Right now as it stands our team is a LEGIT contender. Whether we win the O'Brien trophy has everything to do with the hearts and minds of the roster, because JoeD has this team loaded with talent.

As far as the future goes, we are in a very unique position to contend for years to come. Let's look at all the teams of the future and see how our Young Core stacks up.

1. Orlando: Howard and Nelson (Lewis is just as old as Tayshaun, his decline will be starting in about 3 seasons, and Magic folk will be trying to unload or buyout his contract in a few years-trust me).
2. Clev: Lebron, Boobie, AndyV- I dunno, just doesn't seem like the front office will ever get Lebron his "Pieces"
3. Atl:Loaded!!!! but can they ever gel as a team, can they learn to make the sum greater than the parts, can they ever get a fan base, can they erradicate the aura of a losing mentality???
4. Tor:Loaded!!! Very good things to come from this team, but if Colangelo ever leaves, it's over, and there is talk about how he'd love to take a shot at turning around the Knicks. Here we go again, as Piston fans we know how that whole "Knicks is my dream job" saga can play out.
5. Char: Felton, Okafor, May, Morrison........after the Nazr trade, it's official....Jordan will never ever win from the front office....what a moron.

Against the East our young core of Stuckey, AA, Maxiel, AJ, and Samb is just as potent as any other in the league. While nobody can do ANYTHING with D-How I feel the AJ & Max combo can compete against any young bigs on the come up in the east.

Out West you gotta deal with: New Orleans, Utah, Portland and Seattle.....They will be a load. But we can hold our own.

Our present cap situation is very unique and we can slowly reload our clip while we keep firing off rounds.

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"Ain't nothin' strange 'bout yo daddy, what's strange is what he had to deal wit'!!!!!" - Rev. AL.

Very good observations. Pistons are in a group of their own right now. Without bad contracts, a contender now, and future looking bright. Not many teams can say the same. Interesting to see how Spurs will reload, as Duncan-Ginobili-Parker get older, although they have a few years left as of now.

The Lakers are now I believe the youngest team in the league. Bynum and Farmer are only 20 or maybe just turned 21 and Cittenton is I believe still under 20.

Bynum is already a force and in another year or two he be will almost unstoppable at both ends of the court. Last night he totally shut down Kaman in the first quarter allowing the Lakers to build their lead against the Clippers. The lead they never relinquished. The only center so far that I have seen come close totally negating Bynum's effectiveness this year has been Shaq.

The Lakers need one piece to challenge for the NBA title and that is a top flight 3 or 4. Odom is not the same player since he has had the recent spate of injuries. That is why if we aren't going to play The Amirzing One I would love to see him go to the Lakers and play next to Bynum.

Bynum The Amirzing One, Farmar and Cittenton all under 21. Talk about the team of the future and the future is darn close with the three of them that hey now have, as long as them have Obie-Won even without The Amirzing One.

The Lakers are going to make a lot of noise this year especially if Brown can come back because he can defend a lot better than Mihm and is a great backup to Bynum.

Sorry Buddah, I meant to add the Lakers to that list. That is a very good team with a great deal of talent. And yeah there's just something wrong Odom, with all the injuries to his body and the death of his infant child he is just not the same.

No problem.

Unless you live west of the central time zone it is difficult to get to see the West coast teams play that much.

So kind of out of site and out of mind.

Portland is playing really well. I think especially with the loss of Oden they have surprised a lot of people so far.

I would trade Rip for Brandon Roy. But that will never happen.