Pistons Blog

Be patient, Pistons fans

I've gotten a lot of emails from fans, readers over the past few weeks wondering why the Pistons haven't been as active as some of the other teams in free agency and the trade market.

While some folks expected Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton to be jettisoned out of town, it's hard to make a trade for value when everybody knows your guys can be had. If the Miami three is any indication, championship teams must be built carefully, and GMs must avoid hasty moves, particularly if a team is in a less-than-desirable destination. Detroit and its metropolitan area, for all its hidden gems and quality places to live, eat and shop, isn't South Beach. Nor is it New York.

Whenever Pistons President Joe Dumars decides to move one of his vets, it will be the most significant personnel move aside from drafting Greg Monroe. There probably won't be any big free agency additions over the next couple of years that will dramatically alter the future of this franchise.

It must be done through trades and the draft. Being in a hurry to trade Hamilton and Prince, proud vets who've given a lot to the franchise over the years (and have had a lot given to them), won't produce a positive result.

If it happens, whether it's now, August, before training camp or during the season, if a move presents itself that's beneficial to the Pistons, I believe Dumars will make it. Remember, he's traded close friends Lindsey Hunter, Michael Curry and Jerry Stackhosue. Cold feet shouldn't be an issue. He's made offers already, but so far nobody's biting.

Either he's asking for too much, or they're offering too little in return. Like draft-day trades, the asking price becomes more realistic as the offseason goes along.

Remember, the trade that brought Hamilton to Detroit for Stackhouse in 2002 happened two weeks before training camp started.

In other words ... be patient.

Pistons' Gordon OK with Miami 3

Pistons guard Ben Gordon was in Las Vegas during summer league, observing his team while also taking part in a leadership conference put together by the NBA Players Association.

Of course, he was asked about Miami's Super Friends and he wasn't as critical as many other players have been

"I think it's going to change the landscape of the game," said Gordon to cbssportsline.com. "I think you're going to see more guys trying to team up, trying to do what those guys did. I think it's going to ultimately be good for the game."

Gordon submerged his ego to come to Detroit last year, knowing there was a chance he would have to come off the bench because longtime shooting guard Richard Hamilton was still on the roster. Gordon applauded James for making a similar sacrifice, coming to Dwyane Wade's team.

"He's getting a lot of slack for it now from some people," Gordon said. "But I thought it was pretty impressive for him to be able to kind of put his ego aside and realize, 'OK, I can't do this by myself. Let me team up and try and win.'"

Gordon said he's looking forward to playing the Heat; Detroit and Miami will play three or four times this season, not including the Oct. 5 exhibition opener in Miami.

"As long as they're happy with their decisions -- and obviously they are -- I think that's all that counts with them."

Gordon believes it will be good for the game in the long run, and had an interesting comment about teams that give the lip service about contending, but don't back it up with personnel moves.

"There's no in between now," Gordon said. "It's either you're trying to compete or you're not. That's been made very clear now. It's almost like guys are forming these superpowers with the talent they have on their team. We'll see what happens."

Vegas leftovers

Leftovers from the Las Vegas summer league:

1. DaJuan Summers still has a ways to go before he's an NBA player who can help a team. By the time he's that type of player (if he ever reaches that stage), Summers will likely be with another team.

2. DeMarcus Cousins looked slimmer than he did at the Chicago draft combine. If he's focused on basketball, Cousins will be an impressive rookie for the Sacramento Kings. He's a much better passer than I suspected.

3. Greg Monroe will be fine, but he's still raw in parts of his game. But he'll help this Pistons team.

4. Several readers were irate with me regarding my recent observations about Jonas Jerebko. All I'm saying is that I doubt Jerebko will ever be a star in this league. But he can be real good player for a team, a guy who'll be in the league for a long time and be a significant piece in its success.

5. The crowds in Las Vegas were surprisingly good. There were some good rookies playing, and that got fans' attention.

6. Terrico White is a project. I love his athleticism, but he's another rookie with a lot of work to do.

7. I was impressed with Pat Sullivan's coaching. The Pistons assistant coach got the attention of the young players more than a few times.

8. NBA team in Vegas? I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Too much temptation in so many ways.

9. I couldn't believe how many people were around television sets in Vegas the night of LeBron James' "decision." Amazing.

It's just summer league...temper the enthusiasm

Listening to NBA observers analyze the play of top draft picks John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Evan Turner, there's something very important missing: Perspective

Yes, while it's good to see how Wall can run a team and how Cousins can show his wide-array of post skills, enthusiasm must be tempered, if not quelled altogether. Heck, if Darko Milicic played in Summer League after he was drafted, who knows what people might've said about him. All those glowing compliments would be extremely off-base.

