do anything.

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Pistons Recap: Philadelphia and Miami

DEC 4 – The Pistons took on Michael Carter-Williams and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at the Palace. Philly had been coming off a tough stretch, losing seven of their last eight before facing Detroit. The 76ers struggle on defense, giving up the most points per game in the league. This proved to be their downfall in Detroit.

Detroit got off to a red-hot start, scoring a whopping 40 points in the first quarter and taking a 15-point lead. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope broke out of his shooting funk, scoring eight points in the first frame. He had been averaging 6.5 points per game in the last four games, so it was good to see the rookie heat up.

The Pistons kept their foot on the pedal in the second quarter, outscoring the 76ers by nine to take a 70-46 halftime lead. Andre Drummond entered beast-mode, scoring 12 in the first half and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Pistons flat-out outplayed the Sixers in almost every aspect of the game. They controlled the boards and shot surprisingly well from beyond the arc.

The 76ers finally got things going in the third quarter, outscoring the Pistons by 12 in the frame. Thaddeus Young scored 12 for Philadelphia and brought the deficit back down to 12. But that’s as close as they would get. The Pistons crushed any chance of a Philly comeback and went on to win by 15.

Drummond had the best game of his career and the best of any big man since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990. He finished with 31 points, 19 rebounds, and six steals. This game showed just how bright the 20 year-old’s future is in the league. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings had 20 points each, with Smith hitting 3-5 three-pointers and Jennings dishing out 12 assists. Rodney Stuckey came off of the bench and added 17 points. Rodney is having a breakout season, leading the team in scoring at the perfect time; he’s in the final year of his contract and wants to cash in. The Pistons could get much more for him in a trade than they anticipated at the beginning of the season.

Thaddeus Young led the way for Philadelphia, scoring 24 and grabbing five rebounds. Former Buckeye Evan Turner continued his impressive season with 20 points and three steals. Carter-Williams is making a strong case for rookie of the year, scoring 15 points, and adding six assists and six steals.

The Pistons took their talents to South Beach on Tuesday to face the defending champion Miami Heat. Detroit continued their hot shooting and took a 10-point lead after the first quarter. Kyle Singler and KCP both had six in the frame. In the second, Miami stayed with the Pistons, but couldn’t make up any ground on the Pistons’ lead. They went into halftime trailing 54-43.

Singler began to hit a groove in the third, scoring 10 points in the quarter and helping the Pistons extend their lead to 14. The Heat were without Dwyane Wade, and Lebron James couldn’t do much against the fearsome Pistons frontcourt. Detroit held on to their lead in the final frame despite a furious Miami rally and went on to beat the Heat 107-97. The win brought their record up to 8-10, good enough for sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Singler led the team in scoring, coming off the bench and adding 18 points. The frontcourt trio of Smith, Drummond and Greg Monroe combined for 41 points and 28 rebounds. The Heat have no post presence and it proved to be their downfall. Detroit had their way with Miami in the paint, scoring 60 down low. Jennings scored 15 with five assists and Stuckey added 16. The Pistons, who are known for bricking jump shots left and right, shot over 50% in the game. Detroit travels to Milwaukee on Wednesday to take on the struggling Bucks.

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Pistons Recap: New York and Atlanta

NOV 22 – The Pistons finally returned home from their grueling West Coast road trip to face Carmelo Anthony and the struggling New York Knicks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope found himself in the starting lineup due to the absence of Will Bynum and Chauncey Billups, and looked to make the most out of the opportunity. With the depth of this roster, KCP has often found himself to be the odd man out, lucky to play more than five minutes.

The Pistons led by a slim two-point margin after the first quarter of play. KCP did not disappoint, scoring seven points in the frame. The Knicks were able to turn things around in the second quarter, charging out to a six-point lead halfway through the second. Italian sharpshooter Luigi Datome knocked down a three-pointer with three seconds left to tie the game going into halftime. That was the only shot he made in the game.

