OT: Gordon and Villanueva to Detroit

[campybatman]

Well, at least Villanueva isn't signing with Cleveland.

Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon and Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva flew to Detroit on Wednesday morning for a mid-day meeting with team president Joe Dumars and indications are both are moving rapidly toward deals with the Detroit Pistons, league and sources close to the two players told Yahoo! Sports.

Gordon and Villanueva, both unrestricted free agents, would be significant strikes on the first full day of NBA free agency.

Gordon and Villanueva have history together, and are good friends. They played one season together at the University of Connecticut. The Pistons have nearly $20 million in salary-cap space and it’s thought that the offers to these two players would come close to expending that money.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

[BakersDozen]

I dont really get the Gordon signing to be honest. Are they planning on using a Rip/Gordon back court? Is Rip now on the block? I dont think either of these guys are coming off the bench and it wouldnt shock me if Gordon being assured he would start was a selling point. I would think an Artest signing would have been much better for Detroit.... but then I rememberd a little incident 4 or 5 years back....

[Gant]

They would have a lot of wings. Gordon and Hamilton at the 2, Prince at 3, Villanueva at 3/4, Stuckey's sort of comboish.

If they lose Rasheed and McDyess who are their big men? Just Kwame and Maxiell?

[CelticFaninLBC]

Am assuming Rip Hamilton's on the trading block...

[Rocky5000]

3 UCONN guys on one team. This must mean that Dumars is looking to move Hamilton. He's been unhappy in Detroit, after Chauncey was traded. He has a right to be too, they extended his contract and didn't tell him that Billups was going to be traded in a week.

[BakersDozen]

the two premier bigmen fa's were both Pistons last season. Im guessing they will go hard after Gortat. I think Channing Frye is still worth a look.... blast me if you want but I think i'd rather Frye on our team then Baby.

[Hemingway]

They would be silly to trade Rip. He just seems like a player who will always be worth more to you not to trade because he does so many small things. Maybe its just me loving Uconn players.

[campybatman]

I've to believe as well that this sets up for Hamilton getting traded elsewhere. He was unhappy with the addition of Iverson this season, and adding Gordon would do it to him again. Like Ray, he's getting older and deserves to be on a winning team as he's still a viable starting option at shooting guard. If Boston didn't already have Ray, I would want Ainge to attempt to acquire him. Maybe he could land with Dallas. Just throwing this out there, Shawne Williams, Stackhouse and George for Hamilton works. They're all expiring contracts.

[greenbeans]

Detroit should trade for Okafor and Boone then sign Marcus Williams as their backup pg and reunite that 03-04 Uconn team.

[CelticFaninLBC]

Can see a 3 way deal where Rip's sent to Dallas, expiring contracts are sent to New Orleans and Tyson Chandler goes to Detroit.

[campybatman]

I like that for Detroit. Chandler is underrated. Oh, and those three players for him would work. I don't think the Hornets do it, though. I suggested it for the Pistons since it doesn't mess them up for 2010. But I reckon that doesn't matter if they spend a lot for both of the aforementioned free agents.

[ParticleMan]

Would anyone here trade Ray for Rip?
They'd need to throw in something, like Kwame, to make the salary work (I'm assuming this would happen after they signed BG and CV so they wouldn't have capspace anymore).

Rip makes a lot less money, is younger, and has a decent long-term deal. But Ray is a better distance shooter and he is clutch and he might re-sign with us for less anyway.

Tough call...

[CelticFaninLBC]

I like that for Detroit. Chandler is underrated. Oh, and those three players for him would work. I don't think the Hornets do it, though. I suggested it for the Pistons since it doesn't mess them up for 2010. But I reckon that doesn't matter if they spend a lot for both of the aforementioned free agents.

NO's trying to cut payroll any way possible and this would save them money in 10-11. Actually this may be better, although Rip may be ticked off.

Clippers get Rip
NO gets Camby & Ricky Davis
Detroit gets Chanfdler

[Who-rod]

I'll tell you, if they signed Charlie V, and Ben Gordon, and then also nabbed Chandler, you know who would look ideal driving that athletic ship? Yup, our very own Rajon Rondo. I think Dumars is a terribly overrated GM.

[campybatman]

I was going under the premise of Hamilton to Dallas. Hamilton to the Clippers will stunt the growth of E. Gordon. Besides, Hamilton and B. Davis in the back court is a pricey tandem.

[campybatman]

I'll tell you, if they signed Charlie V, and Ben Gordon, and then also nabbed Chandler, you know who would look ideal driving that athletic ship? Yup, our very own Rajon Rondo. I think Dumars is a terribly overrated GM.

You should read this, if you haven't already.



Detroit Refuses Rondo?
http://dberri.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/ ... ses-rondo/

[spf211]

Looks like Detroit is headed for a decade of mediocrity!

[TheOGJabroni]

I feel like this would make sense if they had actually pulled that deal with us - Rondo and Ray for Stuck, Rip, and Tayshaun.

Kwame?
Maxiell
Charlie V
Ray / Ben G
Rondo

right now it just looks too clustered.

[threrf23]

Would anyone here trade Ray for Rip?
They'd need to throw in something, like Kwame, to make the salary work (I'm assuming this would happen after they signed BG and CV so they wouldn't have capspace anymore).

Rip makes a lot less money, is younger, and has a decent long-term deal. But Ray is a better distance shooter and he is clutch and he might re-sign with us for less anyway.

Tough call...

Ray is a better all around player. Rip is younger but hasn't gotten past the "hump" yet - a lot of guards run into injury issues that are at least temporary around the age of 31/32 (Ray did too, but he got back up afterwards). Given what Rip bases his game on it wouldn't surprise me to see him go down with a season ending injury some point over the next two seasons, like Ray did a few years ago. It takes a certain player to play such an active game into their thirties without missing too much of a beat, and Rip has never been on Ray's level. I actually view Rip as a bigger injury threat than I view Ray.

[meatball sub]

This is not something that Detroit fans should be excited about. At all.