Al Horford was represented by Arn Tellem...

DetroitSho · Post #61 » by **DetroitSho** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:07 pm

Regardless of the thread title I think enough common sense has been presented in this thread in regards to fit, Horford getting to finally play PF, the Pistons' potential high ceiling and Atlanta's limited ceiling as to why Horford could give Detroit a look. The Arn Tellem link is just a conversation starter and nothing that should be focused on, having already been presented with the aforementioned details.

Kilo · Post #62 » by **Kilo** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:12 pm

We're a playoff team now with four core pieces - a lot different than the position we were in last season. LMA wasn't from the area either. And I think Tellem here certainly does help us as the relationship between player and agent is very important with a huge amount of trust involved. In the very least it would get us a courtesy trip something we couldn't even get from most players last off-season.

zeebneeb · Post #63 » by **zeebneeb** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:17 pm

Snakebites wrote:
zeebneeb wrote:
ImHeisenberg wrote:Grasping and illusionary strings isn't anything new here. Recall when a few posters believed Tellem was going to sway LaMarcus Aldridge to come to Detroit.
Nor is the soul-crushing pessimism.

Honestly, in terms of free agency, even pessimists haven't been realistic enough when it comes to who the Pistons can get to come here.

This time is different and everyone knows it. The Pistons havnt had a player like Andre who is an all-world level of talent since Grant Hill and if he's playing like the best Pistons bigman ever. Combine that with a killer PG, and excellent defense, with Pope and Morris, this team is going places and players recognize that.

Combine the obvious "this team is on the rise in a big way" with an excellent coach in Stan Van Gundy(Not to mention president of basketball operations)and you have a dynamic here in Detroit not seen in a really long time.

What was once true does not always equal, will always be true. Times change and it would seem some people just cant quite come to accept that.

Whats happening here in Detroit is good. None of it bad. Stan has done an amazing job turning everything around in a YEAR.

The Detroit Pistons are going to be a top team in the East for quite some time to come. Add that the team is young and will only get better, well your going to draw a ton of interest.

Winning cures all ills.

ImHeisenberg · Post #64 » by **ImHeisenberg** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:19 pm

zeebneeb wrote:
ImHeisenberg wrote:
Snakebites wrote:I think way to much is being made of the whole "Tellem used to represent player X' though. I'd love to be proven wrong one day though.

Grasping and illusionary strings isn't anything new here. Recall when a few posters believed Tellem was going to sway LaMarcus Aldridge to come to Detroit.
Nor is the soul-crushing pessimism.

Stupidity is bliss, I suppose.

Note, I don't think Horford is a pipe dream. But, Aldridge definitely was.

zeebneeb · Post #65 » by **zeebneeb** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:21 pm

ImHeisenberg wrote:
zeebneeb wrote:
ImHeisenberg wrote:Grasping and illusionary strings isn't anything new here. Recall when a few posters believed Tellem was going to sway LaMarcus Aldridge to come to Detroit.
Nor is the soul-crushing pessimism.

Stupidity is bliss, I suppose.

Note, I don't think Horford is a pipe dream. But, Aldridge definitely was.

Ill agree with that as the team hadn't established themselves yet. Now is a completely different scenario.

All I know is that Stan has made some amazing moves in since his arrival, and I expect that will continue.

Post #66 » by **Cowology** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 6:54 am

I never once believed LMA was even remotely interested in signing here. Horford I consider a long-shot, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. The good news is there isn't really another big name FA out there worth pursing, so not a lot of harm in going hard after him at the stroke of midnight. Even if (when) we strike out we'll have plenty of time left to pursue plan B, C or D. It's not like we'll pull a PHX and dump assets, going all in to try and land him only to screw ourselves and be stuck with nothing. And I trust SVG to not pull a Dumars and blow his wad on another CV/BG debacle.

It's definitely worth the relatively low risk to pursue him, and we're a fair bit more attractive of a destination than we have been in years past.