With under four minutes to go in the third quarter, the Pistons went on a seven-point run, capped off by a Kyle Singler three. The Knicks could not cut into the Pistons’ lead, and trailed 71-63 going into the final quarter of play. Rodney Stuckey scored five points in a row for the Pistons to open up the fourth quarter. They eventually extended their lead to 15 before the Knicks were forced to call timeout. A pair of free throws by J.R. Smith brought the Pistons’ lead down to five with 3:34 remaining. But that was as close as the Knicks would get, eventually losing 92-86.

Rodney Stuckey had a phenomenal game coming off the bench, scoring 21 points on 8-14 shooting. He’s been playing surprisingly well this season, only increasing his value should the Pistons decide to trade him before the deadline. Josh Smith added 19 points while taking 19 shots. The fearsome Pistons frontcourt of Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond combined for a beastly 48 points and 27 rebounds. KCP finished with 13 points.

Carmelo Anthony did all he could to keep his Knicks in the game, leading all scorers with 25 points. J.R. Smith pitched in with 18 points off the bench in the losing effort. The Pistons had not previously beaten the Knicks since 2011.

The following night, the Pistons headed down to Atlanta to face Josh Smith’s former team, the Hawks. It was a defensive battle in the first quarter, with Detroit only able to score 13 points. Yet they found themselves merely down by two. Then someone flipped a switch, and the Pistons scored 33 in the second quarter. Stuckey scored 10 points in the frame, and it appeared as though both teams forgot how to play defense. Detroit took a 46-43 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was just as entertaining, with both teams trading buckets and neither able to pull away. With less than two minutes remaining in the third, Lou Williams made a three-pointer to give the Hawks a two-point lead that they would not relinquish. Atlanta went on a seven-point run midway through the fourth that the Pistons simply could not come back from. They eventually fell 95-83.

Monroe had a disappointing night, scoring only seven points and grabbing four rebounds. Smith was ice cold as well, shooting 5-15 from the field and 0-4 from behind the arc for 11 points. Brandon Jennings had to do most of the work himself, scoring 21 points. He had to take 21 shots to get there, however. That number is way too high for any point guard, but the Pistons knew what they were getting when they signed Jennings in the offseason. Stuckey continued his hot streak with 18 points off the bench.

The Hawks shot an impressive 50.7% from the field, something that Coach Cheeks will definitely have to address with his players on defense. Big man Paul Millsap scored 18 points, but was a virtual non-factor on the boards. The Hawks as a team had only five offensive rebounds, compared to 15 for the Pistons. Detroit will get another shot at Atlanta on Friday when they return to the Palace for a rematch.

The Pistons are only 1-5 on the road, giving them a 4-7 record overall. The fans might not be happy, but if the season ended today, the Pistons would have the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Prediction: I know, I know, it’s early, but Detroit is right in the thick of it, and as the season goes along, they will improve. The chemistry between Jennings and the big men will improve, and they will start winning more close games.

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Pistons Recap: OKC and Portland

NOV 12, 2013 – The Oklahoma City Thunder came to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday for the first and only time this season.

The Pistons held on to a slim two-point lead after the first quarter, mostly due to 10 points by Josh Smith. But Kevin Durant and the Thunder charged back, taking an 11-point lead late in the second quarter. Less than two minutes into the third quarter, the Pistons tied the game back up at 56.

It was a game of runs, with one team racing out to a lead, then the other coming right back. A late third quarter run capped off by a Jeremy Lamb three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Thunder an eight-point lead. The Pistons were not able to overcome that deficit and ended up losing 119-110.

Durant led all scorers with 37 points on 9-15 shooting and 17-19 from the charity stripe. Russell Westbrook added 20 points and Serge Ibaka had 11 with nine rebounds. Rookie center Steven Adams looked impressive coming off the bench, scoring 17 and grabbing 10 boards. The Thunder dominated the inside, outscoring the Pistons 50-40 in the paint and also outrebounding the Pistons by 10. The Thunder move to a 4-1 record with the win.

