Good Grantland article on the Pistons

[theBigLip]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-p ... -this-bad/

Good article, not necessarily good news.

[ImHeisenberg]

Read through it. Basically backed up some people's belief that Monroe should not be traded- and that Smith should be, but likely won't be.

[kurtis48239]

Where did he get that dre and monroe are better on the floor.Never really mentioned that the reason why our players have no clues about plays and where they should be is on cheeks.

[Spider156]

I like this article. Basically proves that the Big 3 isn't working. It also said and the coach agrees, that the Monroe/Drummond duo isn't working. I think the idea of it sounds much better than the reality. But you can guess that it'll work and blame it on us not having a shooting SF. Who knows. This is Dumars job. I DO believe that the Pistons have time to figure this out. There are multiple options and I believe this month until the trade deadline will answer the question:

1. Trade Monroe (Best tradable asset we have) for an All-Star caliber SF.
2. Trade Smith for a solid SF (Could be difficult to do)
3. Wait it out until the offseason and see how the team works in the Playoffs (This could definitely be an option)
4. Trade role players like Stuckey and CV for better role players and rotate the three bigs we have around.

In my opinion, I'd like to go with Option 1 because Monroe is not a good defender and I don't believe he'll be that great. Maybe he'll work hard like David West did once he made it into the Pacers. But Monroe is looking for a big contract. I say trade him for a All-Star caliber SF that can really shoot the ball and defend hard. We would become a faster team while also building around Drummond. Smith to me is still a good signing. Why? We basically got Rasheed for free after trading a pick (Smith) for him. The contract is bad though. Not toxic! So I would go with Option 1 or Option 3. I do believe Option 4 should be taken regardless of trading a starter or not though.

[c-dot]

People are still avoiding the best and easiest option, bring Drummond off the bench.

[vic]

Its so refreshing to see someone write about the Pistons with both statistical insight AND actual basketball IQ...

He basically threw Cheeks under the bus and put the blame on Dumars... Saying his lineup experiment didn't work and that they don't have a workable defensive system.

He also pointed out Jennings and Smiths defensive shortcomings as well as Monroes... instead of blaming the whole world on Monroe.

"He might want to let the Drummond/Monroe combo stretch a bit more without Smith; Detroit was solid defensively when those two shared the floor last season, but Cheeks has barely used that alignment. In the bigger picture, he might tinker with a more conservative defensive style that keeps his big men closer to the paint — an imitation of what Indiana, Chicago, San Antonio, Golden State, and others have done — but such a revamp midseason is difficult."

LOL....

"Why don't you use the assets you have and use a defensive system that fits the assets you have... you know kinda like all the best defensive teams in the league?"

[tetris]

People are still avoiding the best and easiest option, bring Drummond off the bench.

That's only easiest solution. The best would be bringing bring Josh Smith off the bench. He easily the worst of the big 3 and he's not getting any better.

[Clarity]

People are still avoiding the best and easiest option, bring Drummond off the bench.

Its mind boggling some of you really still dont get it.

Our only chance at being great again is Drummond & were already ignoring him when hes playing now but you want to limit him?

I'm convinced some of you really would rather float than be great just to make sure you always have something to complain about.

[c-dot]

Actually, Monroe/ Smith has had the best results and Monroe/Drummond has had the worst when using two bigs. We've known this for a while and this article says the same thing.

[Clarity]

On Monroe-

"He’s a bit of a liability on defense, but he’s a freaking beast on offense and the glass. His quick hands produce legitimate benefits on defense (namely, steals), he cleans the glass, and he might function well in a different system, aside a top rim protector — perhaps Drummond in a couple of years. You don’t deal a big guy with these skills, at age 23, just because you overpaid for an older guy who plays the same position. The Pistons could have about $12 million in cap space this summer, even factoring in Monroe’s cap hold, and they could have something close to max-level cap room in the summer of 2015 — even if they re-sign Monroe in the interim. Only the first year of Drummond’s next contract will overlap with Smith’s deal, and Jennings’s contract will have expired by then. Detroit’s cap sheet is pretty lean."

This guy plagerized me, this is what ive been saying ad nauseam. Its really as simple as this.

[DBC10]

As usual, Zach Lowe says it best. He's one of the best and shines here.

Detroit is big, slow, and clunky, but it shouldn’t be this bad. And if it remains so, it will raise painful questions about Monroe’s future on the team. He’s a bit of a liability on defense, but he’s a freaking beast on offense and the glass. His quick hands produce legitimate benefits on defense (namely, steals), he cleans the glass, and he might function well in a different system, aside a top rim protector — perhaps Drummond in a couple of years. You don’t deal a big guy with these skills, at age 23, just because you overpaid for an older guy who plays the same position. The Pistons could have about $12 million in cap space this summer, even factoring in Monroe’s cap hold, and they could have something close to max-level cap room in the summer of 2015 — even if they re-sign Monroe in the interim. Only the first year of Drummond’s next contract will overlap with Smith’s deal, and Jennings’s contract will have expired by then. Detroit’s cap sheet is pretty lean.

This stood out to me. It makes so much sense to keep Monroe. Monroe's offense clearly outweighs his defensive presence, turning the guy into a positive when on court. You don't deal a guy with the footwork and finesse that Moose displays.

