Is his best yet to come?
Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders looked more refreshed and a little more tan, fitting in well in this relaxed setting, wearing a white golf shirt, designer jeans and black penny loafers.
If Saunders is still carrying the weight of losing to the Miami Heat in the NBA Eastern Conference finals, he was playing it off well at the Las Vegas summer league.


man, I love flip. The insight. The passion. What other coach inspires so much....confidence.

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From that Pioneer Press article:

"We didn't get to the Finals because we didn't play good enough," Saunders said. "Basically, we messed up one game. We had a home game our first game against Miami that we lost. Outside of that, we beat Miami by (13 points in Game 5) at our place. The other games, we didn't take care of what we needed to do to take care of home court. But you live and learn."

Flip should have "lived" and "learned" a lot by now considering all his early playoff exits. I don't think this guy EVER wins a title.

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"I don't believe there's any problem in this country, no matter how tough it is, that Americans, when they roll up their sleeves, can't completely ignore. - George Carlin

what a moron!

Oh Flip you're taking this to a whole new level. championship teams win big road games. Sorry buddy, but I have seen no champion in the NBA who won a ship without having to win tough road games in the playoffs.

From the Pioneer Press:

Flip Saunders: "Losing Ben, there's some areas we're not going to be as good, there's some areas we're going to be better," Saunders said. "I think the thing about it is we're a little bit different where you have a team with four all-star players. It's not like you're taking a guy like Kevin Garnett off of Minnesota, and you don't get anything for him. We weren't a team that was built on one player. This is a team that was built on having a lot of players, all being able to play, and because of that I think it doesn't hurt you as much."

"I'm really not worried at all. I mean, they let Wallace walk, and I'm still here. This year we basically stay the same, but with Ben gone, we throw a little zone in there, win one more game in the Eastern Conference finals, and the Championship is ours!"

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"Eastern Conference regular-season champs, baby," said Chauncey Billups. "This is what we set out for when we started the season in training camp. We did it and we're happy." (2003)

Albom's take on Ben's credibility or lack thereof.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/s...template=front

Scroll down. For some reason, the article link wasn't working quickly enough so just click on the FREEP sports front.

[Detroit Free Press]

Wallace charms Chicago
CHICAGO -- He said he was misunderstood a lot, that he never wanted to take 20 shots per game, that he just wanted to be part of the action at both ends of the floor.

He said it was tough to leave Detroit, where he turned himself into an icon, won a championship and became the face of a franchise.
He said the last week and a half has been difficult, because he's still in Detroit, because he watches the news and reads the papers and knows the city that showered him with love the last six seasons loves him considerably less today.

But mostly, he said it was strange.

And it was.

FULL-COURT PRESS: Ben Wallace press conference notes
The one thing that stuck out to me is that they were class acts. They came in and presented themselves very well. They weren't buying into the fact that the league is changing and you can only win with offensive players. They stressed defense and rebounding. As a basketball player I live by the creed that no one can score without someone rebounding the basketball first. So if you want to be a great scoring team you're going to need rebounders. That's what I bring to the table.

Saunders audio notes: we could be better without Ben
We'll be different in some areas, and I think we'll be better in some areas. Prince is developing into a go-to type player. Delfino, with not having the rift between he and Mo Evans, will not have to worry about having an opportunity. You look back to last season and many of our best fourth quarters was when McDyess was on the court with Rasheed. I think McDyess will get more playing time and push himself to become the All-Star type player he was like five or six years ago.

[HoopsHype]

EDDIE JOHNSON: Wallace will struggle to reach lofty expectations
Ben Wallace will find out early how much Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince meant to him and how they hid his deficiencies.

He was protected to the max in that lineup with the multitude of offensive players surrounding him. Now he has a young inconsistent team with a volatile coach in Scott Skiles to protect his weaknesses every night.

I know Pistons coach Flip Saunders can’t wait to see those weaknesses exploited, thus proving to everyone why he couldn’t play Wallace consistently against certain teams down the stretch of the season and during the playoffs.

Understand I am not a Wallace-basher. I think he is one of the hardest workers in the league, but there is a reason why... He has no choice. If Wallace didn’t work hard, he would be out the league.

He can’t shoot from outside three feet, he has no post moves, he is an adequate passer at best and he is a horrible free-throw shooter. Wallace's attributes are great weak-side defense and tenacious rebounding.

But understand this warning... If Tyrus Thomas can’t defend the ball in the post like Rasheed did in Detroit allowing Wallace to roam, then he will likely be inconsistent and stay in foul trouble – in the end, not paying the dividends they are expecting.

Thursday's Layup Drill

Ben Wallace set to appear in a press conference announcing his decision to sign with the Bulls, but Mitch Albom won't be tuning in.
A lot of people have pointed to the recent NBA Playoffs as proof that the league is starting to favor offensive-minded teams. It was obvious to anyone that actually watched the [...]


Delfino Wants To Be Traded.....Again

I got this link via HoopsHype, it's in Spanish but he basically says he doesn't want to ride the bench for another year.


Jason Maxiell Thunder DUNK

Highlights of Pistons vs. Suns in the Vegas Summer League. Check out Maxiell!

From RealGM -
Pacers Gain $7.5 Million Trade Exception
14th July, 2006 - 10:13 am

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...ade_exception/

Here's one of those things in the NBA salary cap / trading rules that make you want to pull your hair out trying to understand. But, shows that Indiana is not done shopping yet.



From RealGM -
Cavs, Gooden Negotiations Breaking Down
14th July, 2006 - 4:29 am

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ar...breaking_down/

It's not over yet, but Gooden could be out of Cleveland.

[Detroit News]

ROB PARKER: O'Brien skips on Flip
My moles are telling me that Jim O'Brien is not joining the Pistons after all.

O'Brien, the former 76ers and Celtics head coach, appeared to be heading to Motown to join Flip Saunders ' coaching staff.

O'Brien, currently in Greece, interviewed for an assistant's gig. The Pistons wanted him. It seemed as if O'Brien wanted back into the league after sitting out last season.

Now, moles say, there are some family issues that will prevent O'Brien from taking the job.

[Detroit Free Press]

Pistons stay on the flip side
Coach Flip Saunders, meet your newest reserve, Ronald (Flip) Murray.

A person within the Pistons organization confirmed Friday that the team will introduce Murray, a guard, alongside Ben Wallace's stand-in, center Nazr Mohammed, at a press conference next week.

Terms of the deal could not be confirmed, but it is almost certain Murray will accept the team's biennial exception, a $1.75-million salary slot for teams over the league's salary cap to spend every second year on the free agent market.

[MLive.com]

A. SHERROD BLAKELY: Another Flip to the D
Flip Murray has agreed to a two-year deal with the Pistons, starting at $1.7 million for this upcoming season. He will be play behind Chauncey Billups, and at times, can be used as a backup to Richard Hamilton as well.

Although Murray, who was with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, struggled in the playoffs against the Pistons, he seems to be the kind of change-of-pace guard Joe Dumars said he was looking for.

FULL-COURT PRESS: Bulls frontload Wallace's contract
The Bulls had about $17.5 million in salary-cap space for this season, and general manager John Paxson said Thursday that most of it is going to Wallace.

Wallace benefits by getting more money up front, and the structure of the deal helps the Bulls absorb contract extensions to Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng in the coming seasons.