Dumars: Trades, free-agent signings possible

I might as well throw this out there.

First: let us get a point guard. Taking into consideration the offensive flows now being established through out the league, it should be no surprise that an under 6-3 PG will not hurt you. In fact, the specialization that must counter-balance the P/R is almost a given that lateral and pure quickness becomes the only equalizer. Always keeps in mind...the P/R is a natural progression against court dimensions that have overloaded the dimensional borders of the court in a direction proportional to accelerated talent levels. OK, that's a tough sentence. Here's another analogy: think big fish (reproductive), little fish (adaptability), that must co-exist in a water cage (court dimensions) that has limited seasonal depth because of the variegated mixture of co-existence (big does not always rule) not subject to Darwinian Rules. Because of that Rule, you see the warp-and-woof of height/slower, reacting against shorter/quickness...now being played out. Remember, there are no losers.

Most all of you have a question about an important variable not yet discussed: this is the weather pattern. GM's determine the incremental battle on how everyone can survive within their particular pond. I like to call this the semi-Tolstoy symptom: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. The latter usually includes 29 left-overs.



Proposal: You will not draft a PG that steps right up and dissipates the typical freeze-frame that must nurture the standard 3-year learning curve of almost all PG's. It is not a matter of talent, but progressive perception.

You must draft and build upon familiar key-ways. Within a host of possibilities, I would pick, T.J. Ford. Yep, and I could extend this to all levels of justification. A quick look:

• Experienced and successful
• Young (25)
• Quick, adaptable and has the "stop me first" mentality.
• Not happy with his current role and coaching emphasis
• Outstanding offensive stats
• Defensive mentality bleeds over from his offensive arrogance of wanting to be a complete player. This is sometimes called, reflective hunger (ala Melo).
• Decent contract: 8.5M through 2-10/2-11 with Indiana holding Bird Rights.
• Solidifies the up-scale and new emphasis of offensive tenure. Bynum as backup will accelerate the momentum. Stuckey can now relax into a role (SG) that needs his concentrated attention.
• All 3-4-5 positions that have real talent will need to feed off the PG. Boozer/Okur=Williams; Nowitzki/Howard= Terry; Duncan/Ginobili =Parker; Ming/Scola=Brooks; Melo/Nene=CB; Gasol/Odom=Kobe; Garnett/Pierce=Rondo; LBJ/Ilgauskas=Williams; Johnson/Smith=Bibby;O'Neal/Beasley=Wade; Howard/Lewis/Turkoglu=Nelson.

And the Piston weather vane is pointing in what direction?

Great post.....just wanted to mention that Kobe, Wade & Terry aren't PGs but I get your point.

Locast your sig fits Sheed perfectly... Trader Jack woulda moved his arse in beat.

pass99

Excellent use of Ann Karenina in a basketball forum.

True enough, though. The Pistons have become that unhappy family.

I think Chris Kaman is the quickest way back for the Pistons. Trade a 2nd rounder for him and the sign a dominant lock down 1 on 1 defender like Chris Anderson relatively cheaply to pair with him to form the new times two (Chris x 2!). You add these 2 guys to Rip, Tay and Stuckey and I don't see a team in the East that can play with them. They got everything.

I know Kaman has some durability issues, but I don't think that will be a problem once he gets with Arnie Kander. My only concern with Kaman is that with his vast post game Rick Mahorn will confuse him with Kevin McHale and come out of radio row to pull the chair on him.

Plus, Kaman will give them a nice chip if they decide to pursue Bosh and will allow the Pistons to hold to Amir Johnson at the same time.

Chris Kaman would add needed size up front | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

You need to take a deep breath after making a statement like this.

Vince should stop writing...it's getting embarrassing.

No way Odom is luggage, all the makings of a great baller, height, skill, athleticism but like the Tinman he doesn't have any heart.

This is what I don't get...how so many people are high on Kaman, but completely against Boozer who is without a doubt a much better player. Kaman hasn't been much more reliable than Boozer injury-wise (if that is your hang up)...and Kaman's injuries have been in consecutive years and looking to get worse judging by the fact that they have been the two most recent seasons. Boozer's injuries had two full season between them leading me to believe that he's not a guy that goes down and stays down even if he does get injured here.

Besides, injury is not something that a player can control or just "will" not to happen. But, that seems to be the assumption being placed on Boozer, however the same standard isn't being applied to Kaman who isn't as good a player. Perhaps some fans just believe intrinsically that the taller player is somehow "better" or more valuable, but Boozer is clearly the better talent here and I can't see how bringin is this year's Todd McCollough is going to save us.

No more stop gaps...no more "Hands of Stone" Nazr Garvin signings. We have to stop signing players in the hopes that well, if we need him to throw in a deal to get a great player, he'll come in handy. We should be cutting out the crappy middle man and going straight for the better player. We will have enough money under the cap to go after Boozer AND Bosh, and I'd much rather see an effort in that direction than to hope we get lucky enough to chance upon another Ben Wallace-esque acquisition.

And we'd be sitting on 2 championship drive. Go Shock!

So you know what we would have got in trade?
If there was a bigger no-show in the playoffs I don't know who it is.

BTW, Boozer is a sloth on defense.

I was commenting on another post that singled-out Sheed as the best big available via free agency. You can't sit there and tell me that Sheed is all heart. He's shown himself (at least in my eyes) to be the type of player that jumps ship when things aren't going his way.

Well, without Mr. "No Show" there wouldn't have been a title in '04...so I'll happily take the W and "No Show" Wallace.

and BTW...I'll take Boozer over Kaman 6 days a week and twice on Sunday.

Sheed is still more consistent than Odom impact wise.

Your first statement is the truth... after that he couldn't even backup his own gauransheed... someone else had to do the dirty work.
Kaman is in the top 20% for mobility at his position& blocked shots... Boozer is in the lower 20% at his position .
Although Boozer has played some at the 5 he didn't do well there... the Jazz plyed better when Booze was out with injuries... that should tell you all you need to know.

I will defintely give you 04 for "No Show"... how long go was that again?

Calling CarlosGallan! Found this article on Fabio Herrmann on Hoopshype and I was wondering if you could translate it, just basically overall what it's talking about. BasketNews.net

Well, I hardly think this team is coming up short because of their rating in mobility. I'd like it to be that simple, but it's just not. Besides, I'm sorry, but percentage rates in mobility really shouldn't be a determining factor in whether to sign a guy. Actual statistical output, sure, mobility rates...not so much.

2nd, your argument on "no show" is based on the assumption (as far as I can see) that he was the reason we repeatedly came up short. I don't agree with that assessment so I would be debating that with you under a false premise. Hence, there's really nothing for me to argue with you about on that point. I think our major problems were elsewhere and don't begin or end with Rasheed.

What? What impact are you referring to? Their regular season statistics were almost the same with the slight edge going to Odom. Playoff averages? We don't need to go there.......

5 years.....a lifetime in the NBA. Point taken.

It will be interesting going forward trying to replace Sheed's role on the team. He's has inconsistencies, and he is definitely not getting younger, but the dude has an extremely well-rounded game for a bigman. In his prime, he rebounded the ball, played nice defense (text-book on the ball and help-side), and had post moves and a nice jumper. A lot of this he still has.

Who in the NBA as a big man has this type of game? Certainly not Chris Kaman. I feel like many many fans are fed up with Sheed and want him gone, but you will hear a lot of criticism of future big men in his role on the team, because they can't do all the things Sheed did.

Fans will miss Sheed when he's gone.