Greg Monroe continued his hot streak, posting another double-double (20 points, 15 rebounds). Smith had perhaps his best game as a Piston, scoring a team-high 25 points and adding eight rebounds. Brandon Jennings seems to be over his injury and looked like the guard we saw in Milwaukee. He scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists. Rodney Stuckey came off the bench and scored 17 points.

Even though the Pistons are a big, physical team, they can also got out in transition with the best of them. They outscored a very athletic OKC in the fast break 25-12.

The Pistons then embarked on their four-game west coast road trip, starting in Portland. The Pistons have historically struggled in the west, going 1-43 in their last 44 road games against the Western Conference. They looked to change their fortune against the hot Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard’s nine first quarter points helped the Blazers jump out to a four-point lead at the end of one. Midway through the second quarter, the Pistons came back and took a 43-42 lead on a Rodney Stuckey three-pointer. But the Blazers continued their hot shooting and eventually took a three-point lead into halftime. The Blazers controlled the third quarter, never giving up their lead. With 1:28 left in the fourth quarter, the Pistons charged right back, coming within four points after a Jennings layup. But the Pistons failed to score another point, and went on to lose 109-103.

Lillard had a hot hand the whole night, going 5-8 from beyond the arc and scoring 25 points. The frontcourt tandem of Robin Lopez and Lamarcus Aldridge combined for 35 points and 22 rebounds. Their defense, however, was a little suspect. They allowed the Pistons to score 60 points in the paint, compared to just 36 for the Blazers. Portland moves to 5-2 on the year.

Brandon Jennings did all he could to keep the Pistons in the game, scoring 28 points, including 13 in the fourth. Andre Drummond bounced back from an off night against the Thunder, scoring 16 and grabbing 16 rebounds. All of his points came in the paint. Greg Monroe continued his hot streak, scoring 19 points and snagging eight rebounds. Josh Smith scored 11 and Stuckey added 13 points off the bench. The Pistons fall to 2-4 on the season, including three losses in a row.

The Pistons move on to Oakland Tuesday to square off against Golden State at 10:30 pm. The game can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit, and heard on 97.1 the Ticket.

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Logjam in Backcourt Hurts KCP, Bynum

Nov 7, 2013 – With the recent return of guards Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Jennings, the Pistons find themselves in a sticky situation. Currently they have five guards on their roster, all of which have performed well when given the opportunity.Stuckey, Jennings, Chauncey Billups, Will Bynum, and rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (KCP) all have had their bright spots this season and look to contend for minutes. But five guards are too many to rotate through in one game. Someone has to sit out or take a significant cut in minutes. So far, the player affected most has been KCP.

In the first two games of the season, KCP averaged over 22 minutes on the court. He scored 13 points in only 18 minutes in a loss to Memphis. He added nine points in 27 minutes in the season opener versus Washington, in which both Stuckey and Jennings were inactive. With the return of both guards, there was just nowhere for coach Maurice Cheeks to place the rookie.

In the last two games against Boston and Indiana, KCP played zero and four minutes, respectively. Barring more injuries, it appears as if this will be a trend for KCP, unless Cheeks decides to give Billups games off for rest. Another option would be to move Pope to the small forward position. At 6-foot-5, it might be a bit of a stretch, but his shooting abilities make him well suited as a wingman.

The other guard that could see his role diminish is Will “The Thrill” Bynum, who started the first three games of the season alongside Billups. In his first two games, Bynum averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 assists. But when Jennings returned to the lineup against Boston, Bynum saw his minutes nearly cut in half.

In the two games Jennings has been active, Bynum only scored a total of nine points. The only way Bynum could see his minutes increase would be if Billups was given a night off or if Cheeks decided to move KCP over to the small forward position for a game.

Chauncey Billups has started every game for the Pistons so far this season. Although he’s seen his minutes slightly diminish in the last two games, it was expected. When he was signed in the offseason, the plan was for Chauncey to come off the bench and play 20-something minutes per game.

