SVG:Monroe-Drummond 'an ideal pairing'

[Joe Berry]

Even if Stan doesn't plan with Monroe longterm, i am sure he wants good value for him in return. He is one of the few assets the Pistons have. A 16 & 10, 23- year old bigman doesn't come around too often, i want a perimeter all-star type of talent for him in return and i am sure Stan wants the same if he ever deals Monroe

[Jajwanda]

How did Monroe play next to Josh Smith this year?

[Southern Piston]

I'm pretty sure any combination of 2 of the three played well together, but all three at ounce was ugly. If we keep Smith he will be much much better under SVG, and I want to keep Monroe too. This three big man system could be great one, if we can make it cohesive, plus the overpaying for smith, a good next three years maybe we keep him on the next deal for a better price.

[E-Z]

How did Monroe play next to Josh Smith this year?

Hard to judge since those two probably played against other team's second units.

[pistontr]

this is bad. another year with smith-monroe-drummond

[Pharaoh]

Worst case scenario IMO:

Drummond 33/Monroe 15 - again, best C pairing in the East

Monroe 18/Smith 20/Mitchell or Jorts or Jerebko 10 - pretty freaking good, even bettee if one of the role players steps up

Smith 12/Singler 26/KCP 10 - not too bad really.

A coach that can stagger the minutes between Dre, Moose & Smith is what we needed more than anything this off-season & we got it. No need for doom & gloom IMO

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[tmorgan]

That setup at the 3 completely sucks and you know it.

Smith doesn't defend well on the perimeter and shoots way to many long jumpers at the 3.
Singler is a 8th man at best on a good team, and he's getting a lot of minutes.
KCP is our starting 2 unless something weird happens, so he's not getting those minutes at the 3 -- that'll be Datome, most likely. Who knows what we'll get from him...

[Q00]

That setup at the 3 completely sucks and you know it.

Smith doesn't defend well on the perimeter and shoots way to many long jumpers at the 3.
Singler is a 8th man at best on a good team, and he's getting a lot of minutes.
KCP is our starting 2 unless something weird happens, so he's not getting those minutes at the 3 -- that'll be Datome, most likely. Who knows what we'll get from him...

I agree that SF rotation he mentioned doesn't sound too good, and with 25 mil in capspace it would be a crime if that's the best we could do is come back with the same 3 guys at SF.

I really doubt KCP is going to be our starting SG though, unless he really comes back a new player, because he was way to raw last year to be a starter on winning team. Stan is the type who prefers vets over young players, and KCP is just not experienced enough yet to win with consistently. We're already young up front too. If he goes with Drummond/Monroe up front, I see him surrounded them with veterans and developing KCP off the bench for a few years until he's ready (if he's ready) to be a starter on a winning team.

Datome is interesting because he seems like the type of player SVG could use, and maybe Cheeks/Loyer just didn't know what they were doing. He didn't look good at all though last year, so I'd put the odds against him even being on the team next year.

[Q00]

I think people really miss the big benefit of Drummond + Moose; always having Drummond or Moose in the game. If they both play 36 mpg it doesn't mean they play 36 minutes together and Jerebko & Harrellson play 12 minutes together, it means Drummond plays 36 minutes at the 5, Monroe plays 12 minutes at the 5, they play 24 minutes together and there's shooters around Drummond or Monroe for 24 minutes. It's not a "dump Monroe and get a stretch 4 move" it's a "add a stretch 4 comfortable off the bench around Dre/Monroe" move. When the Spurs had Duncan + Robinson they didn't just play the two of them exclusively together, they'd play them together in spurts but always have one in the game. People need to stop thinking of Monroe as "our starting pf" and start thinking of him as "the best backup center in the league who happens to start and play some time at the 4".

What about defense though?

Monroe is a good defender as C, if he only plays 24 minutes as PF, and into a SVG system, I think we don't need to care about his defense. I'm not delusional as people here with Monroe, but he' a very good player who can contribute. They don't think the same about Smith, I think he's a very good player too. I'm not going to suicide like all you guys if we keep Monroe, if we keep Smith or if we keep both. And I'm still thinking Ryan Anderson or even Ilyasova could be a better fit next to Dre. Anyway I feel bad because I think Monroe and Smith are 10-12 millions per year players, and seems like we're going to overpaid for Monroe like we did it for Smith. But this is Detroit, not LA.

I think you're way off on Monroe being a good defender at C. The way I remember Monroe at C was getting bullied in the post any time we played guys like Bynum, Pekovic, Jordan, Gasol, etc. That was part of the reason why we drafted Drummond, to have a true Center who could match up with those guys and allow Monroe to guard the less physically imposing PFs.

However, it proved to not make any difference. He was just as much of a problem at PF. Before he wasn't strong enough to guard Centers in the post. Now he's not quick enough to guard PFs on the perimeter.

The other major problem (probably the biggest problem) with him at C is that he might be the last Center in the league that I would choose to anchor my defense in the paint. If any of the other positions lets their man get in the paint with Monroe as the last line of defense, you might as well just concede the two points.

In order to be a functional Center defensively, you have to be able to protect the paint. Its not just about guarding your man. That's why we moved him to PF because he was unable to be a rim protector at C and would have less responsibility on defense at PF, but it proved just as problematic there too. So I don't think it matters where you play him. He's a liability at both spots.

Like you said, we're Detroit not LA. The Lakers can win with bigs who aren't great on defense, playing in the soft West where its all about offense. Detroit has never been a good team with soft bigs who were liabilities on defense. Its just not how this teams blueprint works. We need toughness and physical bigs inside. Which is why I'm getting mixed messages from SVG saying he wants to honor this franchises history and play Pistons basketball, but then says he loves Monroe. The two just don't go together.

[Pharaoh]

Let's assume we sign a reasonable free agent SF.

You knock Singler's minutes down a bit & only play KCP at SG.

We're all judging our team based on this past season. I'd argue any number of posters here would have been a better coach than Cheeks and Loyer!

With a quality coach AND systems and structures that are put in place we'll be much better next season even if we sign no one...and that ain't gonna happen

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[spikeslovechild]

this is bad. another year with smith-monroe-drummond

Yeah thats not happening. I've heard Stan comment on the Pistons 3-4 times on the DLS and each time he made the point that one of Monroe or Smith has to go.

This his him not trying to make waves and create problems now that he is coach/quasi GM. One of them will be moved.