Larry Versus Flip: The Cage Match

by "the Stat Sprocket"

[Detroit Free Press]

New Piston hasn't realized potential
"He's gonna rebound the basketball," said Knicks assistant coach Herb Williams, "he's gonna go out there and lay it on the line."

Sound familiar?

Consider Mohammed's numbers as a Knick. In 2004, for the first couple months of the season, he was averaging around 12 points and nine rebounds a game. He was shooting 51% from the field and almost 70% from the free-throw line. He was grabbing almost four offensive rebounds a game. Before the trade, he was second in the league that year, behind only Wallace, who was averaging 4.6 offensive rebounds a game.

"Detroit knew when they signed him they were getting a (heck) of an offensive rebounder," Williams said.

[Good article. Check it out.]

Pistons win summer league game
Alex Acker scored 17 points, and Jason Maxiell added 15 as the Pistons beat the Washington Wizards, 80-67. Amir Johnson added 10 points and seven rebounds.

The Pistons' second-round picks debuted. Center Cheik Samb, acquired on draft night from the Lakers, had nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Guard Will Blalock, the last player taken in the NBA draft, scored six points on 3-for-11 shooting.

Analyst: Ben couldn't say no
Q: What do you think was the factor that made Ben leave? Was it his supposed beef with Flip Saunders?

A: I think his allegiance and loyalty to the organization outweighed Flip Saunders. That's how it is. Chicago just made him an offer he couldn't refuse. I don't know how many people would turn down $3 or $4 million increase at the minimum. I don't blame him.

[MLive.com]

FULL-COURT PRESS: Pistons may go after Flip Murray
According to Rob Parker's moles, the Pistons have their sites set on former SuperSonic and Cavalier Flip Murray to be Rip Hamilton's backup. Remember, take Parker's mole comments as nothing more than supported rumors.

ALSO:
Court ruling hurts chances of a Harrington sign-and-trade

[Oakland Press]

Time to go all in?
Joe Dumars has never been afraid to gamble. With the Pistons' summer-league team playing in Las Vegas for a week, Dumars has to decide whether to bet his assets like the blue-haired woman at the nickel slot machine or more like professional poker star Phil Ivey at a no-limit hold 'em tournament.

Why isn't Bill Davidson drawing his fair share of criticism in the aftermath of Big Bad Ben's Big Bold Bolt?


Loyalty in an age of choices
These are trying times for those of us who consider ourselves loyal individuals but don't wish to view loyalty as a permanent commitment to misery.

This is an opinion piece with a chicago slant but touches on Ben Wallace. Just another opinion to add to the pile.

__________________

[Detroit News]

Making an impression
Nik Caner-Medley didn't come here to get knocked out. He took a few minutes to regain his equilibrium and then proceeded to score 10 points and grab just about every loose ball in the Pistons' 80-67 summer-league victory over the Wizards on Saturday.

"He's a tough kid, no doubt about that," said Don Zierden , a Pistons assistant coach who is running the team in Las Vegas. " A lot of guys wouldn't have gone back in."

Caner-Medley, undrafted after starting four years at Maryland, is making a bid to be in an NBA camp next fall, preferably the Pistons.

Samb faces tall task to make NBA roster
"There's going to be a learning curve with him," said Don Zierden, a Pistons assistant in charge of the summer-league team. "The physical part of the NBA game is going to be very difficult for him. But the things I liked, you can't teach length and he anticipates very well. He understands the game and he tries to do the right thing."

Samb, who played just one season in the second-level pro league in Spain, made quite a debut here. In the Pistons' 80-67 victory over Washington on Saturday, Samb had nine points and nine rebounds. Of his four field goals, one was a dunk and the others were perimeter jump shots. He was credited with three blocks, but had six.

He did struggle with the physical play, picking up eight personal fouls (you are allowed 10 in summer-league play). But he showed a good understanding of the game, executing the nuances of the Pistons' offensive and defensive rotations.

[Good article, with lots of info on this mysterious Senegalese. And by the way, it's apparently pronounced "Chick."]

[Detroit Bad Boys]

Summer Camp's first game recap
In any event, be sure to check out Bad Boys Summer Camp for in-depth coverage, which to be honest completely blows the doors off the minature recap featured in Sunday's Detroit Free Press. Mind you, this isn't just a couple of guys analyzing a box score — the Summer Camp crew actually has "guys on the ground" attending the games out in Vegas. Tough gig, I'm sure, but I'm glad they stepped up to the plate — these guys are seriously providing coverage you can't find anywhere else. Keep up the good work, fellas!

[The rest you know, but we just had to share the cool plug. Thanks, Matt.]

[The Detroit News]

Wallace leaves Maxiell with words of wisdom
Maxiell was going to miss him. Shoot, he was even going to miss lugging Wallace's boombox to every game -- which was Maxiell's rookie responsibility last season.

His outlook brightened, though, after he talked to Wallace last week.

"I talked to him on the phone, and he said, 'The door's open for you now,'?" Maxiell said. "He said, 'Go play hard in summer league and come to camp next year ready to go to work.' That's what I plan to do."

[Good article, especially the parts about Max improving his rebounding and passing. Check it out.]

[The Detroit Free Press]

Where are they now? Terry Dischinger
On being the NBA's only part-time player: "During my rookie year, I wanted to obtain my chemical engineering degree from Purdue, so Chicago let me attend school and play on weekends and holidays. One time after class, I left Purdue at 4 p.m., taped my ankles in a cab and played that night in San Francisco. It wasn't that tough of a year because I received my degree, the Rookie of the Year award, and was paid to play the game I loved."

[One of the league's post-basketball success stories, Terry was a Matt Harpring type who combined good rebounding with a slick jumper. Now one of the country's top orthodontists.]

[Detroit Bad Boys]

Monday's layup drill
Is it Cheick Samb or Cheikh Samb? Can we get a ruling? I see it spelled "Cheick" most of the time, but the Detroit News is using "Cheikh" — and this article from the website of the Spanish team he plays for actually uses both. In any case, the News has an interesting profile on the lanky project/prospect from Senegal.

ALSO:
Dispelling acquisition rumors

[The Mighty MJD]

On Ben Wallace
So if you’re Ben Wallace, a guy who’s built a career on working harder than anyone else… you want to be somewhere where hard work is still the recipe still success. The Bulls, if nothing else, will work hard. They’ll get after it on defense. They’ve got a tough-minded coach who won’t tolerate a lapse in intensity. Throw in the ridiculous money… and it’s a good place for Ben Wallace.

Now, that’s not to say that I think this is a great deal for Chicago, either (although Charles Oakley likes it). Even forgetting that Ben’s an offensive liability, and that at the free-throw line, he makes Shaq look like Larry Bird, his production had been declining in recent years. He’s certainly on the downside, and he’s not going to find a situation that works for him like it worked in Detroit. It was very unique, what happened in Detroit with Ben Wallace… it’s not everyday that a team builds around a defensive-minded player, but they did it. No one else is going to, and his numbers are going to keep dropping off.

[Detroit News]

Acker builds his case to stick with Pistons
There is no telling what the fates hold for Acker. Fellow second-year players Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell have guaranteed spots on the roster. Acker, like last season, does not.

If the Pistons sign a free agent like Chucky Atkins, Flip Murray or Tony Delk, there is a chance Acker would be set free.

"All I can do is approach this like it's a make-or-break summer," Acker said. "I am not taking no days off and I am going as hard as I can on every possession. I see a lot of guys out here who want it, but I want to be a contender, too. I am trying to stay in here and last as long as I can."

[Detroit Free Press]

As Ben joins Bulls, dealing to begin
Today, it will be official: Ben Wallace will become a Chicago Bull and center Nazr Mohammed will join the Pistons.

After 11 days of working only on oral agreements, NBA free agents can sign contracts today. That means Wallace will officially bid Detroit adieu and become a $60-million man for the Bulls, and Mohammed will sign up to play in Detroit for five years (with the last year a player option) and $30 million.

