Moderators: Cowology, theBigLip, Snakebites, dVs33
Pistons 2010 Cap Space
I reckon the Pistons have about $50 million tied up in salaries heading into that offseason. So they’ll only have around $8-10 million in cap room.
Of course, if they manage to trade Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince for an expiring contract, the Pistons could get far enough below the cap to offer a max contract to someone.
Rest Of The League
The rest of the NBA should be happy that Joe Dumars spent nearly all his cap space on Gordon and Villanueva, and was unable to turn his side into a legitimate force.
Detroit’s Future
In a word? Bleak
What is this team capable of next season?
This is a team struggling to win 45 games next season. Charlie Villanueva and Kwame Brown as their starting big men? Who is that frightening? Pistons fans that’s who! What is going to happen to their defense? Villanueva is one of the worst defenders in the league at his position. Detroit loses Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, and also Amir Johnson, that’s a lot of their big man defense out the door without any capable replacements coming in.
How about their medium-to-long term future?
It’s ugly. The Pistons lack cap flexibility, and lack highly valued trade assets, so acquiring elite players will be incredibly difficult. This is a team that either needs to be broken up now, or will be forced into a series of high risk acquisitions in the hope of making things work.
Summarize what the Pistons just did?
Detroit just boxed themselves in the corner. They built a mediocre team and have made it very difficult for them to progress into a contender.They are in trouble.
Shopping spree continues, Pistons sign Villanueva
The signing of Ben Gordon was almost immediately followed by news that the Pistons were signing Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva to a 5-year contract worth $35 million, according to ESPN.com.
It’s a good thing this happened after the Gordon signing, because this move give Joe Dumars a smidgen if his reputability back. I have always liked Villanueva and believe he is grossly underrated. $7 million a season is fair for Chuck’s talent level and will be a bargain when he continues to improve. Really, the guy’s a potential all-star. But Ben Gordon, not so much. And yet his contract entails $20 million more over the 5 years. I’m confused at Dumars’ logic…and that’s saying it politely.
Yahoo Sports: Gordon will receive a five-year contract worth around $55 million while Villanueva’s five-year deal is expected to be worth about $35 million. Gordon and Villanueva, who played together for a year at UConn, traveled to Detroit on Wednesday morning to meet with Detroit president Joe Dumars and other Pistons front-office officials. They took a tour of the practice facility in Auburn Hills, had lunch with management and both ultimately came to terms on an agreement. Gordon agreed first and Villanueva followed soon after.
Charlie Villanueva commits to the Pistons
The word has been out for several hours, but for posterity’s sake, here’s the “Charlie Villanueva is (likely) a Piston” post. After visiting the team on Wednesday, the first official day of free agency, he reportedly agreed to a five-year deal worth $35 million or $40 million, depending who you ask. Just like with Ben Gordon, no agreement is official until July 8, the first day free agents are allowed to sign contracts.
Either way, the deal sounds like a relative bargain for 24-year-old whose best days are almost certainly ahead of him. Despite playing fewer than 27 minutes a game, Villanueva averaged better than 16 points and nearly seven boards a game; given regular starter minutes, 18 and nine is likely, and, if all of us cross our fingers, 20 and 10 isn’t out of the question. Villanueva’s arrival will come with mixed reviews, in part because of shaky defense and a reputation for being “soft,” but objectively speaking, he’s a better shooter, passer and rebounder than Rasheed Wallace, the man he’s essentially replacing. No, he’s not a complete package — Wallace was an exceptional defender, at least when he was up for the challenge — but for the price and potential for improvement, I have no quibbles with the move. He alone won’t put the Pistons over the top, but this roster is a couple of years away from worrying about the “missing piece.”
Video clip in the link above^.In time, I predict Villanueva will emerge as a fan favorite, as much for his play on the court as his good deeds and accessibility (he was one of the first NBA players to embrace Twitter — follow him @CV31 — and he has his own YouTube page) off of it. And, just because, here he is showing off his hat collection and Rock Band skillz:
Doug Collins enjoys being wanted more than coaching
A year after letting himself be courted by the Bulls before withdrawing from consideration (and months after manufacturing controversy by contradicting himself within hours regarding his candidacy for the 76ers’ job), Collins is once again making headlines for announcing that he’s not interested in a job.
From ESPN’s Marc Stein: Collins told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that he called Joe Dumars to thank the Pistons president for considering him and to inform him of his preference to stay in television. That would appear to leave an unobstructed path to the job for ex-Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, who just completed his first season in TV as an analyst for ESPN. Sources close to the situation told ESPN that Johnson had his first substantive discussion with Dumars about the position earlier Wednesday.
