Grading Joe's Offseason So Far

Being a Brunin alumni and former faculty member myself (I have a degree from their extension program as well as having taught their) I never ever bash a fellow Bruin, though I may rag on a Bruin team in general. For instance when I have said that last year's basketball Bruins had a lousy front line, and I may make fun of an individual player in a loving way, but I don't wash my dirty laundry in public.

If it turns out that AA doesn't cut the mustard, rest assured that I will keep my mouth shut about his failings. Note that there is a difference between pointing out a player's weakness and bashing him. I will point out a Bruin or ex Bruin player's weakness but softly and grudgingly.

But if he can play, and Saunders just sits him, will you back Afflalo up, even over your zealous defense of Saunders? Or will you start telling us the coach knows what he is doing?

I have no comment on this.

I would hope that you can respect that.

Have a nice evening.

Buddha, I think you should blame it on Mike Curry.

I don't know about that.

After all he is now one of our assistant coaches. Maybe I can blame it on Cola.

To me Curry and Cola will always be linked in Pistons history and trivia. LOL

Now that's an answer I can honestly respect.

Hopefully, Afflalo is the real deal, AND Flip plays him.

Unfortunately, I don't think so, I think Flip is coaching for his next gig, which means 1. He doesn't care if gets fired, and 2. He aint playing rooks to mess up his winning pct, and mess up his next job.

I of course respect you as a person. However, as far as my original comment, that I find your praise of Afflalo very hollow, it stands. I will be backing him up if he can play, rest assured. (And if he can't-I will be just as sure to mention that. I will call it like I see it.)

I would expect nothing less from you.

Yep, I completely agree with your post. JD has the same mix that can no longer pull-the-trigger in post season. I give him a "C-" because the trade season is not done. This team still has no "go-to" guy. The bench is younger, and suspect. Team weakness (for winning it all) remains the same.

Now that's just plain silly.

You should be happy.

K. Jahnke agrees with you. She even thinks that Nazr will get more minutes than AJ.

Well if the Pistons wind up sitting their best big man than so be it.

B+ Joe is playing chess again. Every move he's made has been a move where he's thinking two moves ahead.

• The Draft. Stuck, basically a younger Chuancy, is guaranteed for 4 years, just like Billups' new contract. 2 years of learning, 1 year of serious comp at the pt, then he takes the starting role from the teacher in year 4. Alf- While Roscoe thinks Stuck is a young Joe D, I think Alf's game resembles Joe's game big time. Not very athletic, but a tough defensive minded guard who can score well enough to be productive. Mejia- Whenever your 2nd rounder can actually make the team and have a shot at getting some mins, then it's a steal.
• Free Agency. I know people wanted some sizziling name to join our roster, I know we wanted some trade that sent our garbage to Minn for KG or to LA for Kobe, or to ink a player that had 1 solid season to the MLE, but Joe stuck to his guns and held pat. He did get Billups re-upped for a bargain basement price, he got Amir resigned, and he extended Dyess. I respect leaders who have a vision for what they want to be done and then have the ability to go out and do it. It's very clear what Joe wants for today and tomarrow for this team and he's executed it quite well.

The only thing left to do is move Flip Murray. I have no problem with Flip's game but we only need 1 vet guard on the pine for insurance purposes, and that should be Lindsey. Flip deserves to be able to go to a team where he can play and display his game to get another contract and he can't do that here. Lindsey can ride the pine with no problem because this is his last year.

I know people have high expectations, thus for a team to merely compete for ECF every year and never get over the hump is frustrating, but some of these grades of C- and D are extraordinary to me. Basketball feree agency and building a team is completly different then many of the other sports. The way the cap is and ability for teams to keep their free agents really limits the ability of a GM to make sweeping changes, yet still retain most of the team. It just doesn't happen. People say Joe stuck it up by staying pat, but to not stay pat means he would have to have parted with some major assets to gain any further value. In the end, it is almost like trading a good apple for a good orange. Yes, the team is different, but your still eating quality fruit. On the other hand, people lambast him for not clearing house, but this is equivalent to Joe trading rotten apples (Nazr) for other peoples rotten oranges (Etan Thomas). Basically, I am trying to say that the NBA offseason is a very equalizing event where it is difficult to really add without subtraction - unless your team has a lot of cap space or is bad and wants to unload a lot of talent.

Therefore, for a team like the Pistons - a team that is built strongly and has very low flexability financialy and roster whys - the main grade must come from the draft. This is because the draft is the main way to improve a set franchise. Look as the SPurs, maybe the class of the NBA management. They were about to get tossed from the city until they got Duncan, and after that I believe their main goal was to keep everything together and add from the draft - Parker, Ginobili, etc. The only retooling they did besides that was add guys that in my opinion are sorta a dime a dozen - old Finley, old Barry, Nazr, etc. These guys I would consider the same as our guys like McDyess, Dale Davis, etc.

So my grade is a B / B+. Good Draft, but not an A because I think he could have gotten more for Delfino, though don't take this as me saying I really dilike the trade just what we got back.

I understand why some folk give Joe a C- or D. Just consider the source. These are guys who are pissed because Joe traded away their heros; nothing more. Most of them are blind "bum-lovers" who wouldn't know how to assemble a team if somebody paid them to do it. It's basically the difference between a fan and a groupie.

Better to be labeled a groupie as opposed to gropie.

I guess you have to consider what grade you give for standing pat. For me, it's a C, and any improvement would be a B or higher. If you consider standing pat a B, then I'll give Joe a B-.

From my point of view, Joe has weakened the team going into next year, but has added some pieces (Stuckey, Afflalo, and Mejeia) who definitely could contribute solid minutes 2 or 3 years from now.

My biggest criticism isn't getting rid of Delfino, and not even getting nothing in return (though it's up there); but in drafting Afflalo, who will be competing with Stuckey for the same minutes, while we only have Super Dupe as the backup 3.

Dude where do you get your info from???? It has been made clear by the Pistons Brass that Stuck's primary role is Billups' backup with some spot mins where him and CB are on the floor together. Aff is competing for time as the backup wing. You guys that never watch college ball but have a million opinions on a guys game kill me. Stuck and Aff are here to do thus season what Delfino and Flip Jr were supposed to do, but didn't. In short Stuckey and Afflalo DO NOT PLAY THE SAME POSITION!!!!!