Pistons Choosing Between Billups, Stuckey As Starting SG

[Laimbeer]

Maurice Cheeks will choose between Chauncey Billups and Rodney Stuckey for the starting shooting guard spot in the Detroit Pistons' lineup.

Cheeks could change his mind, but he said he is a "veteran's coach."

...

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/23 ... ting-Guard

[BadMofoPimp]

I never once thought KCP was going to be the starting SG while I pretty much knew CB would probably start once he was signed and play up to 20mpg with Stuckey playing both PG and SG getting 25-30 with Bynum and KCP getting 10-15mpg. Just seemed that this is what Joe and Cheeks intended once the roster was set. I was surprised at all the KCP starting with the SG position is set with KCP voicing around here. Was kinda funny tho to see people give unproven rookies starters minutes without proving anything.

[Brapman]

KCP will have to play really well to change Cheeks mind - but that could still happen. The question with him is whether the offense stays efficient with him in there instead of Stuckey or Billups.

Chauncy obviously is a great spread the court player for us because he's such a great shooter. But how on earth do we keep him minutes down and have him available to close games if he starts.

Stuckey with Monroe, Smith and Drummond, will have to prove that he can be a great option cutting to the basket and receiving passes from Monroe and Smith. That's possible - hell, Stuckey IS a talented guy - but it's a real question about whether with this particular starting group the offense will stay efficient with Stuckey in there. On the other hand, Stuckey does have the potential to murder teams by penetrating with the ball from the SG position. Not many SG's can stay in front of him.

If KCP doesn't start, he might not play much for a while this season, even though he's still the prototype player and skill set for the position given the identity of the other 4 guaranteed starters.

[Umbra]

Stuckey doesn't even deserve to play, let alone start.

[BadMofoPimp]

There is no rush with KCP. He is on a rookie contract on a talented team with plenty of vets ahead of him. Singler would probably get the call over KCP on many rotations. Yet, I think KCP may play a little SF at times to try and help slow down the Durants or Brons of the game to preserve Josh Smiths penalties.

This team has many players that are flexible like that. This must be a dream for Cheeks to coach an up and coming team with this much flexibility.

[dVs33]

If KCP isn't ready to start, which is apparently the case, they should start Billips and have Stuckey and KCP off the bench.
I think thats the most balanced rotation

[Q00]

The media is tweeting that Cheeks just made a point to commend Stuckey's defense, saying he's been the best perimeter defender in camp. Sounds like a good bet he starts vs Miami tomorrow to guard Wade.

The more I think about it, we might be best just going SG by committee this year, and just switching game to game based on matchups. Because both Stuckey/Chauncey each provide stuff the other doesn't, and the need for what each provides is going to change game to game.

For instance, one game we might play a team with no real offensive threat at SG like MEM, but a great defensive frontcourt that's going to make it harder to score inside, and make perimeter shooting a necessity. In which case, if we made Stuckey the permanant starter, it would really hurt us that game, because his man defense isn't needed and he's not going to help shooting. But Chauncey would be perfect for that scenario, because he wouldn't be a problem on defense guarding his position and could give us 3 pt shooting.

But if we make Chauncey the permanant starter, when we play a team like Miami, where we need a young athletic man defender at SG to guard Wade, and aren't going to need a ton of perimeter shooting because our frontcourt should have the advantage inside..that's not to our benefit going with Chauncey, and Stuckey would make more sense in that situation.

So, it might not be to our advantage to just settle on 1 permanent guy there for the whole year. If the other 4 starters are going to be consistent every game, then I think we can switch out that one position game to game, while still maintaining consistency with our starting lineup. Then when KCP is ready, he can move in as the permanant guy longterm, because he can play both ends and we won't need to do any offense for defense substitutions game by game anymore. For now though it might be our best bet.

[Brapman]

Interesting post about Cheeks' saying Stuckey's been the team's best perimeter defender.

Stuckey playing well for us, and on an expiring contract, would make him a pretty interesting trade deadline asset. It's hard to imagine him having a long-term future in Detroit, given our roster and salary cap constraints - which would be much worse, probably untenable, if we re-sign Rodney.

It might be best to move him on if we can bring back a strong draft pick or key young player.

[BadMofoPimp]

I am sure Stuckey will have a great season being he is an expiring playing for his next contract. Depending on how well this team gells and if they are playing elite basketball towards the Trade Deadline, just roll with it and keep Stuckey for his defense and make a run at the playoffs. Then, after the season is over, if he leaves, then use his money and CV's to get another player like Josh or BJ that can be a great addition to this team. I can't imagine adding another talent like that to this roster, but watchout if we do.

[Natopher]

I'm fine with Stuckey coming off the bench as a 6th man, but if he's starting I'll be very upset. I'd prefer Billups starting over Stuckey, but I don't want him to be our starting SG this year either. I'd like KCP to be the starter but only if he proves he's ready and capable (both offensively and defensively). He had a rough first game yesterday, but he had a slow start to the Summer League as well. I believe his shot will come around before the season starts. That said, I'm still not sure he's ready to be a starter on our team this season, ESPECIALLY if we have aspirations for winning a couple of playoff series.