.... With the moratorium over, today is also the first time teams can make trades. And the rumor mill does not lack for big names, as Philadelphia's Allen Iverson and (as always) Minnesota's Kevin Garnett have cropped up in media reports as potential trade bait. Big-name free agents like Atlanta's Al Harrington and Sacramento's Bonzi Wells are also still on the market and could be moved through sign-and-trades.

[Associated Press]

Porter confirms offer, says he will off on decision
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Former Blazers point guard Terry Porter says the Pistons have offered him an assistant coaching job.

Porter is leading a group trying to raise enough money to buy the Portland Trail Blazers.

He says he won't make any decision on the Detroit offer until the attempt to buy the Blazers plays out.

[MLive.com]

FULL-COURT PRESS: NBA releases salary cap and luxury tax figures
The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2006-07 season will be $53.135 million. The new Cap goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 12, when the league’s “moratorium period” ends and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

[Detroit Bad Boys]

Chauncey Billups: I was tired
"Honestly, I didn't take it that hard because, myself personally, I was spent," said Billups, a former University of Colorado star. "I was coming into games mentally strong and ready. And my body just wouldn't let me do what I do. I was just tired. Just burned out. And I've never had that feeling before."

ALSO:
Tuesday's layup drill

[Need4Sheed.com]

The Wizard of NaZ
It will become official today, when the NBA's moratorium on free agency ends and the Pistons sign Nazr Mohammed to deal with their mid level exception. Exact details will be announced but it's most likely that Detroit pays Nazr 5.2 million dollars a year, a drop in the bucket compared to what Chicago is spending on Ben Wallace.

A read on CB, after the playoff exit: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_4035153




WHY BEN WALLACE LEFT (source http://www.sportsinferno.com/TruthSpeak.php?ID=393)


We in the media did you a disservice by buying into the Pistons company line and down playing the night Ben Wallace refused to enter a game against Orlando during the regular season.
We said it was no big deal and that things were handled. Ben was just trying to send a message to teammates who he felt no longer worked hard enough on the defensive end.
Little did we know that a bad decision against a bad team was the beginning of the end for the Pistons.
It opened wounds that were never closed. Now those wounds are being exposed again as Wallace leaves to sign a four year deal with the Chicago Bulls for $52 million. He reportedly told the Pistons he was moving on and accepting the Bulls free agent contract offer. The Pistons offered four years at $49.5 million.
Don’t say this was all about money. You mean Ben can’t do without $625,000 a year for the next four years.
The move puts the Pistons in a tough spot but Wallace might be moving on at the right time.
There is no way he is worth a maximum contract and I believe he would be a player of diminishing return with the Pistons. He grew discontent over the past two years and his numbers are beginning to decline.
Now we get to see if it was age (he is 32) or not wanting to be here led to his sometimes disinterested play.
Three years ago Wallace averaged 6.9 points, 15.4 rebounds and 3.15 blocks a game. Last season he averaged 7.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. His game slipped off the radar during the playoffs (4.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.22 blocks) and became a detriment to the Pistons.
At least three NBA insiders told me Wallace lost money during the playoffs.
Actually he didn’t. He was just losing interest in the Pistons.
If you believe Wallace left because of money then you were not paying attention. One thing Wallace does a poor job of is hiding his feelings. You could see he was no longer happy here and probably felt unwanted. The Pistons stopped running plays for him. Often on offense he looked like the last kid picked during a play ground pick up game. He was ignored.
He wanted to be more involved in the offense, but his offensive game was so pedestrian that all he did was hurt the Pistons. You gave Wallace the ball not because you expected him to score. You gave him the ball to keep him happy.
That is not good enough.
He also did not like Flip Saunders, an offensive minded coach. But Wallace also did not like Rick Carlisle and Larry Brown. Who did he want as coach? Bill Russell?
So now a slow Fourth of July in Detroit ends filled with fire works. The Captain Steve Yzerman walks away from the Wings and now Big Ben walks away from the Pistons.
When have two stars this big left this town in the span of hours?
Both teams will struggle in the short term as they try to grow into new identities. At least for the Pistons this is a blessing in disguise. The league is changing into a more offensive-minded league that will be run by stars.
It is time for the Pistons to move into the new era. A few years ago we panicked when Grant Hill left and Wallace came in. But the timing was perfect. We just did not know it at the time.
Don’t be surprised if lightening strikes twice and Dumars works a sign and trade with the Bulls, bringing in Tyson Chandler so Ben can get maximum money.
Even if that does not happen it will be a blessing in disguise.

