Keith Langlois of Pistons.com discusses how much playing time Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell could see this upcoming season.

July 17, Pistons.com: Based on nothing more than Stuckey's Las Vegas showing, I like the Pistons better going into 2007-08 than I did coming out of 2006-07. There are going to be hiccups, of course, but I'd be surprised if Stuckey didn't warp the typical rookie's learning curve. He's going to be the first option behind Chauncey Billups, capable of giving him adequate rest, and I wouldn't be surprised if he also grabbed most of the minutes available behind Rip Hamilton. I'd guess Stuckey gets 20 minutes a night fairly soon into the season and he'll push for more. But fans should also be excited for what Johnson and Maxiell promise. I see them being to this year's Pistons what Dennis Rodman and John Salley were to the Pistons of 1987 and '88 early in their careers. They might still be unfinished products, but so were Rodman and Salley - yet their impact on championship-caliber teams was enormous. Rodman and Salley affected games by injecting the Pistons with a huge dose of defensive energy.
I see Johnson and Maxiell doing it in a slightly different way, but the bottom line is that the tempo of games will go up a few notches with them on the floor. There will be nights those two combine for double-digit offensive rebounds or close to that in blocked shots - huge, momentum-swinging statistical categories.

Langlois also offers another possible solution to the pressing question of who will backup Tayshuan Prince.

There's one more wild card worth considering. It goes back to Stuckey. If Stuckey really forces his way into the lineup - if his performance warrants 30 minutes a game - it's possible the Pistons could play a lineup in stretches that includes Billups, Stuckey and Hamilton, the latter swinging to small forward. He's had fairly effective stints guarding even LeBron James, as physical as any small forward in the game. You wouldn't want to give him a steady diet of such matchups, but in a league trending to smaller lineups Hamilton at small forward is no longer an invalid consideration.

With the size and quickness of Chauncey Billups and Rodney Stuckey, this would an interesting lineup to play zone defense with.



Personally, I don't really like Stuckey playing SF at all period. I really can't see him guarding NBA Sf's they are too big and too fast.

I really like the idea of infusing AJ & JMax in the lineup for energy, athleticism, and quickness.

I think they're saying that Rip would slide over to the 3, thats why his defense on Lebron is spoken of...

I think Rip was quite a pest when playing Lebron in the playoffs, sure Lebron could kill him on the post, but it could work for stretches.

I like his take on the way AJ and JMax may be used far more than C. McCoskey, who thinks of Amir as a "situational player". I believe those two will redefine "attacking" style.

If all this comes to fruition, it will be a huge advantage for Pistons. They'd be way ahead of the last year. And hopefully Flip won't mess with this.

McDyess may be the odd man out here. In saying this, hopefully McDyess will not be the first one off the bench.

Rodman & Salley...I sure like hearing it, but I would like seeing it much better.

Them thar is some powerful big boots to fill.

Hopefully Maxiell doesn't end up in the parking lot, crying, with a loaded gun.

I'm not sure if I can imagine Amir hosting a sports talkshow either.

Funny a few weeks ago they had Daly and Zeke on the Best Damn..... with Sal doing the interview and when they started showing the Sal and Rodman highlights I immeditealy said to myself, "that's the contribution we need from Maxiel and Amir."

Joe see's the light, he knows that if those two can bring enrgy and athleticism then this team can again compete for another 'ship, however it may be a HUGE stretch to expect Stuckey to be Vinny Johnson.

He just has to be a young Joe Dumars. No joke.

No Joke?? It's possible.......but chew on this crazy idea, start Stuck and make Rip a Ginobli/Vinny type player???? Of course I would need to consult Lee to work out all the rotational logistics of said idea.