DetroitPistons · Post #67 » by **DetroitPistons** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 7:01 am

Maybe I just wasn't on here much during the offseason but I don't remember any major movement advocating for LMA coming to DET. Maybe I just forgot though.

Post #68 » by **Cowology** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 7:08 am

There was a lot of talk, but most people actually felt he was too old. Oddly enough Horford is only a year younger and will actually be about the same age as LMA during his respective free agency. The big difference seems to be how far the team has come over the last 2 months. No sense pursing LMA when he'd be on the downside when this team begins to peak, but with heightened expectations thanks to Reggie & Dre's strong play it seems we're more willing to try and take the leap.

Liqourish · Post #69 » by **Liqourish** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 4:47 pm

DetroitPistons wrote:Maybe I just wasn't on here much during the offseason but I don't remember any major movement advocating for LMA coming to DET. Maybe I just forgot though.

It was really only a handful at most. And not everyone was for it. It's being exaggerating now to try and prove a point.

theycallmehail · Post #70 » by **theycallmehail** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:17 am

Liqourish wrote:
DetroitPistons wrote:Maybe I just wasn't on here much during the offseason but I don't remember any major movement advocating for LMA coming to DET. Maybe I just forgot though.

It was really only a handful at most. And not everyone was for it. It's being exaggerating now to try and prove a point.

It's pretty pathetic.

bstein14 · Post #71 » by **bstein14** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:03 pm

Biggest thing for us in free agency will be how we finish out this season, and how we do in the playoffs. If we can finish out this season 2nd or 3rd in the East and make it to the conference finals where we lose to the Cavs, we're going to potentially be a top FA destination this summer. If we fizzle out and end up with the 8th seed and get crushed by the Cavs players will consider other options.

We've got a young core that is getting better, a defensive minded pair of players on the wings, and a guy who is looking like a top 2 or 3 center for the next decade. As well as a talented young all-star caliber PG and a coach who the players seem to love playing for. I think if we're looking like we're on the brink of something special as a young team, you're going to get more consideration from FA's than we would as a lottery team or 7/8th seed that gets crushed in the first round.

bstein14 · Post #72 » by **bstein14** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:05 pm

For example, the Wizards were once considered the front runners for Durant if he were to leave OKC but if they continue to struggle this year and miss the playoffs I think that almost eliminates them from consideration before the free agency madness even begins.

DetroitSho · Post #73 » by **DetroitSho** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 3:53 pm

I always believed the Durant to Washington commentary was a lazy conclusion to draw just because he was from there. If he was born in Milwaukee, nobody would ever give Washington a thought just strictly based on basketball reasons alone.

Kilo · Post #74 » by **Kilo** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:04 pm

^ Well it was off of Lebron James "going home" to Cleveland, so Durant would go home to DC. Hell, it partially why I give Horford more of a chance to come to Detroit - he lived his teen years here in MI. Familiarity with an area can't hurt, neither can family in the area still. I expect Durant to leave OKC though. I think he'll be a Laker.

Let's hope we beat ATL again tonight to show Horford we're already better than his Hawks.

DetroitPistons · Post #75 » by **DetroitPistons** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:12 pm

bstein14 wrote:Biggest thing for us in free agency will be how we finish out this season, and how we do in the playoffs. If we can finish out this season 2nd or 3rd in the East and make it to the conference finals where we lose to the Cavs, we're going to potentially be a top FA destination this summer. If we fizzle out and end up with the 8th seed and get crushed by the Cavs players will consider other options.

We've got a young core that is getting better, a defensive minded pair of players on the wings, and a guy who is looking like a top 2 or 3 center for the next decade. As well as a talented young all-star caliber PG and a coach who the players seem to love playing for. I think if we're looking like we're on the brink of something special as a young team, you're going to get more consideration from FA's than we would as a lottery team or 7/8th seed that gets crushed in the first round.