Cheeks made the comment that KCP is out of the running for the starting SG job, and also stated he was a veterans coach. That scares me because that means with regards to KCP playing this season. If, when the season starts, KCP is not in the rotation (which is a possibility, don't know how likely it is though) and we run Jennings/Bynum at PG and Billups/Stuckey at SG then we HAVE to trade for a starting quality SG.

I've said this before, and people are probably sick of it, but I truly believe that trading Stuckey straight up for Afflalo would be the best thing we could do for this team. Afflalo is a great shooter and defender, he just had an off year last season (awful 3pt % and bad defensive advanced stats were anomalies). He'd space the floor well, give Jennings a shooter to pass to, and would be a great addition on defense. He's also on a very reasonable contract (~7.7mil per year for 3 years is a great contract for one of the better SGs in the league). I know that people are going to say he'll block the way for KCP, but I don't think that's true. If Afflalo plays well (which there's no reason to believe he wouldn't) then he'd be a very tradeable asset should KCP rapidly improve. And until KCP proves he can play in the NBA we should have backup plans in case it turns out he can't. That said, I believe in him as a prospect and think he'll have a very solid career, but I'm more interested in winning this year than I am in his potential development.

[RTM]

Anyone but Stuckey. Start Chauncey, but don't play him heavy minutes. Maybe he's the first sub out, along with Monroe (who comes back in when Drummond needs rest)?

[RTM]

I've said this before, and people are probably sick of it, but I truly believe that trading Stuckey straight up for Afflalo would be the best thing we could do for this team. Afflalo is a great shooter and defender, he just had an off year last season (awful 3pt % and bad defensive advanced stats were anomalies). He'd space the floor well, give Jennings a shooter to pass to, and would be a great addition on defense. He's also on a very reasonable contract (~7.7mil per year for 3 years is a great contract for one of the better SGs in the league). I know that people are going to say he'll block the way for KCP, but I don't think that's true. If Afflalo plays well (which there's no reason to believe he wouldn't) then he'd be a very tradeable asset should KCP rapidly improve. And until KCP proves he can play in the NBA we should have backup plans in case it turns out he can't. That said, I believe in him as a prospect and think he'll have a very solid career, but I'm more interested in winning this year than I am in his potential development.

Don't think anyone disagrees that it would be a good move, but Orlando, at least right now, wouldn't consider that. They'd want value for AA, not just cap relief.

[theBigLip]

I don't know who is going to start our opening, but I'm willing to bet that not any single player will start 60 games at SG. Each of Billups, Stuckey and KCP have their own unique issues of why they may or may not start, and these will certainly change over the course of the season, and as previously mentioned, possibly game by game depending on the matchups.

I don't really care who starts. Hopefully...
1. Billups stays healthy and is happy to swing between both guard spots
2. Stuckey plays his ass off on both ends of the court, even if he is playing for a contract (and we reap the benefits of increased trade value)
3. and KCP grows into a starting caliber SG by the end of the year

[Kilo]

Cheeks also said there was no room for a five guard rotation. Is Will Bynum the easy odd man out?

[SwaggWagg]

Both kinda suck, may as well go with the vet.

[pistontr]

it will be KCP. he can shoot and defend. billups can not defend SGs and stuckey can not shoot. even singler has more chance than them.

problem is that we have 5 players in PG position now

[Brapman]

As it stands now, Bynum will be in the rotation ahead of KCP.

KCP is going to have to earn his PT like most rookies do - by outperforming (not even equally performing) the other guards on the roster. He'll start out with garbage time, and time when a guard is sitting out (e.g., resting Billups in back to back games) or is injured.

I don't like it, but that's what's happening now. KCP will get his PT later in the season, I guess.

[pistontr]

i would trade jennings and stuckey for dragic and shannon brown to solve our backcourt problem.

dragic/bynum/billups/siva
kcp/billups/brown


(but they have bledsoe, so there is no need jennings. himmm)

[DocRI]

I agree with those who have written that this will probably be a fluid situation, and we could see lots of guys (even Singler) get a crack at the starting SG spot. However, I think it's a mortal lock that Billups starts on opening night, and even gets announced last so that he can enjoy a huge "Welcome Home" ovation. Heck, they even went so far as to do that at the recent open practice, and if my memory serves that's how we handled Ben Wallace's return to the Pistons as well.

Last note on KCP — even though we all hated it and bitched about it all last year, the Pistons insisted on starting the inferior Jason Maxiell (who didn't have a future with us) over Drummond for most of the season, and look how well that has seemingly worked towards Dre's development. Drummond did, however, get regular bench minutes, so if they're taking a similar tactic with KCP and Cheeks doesn't want a five-guard rotation, then yes, I think Bynum will be odd man out (which makes sense since Jennings, Billups and Stuckey can all handle minutes at PG anyhow). Remember, we're not pushing "all-in" for a title this year; this is still a crazy-young team, and developing our young players is crucial for long-term success.

[Cowology]

^You could easily argue that Drummond would have had an even larger impact if he started earlier in the year. It's pretty speculative.

Anyway, not the least bit shocked. As others have said repeatedly, it'll be a fluid situation. Hopefully KCP is starting by the end of the year, but each guy will likely have the opportunity to separate himself at some point. Stuckey being trade bait would obviously be ideal.