If McDyess is in the starting lineup along with Sheed, this is gonna open up a boat load of playing time for the youngsters (JMax & AJ).

Additionally, we will see a lot of Hayes, Stuckey, AJ & Max on the floor together along with AA.

I am so excited about the upcoming season and witnessing the infusion of youth on our squad.

It sounds like the way people feel when they start a new significant other relationship. Then the realities set it. The good with the bad and the glow is gone.

Hot Rod and AJ have lots of potential to become real impact players in this league. But like all athletes with tremendous talent and potential to become big time stars, especially the young one's just moving up to the big time they will struggle (just like Cam has for the Tigers).

By the end of November the glow will have worn off and the reality set in.

I expect that this year's squad will be more than competitive and will provide lots of highlights that make us go "ooh and ah" many times during the year, but there will be lots of rookie mistakes that will make us want to trash our TVs.

In any case it will be an interesting year to see how the team comes together.

No Piston coach since Daddy Rich has lasted 3 full years. Flip has about 116 games to go (8 + 82 + 26) to achieve that. I am looking forward to game #1 through game #116 .

The fact that no coach has gone 3 full seasons recently is the reason why Flip WILL go 3 full seasons. It's the opposite of a catch 22. It's a catch 55.

Saunders has been given some guidance from Dumars on how to use his young players. Flip will be closely evaluated. If Joe D doesn't like the job Flip is doing, Joe will fire him mid-season. It will have nothing to do with coaches of the past.

Agree with this. Flip better produce. He's got a good enough team. Dumars' anger over last year's ECF debacle will never subside completely.

Flip's a yes man. He's not going to get fired mid season.

Dumars knows that he will have to attract a big name coach in the future. He doesn't want to establish a reputation for Detroit as being a difficult place to coach.

The more control from Dumars in the playing time decisions, the better.

Also, Pistons success is judged based on the play-offs and not the regular season, so I see Flip staying on board until the very end. I would expect some early season struggles with all the youngsters and new players being incorporated into the rotation and rotation being set.

Flip's a company man. He will serve out his contract. Davidson will see to that. He wants to avoid another LB..........IN HIS LIFETIME.........
Remember.........He's getting 22 million per season in profits with Flip at the helm............

There is a much easier way to give JMAX lots of minutes. Start JMAX. Given choices A)Start Sheed and Dyess and B) Start Sheed and JMAX, which do suppose would give JMAX more minutes? I vote B.

Next, Amir looks to be the 4th big this season. So which option will give Amir more minutes? A) Sheed and Dyess start- leaving JMAX as the 3rd big or B)Sheed and JMAX start, letting Dyess and Amir have a fair shot at the remaining minutes. I vote for B. The fact is, Dyess starting is just a thinly disguised ploy by Flip to not play youth.

It gets worse. Not only will Amir be fighting for 4th big minutes, they seemingly are thinking that playing Mohammed a bit, against some bigger centers, is actually an ok thing. But this will further reduce Amir's minutes.

In sum, here is what I want to see happen. First and foremost, don't make any decisions until camp. See who can play. If as I suspect JMAX and Amir are both better players vs. Dyess, then Dyess should be the one getting the shorter minutes. With Mohammed getting precious few if any.

This means Sheed and JMAX would start, and Amir would be the first guy off the bench behind those two. All that worry about the bigger centers in the league, you got Dyess and Mohammed to play in those situations.

Dumars and Saunders came up with the plan to have McDyess start. I don't see how McDyess starting stops the Pistons from playing their young guys. Joe D already said the young guys are going to play.