With all the injuries in the backcourt, Billups has been thrust into a starting role. Cheeks will likely shuffle the starting rotation as the season goes on, with Stuckey being the most likely to take the starting position from Billups.

The logjam at the guard position is a problem, but one that Coach Cheeks doesn’t mind having. This team is one of the deepest Pistons squads in years, and it will help in the dog days of the season. Players will be fresh, but not rusty. Being a former player himself, Cheeks knows how to handle the rotation, especially at the guard position.

For the remainder of the season, look for Jennings and Stuckey to get the bulk of the playing time in the backcourt, with Billups first off the bench. KCP will continue to get DNP’s next to his name, but could also sporadically see significant minutes to give someone rest. Bynum will see about 20 minutes of action per night, and will start a handful of games going forward.

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Pistons Weekend Recap: Memphis and Boston

Nov 5, 2013 – After an impressive opening night win against Washington, the Pistons packed their bags and headed for the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Memphis had just lost their first game of the season in San Antonio, and was looking to bounce back against the new-look Pistons.

Detroit had not beaten Memphis since October 28, 2009. With Rodney Stuckey returning to the lineup, the Pistons added much-needed depth to their backcourt.

With 1:08 left in the fourth quarter, Josh Smith hit a three-pointer to give Detroit a six-point lead. But the Grizzlies charged back, tying the game with eight seconds left on a Marc Gasol layup. A missed three-pointer by Chauncey Billups sent the game into overtime.

The Pistons played catch-up the entire overtime period. Zach Randolph and Tony Allen took advantage of Pistons miscues and opened up a 106-97 Grizzlies lead with 1:30 left. The Pistons never had a chance after that, eventually losing 111-108.

Josh Smith had 19 points on a paltry 7-23 shooting, including 3-11 from beyond the arc. Smith was much more effective when he drove to the basket, making four of his seven shots in the paint. Andre Drummond logged 48 minutes, the most of any player on either team. Drummond finished with an impressive stat line, posting 12 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two blocks with only one turnover. Greg Monroe had an equally impressive night, scoring 16 and grabbing eight boards.

Rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 13 points and Rodney Stuckey scored 19 off the bench. Will Bynum, once thought to be the odd man out in the Pistons’ backcourt, started alongside Billups and scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting. With Brandon Jennings returning to the lineup in Boston, it will be interesting to see how Head Coach Maurice Cheeks rotates his guards.

On the Memphis side, Mike Conley led all scorers with 22 points and five steals. Frontcourt duo Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds in the contest. Memphis had never won a home opener since the team moved from Vancouver in 2001.

The Pistons then headed home on Sunday, where they wore their new “Motor City” jerseys. They plan to wear them during every Sunday night game this season. Their opponent was the Boston Celtics, a franchise in rebuilding mode.

The Pistons dominated the paint the entire game, outscoring Boston 54-38 down low. Detroit opened up a 10-point lead in the first half and seemed in control of the game. But the young Boston team rallied back, taking a 64-63 lead early in the fourth quarter. A few short minutes later, the Pistons went on a run of their own, extending their lead back to 10. The Pistons never looked back, going on to win 87-77. The Celtics dropped to 0-3, while the Pistons moved to 2-1 on the season.

Smith, Drummond, and Monroe combined for 45 points and 29 rebounds, while Drummond had his way with the Celtics, dunks and put-backs galore. Brandon Jennings made his regular season debut after returning from tooth and jaw problems and was forced to wear a mask but was still able to score 14 points and dish out four assists.

The Pistons stay in Detroit this week, facing Paul George and the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday and Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

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Game 1 Preview: Wizards vs. Pistons

Oct 30, 2013 – Pistons fans have waited 196 days for tonight’s game. It’s a new beginning for a new-look franchise. With promising off-season upgrades and solid draft picks, this year’s team will be entertaining to say the least. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s focus on tonight’s matchup.

