Michael Curry: Pistons must ignore trade rumors

by A. Sherrod Blakely Saturday February 07, 2009, 12:15 AM


MILWAUKEE -- The NBA trading deadline is in less than two weeks, which means trade rumors will float around regardless of how baseless or unsubstantiated they might be.
It makes for good water cooler conversation, but there is a potential downside for the players mentioned and their teams.
Trade speculation can get in the way of player performance, and also how a team plays.
However, the topic of trade rumors is not one Pistons coach Michael Curry will address with his players.
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"I leave that up to management," Curry told reporters after Friday's practice. "A lot of times, the more you talk about things, the more they become a theme or whatever. I never worried about it as a player, so maybe that's where I draw it from."
The Pistons already made a blockbuster trade this season when they sent captain Chauncey Billups and forward Antonio McDyess along with Cheikh Samb to Denver for Allen Iverson on Nov. 3.
More than three months have passed since the trade, and the Pistons still are figuring out how to mesh Iverson's talents with the current group of Pistons.
Detroit is 22-21 since the trade with Iverson in the lineup, and 4-0 without him.
Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations, has heard several players linked to Detroit as possible trade targets.
While he will not rule out another major trade, Dumars said in an e-mail Friday there is "nothing but the usual chatter" between him and fellow league executives leading up to the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
If the team does consider making a move, Dumars must weigh the deal's impact on a roster that has not handled change particularly well this season.
"To be really good, you have to be able to handle change," Curry said. "You have to be able to handle trade rumors, just anything that comes up; just stay steady. The steadier you can be, the better you perform."
Too many bangs for Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but injuries to key players will make it difficult for them to retain that position.
Leading scorer Michael Redd is out for the season with torn ligaments in his left knee. Former No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut, who was averaging a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game, is out for at least eight weeks with a stress fracture in his back.
And on Thursday, guard Luke Ridnour suffered a broken thumb that will sideline him for up to four weeks.
"They're banged up, especially with Michael Redd and Bogut being out," Curry said. "That's unfortunate. You wish them well, that they can come back healthy.
"The team still plays hard, no matter who (head coach Scott Skiles) puts out on the court. They're scrappy."
Bynum squeezed out
Detroit's recent struggles has led Curry to tighten up the rotation, which means fewer opportunities for Will Bynum. The 6-foot guard played just one minute in Detroit's past five games.
"It's just a numbers crunch," Curry said. "It's just trying to put the best team out on the floor. If we were playing really good, you can rest guys longer."

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I guess when you average 4.5 ppg and make $1.5M/year you don't really have to worry about trade rumors too much.

I feel we're behind the times at PF until we get some of those Banana Smilies.

His contract was not even enough for cap filler in a trade.

Slippy, you might have to book some overtime.

Skip the lewd ones.

I thought the guy was playing a banjo.
The rest I didn't even notice..

How the heck cares what Michael Curry has to say now and days?

Michael Curry.