Drummond and Monre Played 15 Minutes Together in Suns Game

[pistontr]

and Smith played mostly as a PF in raptors game. What do you think, will it be a trend?

[ImHeisenberg]

Sounds like Cheeks is finally giving up on the notion that Smith can play small forward.

Playing Smith at power forward, in an insanely small sample size, has produced all-star levels of production. If winning is Cheeks directive, he would be a fool to go away from that approach.

Move Monroe for a SG or SF, and all of a sudden, this is a balanced team.

[Damon_3388]

I really think we should explore a deal for Monroe with Denver. They have four small forwards on their roster (Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller and Danilo Gallinari) who can all shoot the three and defend. Monroe would instantly be their best big, and provide them with a genuine post scorer, which they don't have.

[Defor]

It looks to me like Cheeks has finnaly decided to keep 2 of the 3 on the court for the bulk of the time . The pistons have looked alittle better in the second half of the last two games. Cheeks may just keep experimenting ,and they may not make a trade til offseason.

[Dre Drummond]

Joe D said all along the reason he wanted to keep Stuckey and CV were to have their contracts for a trade. Got to wonder what type of deal we can get done.

My ideal trade would probably have Monroe + others going out and Afflalo + Thaddeus Young coming back.

C:Dre
PF:Smith
SF:Young 39.9% 3PT Shooter this season
SG:Afflalo 41.4% 3PF Shooter this season
PG:Jennings

That team would be so much better balanced and allow Smith and Dre to work inside with Young and Afflalo hitting from outside.

[ImHeisenberg]

I really think we should explore a deal for Monroe with Denver. They have four small forwards on their roster (Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller and Danilo Gallinari) who can all shoot the three and defend. Monroe would instantly be their best big, and provide them with a genuine post scorer, which they don't have.

Depending on Gallo's recovery, he would be the best of the three options. He's a passable defender, and his 3-point stroke forces defenses to bend and open the paint. Chandler is more of a jack of all trades, and can adequately defend 3 positions. His shooting is more inconsistent, but he can knock down the 3 at about the league average. Zero interest in Quincy Miller if Monroe is our asset being leveraged.

I'd love a deal like this- http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=n7k44rv (can't represent picks)

To Denver: Monroe, Villanueva, Bynum
To Detroit: Gallinari, Andre Miller, 2014 1st [top 3 protected]

Now, I don't know if Denver would be interested in that deal with McGee? Then again, he's been injured basically the entirety of the season with some phantom leg injury, and generally is a moron. So, who knows?

[ImHeisenberg]

Joe D said all along the reason he wanted to keep Stuckey and CV were to have their contracts for a trade. Got to wonder what type of deal we can get done.

My ideal trade would probably have Monroe + others going out and Afflalo + Thaddeus Young coming back.

C:Dre
PF:Smith
SF:Young 39.9% 3PT Shooter this season
SG:Afflalo 41.4% 3PF Shooter this season
PG:Jennings

That team would be so much better balanced and allow Smith and Dre to work inside with Young and Afflalo hitting from outside.

Young is more of a stretch 4 than a small forward. I think we'd run right back into the defensive issues we're having with Smith.

Also, Orlando is acting like Afflalo isn't available. I'm assuming they're pushing for a king's ransom for him right now. Also, they really don't have any motivation to move him by the deadline, as his contract isn't expiring.

[dVs33]

I have no interest in moving Moose, so the quicker Cheeks gets his act together and fixes the rotations the better.
If we could move our end of bench guys for shooters and perimeter defenders, we'd be set.

[ComboGuardCity]

And they played 0 min in the 4th together when they couldn't stop the Suns and needed a Smoove miracle.

[triplet1984]

I think it's incredible that it took this long and an almost ruined season for the organization to finally go ahead and stagger the bigs' minutes. This was obvious to most people at the start that they wouldn't all fit together on court.

[piston1423]

Maybe Monroe should come off the bench at Center? If we start playing winning basketball he might be able to handle it better. Him and Stuckey would do damage to any second unit.

[Kilo]

Monroe won't come off the bench - it will be Drummond as the 20 yr old sophomore - especially with Moose in his RFA contract year. I wouldn't have a problem with this either assuming Drummond wouldn't and would be the offensive focal point and go-to option with the second unit.