Continue reading “Game 1 Preview: Wizards vs. Pistons”

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Joe Dumars

Oct 29, 2013 – Since Joe Dumars was hired to be the General Manager of the Detroit Pistons, the former all-star has made some “interesting” moves. Some contributed to the 2004 championship win, others contributed to the franchise’s demise. Now Joe’s seat is getting warmer and warmer, and this season could make or break his chances of having a job in June. Let’s take a look back at the highlights and lowlights of Dumars’ tenure in the Motor City.

The Good

Before I start “the good” section, I must explain why I’m not including the Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings acquisitions. Since they haven’t played a single regular season game with Detroit, I cannot say that they have been good or bad for the Pistons. They seem like a sure bet, but nothing is guaranteed in the NBA (see Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon).

August 3, 2000 – Signed and traded forward Grant Hill to the Orlando Magic for guard Chucky Atkins and center Ben Wallace.

Wallace played eight seasons with Detroit (2001 to 2006, 2010 to 2012). He averaged 7.9 PPG and 12.9 RPG in his first six seasons with Detroit, including a championship in ‘04, four All-Star Game appearances, and four Defensive Player of the Year selections. Chucky Atkins played for the Pistons for five non-consecutive seasons, averaging 8.3 PPG and 3 APG. Grant Hill, meanwhile, was injury plagued for the rest of his career, only playing in an average of 49 games per season after being traded to Orlando.

Draft 2002 – Selected forward Tayshaun Prince 23rd overall.

Prince was key in the Pistons championship run in 2004, and remained a key piece of the team for 11 seasons before being traded to Memphis in the middle of last season. Tayshaun averaged 12.4 PPG and started all but two Pistons games from 2004-2009. He was selected to four consecutive NBA Defensive Second Teams and won a gold medal with Team USA in 2008.

July 17, 2002 – Signed guard Chauncey Billups to a multi-year contract.

At the time the Pistons signed Billups, he had been with four teams in six seasons and only averaged 11.1 PPG. But Mr. Big Shot came into his own in Detroit. In his six seasons with the Pistons, he averaged 17 PPG and 6.3 APG. He was named Finals MVP in 2004, made five all-star teams, and two NBA Defensive Second Teams. He was a part of one of the worst trades in NBA history in 2009 (I’ll get to that later).

September 11, 2002 – Traded guard Jerry Stackhouse, forward Brian Cardinal and center Ratko Varda to the Washington Wizards for guards Richard Hamilton and Hubert Davis and forward Bobby Simmons.

2002 was a great year for Joe Dumars. He was able to assemble the Pistons’ “Big Three” all in one offseason. The last part came in the form of this trade for Richard “Rip” Hamilton.

Rip was coming off the best season of his career, averaging 20 PPG and shooting a near-perfect 89% from the charity stripe. Only 24 at the time, Dumars saw a future all-star in Hamilton. However, the Pistons did have to give up a great player in Jerry Stackhouse. In four seasons with the Pistons, Stackhouse averaged 22.3 PPG and was selected to two all-star teams.

After the trade, Stackhouse had one more solid year before injuries plagued him. Since 2003, Jerry has not played in more than 17 games in one season. He has played with five teams in the last five years. Hamilton, meanwhile, saw his career skyrocket. In nine seasons with Detroit, Hamilton averaged 18.2 PPG, won an NBA Championship in 2004 and made three all-star teams.

February 19, 2004 – Traded guards Chucky Atkins and Lindsey Hunter, a first-round pick and cash to the Boston Celtics and guard Bob Sura and center Zeljko Rebraca to the Atlanta Hawks for Mike James from the Boston Celtics and forward Rasheed Wallace from the Atlanta Hawks.

Joe Dumars really worked his magic here. Look at whom he gave up in this trade: nobody. Sheed was a huge factor in the Pistons’ championship run, averaging 13.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG in the second half of the 2004 season. He went on to play five more seasons in Detroit, appearing in two All-Star Games. Now he is back with the team as an assistant coach. I wonder how many games Wallace can go before earning his first technical four; my guess is four, but don’t be surprised if it’s less.