Now, I'm not saying Wall, Cousins or Pistons first-rounder Greg Monroe will go down that road, but even the confidence one gains from Summer League play doesn't carry over to training camp. The only lessons learned are simple ones, as in the case of Wall's high-risk, high-reward play. He's learning for now, the speed and pace of the game is completely different than what he's used to.

(Although in Cousins' case, I thought he would be the premier player from this draft, and his play thus far has done nothing to dissuade me from thinking that)

As for Monroe, although the floor seems to open up when players get to the pros, he must develop a firm post game before opponents will respect him enough to double him. It's then where his passing ability can be fully utilized. It's also extremely difficult to evaluate him when the other players are trying to prove they belong in the NBA.

Remember DaJuan Summers last year in Summer League? He was deemed the most-NBA ready player of he, Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko. When Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton went down with injury early last year, most thought Summers would be the rookie to take full advantage of their absence. Turns out it was Jerebko.

Summers could have contributed more last season, but it takes a few possessions for him to gain an offensive flow, and then he's worked into a lather. However, he only played in spurts, and was often yanked before he could gain a rhythm. I'll contend he should've played a lot more last season, and shouldn't have been on such a short leash, especially with his versatility and toughness.

Summer League doesn't gauge how a coach will use a player, or how that player will react in adverse times or situations. It's essentially practicing in front of a crowd.

When training camp opens up in two-and-a-half months, we'll find out what these guys are made of.

Until then....chill out, everybody

Pistons to open preseason in Miami?

Nothing definite yet, but there's a good possiblity the Pistons will open the preseason Oct. 5 against the Heat. Nothing noteworthy there usually, but in this case, that would be the world's first view of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together on the court for the first time for the Heat.

LeBron fallout

I thought LeBron James would stay in Cleveland. I believed that the lure of his hometown would be too much.

I guess not.

James didn't look sure of himself Thursday night. He didn't seem as if he were fully behind his own decision. I don't think he expected the bitter response from Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Cleveland fans.

I don't know how this will play out. If the Miami Heat choose wisely in filling out their roster, they have quite an opportunity here.

Can the Cleveland organization ever recover from this? But I'll tell you who I really feel bad for today: Those kids in Cleveland who loved James and the Cavaliers, and don't quite fully understand what just happened.

That stinks.

Greg Monroe can pass the ball

Impressions from Thursday's practice here in Las Vegas for Summer League: 1) Greg Monroe has work to do overall but there's no question about one part of his game. Monroe is a really good passer. He made several passes today that weren't easy, but made them look easy. Really nice touch. Fans will be impressed. That part of his game wasn't hyped up at all. It's legit. 2) Las Vegas is amazing. There are 22 teams here at this summer league and it just gets lost in the shuffle with everything else going on in this city. Even in the heat of summer in July and nothing else is really going on. But no matter. Too many other things to do. Summer NBA basketball doesn't rate for most folks here. 3) Austin Daye is a touch bigger but it's tough to tell. He's always going to have that string-bean body. Still has a ways to go defensively, it looks like, too. Remember, he should be a college senior this coming season. 4) Several of the undrafted rookies looked good in today's practice. But let's see those guys in a game first. I refuse to even mention a name until that player does something in a game, even a summer game, first. 5) Cannot wait for the LeBron saga to end. I get the feeling a lot of folks around the NBA feel that way, too.

Too much money

Free agent Brendan Haywood reportedly seeks $10 million per season. If that's the case, he's definitely not coming to the Pistons.

LeBron's future

Do you get the impression that LeBron James is staying in Cleveland? I sure do.

James reminds me of the high school senior who graduates, talks big about leaving town and how much he can't wait to leave, but ultimately doesn't go anywhere.

I also get the sense that James loves the attention that this free agency has brought him. But I think he'll stay in Cleveland. And maybe even bring a friend (Chris Bosh? Amare Stoudemire?) with him.

Reserved for the elite

The Pistons have an intriguing summer league roster.

You have Greg Monroe (Georgetown) and Terrico White (Mississippi), last week's draft picks. But joining them are the 7-foot center from Northern Iowa, Jordan Eglseder, who was projected as a second-rounder early in the college season " though he ultimately wasn't drafted.

You add talented college players such as Cal's Patrick Christopher, UAB's Elijah Millsap, Western Kentucky's A.J. Slaughter and Louisville's Edgar Sosa.

That's a decent lineup.

But think about this, too. Think about how difficult it is to get into the NBA when you see guys on this roster, and many others like them (Manny Harris, Raymar Morgan) who will be sprinkled among the summer league rosters, and many of them probably will be headed to Europe, South America -- all over the globe -- to pursue pro basketball.

The NBA is truly reserved for the best of the best.