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Im guessing 3. We'll get knocked out in the 2nd round the next two seasons, then make it to the ECF, but not go to the NBA finals for another decade

I'm predicting two but it also depends on match-ups and things like that. People always overestimate how long it takes to improve a team. I think Joe has now collected an impressive mix of youth and assets which can be used for future trades if need be. I think Monroe is just scratching the surface and I predict Drummond will be the best center in the league. I think we have one of brightest futures in the league. Obviously, I have a very optimistic view of the Pistons though and I will be happy to eat crow if we end up being a treadmill team for the next few years.

I agree 3 yrs is doable,but unless smith does a 180 and becomes the sf we have been looking for,I dont see smith or monroe being with us until then.We will love it for a couple of years because we have sucked for so long but when we start actually becoming a threat we will have to adress that.

It's a tough call. This team has changed dramatically over the last three weeks. I don't think people really understand that.

This team has changed coaches, bringing in a philosophical change. They've brought in a jack of all trades in Smith, a guy who's floor is an athletic 3&D player, and a true leader and locker room presence in Billups, regardless of what he brings to the court (last time Billups was a dedicated PG, he averaged 17.5 PPG and 7 assists at 35 years old, the guys game ages well).

I believe Detroit is already good enough to win a first round series, barring it isn't a healthy Heat team. If they get into a second round match-up that favors their size and defense, or their opponent loses a key player, it's fathomable that they make a surprise run into the ECF this year.

When Wade, Bosh and James are healthy the Heat are by and large the best team in the league. Chicago with Rose at 100% isn't far behind them. After that, the differential in talent between the 3rd seeded team and the team that finishes 8th isn't that substantial.

We wont beat Chicago/Brooklyn/Miami/Indiana if they are healthy. Them 4, along with the Knicks are likely locks for top 5. Not worried about getting past the 1st round this year, I just want Dre/Moose/KCP/Knight to develop as players with the help our vets(Chauncey) and Sheed/Mo Cheeks. If we make it to the playoffs, compete and stretch it to 6 games I will be ecstatic.

We simply need more talent. Knight/Moose/Dre/KCP all need to improve a lot, Smith needs to figure out how to play the 3 correctly, and our bench will need retooling as well (outside of Singler, Mitchell, and Middleton. Billups will probably retire before we become contenders).

Knicks certainly aren't a lock for the top 5.... Honestly if Drummond, Knight, and Monroe all take big steps forward this season and KCP and Mitchell are fast learners and excede expectations I think we could be a team in the 5 or 6 spot that could upset someone in round one... I know everyone looks at certain teams as locks but Indy lost some bench depth... Rose is a question mark for Chicago after losing so much time... Its impossible to tell how being a year older will affect KG, Pierce, and Johnson.... a young athletic team might be able to run them out of the building in the playoffs.

I feel like if we take strides forward and gel defensively we could create some real noise in the playoffs this year.

kurtis48239 wrote:I agree 3 yrs is doable,but unless smith does a 180 and becomes the sf we have been looking for,I dont see smith or monroe being with us until then.We will love it for a couple of years because we have sucked for so long but when we start actually becoming a threat we will have to adress that.

Smith has a 4 yr contract, hes going no where.

Monroe is definitely going no where.

& dont let history confuse you we still have a title, 2 finals appearances & 6 conf finals appearances in the past decade. Dont be spoiled, we have been lucky, just had a few down years & are on our way back up.

MrBigShot wrote:We wont beat Chicago/Brooklyn/Miami/Indiana if they are healthy. Them 4, along with the Knicks are likely locks for top 5. Not worried about getting past the 1st round this year, I just want Dre/Moose/KCP/Knight to develop as players with the help our vets(Chauncey) and Sheed/Mo Cheeks. If we make it to the playoffs, compete and stretch it to 6 games I will be ecstatic.

I don't consider the Knicks locks for anything. Several key players (Chandler, JR Smith) have injury issues. Amare is always a risk of getting injured, even when playing under a minutes cap. Melo missed stretches of games last season too...

Nets lack quality beyond their starting 5...

Assuming D Rose comes back as good as he was pre-injury the Bulls and Heat deserve to be ranked as the top 2 in the East... Indiana is in the hunt but it will be interesting to see what happens with Granger...

Methinks we have a shot at being top 4 or 5 in the East if things go smoothly. And honestly the only team I'd want to avoid in the first round is Miami. Everyone else can be taken IMO

Drummond, Monroe, Smith, Knight, Billups, K.C.P, Stuckey, Singler, CV.... that's a quality 9-man rotation if Stuckey and CV come to play (and they should due to it being a contract season for both)

Beyond those 9 we';ve got Bynum, Middleton, Jerebko, Mitchell... we're pretty deep! I like our chances

To answer the question, im thinking a couple years, until George leaves Indy.

Gonna be a min until we can compete with the some of the big boys in the East but were on our way.