Jennings
KCP
Singler
Smith
Monroe

[ComboGuardCity]

Neither has to come off the bench. One just goes to the bench earlier. Drummond is most likely the only all star on this team this year. You don't send your all star to the bench.

[MotownMadness]

Can't bench Drummond, Hes the future and you don't bench him to try and get a 8th seed sweep.

[Q00]

I really think we should explore a deal for Monroe with Denver. They have four small forwards on their roster (Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller and Danilo Gallinari) who can all shoot the three and defend. Monroe would instantly be their best big, and provide them with a genuine post scorer, which they don't have.

If we can get all 3 bigs producing like this in a more conventional rotation, I have no interest in trading Monroe just for a role player at SF. We already have that on the roster in Singler.

Per36, Singler avg 13 pts and 5 rebs on 47% FG and 34% 3PT. Chandler avg 15 pts and 6 rebs on 42% and 34% 3PT

Singler costs 1 million/yr, Chandler costs 7 mil/yr for 2 more years.

I don't get the fascination with Chandler. If we trade Monroe we should be getting an all-star back. If there are none available, better to just resign him to a reasonable deal, and then we can always trade him later if an all-star SF becomes available.

[Q00]

Monroe won't come off the bench - it will be Drummond as the 20 yr old sophomore - especially with Moose in his RFA contract year. I wouldn't have a problem with this either assuming Drummond wouldn't and would be the offensive focal point and go-to option with the second unit.

Jennings
KCP
Singler
Smith
Monroe

They aren't moving Drummond back to the bench. They are trying to develop him, not regress him. After all the outrage over Drummond not starting last year, I doubt they want to revisit that. Not to mention Drummond is just the more impactful player and therefore should be starting because it gives us the best chance to win. Also Drummond isn't a go-to option offensively yet, which is why he doesn't really make sense off the bench, because then we have no post option up front during those stretches.

I have no problem starting all 3 for just 5 min each half like they are doing now, as long as Cheeks recognizes when its time to downsize before it hurts us. The jumbo lineup has proven it can be effective. Its just not something you want to keep out there for too long, as eventually you give up too many 3s. Just like you don't want to keep a small lineup out for too long, or eventually you give up too many rebounds. Both going big/small can be effective in short spurts though, and its nice to have the option to go either way depending on the opponent. Without it we probably don't beat Miami and Indiana. Ciome playoff time in the years going forward, that's going to be an advantage worth keeping around.

[OneBadMutha]

So now the Monroe fans would rather move Drummond to the bench and stunt his development to continue starting Monroe? Then what do you do in a year...when Drummonds agent wants to see him blossom as a Superstar somewhere else and demands a trade?

Only way Monroe is a long term fit here is if he's willing to be a 6th man. Kind of like Dice's old role. As much as I've ridden the trade Monroe bandwagon, I'd love to see that 3 man big rotation develop over the next 3 or 4 years. Monroe would eat up opposition bench bigs (since most teams in the NBA lack big depth) and you could hide his defensive liabilities and be more strategic (in regards to matchups). Against some matchups, Monroe is great. Against others, he really struggles since he's not overly strong or athletic for his size.

I love the Drummond/Smith potential. Nobody in the NBA has a front court athletic enough to keep up with those guys. Pistons need the extra rim protection since their only plus perimeter defender is KCP...and most of their perimeter defenders are downright atrocious (including Smith). It's killing multiple birds with one move.

But the 10 season ticket holders would revolt if Monroe is traded and I doubt he accepts a bench role...so Cheeks is in a tough position.

[ImHeisenberg]

So now the Monroe fans would rather move Drummond to the bench and stunt his development to continue starting Monroe? Then what do you do in a year...when Drummonds agent wants to see him blossom as a Superstar somewhere else and demands a trade?

Don't ask these people to use foresight, they're just typing word diarrhea, no long term solutions or thoughts. Kind of like Dumars and Gores!

[pistontr]

And they played 0 min in the 4th together when they couldn't stop the Suns and needed a Smoove miracle.

one of them should have played

[Clarity]

Lol at Monroe as a 6th man

Just couldn't stick with the plan.