Pistons officially add Mohammed
by Larry Lage

Nazr Mohammed probably won't be able to duplicate Ben Wallace's ability to defend, rebound and play with energy for the Detroit Pistons.

Mohammed, who essentially replaces Wallace in Detroit, can add more at the offensive end — and the center will cost about $9 million less next season.

Still a Second City (Detroit VS. Chicago)

Source: http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn...c.php?t=107888

Looks to be a slow news day, aside from whatever spectacle Chicago makes out of the Ben Wallace signing. Here's what we've got so far. Feel free to add whatever Pistons-oriented stuff you find -- it's been a big help.

[Detroit Free Press]

MITCH ALBOM: It's not what you say, it's where you sign
"Were you surprised Ben left?" I asked Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, on Wednesday.

"Surprised is probably not a word you use a lot in this business," he said. "We're disappointed we lost him ... but he took a bigger and better deal."

And in so doing, he is no different than most pro athletes. It's just that we thought he was. Ben Wallace made himself a player. But Detroit made him a star. The Pistons took him from a no-name Orlando Magic castoff and turned him into an icon, a hard hat hero. The Pistons celebrated his muscle, his hair, they put him on billboards and sold him as their "Goin' to Work" centerpiece.

In the end, it wasn't about going to work. It was about getting paid. And again, the only thing bothersome is that Wallace gave signals that it wasn't. He told me that being the highest-paid guy wasn't the only thing that mattered. Yet when the Pistons offered him around $12 million a year for four years -- the fattest salary ever offered a Detroit basketball player -- he asked for more. WAY more.

MICHAEL ROSENBERG: Pistons realize offense rules the NBA
The Dallas and Miami players who played in the NBA Finals all have something in common: They failed to make the league's All-Defensive team. In fact, none even made the All-Defensive second team.

The last time that happened was 1981.

Dallas and Miami won with offense. Whoever wins next year will win largely because of offense. This is extremely frustrating to some old-school people, and one of those old-school people is Ben Wallace. Remember when he complained about the Pistons' emphasis on offense in the middle of the playoffs? That wasn't an isolated comment. It really bothered him.

But the Pistons had no choice. This isn't 2004. Coach Flip Saunders had to open up the offense to keep up with the rest of the league -- and that wasn't going to work for Ben, because that isn't his game.

Pistons offer Porter a coaching job
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Former Blazers point guard Terry Porter says the Detroit Pistons have offered him an assistant coaching job.

Porter is leading a group trying to raise enough money to buy the Portland Trail Blazers. He says he won't make any decision on the Detroit offer until the attempt to buy the Blazers plays out ....

Notebook: With Wednesday being the first day free agents could sign contracts, center Nazr Mohammed is officially a Piston. The team made no official announcement, though. He will make about $30 million for five years.

[DetroitPistons.com]

Acker aiming high
Jason Maxiell, a fellow rookie with Acker last season and current teammate in the summer league, has noticed the improvement in Acker’s play but is not surprised.

“Alex is a skilled player,” said Maxiell who’s averaging 14.5 points after two games. “Compared to last year, you can see this year he’s being more aggressive and at times he’s taking over the game.”

DAVE WIEME: Strictly Business
You know what I am? I’m sad. It’s a gloomy July afternoon…the clouds are hanging low and it looks like it could rain any minute. It’s almost like the day knows that something sad is happening today and it is showing outwardly what I feel inside.

Ben was a great addition to this team. He was a guy you could admire because he brought himself up from nothing. He wasn’t drafted and he was only a role player on the early teams that took a chance on him. Even when he came to Detroit, he had a low profile, mostly known as one of the guys Joe Dumars got for Grant Hill.