MrBigShot wrote:Not worried about getting past the 1st round this year, I just want Dre/Moose/KCP/Knight to develop as players with the help our vets(Chauncey) and Sheed/Mo Cheeks. If we make it to the playoffs, compete and stretch it to 6 games I will be ecstatic.

Pretty much my thoughts as well.

I don't think it'll take very long. In my opinion, Dumars is a good GM when he's trying to make a team better once things start clicking. If the season goes well, I him to make the right decisions and our team will get better fast. He's a productive GM when motivated. This team just needs to click early. I think it all depends on how Smith and Chauncey carry us in the beginning. Smith has been doing it for the Hawks for a while. I think it's gonna start clicking early. I'm really excited!

3 years. 6 seed this year in which we get bounced in the 1st round (still a flawed team). Make moves to balance our roster, fix problems, if we don't trade our expirings we'll once again have cap space. Improve but get bounced in the 2nd round by Indy/Miami/Chicago. Team gels the year after, Drummond becomes a monster, and it's on

All depends on how quickly Drummond develops. That's really it to be honest. The team goes as Drummond does.

Clarity wrote:

kurtis48239 wrote:I agree 3 yrs is doable,but unless smith does a 180 and becomes the sf we have been looking for,I dont see smith or monroe being with us until then.We will love it for a couple of years because we have sucked for so long but when we start actually becoming a threat we will have to adress that.

Smith has a 4 yr contract, hes going no where.

Monroe is definitely going no where.

& dont let history confuse you we still have a title, 2 finals appearances & 6 conf finals appearances in the past decade. Dont be spoiled, we have been lucky, just had a few down years & are on our way back up.

Smith might have a 4yr contract but he is still easy to move,and if monroe dosent improve that mid-range or defense this year I could see him being moved as well,there are no guarantees that he wouild stay this year if the right package came along.Iam not being spoiled,I get we had a good run but that dosent mean anything now with this team getting to where it needs to be.I think if/once we get to the playoffs that spacing will become a problem.Is smith fast enough to guard the lebrons,georges,etc of the NBA.Now iam all for seeing what happens this season with this experiment,but my gut tells me it wont be as great as some are hoping it will be.

I'm guessing it will take 3 years.

We need to wait for our young core to develop and for Joe to keep improving the team as we move into Dre, Moose, KCP and Knight's primes. Hopefully by then Miami will not be what they are today and other Eastern contenders will have aged (BK, NY, CHI).

4 years at least if not more.

Indiana is better and his young core is better too
NY is better, and Carmelo is entering his prime
Miami is better, and LeBron is entering his prime
Brooklyn will decline fast in two years
Chicago is better, Noah, Deng, Rose still not in their primes

Washington has potential to be better than Detroit too, Wall, Beal, and solid vets
Cleveland has potential to be better than Detroit too, Irving, and a young core

I don't know, I can see at least 5-6 teams being better in the next 3-4 years, easily.

Detroit will need a miracle to be a contender in this decade, maybe you're up there again in 2018 or 2019.

Fischella wrote:4 years at least if not more.

Indiana is better and his young core is better too
NY is better, and Carmelo is entering his prime
Miami is better, and LeBron is entering his prime
Brooklyn will decline fast in two years
Chicago is better, Noah, Deng, Rose still not in their primes

Washington has potential to be better than Detroit too, Wall, Beal, and solid vets
Cleveland has potential to be better than Detroit too, Irving, and a young core

I don't know, I can see at least 5-6 teams being better in the next 3-4 years, easily.

Detroit will need a miracle to be a contender in this decade, maybe you're up there again in 2018 or 2019.

Yeah, because all of those teams, including us, will be identical 4 years from now. Dude, you are such a Pistons hater. I don't get why you bother even coming on this board.

I'm not a hater, but you're by far, well, probably with the Bulls board, the most delusional and homeristic board out here.

And my job is to try to be rational, somebody needs to.

Actually I hate some teams, but not Detroit, just Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Golden St., Houston, Indiana, Lakers, Memphis, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, OKC,...

kurtis48239 wrote:Smith might have a 4yr contract but he is still easy to move,and if monroe dosent improve that mid-range or defense this year I could see him being moved as well,there are no guarantees that he wouild stay this year if the right package came along.Iam not being spoiled,I get we had a good run but that dosent mean anything now with this team getting to where it needs to be.I think if/once we get to the playoffs that spacing will become a problem.Is smith fast enough to guard the lebrons,georges,etc of the NBA.Now iam all for seeing what happens this season with this experiment,but my gut tells me it wont be as great as some are hoping it will be.

Again, Smith & Monroe are going no where.

I was a huge advocate for Smith being a bad fit offensively but whats done is done. We are a defensive team & have the potential to be damn good.

The issues on the court re the Smith fit are all concerns but like I said, whats done is done. We gotta make it work.