Definitely. People talk about all of the other factors that come into play for FAs deciding where they want to go but as long as they get their money, winning is the most important thing. 2nd or 3rd is going to be extremely tough but if that does happen I could definitely see a guy like Horford believing he could put us over the top.

DetroitPistons · Post #76 » by **DetroitPistons** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:15 pm

Kilo wrote:^ Well it was off of Lebron James "going home" to Cleveland, so Durant would go home to DC. Hell, it partially why I give Horford more of a chance to come to Detroit - he lived his teen years here in MI. Familiarity with an area can't hurt, neither can family in the area still. I expect Durant to leave OKC though. I think he'll be a Laker.

Let's hope we beat ATL again tonight to show Horford we're already better than his Hawks.

The LeBron to CLE thing had far more factors in play though. LeBron was drafted by CLE originally, was obviously a from there, became their best player in franchise history, and then betrayed them to go to MIA where he won two rings. There was A LOT more motivation for LeBron to go back to CLE than there is for Durant to go to WAS.

joedumars1 · Post #77 » by **joedumars1** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 4:42 pm

I'll say it again, anyone who doesn't consider Detroit as a good destination is a idiot and I don't want anyway.

1. Dre, seems to be once in a generation type player.
2. SVG
3. RJ top 5 or so PG
4. The money will be the same more than likely
5. KCP/SJ, we have Mook too.

If this doesn't look like a attractive team to a FA then he wants the $ or the fame, like say Melo. I don't want that type of player.

DetroitSho · Post #78 » by **DetroitSho** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 8:41 pm

DetroitPistons wrote:
Kilo wrote:^ Well it was off of Lebron James "going home" to Cleveland, so Durant would go home to DC. Hell, it partially why I give Horford more of a chance to come to Detroit - he lived his teen years here in MI. Familiarity with an area can't hurt, neither can family in the area still. I expect Durant to leave OKC though. I think he'll be a Laker.

Let's hope we beat ATL again tonight to show Horford we're already better than his Hawks.

The LeBron to CLE thing had far more factors in play though. LeBron was drafted by CLE originally, was obviously a from there, became their best player in franchise history, and then betrayed them to go to MIA where he won two rings. There was A LOT more motivation for LeBron to go back to CLE than there is for Durant to go to WAS.

Came here to post this. If LeBron didn't start his career in Cleveland, and if their roster resembled Washington's, there's no way in LeBron would have chosen to go there. I don't care if his mother gave birth to him at center court of Quick Loans Arena. Durant has zero emotional ties to the Wizards organization. Especially to choose a downgrade in talent over the team he has.

Blkbrd671 · Post #79 » by **Blkbrd671** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:22 pm

Kilo wrote:We turn down PO on Ilyasova and Anthony, let Jennings, Tolliver, Anthony walk we have around 60M in contracts on the books.

Reggie Jackson
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope|Jodie Meeks|Darrun Hilliard
Mook Morris|Stanley Johnson
Al Horford|Mook Morris
Andre Drummond|Aron Baynes

We still have a first round pick in there, and then add a couple vets on vets minimum deals (Tolliver back?) which allows us to go over cap and boom.

i've forwarded your message to Pistons management. We like to thank you for your service

DetroitPistons · Post #80 » by **DetroitPistons** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:37 pm

Blkbrd671 wrote:
Kilo wrote:We turn down PO on Ilyasova and Anthony, let Jennings, Tolliver, Anthony walk we have around 60M in contracts on the books.

Reggie Jackson
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope|Jodie Meeks|Darrun Hilliard
Mook Morris|Stanley Johnson
Al Horford|Mook Morris
Andre Drummond|Aron Baynes

We still have a first round pick in there, and then add a couple vets on vets minimum deals (Tolliver back?) which allows us to go over cap and boom.

i've forwarded your message to Pistons management. We like to thank you for your service

Horford would be great but that bench is paper thin... Worse than what we have now.