Good call roscoe! The big question is 'how do you weigh the stats?' Obviously, Sheed fits Piston D better than KG or DN. Does Sheed expend too much energy on the D end of the court to be able to deliver more energy at the O side...hence his reliance on 3's? With Ben gone...there are some serious questions to consider.
This sort of reminds me of some thread last year, mebbe in nov. or dec. concerning the possibility of trading KG for sheed, etc... I love Sheed, but don't get me wrong, I can also acknowledge his limitations as a player. Still, this isn't fantasy league hoops. Those numbers are certainly impressive, but they've been produced in a certain context (as have Sheed's), with particular teammates, coaches, styles of ball, etc... So I'm wary of assuming that we could get from DN or KG what they've given their current squads. Then there's the unquantifiable question of leadership. DN may well be a leader and Sheed may well not be. But Sheed's particular job on this team -- chemistry-wise -- might be different, but no less important.
Actually he did. Claimed that he could not go again due to a sore back or something. Nobody made a big deal out of it but Bens influence could have been the the factor - When have you known Sheed to not want to be there at the end of a close game?
``And with Dirk, he hasn't shied from being the team leader. Even if he hasn't always delivered, he hasn't tried to stick his head into the sand as Sheed has done so often.'' Yeah. He led his team to four consecutive losses in the finals. Think of who the best NBA players/leaders have been over the years, wonder if any of them were part of 4-game playoff losing streaks, esp. in the finals and up 2-0. Plus there was the whole blaming of teammates for the 05 playoff loss. Dirk's no leader.
So I suppose GUARANTEEING VICTORIES and then NOT STEPPING UP during those games makes you a leader? Looks like BOTH SHEED and ROY WILLIAMS are new team leaders. Sheed has publically stated that he doesn't want to be the man. He sure has no problem making the money that a superstar/team leader makes but he isn't willing to STEP UP TO THE ROLE. P.S. Anyone who saw those FINALS can't dispute that the REFS were in MIAMI's back pocket. Wade got to the FT line 26 times a couple of games. I have games on tape where the replays show Wade tripping over his own feet WITH NO CONTACT WHATSOEVER BUT YET HE ENDS UP ON THE FT LINE. DIRK got MUGGED REPEATEDLY in that series and EVEN TRIED to go downlow but DALLAS DIDN"T GET THE SAME CALLS THAT MIAMI GOT. It was one of STERN"S WORST SCREW JOBS TO A TEAM IN THE LAST DECADE. (FYI: I'm not a fan of Dallas or Miami but to see the way that Dallas got screwed over turned my stomach)
I'm not saying Sheed's a leader, which you seem to be assuming I am. I'm just saying that Dirk's NOT. You've got a faulty comparison. After watching both Dirk and Wade in that Finals you should have no trouble spotting the real leader. Dirk's a wonderful player, but if you're paying someone franchise money you should get a guy who's a better leader than Dirk. If you want to give Dirk credit for at least trying, then consider that he's getting franchise money and Sheed's not.