He’s shooting 25 percent from deep, and he’s on pace for more than 300 3-point attempts. Precisely zero players have ever shot that many 3s and shot them so poorly.

Lol, goddamn it Smith...You're making history for the wrong reasons.

[DBC10]

Actually, Monroe/ Smith has had the best results and Monroe/Drummond has had the worst when using two bigs. We've known this for a while and this article says the same thing.

Yeah but the twin towers setup was also used very sparingly from the same article...ergo it's too much of a small sample to draw any meaningful conclusions.

He also says,

He might want to let the Drummond/Monroe combo stretch a bit more without Smith; Detroit was solid defensively when those two shared the floor last season, but Cheeks has barely used that alignment

[c-dot]

People are still avoiding the best and easiest option, bring Drummond off the bench.

Its mind boggling some of you really still dont get it.

Our only chance at being great again is Drummond & were already ignoring him when hes playing now but you want to limit him?

I'm convinced some of you really would rather float than be great just to make sure you always have something to complain about.

You don't know what you're talking about, bringing Drum off the bench when he is still 5 years from his prime isn't limiting him. We perform better with Smith and Monroe on the floor that is a fact, unless you are obsessed with Drummond making some sort of statistical accomplishment, it shouldn't matter if he comes off the bench, his numbers would only be slighty lower (like Stuckey), he will still get a lot of game experience, he will still grow and get better.

[Hotmayo]

If Monroe is cool with coming off the bench for the rest of his career then resign the guy. If not, trade him.....

Let stuckey and cv walk and figure it out from their

I like your option #3 SPIDER which is probably gonna happen bc well Monroe is 23, and unless you trade him for melo and melo agrees to resign or Afflalo and a player.. Other than that I don't see any other option out their for Monroe, unless to resign him and get him to agree to come off bench for now or w/e

[Hotmayo]

^^^^ actually if we can trade jennings and Monroe for Bledsoe and dragic I would hahaha in my dreams

[ComboGuardCity]

Moose can be an all star. We can also give him 35 min a game even with Drummond and josh.

There are only 3 SF who I feel can be had and would make this team legitimate if we were to trade Moose: Parsons, Leonard, Batum. If we can't get those guys, keep moose and sign a guy like Ariza to a 3 year deal this summer.

[Clarity]

You don't know what you're talking about, bringing Drum off the bench when he is still 5 years from his prime isn't limiting him. We perform better with Smith and Monroe on the floor that is a fact, unless you are obsessed with Drummond making some sort of statistical accomplishment, it shouldn't matter if he comes off the bench, his numbers would only be slighty lower (like Stuckey), he will still get a lot of game experience, he will still grow and get better.

You have to wrap your hands around the fact that winning right now with floaters like Josh Smith means absolutely nothing.

The 1 single goal this team should have is progressing Drummond as fast as possible. Nothing else matters, Monroe is his post scoring side kick at best.

The Stuckey comparison proves you dont comprehend the situation.

This stood out to me. It makes so much sense to keep Monroe. Monroe's offense clearly outweighs his defensive presence, turning the guy into a positive when on court. You don't deal a guy with the footwork and finesse that Moose displays.

yup, Its really not that difficult, Stevie Wonder could see this.

[c-dot]

You don't know what you're talking about, bringing Drum off the bench when he is still 5 years from his prime isn't limiting him. We perform better with Smith and Monroe on the floor that is a fact, unless you are obsessed with Drummond making some sort of statistical accomplishment, it shouldn't matter if he comes off the bench, his numbers would only be slighty lower (like Stuckey), he will still get a lot of game experience, he will still grow and get better.

You have to wrap your hands around the fact that winning right now with floaters like Josh Smith means absolutely nothing.

The 1 single goal this team should have is progressing Drummond as fast as possible. Nothing else matters, Monroe is his post scoring side kick at best.

The Stuckey comparison proves you dont comprehend the situation.

This stood out to me. It makes so much sense to keep Monroe. Monroe's offense clearly outweighs his defensive presence, turning the guy into a positive when on court. You don't deal a guy with the footwork and finesse that Moose displays.

yup, Its really not that difficult, Stevie Wonder could see this.

Dude, Drummond is not Shaq, Tim Duncan or Hakeem. Right now, he's a younger version of DeAndre Jordan. He is not our "Only chance of winning" or the "only thing that matters" lol. My comparison to Stuckey was just to show how you can still get starter numbers and minutes off the bench.

[paQo the BAWSER]

^^^^ actually if we can trade jennings and Monroe for Bledsoe and dragic I would hahaha in my dreams

this would be ****** amazing.

but i like monroe, smith and drummond.

and i wonder, there aint 96 minutes in PF and C positions? Why can't play 32 minutes each one of them? in that way there is no bench player, they all starters and with 32 minutes they prevent of injuries, they came to the end of the match with energy and depend on scoreboard, we can end with smith and drummond (if we're up in the scoreboard) or smith and monroe (if we need scoring to get back in) or monroe and drummond (if they're playing with fluidity)

[Blkbrd671]

I still think trading moose is the best answer. Smith is the better pf on both ends, arguably on the offensive side of the ball.