Has any post-BadBoy Piston vet ever mentored a young player? I remember Sheed working with some of the youngsters (Cotton, lol) but other than that, I'm drawing a big blank.
I'm pretty sure Flip Murray was mentoring Will Blalock back in 2007 and encouraged him to shoot the 3-ball.
The Pistons long term success is married a lot more to Andre Drummond becoming an All-Star 1st Team Defense player than a 2nd round draft pick becoming a useful bench player. It can only help Drummond, KGB, and Monroe to have to play against Big Ben in practice. He isn't the player he once was, but he's still a pro. He can show Drummond where the weight room is and instill some pride and confidence into him. Try to get Pippa Middleton to play in Europe for a season. Joe D can point to Singler as an example of what playing time in Europe can do for you. And how it might be better for him to get that experience instead of getting the experience of being on an NBA roster, but never dressing for a game.
As long as a guy continues to play professionally in a league outside of the NBA, the team still holds his draft rights. The Pistons could simply not sign Middleton. This seems plausible since the team already has 13 small forwards. ShamSports.com: Unsigned draft picks Some of this is very fascinating.
As I stated Ben can practice against him before and after the game and show him the shortcuts on how to get to The Palace, but if he wants to come back, he should be sitting behind the bench with Jerry the security guy until somebody gets hurt. I know it may hurt his feelings, but these young dudes got to play and learn on the floor and not be sitting in suit on the bench behind the Ben and the A team.
You guys act like Ben isn't still one of the best + - players on the team. When he is on the court he has about as much a positive effect as anyone else on the team...him getting 10 minutes a game will not prevent the development of anyone on the team...there is absolutely no chance he gets near 20 minutes a game. No rookie doesn't develop because a former superstar and possible HOFer came in for 5 minutes during the second quarter to give him a rest break. If ben came in and took over the starting job then maybe there would be issues...but he will have nothing but a positive effect as a 15 minute or less player who is still the best defender by far on this team. I would much rather have them see the way Ben plays on the court in real games for a few minutes a game than have them play 5 more minutes a game. I understand we're rebuilding...and ben's production this year won't be nearly as valuable as it would be on a contender...but he's not a scrub, and he's not completely washed up. In fact he's still one of the better defenders and rebounders in the league. edit: and Greg Monroe has noted several times the effect Ben has had on him as a mentor.
I'm not really interested in Ben's plus/minus ratio at this point for the franchise. You are right. The team is in rebuilding mode. Every minute that Ben Wallace is on the floor is one minute less played by Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, Vlsav Kratsov, Kym English, etc. Ben needs to retire and ride off in the sunset.
so we should never play anyone over 30? Rookies development isn't solely dependent on them getting every single minute possible at their position. Ben wallace will be the only legit veteran big man on this team getting more than 5 minutes a game and even that needs to be cut so Kratsov etc drip up every last minute of playing time? I do care about his plus minus because regardless we are still trying to field a team that doesn't totally suck. I don't see the logical jump of people saying that these rookies would get more experience and progress faster with no veteran big man presence on the team doing anything than they would with one who is going to be playing 10-15 minutes a game (probably less time than even 10 minutes)? I just disagree. Seeing how a player like Ben Wallace performs day in and day out on the court can't just be disregarded...and obviously JD agrees to an extent. You're basically saying Ben needs to retire and ride off into the sunset because he is old, not because he lacks skill. That is insulting in a way since his abilities are now called defunct because a horrible team like our Detroit Pistons is so bad that we can't manage to play any veterans more than 5 minutes a game. I can't wait to see our incredibly lethal front court with absolutely no veteran presence what so ever :/.
Big difference between 30 and 38. Ben just doesn't have energy that he had when he was 30. If there was a chance that he could be productive again, than fine. The difference between Ben Wallace playing 10 per game and Kratsov.........getting valuable experience is monumental......except for the won/loss stats. I'd guess maybe a 2 game swing either way. Please post articles showing that Ben Wallace contributes to the team as a mentor...player quotes will suffice. I could post declining stats.......anmd other personal issues, but we know those also.
No, I believe he lacks skill. The guy never had a lot of skill. He had more heart than most players, but skill was never his thing. I have no problem with having a veteran presence to mentor the youngsters, but I don't see Ben filling that role.
