Kwame Brown signs with Pistons

[sirgant1]

Word is that Kwame showed up in Detroit wearing a mask, and carrying a couple of large sacks.

He will go down as one of the great burglars of this century.

He's stealing money.

Actually I'm disappointed that Memphis didn't package Kwame & Darko for Darius Miles and a years supply of pringles.

[RTM]

He's a backup who, in a years time, will be an expiring contract.

I really don't see the big deal. I'm not excited, but I really don't think it's all that outrageous.

[BillessuR6]

4 million for Brown? Never thought a good team would be that crazy...

[Ballings7]

What if the Celtics signed him as back-up center, instead? Would you still think that's crazy?

[srt4b]

Kwame is the 2009 version of Ratliff, Campbell, Dale Daves, Webber, etc.

Lots of love/hate in this thread. How many teams have a better back up C making less than 4 million?

[tsherkin]

To all those panning this deal for Detroit and attacking Kwame in general...

It is accepted common knowledge (and statistically quantifiable) that Kwame is a sound post defender, and he's also measurably improved as a help defender since spending time in L.A.

Aside from being a twit off the court and limited offensively when on it, Kwame brings the aforementioned defense and a career 2.8 ORB36 rate to the table; he's a good offensive rebounder and a decent, if unspectacular, defensive rebounder. He is a sound backup and while $4M seems like a lot, it is not in comparison with a lot of other NBA backups (and of course, he is there to be a backup primarily). He will benefit from the guidance of the Detroit veterans and without any serious pressure on him to perform, he will be relaxed and able to play to his strengths.

To those panning his offense, it is worth noting that he wasn't so awful at catching passes in his first three years in the league. When Kwame entered the league, it was to comparisons that included Kevin Garnett because everyone saw him as a face-up player. He had a decent 15-foot jumper and liked to outquick guys to the hoop, which was also the foundation of his best scoring season. His career-high 30-point outburst was not from backing Webber down and spinning deftly around him or going up-and-under, it was from blowing past him at the elbow and getting to the rim. Too much weight, too much traditional backdown offense and team aspirations of him playing the 5 were strong contributors to him not being a significant offensive force. Also, he's godawful at using his body in the post, knows nothing about leverage and he's constantly bumped and shifted by his defender in those scenarios, which is much more meaningful to his turnovers and inability to catch passes than his hands (which are still sufficiently large to EASILY palm a basketball).

He doesn't have the potential he once did at it would surprise me greatly if Detroit went out of its way to cater to what should be Kwame's strengths offensively; he's going to barely see the ball and spend most of his time crashing the boards and defending, but that suits him just fine. If they encourage him to work on his jumper again, he could fill a role very similar to that filled by Antonio McDyess in recent years.

This is not a bad signing; it is fairly cheap, it is extremely short even if he picks up the option and it has tangible, immediate benefits to their team (and that doesn't even account for the fact that he opens them up to potential moves to invigorate their stagnating roster).

This is a classic Joe Dumars move and it is a victory for the Pistons; it does not guarantee a title or even presage serious possibility of exiting the East but it does improve them and give them the opportunity to do something that will make them legit contenders once again. Kwame's roughly an 11/9/2 guy per 36 minutes; if you figure he'll get about 20 mpg as a backup 4/5 (he's a natural 4, not a 5, especially with his mobility), then you can expect 6/5/1 out of him, his customary defense, and a decent hand dipping into the passing lanes, contesting shots and trapping, etc. Maybe more on the defensive end if Michael Curry goes back to the defensive emphasis of Larry Brown as opposed to the crap of Flip Saunders.

[Mr Awesome]

Oh there's no question he adds something on the defensive end. However, I think he's worth more in the 2-3 million range.

[Malinhion]

I actually wanted Miami to snag him with the bi-annual exception or something. I was thinking he would go for more, and while $4million seems like a lot, it's definitely one of the best contracts in the league for a backup big man. I have questions about how he will produce on a team that actually contends. The Pistons won't ask him to do more than he should, so he should be fine.

