What if the Pistons don't take Darko with the #2 pick in 03

Bklynborn682 · Post #1 » by **Bklynborn682** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:33 pm

What would the Pistons future have looked if they didn't take Darko?
Do they still win 1 title, go to 2 NBA finals, as well as 6 conference finals.
Or do they become the dynasty of that time frame?
If they take Carmelo, their offense gets drastically better, but chances are tayshaun prince doesn't get much burn and their defense is nowhere near as historic.
But in Carmelo's defense, having a go to scorer like that could potentially vastly outweigh having an all time great defensive wing considering the defensive pieces they already had.
You would probably have a line-up like this
C Ben Wallace
PF Corliss Williamson
SF Carmelo
SG Rip Hamilton
PG Chauncey
* with the potential to still trade for Rasheed
If they take Chris bosh, I don't believe they wind up making the trade for Rasheed and hence it takes a little longer for the team to be ready to compete for titles in my opinion as great as Chris is, as a rookie I don't see him being ready to get them over the hump to win the title in 04, but it probably makes than legit title contenders for as long as they can keep that core together.
With a line-up of
C Big Ben
PF Bosh
SF Tayshaun
SG Rip Hamilton
PG Chauncey
I doubt they were considering D- Wade, as no one truly suspected him to be what he's been, even Pat Riley was trying to maneuver to get Bosh. But for the sake of argument if they did draft wade, I could see them initially starting him off the bench as the 6th man for the first year or possibly making Rip the small Forward & and Dwayne the 2guard, obviously they would be elite with Dwayne I'm just not sure of the fit, unless he or Rip were willing to be a 6th man because I think their best line up would be ( considering they still make the trade fro Rasheed, which I figure they would)
C Ben
PF Sheed
SF Tayshaun
SG Dwayne/ Rip
PG Chauncey
6th man Dwayne/ Rip

So which player fits them best and ultimately helps them win the most?

Post #2 » by **Quotatious** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:51 pm

Ironically, I think they would've had less success if they didn't draft Darko, because otherwise the Rasheed trade likely wouldn't have happened.

In the long run, Chris Bosh would've been an excellent fit for that team, though. He absolutely wasn't ready to be a part of a championship team in '04 or '05, but when he entered his prime in '06, he could've been the best player on the Pistons, definitely better than Rasheed at that point in time.

David West would make a lot of sense for that team, too (and he's a perfect fit for the Pistons because of his toughness, they always had that defense, toughness oriented identity). Thing is, he also wasn't ready to be a starter on a championship team in '04 or '05, and then, when he entered his prime in '06, he wasn't as good as Bosh.

Bklynborn682 · Post #3 » by **Bklynborn682** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:06 pm

Quotatious wrote:Ironically, I think they would've had less success if they didn't draft Darko, because otherwise the Rasheed trade likely wouldn't have happened.

In the long run, Chris Bosh would've been an excellent fit for that team, though. He absolutely wasn't ready to be a part of a championship team in '04 or '05, but when he entered his prime in '06, he could've been the best player on the Pistons, definitely better than Rasheed at that point in time.

David West would make a lot of sense for that team, too (and he's a perfect fit for the Pistons because of his toughness, they always had that defense, toughness oriented identity). Thing is, he also wasn't ready to be a starter on a championship team in '04 or '05, and then, when he entered his prime in '06, he wasn't as good as Bosh.

Yeah I was going to put that as an option as well, whether drafting Darko was the best situation due to what followed that season, the only thing though is with bosh they are probably contenders longer, & with Carmelo I could still see them making the trade for Rasheed, because they really didn't give up too much (I think a first Rd. Pick, Bobby sura & Lindsey hunter, whom they got back after a buyout) so that team would be in contention as long as they could keep their key pieces as well

SinceGatlingWasARookie · Post #4 » by **SinceGatlingWasARookie** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:27 pm

I believed in Wade after seeing him in the NCAA tournament. How would Wade affect the chemistry?
The Wallace Trade would still make sense with Wade on the team but with Wade on the team the team might not have Bobby Sura to trade but would instead have some big man. Boby Sura was a scrappy hustler like those Pistons. Sura plays 30 minutes a game for the Hawks after the trade so I think the Hawks actually wanted Sura.

Sura was acquired for a faded aging version of Clifford Robinson after the Darko Draft. Clifford Robinson could still hit 3s but was no longer hitting 2s at a decent percentage. With wade instead of Darko the Robinson for Sura trade might not happen. If the Blazers would accept Robinson and a first round pick for Wallace then the only missing piece is Mike James. That 2004 Pistons draft pick ended up being Josh Smith.

Hamilton could play half his time at small forward. In 2004 Wade could come off the bench. In later it could be Prince coming off the bench.

Lindsey hunter
February 19, 2004: As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Detroit Pistons with Chucky Atkins and a 2004 1st round draft pick (Tony Allen was later selected) to the Boston Celtics; the Atlanta Hawks traded Rasheed Wallace to the Detroit Pistons; the Boston Celtics traded Chris Mills to the Atlanta Hawks; the Boston Celtics traded Mike James to the Detroit Pistons; and the Detroit Pistons traded Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura and a 2004 1st round draft pick (Josh Smith was later selected) to the Atlanta Hawks.

February 25, 2004: Waived by the Boston Celtics.

February 26, 2004: Signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons.