Dumars: Pistons “Talking To Everybody”
In an interview with David Mayo of MLive, Pistons GM Joe Dumars talked extensively about the trade deadline and its impact on his team. Dumars didn't share many specific details about trade discussions, but the interview produced a number of interesting tidbits, so let's round up the highlights….
- Rival GMs "always ask for the home run," says Dumars. For teams talking to the Pistons, that means asking about Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. While Dumars wouldn't go so far as to call those players untouchable, he acknowledged that there are some guys he's "much less likely to move."
- The Pistons are "talking to everybody," though Dumars wouldn't put odds on the likelihood of a deal — he said that depends at least as much on what other teams are willing to do as on what Detroit is willing to do.
- Dumars on what he tells teams up front: "We're not going to do anything to jeopardize our future, we're not going to do anything to tie our hands going forward."
- Dumars conceded that he may spend an inordinate amount of time talking trades, but said it's important to do your homework and keep tabs on the needs of the other 29 clubs.
- The Pistons haven't completed a trade in recent years, but that doesn't mean Dumars is itching to make a move: "Only if it's a good deal. The objective is not just to make a deal. The objective is to do what's right for the organization."
Odds & Ends: Felton, Simmons, Chandler, Pistons
With ten days left until the 2012 NBA trade deadline, most columnists are looking ahead to next Thursday, exploring every possible scenario for moves contenders and non-contenders could make. Amidst all the trade speculation, Derek Page of HoopsWorld decides to look back at the offseason, assessing which trades and free agent signings have worked out best and worst so far this year, placing Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler atop the list of successes. Here are a few more Monday links from around the NBA:
- Raymond Felton, who Page named one of the season's worst acquisitions, will start for the Blazers tonight, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Given Jamal Crawford's success as a starter, it's unclear why Felton has been re-inserted into the starting five, but coach Nate McMillan insists it's not about showcasing Felton, tweets Joe Freeman of the Oregonian. I'm skeptical.
- The Clippers expect to sign Bobby Simmons to a second 10-day contract, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
- At SheridanHoops, Chris Sheridan lists a number of traded draft picks that could be important at this season's deadline.
- Wilson Chandler and the Nuggets are still talking about a contract for the restricted free agent, but there's nothing new to report, says Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Keith Langlois fields a handful of questions about potential Pistons trades in a Pistons.com mailbag.
Smith’s Latest: Celtics, DeRozan, Daye, Beaubois
After previewing the Bulls' upcoming matchups with Eastern Conference contenders, Sam Smith of Bulls.com checks in on some rumors from around the league. Here are a few highlights from Smith's latest column:
- Celtics talk should pick up over the next week and a half, but Smith wonders if, rather than trading Rajon Rondo or the Big Three, GM Danny Ainge could try to move Brandon Bass to clear more cap space for two major free agents this summer.
- DeMar DeRozan "isn't as untouchable as once believed," writes Smith. Given DeRozan's lack of improvement this season, that isn't a huge surprise, but I doubt the Raptors would sell low on him.
- Austin Daye has played just over six minutes in the Pistons' last eight games, and Smith thinks he could be an intriguing gamble for some team, if Detroit makes him available.
- According to Smith, if the Mavericks want to create summer cap space by moving Shawn Marion's contract either during or after the season, packaging him with Rodrigue Beaubois could make it easier to find a taker. The 24-year-old Beaubois has averaged 13.8 points and 2.0 steals per game in four games since the All-Star break.
Central Notes: Dumars, Cavs, Pacers
While the Bulls may claim ownership of the best record in the NBA and the Pacers have gained steam after winning their last six games, the rest of the Central Division remains mired in a lottery-bound wasteland. The Bulls take their 30-8 record to Philadelphia tonight for a matchup against the 76ers. Let's take a look around the rest of the division to see what else is going on.
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press suggests Pistons general manager Joe Dumars will keep his roster intact as the trade deadline approaches. Ellis views Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight as the only two players that may garner interest from other teams. One executive mentioned Rodney Stuckey as a potential piece for a team looking for depth, but Stuckey cannot be traded until the off-season due to new rules created after the lockout.
- The Cavaliers may have been among the teams that nearly landed Lamar Odom in the off-season from the Lakers, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. The non-trade has been a blessing for Cleveland given Odom's off-court issues and underwhelming on-court performance this season in Dallas.
- The schedule is set to get a bit more difficult for the surging Pacers, says Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star. With their first six-game winning streak since 2005 and currently holding the three seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers are in a comfortable position in considering what to do with the trade deadline looming.
Pistons Notes: Wallace, Gordon, Villanueva, Bynum
Ben Wallace is expected to call it a career at season's end, and while Detroit's current roster isn't quite in the same league as Wallace's Pistons squad that won a title in 2004, the veteran big man feels like the team has plenty of promise.
"I like the direction this team is headed," Wallace told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. "I think the future is very bright for the young guys – Greg [Monroe], Brandon [Knight]. I wouldn’t have a problem with how I left them. I would be leaving them in a better position than what I found them."
Here's the latest on a Pistons club coming off a convincing home win over the Bobcats:
- The Pistons aren't expected to shake things up much at the trade deadline, though they'd love to move Ben Gordon or Charlie Villanueva if they could, says Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- Austin Daye and Will Bynum are among the Pistons unfazed by the approaching deadline, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. "I don't really care, it doesn't matter where (I play)," Bynum said. "Could be Africa, L.A., Orlando, I don't care for the business…. All I do is control how I work, and I'm waiting for my opportunity."
- Langlois fields Pistons-related questions in a mailbag, including a handful that focus on trade possibilities or potential offseason moves. Langlois says a deadline deal for Detroit is possible, but a blockbuster is a long shot.