Whether it’s Johnson or someone else, expect the Pistons to act swiftly; Dumars told Eli Zaret earlier this week that he hopes to have a new coach in place by this coming Tuesday, when the Pistons touch down in Las Vegas and hold their first summer league practice.
Your newest Piston is Ben Gordon. Neat.
The Detroit Pistons have reached agreement with free-agent guard Ben Gordon(notes) on a five-year contract worth around $55 million, a source with knowledge of the talks told Yahoo! Sports Wednesday evening.
We may still get ‘Huskier’ yet. The Pistons are still talking the talk with Charlie Villanueva. Both former UConn players flew in this morning (and boy are their arms tired) to meet with Joe D. Is Ben Gordon just another Allen Iverson just with out the reservations about being a sixth man? Like Kelly Dwyer is asking; is this what we cleared all that cap room for?? It’s only one day into free agency and I’m already feeling deflated. These two presumed signings, Portland looking like the front runner for Hedo Turkeyglue and the talk of Rasheed being courted heavily by Boston. It’s much too much. Also, DBB has the Pistons Vegas Summer League roster and schedule up
UPDATE: Dave Dial is reporting the contract will start around $9.5 mill meaning the pay is structured in a way that Gordon would most likely get yearly pay raises.
Who do you want to coach?
Doug Collins is out, Avery Johnson has already interviewed and Bill Laimbeer may get a chance to soon (much to the delight of those hoping for a day when “armored warriors fly around and punch each other while fans throw fireballs at them”).
Sad to say, I’m guessing Dumars’ interest in Laimbeer only extends to giving his friend and former colleague a chance to tell other NBA teams he interviewed for the job, but you never know. If you were in Dumars’ shoes, who would you go with?
Way to Go, Joe
Just found out about the signing of Charlie V, and Ben Gordon. I love it, I always like Ben Gordon since he came into the league, now he's a Piston. Im feelin Charlie V 2. Both UConn Alums and Charlie has been on the come up since being traded to Milwakee. Last year he was Milwakee's best player! Ha lol, a lil humor, People still rootin for Avery Johnson, im not feelin that at all, I still like Laimbeer "Jimmy" other than that, we just one or two pieces away from really being a contender, all we need now is Chris Bosh, and we Squad Up.
Good Bye RIP?
We signed Ben Gordon, so what does this mean for Hamilton? Are we going to release him, or trade him. I hope if it happens, RIP gets traded and we get a player that isn't afraid to get dirty. We need people that can score, rebound and play D. Charlie V. I don't think he is as great as people say, I think we could have gotten somebody way better.
Fire Joe Dumars!
He has lost his sense and needs to let go of this team. He has become to possessive and afraid to lose. I think drafting daye and signing Ben Gordon are agredious mistakes. There is no longer enough room to sign bosh and Lebron. He is narrow minded and conservative losing focus on whats possible and settling for whats probable(No imagination...this is what got him first NBA championship as president). The Pistons are championship enterprise but now they have fallen like the bad boys. The pistons needed to be overhauled with a supercharger not fixed back together. We need a solid leader and we do not have that on the team. Joe D. is making decisions with his head rather than his balls. It takes both to get where I am at.
Additional points...Pistons are too conservative and would not go over the salary cap. I don:t think that is right...Picking up players like Lebron would turn this team into a legacy like the Red Wings. If you took one season and saved the team $20 million(2009) in salary the IRR would absorb future losses by lebron and bosh salary. In addition, the IRR is always + with lebron even if he was paid $25 million a season and went over the salary cap. He sells more jerseys, food, tickets, and apparal than anyone in the league.The Pistons would be a GAURANTEED title contender every year for the next 10 years rather than a hopeful contnder like the previous seven years. Bad business and bad for the team.
Charlie Villanueva too
That money was just burning a hole in Joe’s pocket
A person with the knowledge of the negotiations says the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle to contracts with free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday night on the condition of anonymity because NBA rules prohibit teams from announcing free agent signings until next week. Villanueva, the seventh overall pick by Toronto in 2006 who has played all three of his NBA season with the Milwaukee Bucks, also agreed to a five-year deal. His contract is worth at least $35 million
Well, at least we finally have a Piston who tweets
Coack K anybody
Is anybody down to try and snag coach k? He's a great teaching coach for all our young player's and he could attract all the big names whom he coaches in the olympics. If we could get him we could win all around
Kiss him goodbye: 5-year, $55M deal too good to refuse
Gordon, the team's leading scorer the last four seasons, has agreed to a five-year, $55 million deal with the Detroit Pistons. The veteran guard will sign his contract once the free-agent moratorium ends July 8.
The deal is slightly more than the five-year, $50 million and six-year, $54 million deals Gordon rejected from the Bulls the last two summers.