Draft 2010 – Selected forward Greg Monroe seventh overall.

Monroe is as close to a human double-double as you can get in the NBA. The former Hoya is poised to be one of the best power forwards in the Association. In his last two seasons, he averaged 15.7 PPG and 9.7 RPG and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2010. He will be a key part of the Pistons’ success in the future, if he’s not traded first.

Monroe is in the final year of his rookie contract, and it seems unlikely that the Pistons will sign him to an extension right away. There have been strong trade rumors involving him; the strongest being him and Rodney Stuckey for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo. Only time will tell how long Monroe will be wearing the Pistons’ red, blue and white.

The Bad

The following moves made by Joe Dumars weren’t his brightest, but they didn’t ruin the franchise or put his job in jeopardy. These were simply bad moves that he and Pistons fans are trying to forget.

Draft 2000 – Selected guard Mateen Cleaves 14th overall.

In Dumars’ first draft as General Manager of the Pistons, he selected a hometown favorite in Mateen Cleaves. The former MSU standout played just one season with Detroit, averaging 5.4 PPG. The following season, Cleaves was traded to Sacramento. Cleaves lasted five more seasons in the NBA after being traded from the Pistons, and he only appeared in 89 games total. I still love Mateen, but he hit his peak here at MSU, where he won the 2000 National Championship.

Draft 2001 – Selected forward Rodney White 9th overall.

Rodney who? Exactly. White only played in 16 games in the 2002 season, averaging 3.5 PPG. He was traded to Denver the following season, where he played slightly better, averaging 7.4 PPG in three seasons with the team. In the 2005 season, White was again traded to Golden State, where he only appeared in 16 games. He has not played in the NBA since 2005, and is currently playing overseas.

Draft 2005 – Selected forward Jason Maxiell 26th overall.

Maxiell never developed into the player Dumars envisioned him to be. At 6’7”, he wasn’t athletic enough to play at small forward and was too small to play at power forward. In 2008, the Pistons gave Maxiell a 4-year, $20 million contract extension that he definitely wasn’t worth. Jason only averaged 6.1 PPG and 4.4 RPG in eight seasons with the Pistons. This offseason, he signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Orlando Magic.

Draft 2007 – Selected guard Rodney Stuckey 15th overall.

Stuckey has had a rocky relationship with every head coach he has played for. Some say he was the main reason why John Kuester was fired in 2011 (besides the fact that he was a bad head coach). While 13.4 PPG and 4.2 APG isn’t bad, he has a career 42% field-goal percentage and only shoots 29% from beyond the arc. For being drafted 15th overall, you expect that player to perform better than that. His stats have been in decline for the past three seasons and is the owner of a really bad contract. He takes up $8.5 million in cap space and has one year left on his deal. If the Pistons are unable to trade him before the deadline this year, he will most likely not be re-signed.

Draft 2009 – Selected forward Austin Daye 15th overall.

Dumars had high hopes for Daye, who was a standout at Gonzaga. He only averaged 5.6 PPG in three and a half seasons in Detroit before being traded to the Grizzlies along with Tayshaun Prince last season. Daye has only started 24 games in his career, a shockingly low number for a player drafted so high. Daye signed a two-year contract in the offseason with the Toronto Raptors.

The Ugly

Women and children look away. While writing this section, I got sick twice and wept for twenty minutes.

Draft 2003 – Selected forward Darko Milicic second overall.

This is the worst draft pick in Detroit sports history. Yes, even worse than Joey Harrington. Not much was known about the Serbian big man when he entered the draft in 2003. The first thing Dumars noticed was his size: Darko was seven feet tall.