[Roscoe Sheed]

Oh there's no question he adds something on the defensive end. However, I think he's worth more in the 2-3 million range.

I agree

I don't really think he is much of an upgrade over Ratliff or Dale Davis for that matter and those dudes would only command the vets minimum

[legacyinthemakin89c]

Well Davis is retired and Ratliff was just too injury prone.

[He Hate Me]

Kwame Brown is a LOSER. He is unsuccessful in basketball. He cannot score in a high intensity basketball game, and when he is given the opportunity to score he blows it. He cannot hit a free throw. He is a hinderence on the offense. If he is on the floor your team is playing 4 v. 5 on the O side. A competent defensive team will PUNISH any team that puts Kwame on the floor.

Defensively Kwame is passable as a backup 5 in a low intensity, unimportant game. Your team may even come to rely on him in certain situations during the regular season. This must also be seen as a negative, especially for a team that has playoff aspirations. This is due to the fact that Kwame melts, crumbles, physically regresses and mentally diminishes to the point of being useless in these high pressure situations in which he is almost definitely playing against someone with more skill offensively than he has defensively. What I am saying is that it is not hard to pick this man apart on the court.

This kid is so timid and humbled that I have to believe this will be his last NBA gig. There is no comparing him to Dice, Webber, or any other competent player. His "small hands" are the least of his concerns; kids with small hands can catch basketballs at the YMCA and make layups and shoot over 50% for the ft line.

At least you didn't trade one of your top 2 players for him like the last couple teams did. How this man has been overpaid four times (1st pick, caron, pau, $$$) I cannot understand. How fans of his new team talk themselves into his positives is laughable and redundant.

It is a serious knock against any statistic that Kwame can be proven efficient or competent on it.

[Liqourish]

If he is on the floor your team is playing 4 v. 5 on the O side.

Detroit has been very successful (even won a championship) playing 4 on 5. Besides, we'd only be playing 4 on 5 for about 15-20 minutes.... I'm sure the other four guys would love the extra fga's.

This must also be seen as a negative, especially for a team that has playoff aspirations. This is due to the fact that Kwame melts, crumbles, physically regresses and mentally diminishes to the point of being useless in these high pressure situations in which he is almost definitely playing against someone with more skill offensively than he has defensively.

This is good advice, except for the fact that his career playoff averages are at or above his career regular season averages. Of course he's played for some bad team so he's only been to the playoffs 3 times in 7 years. The year he played the most games in the playoffs 05-06 with the Lakers, Kwame averaged 12.9 pts 6.6 rebs 0.9 blks on 52% fg and 71% ft in 32.1 mpg. Again, all of those playoff numbers are up from his 05-06 season averages of 7.4 pts 6.6 rebs 0.6 blks on 52% fg and 55% ft in 27.5 mpg.

No one expects Kwame will suddenly beocme a 20/10 player or look like Tim Duncan going glass. Kwame wouldn't have the expectations of being a #1 pick or filling in for Shaq in Detroit. He'll be asked to come off the bench, fill the paint and grab some rebounds. If he scores while he's there... that's just extra. And if he doesn't fill that role, well enough... he'll be an expiring contract.

There really is no downside to this signing for Detroit.

[hunting4fun]

I think kwame is going to excel in detroit. I hope joe d finds a way to keep sheed and bring in josh smith or someone else. I think sheed will help kwame alot. I bet he has his best year here in detroit.

[markdeez33]

Decent deal for the Pistons, they gotta get rid of somebody in their frontcourt now though

[7r5ur]

I think kwame is going to excel in detroit. I hope joe d finds a way to keep sheed and bring in josh smith or someone else. I think sheed will help kwame alot. I bet he has his best year here in detroit.

Definitely not statistically. Unless some huge deal happens, he'll be lucky to play as much as he did in Memphis.