The Amir Johnson - Play Him or Trade Him Thread

[BillLaimbeer]

Originally Posted by Lee356

Sorry, the first round pick was for Arroyo. We got nothing but an expiring contract for Darko.

Sorry, but the trade was Darko and Arroyo for Cato and the 1st round pick. Nice try.

PISTONS: Pistons Acquire Future First Round Draft Choice and Center Kelvin Cato From the Orlando Magic in Exchange for Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo

SportingNews.com - Your expert source for NBA Basketball stats, scores, standings, blogs and fantasy news from NBA Basketball columnists

Pistons trade Milicic to Magic - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

[FreshPrince22]

Originally Posted by Lee356

Sorry, the first round pick was for Arroyo. We got nothing but an expiring contract for Darko.

Where do you get this from? Arroyo was a salary dump. His value was bordering on negative. Certainly not worthy of a mid-first. Probably equal or less than Flip Murray (who we can't give away at the moment).

Even though Darko was terrible here, he was by far the most valuable player in the deal even if it was only because of where he was drafted. Orlando was not handing us that pick for a scrub PG with a mildly bad contract. Getting the pick for Darko was an attempt to salvage the situation knowing we weren't going to be able to re-sign him anyways.

[buddahfan]

Looks like he is close to being finished as a Pistons player all we need now is the official announcement, unless he can survive in street clothes until Flipper is fired.

The first things new Pistons Walter Herrmann and Primoz Brezec better make sure they have are thick skin and a sense of humor. Because they are going to get hit with a verbal initiation like they've never dealt with before.
"They will be battle-tested early," Lindsey Hunter said. "As soon as they walk in, there will be no ifs, ands or buts about it. They will know from Day 1 if they can cut it. That's just the way we are."
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Herrmann, the Argentine with the flowing hair, can expect to be called anything from Goldilocks to Fabio. He's already gotten a little taste of that. When he played against the Pistons a week ago Sunday, Rasheed Wallace kept yelling, "Who's got Blondie? Who's covering Blondie?"
Both will have their style of clothes and personal grooming habits critiqued mercilessly. They will be dogged for a long time about coming from a lottery team. Every time they make a mistake, they will hear some version of this line:
"You better not bring that Bobcat junk in here."
It's all part of becoming a member in good standing with the Pistons. Jarvis Hayes is still going through it, and he's been here since the start of the season.
"Both of those guys can play," Hunter said. "On-the-court stuff won't be a problem. It's just passing our team-regulations stuff. We're a family. You've got to fit in. There is nobody outside the family circle. They will be tested to see if they can enter the circle of trust."
Realistically, the Pistons probably didn't make a vast upgrade to their team by sending Nazr Mohammed to the Bobcats for Brezec and Herrmann. Neither is likely to come right in and take on major rotation responsibilities.
"Primoz is a big guy and he could be serviceable inside," coach Flip Saunders said. "Walter is a four-three (power forward-small forward) who has the ability to shoot the ball on the perimeter. We just have to wait and see how they fit in. Hopefully, they can bolster our bench."

From the same article

President Joe Dumars said Saturday that this deal was not made to facilitate any future deal. The chance to get from under Mohammed's contract was motivation enough to do the deal. But there is no denying that the debris has been cleared to re-sign Chris Webber, if the Pistons ever feel the need to.
Dumars has no immediate intention of doing that. And he has made it clear that if Webber were to come back, it would be as the fourth big man. He would not start in place of Antonio McDyess or Wallace, nor would he take Jason Maxiell's sixth-man role. He would play the same role that Elden Campbell and Dale Davis played in past seasons.

The skinny: The Pistons’ new acquisitions, center Primoz Brezec and forward Walter Herrmann, were not at practice Saturday but were scheduled to take physicals later in the day. Should they pass, both players could be dressed for Sunday’s game against the Warriors.

The writing seems pretty clear. If both of those guys suit up then AJ is in street clothes unless there is an injury to a big.

If Brezec doesn't cut it, it look like Webber would come back and replace AJ.

I just hope he gets traded to the Lakers or Clippers.

I sure as heck hope that I am wrong, but the evidence is all pointing one way for AJ as a Pistons player and that is the highway.

Trade deal gives Pistons leverage to improve

PISTONS: Pistons vs. Warriors Gameday

[FreshPrince22]

Originally Posted by buddahfan

If Brezec doesn't cut it, it look like Webber would come back and replace AJ.

I just hope he gets traded to the Lakers or Clippers.

I sure as heck hope that I am wrong, but the evidence is all pointing one way for AJ as a Pistons player and that is the highway.

That would be terrible. Then I'd have to hear about how great he is everyday at work.

[buddahfan]

Originally Posted by FreshPrince22

That would be terrible. Then I'd have to hear about how great he is everyday at work.

Better than hearing about how great the Patiots and Celtics are no matter where you are. LOL

[Dlev59]

Originally Posted by buddahfan

Better than hearing about how great the Patiots and Celtics are no matter where you are. LOL

Did you have some sort of traumatic experience in the Boston area or something?

[buddahfan]

Originally Posted by Dlev59

Did you have some sort of traumatic experience in the Boston area or something?

Look at this way.

Do you know any Yankee haters?

There were millions of them in the fifties and sixties and there are probably still millions of them today.

How about all the Bad Boys haters!!

How about Notre Dame football team haters. Those have been around for ages.

Most sports fans have favorite and least favorite teams.

I have never had anything against the Red Sox or the Bruins. I just don't like the Patriots and the Celtics.

I haven't liked the Celtics starting with the old Celtic-Laker rivalry and then add to that the ensuing Celtic - Pistons rivalry and I think you can see why I am not to fond of the Celtics.

As far as the Patriots go. I am a big Colts fan and I think from that it follows why I don't like the Patriots.

As far as the Red Sox go. They have rarely over the last 50 years stood in the way of the Tigers winning a AL pennant, so I have no problem with them.

Bruines - I am not really a hockey fan anymore so I really don't care about them.

ESPN - because I feel that they over hype the Boston teams and gloat when they are doing well.

[buddahfan]

Today was encouraging

He actually got some prime time play.

Min - 14
Points - 6
Rebound - 7
Steals - 1
BS - 3


Not bad considering he hasn't been playing.

It seems like his ankle is healthy and his hops are back

[FreshPrince22]

Write this day down as the day he earned at least a few ticks of "Real" court time. I'm talking 2nd quarter, close game minutes. He was hustling, diving for loose balls, blocking shots, playing solid man-to-man D, and defensive rebounding.

I don't really get the "he can't rebound" myth. Every time he gets decent minutes, at any level of basketball, he has rebounded the ball. His per-40 rebound rate is 12.8, which is tops on the team I believe.

[buddahfan]

Originally Posted by FreshPrince22

Write this day down as the day he earned at least a few ticks of "Real" court time. I'm talking 2nd quarter, close game minutes. He was hustling, diving for loose balls, blocking shots, playing solid man-to-man D, and defensive rebounding.

I don't really get the "he can't rebound" myth. Every time he gets decent minutes, at any level of basketball, he has rebounded the ball. His per-40 rebound rate is 12.8, which is tops on the team I believe.

He was interviewed on radio after the game by Champion and to every question that Champion, Mahorn or Ford (Cheryl) asked him he said I just go work hard and play good defense, rebound and take my man hard to the rack on offense.

The rebounding myth comes from the fact that he his not a wide body.