If I, for some reason, was being introduced as the new owner of the Detroit Pistons, this would be my introductory press conference: "Hello, blah, blah, blah.....moving on to the important stuff.....There are two ways to build a championship team in David Stern's pathetic new NBA. Number one, if you're a 'free agent destination' franchise, ala NY, LA, CHI, BOS, MIA, you can clear all of your cap space and sign three super-stars. Number two, if you're not a 'free agent destination' franchise, ala DET and the rest of the league, you can intentionally lose all of your games for three seasons and draft three superstars. I have no intentions of building a mediocre team here; I want to win championships; and thanks to David Stern, I've got no other choice than tanking for three seasons. So, here's what we're going to do. For the next three seasons, we will be playing 'three-quarter basketball' in Detroit. For the next three seasons, as far as we're concerned, the end of the third quarter is the end of the game. So, naturally, we'll be charging three-quarters of our normal ticket, concessions and merchandise prices at the Palace. If we're winning after three quarters, our fans can go home happy - or turn off their televisions - and consider the game a victory. There will be no need to stick around to see what our backup team, aka the Washington Generals, does in the fourth quarter. Imagine if we would have started doing this three years ago. Instead of being the 15th, 7th and 8th worst teams in the NBA, and getting Austin Daye, Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight in return - no offense, guys (laughter) - we could have gotten Blake Griffin, John Wall and Kyrie Irving. Instead of being projected to go to the draft lottery once again this season, we could have been projected to go to the NBA Finals! I know it's going to be a tough three year stretch, but given the realities of David Stern's new NBA, it really is the only way to bring NBA championship basketball back to Detroit. So, please, support our team through these next three seasons. If we don't go bankrupt attempting to do this, I can guaranSHEED you a 10 year championship-filled NBA Dynasty. That's worth three years of suffering, isn't it!? You'd much rather have that than 13 years of mediocrity, wouldn't you!? So please, buy-in to the three quarter concept. Go to as many games as you can. Watch as many games on TV as you can. And witness, first-hand, the building of your own NBA Dynasty." (Massive applause) 2014 Detroit Pistons: C: *A. Drummond(2012 lotto)..........*MLE PF: G. Monroe(5.5mil, 2yrs)..........J. Jerebko(4.5mil, 2yrs)..........C. Villanueva(8.6mil, 1yr) SF: *J. Parker(2014 lotto)..........T. Prince(6.8mil, 2yrs)..........A. Daye(4.1mil, 1yr) SG: *S. Muhammad(2013 lotto)..........B. Gordon(13.2mil, 1yr) PG: B. Knight(?)..........R. Stuckey(?)
I think there is a difference between small-market/big-market and desirable location/undesirable location. I don't think the Pistons are really a small market team. A good (45-50 wins) team is getting nationally televised games and selling out the arena (or close to it). Not the same situation for a team like the Bucks. I think this is an overreaction. The Knicks just went through over a decade of irrelevancy, despite being a NY team. The Lakers not only have the most glamorous location in the league, they have one of the most consistently well ran front offices in sports. Chicago's resurgence had to do with already being fringe playoff team then striking gold in the lottery. Boston's run was done with players they had drafted (Perk and Rondo were late 1st round draft day trades + Pierce) or traded for. Despite the Miami team now, their only championship was on the backs of a draft pick (Wade) and the big fella who they traded for (a trade that included Odom, who only helped LA get 2 more championships). I'd even argue that Miami isn't even a big market, it's just a really nice place to be young and rich. I guess my point is, there is no new NBA. The blueprint to win is the same, more or less, than it was 15 years ago. Teams in less desirable locations/markets have to be a little luckier and a little smarter than their more fortunate counterparts. Plus, your line-up does not include THE UNIBROW.
Hoping to get the picks that you want and that they will pan out. A bit of risk involved there I'd say. But isn't that what all teams are hoping when drafting?