The Milicic pick is also arguably the worst pick in the history of the NBA draft (some would say the worst was Portland picking Sam Bowie second overall in 1984, ahead of Michael Jordan). Darko was picked ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Kirk Hinrich, David West, Boris Diaw, Kendrick Perkins, Mo Williams and Kyle Korver. Had Dumars picked someone else, almost anyone else besides Milicic, the Pistons could’ve gone on to win more than one championship.

Milicic lasted only two and a half seasons in Detroit, playing the role of human victory cigar. He averaged less than three points per game and played in less than seven minutes per game during his time in Detroit. During the 2006 season, he was traded to Orlando, where he saw slightly more playing time. Since then he’s bounced around with several teams, most recently with Boston last year, appearing in just one game. His best season came in 2011, where he averaged over eight points per game with the Timberwolves.

Every head coach choice since 2008

After the Pistons fired Flip Saunders following the 2008 season, the Pistons have had four coaches in six years, including Maurice Cheeks. Since then, the Pistons have gone 150-244 with one playoff appearance. Michael Curry lasted one season as head coach in 2008-2009 after serving as assistant coach in Detroit for one year. The team went 39-43 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Cleveland. Curry also played for the Pistons in 1997 and 1999-2003.

John Keuster was the next selection by Dumars. He lasted two years with the team, going 57-107. His tenure was marked by his feuds with players, including Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton. The next-in-line for the Pistons was Lawrence Frank. Frank also lasted two seasons with the team, winning three fewer games than Keuster. This offseason, after firing Frank, the Pistons hired Maurice Cheeks to be their next head coach. Whether or not he ends the streak of bad coaches for the Pistons remains to be seen.

November 3, 2008 – Traded guard Chauncey Billups, forward Antonio McDyess and center Cheikh Samb to the Denver Nuggets for guard Allen Iverson.

This trade destroyed the franchise. Since that fateful day, the Pistons have only made the playoffs once, where they were promptly swept by the Cavaliers. Allen “The Answer” Iverson was a cancer to the team. Although he averaged 17.4 PPG, he showed how big his ego was by refusing to come off the bench. AI only lasted one season in Detroit before briefly returning to the 76ers and later the Grizzles. He has not played professionally since 2011 in Turkey, and is set to announce his retirement soon.

Chauncey was able to return to where he played his college basketball in Denver. Billups averaged 17.9 PPG in his first year with the Nuggets. Since then, he was traded to the Knicks, where he stayed for the remainder of the season, and then signed with the Clippers for two years. In the last two seasons, Billups has been hampered by injuries, playing in only 43 games total with the Clippers. Now, Mr. Big Shot is back where he belongs in the Motor City.

July 8, 2009 – Signed guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva.

At the time, these two acquisitions seemed like a huge step in the right direction for Joe Dumars and the Pistons. In five seasons with the Bulls, Gordon averaged 18.5 PPG and won NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2005. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie First team in the same year. Dumars signed him to a five-year, $55 million contract. In his three years with the Pistons, things quickly went south.

Gordon only averaged 12.5 PPG off the bench and was extremely inconsistent. Ben was traded in the 2012 offseason to the Bobcats for Corey Maggette. Charlie Villanueva was coming off the best season of his career in 2009, averaging 16.2 PPG and 6.7 RPG with the Bucks. Dumars was so impressed with Charlie V that he signed the former Connecticut Huskie to a five-year deal worth $35 million. Since he’s been with the Pistons, Charlie’s numbers have taken a nosedive.

In the last four seasons, Villanueva has averaged 9.2 PPG while seeing his minutes shrivel up. Entering the final year of his contract, Charlie has been the center of much trade speculation. The Pistons want to free up cap space by dealing him and possibly Rodney Stuckey.

So there you have it: the good, the bad, and the ugly of Joe Dumars’ reign in Detroit. This season, however, will determine whether the streets will be filled with Detroiters picketing outside the Palace, chanting “Fire Dumars!” or Detroiters standing outside of the Palace, waiting to get into their first playoff game since 2009.

Photo: Detroit Pistons

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