Central Notes: Cavs, Bucks, Stuckey
The Bulls, with a five game lead over the Pacers, are the class of the Central Division, and tonight they're challenging their mettle against the red-hot Spurs. Here's a look at what's going on with some of the teams trying to chase down Chicago:
- The contract of Cavs big man Samardo Samuels is not guaranteed past this season, and coach Byron Scott says he'll have to step up his effort and energy to remain with the team, tweet Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Samuels, who played 11 minutes last night against Boston but has otherwise fallen out of the Cavs rotation, seems at a loss, telling the Plain Dealer, "It's hard to determine where I'm at and what I need to do to get on the court. I don't know what I did to get off (the court)."
- Bucks swingman Stephen Jackson, a subject of trade rumors, has indicated before that he has a rocky relationship with coach Scott Skiles, but a frustrated Skiles is unwilling to go back and forth with him on the issue, tweets Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Deveney says Australian Andrew Bogut may not be healthy in time for the Olympics, but Adam Zagoria of SNY writes that Kyrie Irving, who was born in Melbourne before moving to the U.S. at age 2, is considering suiting up for Australia instead.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld takes a look at Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey, whom he calls the team's best trade asset.
Central Notes: Sessions, Jamison, Pacers, Pistons
Representatives of the Central Division didn't see much action in Sunday's All-Star Game, as Bulls forward Luol Deng and Pacers center Roy Hibbert received the fewest minutes of any Eastern Conference player. The division's only starter, Derrick Rose, played just over 18 minutes, significantly less than the 30+ minutes the East's other four starters logged. So to make up for the Central's lack of face time Sunday, let's round up a few Monday morning notes from the division…
- Bob Finnan of the News-Herald breaks down the Cavaliers' first half and looks ahead to the rest of the season. He says Ramon Sessions is expected to be traded, but Antawn Jamison isn't quite as likely to go, since he's one of the team's leaders.
- Roy Hibbert trusts the Pacers to make good decisions at the trade deadline, as he tells Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (Twitter link).
- In a Pistons.com mailbag, Keith Langlois answers questions about whether the Pistons could try to acquire Emeka Okafor or eventually take a flier on Greg Oden.
Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kings, Iverson
- According to Marc Stein's Twitter, coach Doc Rivers does not expect any big deals for the Celtics near the trade deadline.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com chatted with fans about the current state of the team and entertains the feasibility of their trade proposal ideas. Also, Pistons coach Lawrence Frank seemed annoyed at the notion of draft talk at this point in the season, as reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- Even with the possibility of the Kings re-locating to Anaheim or Seattle, the team could have the help of another billionaire in the effort to stay in Sacramento, according to Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee.
- Allen Iverson has been offered a contract to play soccer for the Rochester Lancers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team's official website made the announcement this past Saturday.
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson tells Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com that he's in no rush to give his young players more playing time.
- Though Tyson Chandler believed he would re-sign with the Mavericks, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning news writes about how the situation unfolded over the summer.
Assessing Stocks: Detroit Pistons
Portfolio Review: The Detroit Pistons are a mess. While their trade assets aren't entirely worthless, many of them are circling the drain, leaving them in a precarious position. The Pistons have invested more time and energy into their roster than they would likely receive back in return. If all the individual pieces were worthless, it might be easier to cut their losses, discard everything, and start over.
Right now the Pistons need to diversify their portfolio. They have some rotation pieces in the backcourt in Brandon Knight, Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, and Ben Gordon. But all four are essentially slightly different variations of the same inefficient scoring combo guard. The key is to figure which one, if any, fits best with Knight and dump the rest for whatever they can get.
Prime Assets: Greg Monroe and Knight are too young and promising to determine their full trade value, so short of a one-sided offer, it makes little sense to deal them. On a good team with a reasonable contract, Ben Gordon was once worth at least one playoff victory by himself a series. On the Pistons, his contract is a liability and his presence in the lineup hinders the development of younger players.
The leaves Tayshaun Prince as their best asset, whether as a standalone or packaged with one of their backcourt pieces. Preferably for a rotation quality pure point guard like Ramon Sessions or legitimate shooting guard to begin the process of figuring out how to best use Knight.
Worthless Stock: Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva is a toxic asset whose lone redeeming value lies in the possibility that he might salvage his value to the team or be freed this offseason via amnesty.
The Rest: Combo guards and forwards are a dime a dozen in the NBA, and those on the Pistons have hardly shown anything separating themselves from the pack. Knight and Monroe are the set pieces, any redundant skill sets or players that might take up developmental resources to those two (minutes, usage, etc.) should be considered in a deal, even if it only returns addition by subtraction.
Pistons Notes: Knight, Stuckey
The Pistons have won six of their last eight games after starting the season with a 4-20 record. They'll head back home on Sunday looking to make it three in a row against a Celtics squad that sits four games behind the 76ers in the Atlantic Division. Here's a look at some Pistons news before the first of two Saturday night games gets underway:
- According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Brandon Knight became the first rookie to record a 20-point, 10-assist game without a turnover since Steve Francis pulled the feat in 1999 with the Rockets. Knight's effort came Friday evening in a Detroit victory over the Kings. The 20-year-old former Kentucky Wildcat is currently averaging 12.4 PPG and 3.6 APG in his inaugural campaign.
- The Pistons hold big hopes for a brighter future thanks to strong guard play from Knight and Rodney Stuckey, writes beat writer David Mayo. While his PPG are down slightly (14.7 as compared to a career-high 16.6 PPG two seasons ago), Mayo suggests Stuckey is more comfortable in sharing the spotlight with Knight and may be beginning to enjoy himself in Detroit. Stuckey's future promise was a major reason why the Pistons traded Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets prior to the start of the 2008/2009 season.