"I don't have any regrets, and I don't have any bitter feelings for the Bulls," Gordon said after returning to Chicago late Wednesday. "Business is business. I'm going to a situation now where winning is the No. 1 priority. I'm happy with my decision.
Ex-Hokies standout to play for Pistons
NBA - Along with getting Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva for next season, the Detroit Pistons also will have a familiar name on their bench. Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg posted on his Twitter account that former Hokies standout Deron Washington has signed a guaranteed contract with the Pistons, who selected him 59th overall (second round) in the 2008 NBA draft. Washington played in Israel last season. "Great to have a Hokie in the league!" Greenberg wrote. ...
Doug Collins Will Not Coach the Pistons
I was shocked when I even heard Doug Collins' name in the first place. I know he's one of the few big names available, but my first thought was, "been there, done that." I know under Joe Dumars it could be different, but I didn't really see how years as a TNT analyst after his last coaching gig can really make Doug Collins that much better of an option now. Don't get me wrong, the Pistons had a number of good-to-great seasons with Collins as their coach, but I see his days as a quality coach being behind him. Well, it doesn't matter now because Collins has officially pulled himself out of the running for the job this evening after the Pistons reportedly agreed to deals with Gordon and Villanueva.
From ESPN.com: Television analyst Doug Collins, one of two heavy favorites to fill the Detroit Pistons' sudden coaching vacancy, has withdrawn from consideration for the job. Collins told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that he called Joe Dumars to thank the Pistons president for considering him and to inform him of his preference to stay in television. That would appear to leave an unobstructed path to the job for ex-Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson, who just completed his first season in TV as an analyst for ESPN.
As you see, it appears that Avery Johnson is the favorite to replace Michael Curry as head coach of the Pistons. While Joe Dumars has not addressed the speculation of Johnson becoming the next Pistons head coach, Dumars plans on having a head coach named by Tuesday when the Pistons head to Vegas for the Summer League.
Trading places: Chicago and Detroit
Do you like the swap? We get Ben Gordon, Chicago gets Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky. And it's not the first time the cities have shared talent. Such as:
They have Scotty Bowman, which is starting to sound like a worse idea now that some Red Wings are following him there.
They also have Rod Marinelli, below, and thank God the Tampa Two defense followed him there.
We have Chris Chelios, though sooner or later the Blackhawks are probably going to get him back, too. Can we keep Cheli's Chili?
We also have Curtis Granderson, who was born there. He's a keeper.
They bought Ben Wallace with big bucks -- how'd that work out? -- so the Bulls owed us a Ben.
We signed Magglio Ordoñez when the White Sox wouldn't take a chance on him his knee.
They had Dennis Rodman (via San Antonio), who helped the Bulls win three NBA titles.
We had Isiah Thomas, another native Chicagoan, who won two with the Pistons.
They had Ted Lindsay and Glenn Hall. Ken Holland never would have made that trade.
Just asking
Questions to ponder after the loss of Hossa:
• Have the Blackhawks guaranteed losing in the Stanley Cup finals? (Let's get the most obvious joke out of the way first.)
• Will fans at the Joe give Hossa the Fedorov treatment next season and boo every time he touches the puck? Like they do in Pittsburgh?
• How much of this is Scotty's doing?
• Is this a subtle shift in the Central Division balance of power? If so, in which direction?
• Now that they're on different teams, will Kopecky and Andreas Lilja square off in a fight -- and both end up on the ice like the end of "Rocky II"?
Raptors Set To Make Offer To Turkoglu
Sources say Toronto is preparing an offer of five years and $60 million for Turkoglu. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard, the star of his former team - Orlando - reportedly made a call to Turkoglu on Tuesday night to express his desire for him to re-sign with the Magic. Turkoglu opted out of his contract with Orlando, foregoing $7.3 million this season.
The Blazers expect to have as much as $9.7 million to offer Turkoglu for the first season with the ability to offer a total package of five-years and $50 million. The interest comes after Turkoglu had a big postseason in helping Orlando advance to the NBA Finals.
Summer league roster set
The Pistons released their summer league roster Wednesday and, as expected, recent draft picks Austin Daye, Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers will take the floor when play begins July 10 in Las Vegas. The team will play five games over eight days.
A local product will also suit up for the Pistons. Michael Bramos, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Grosse Pointe North, will be there to make a case for a free-agent invitation to a team's training camp. Bramos, a standout at Miami (Ohio) for four seasons, was invited to the practice facility for a pre-draft workout.
The team will be coached by assistants Darryl Walker, Pat Sullivan, Harold Ellis and Bill Pope despite the uncertainty caused by the Tuesday firing of coach Michael Curry.
HALL OF FAMER: Pistons vice president of public relations Matt Dobek (Class of 1981) will be inducted into the Central Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame this fall.