15-16 Pistons in retrospect

Zion Wembanyama · Post #1 » by **Zion Wembanyama** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:19 am

I was just thinking about Monroe turning down his qo and becoming an ufa in 2015, before leaving. And as I look at the front-court now, I'm curious of something. Would you fans rather have a front-court of Griffin/Drummond, Monroe/Drummond, Monroe and a stretch 4 or Drummond and a stretch 4?

JLiv · Post #2 » by **JLiv** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:31 am

Griffin and Drummond, but Strech 4/ Drummond is tempting. If the stretch 4 is an Ilyasova, then it’s a no go. I’m interested in seeing what Casey can do with the talent of the Griffin/Drummond duo.

Post #3 » by **Snakebites** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:45 am

Drummond and a stretch for me. Especially if we’re assuming the stretch isn’t making Griffin money.

Assuming that it’s not even close.

Mr Peanut · Post #4 » by **Mr Peanut** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 11:52 am

As others have said, Drummond and a stretch 4 but then if Griffin's 3 point shot keeps developing he could be that stretch 4.

Slightly off-topic but not really, when I saw the thread title i thought it would be reflecting on our team that made the surprise playoff run in 15-16 (Drummond, Harris, Morris, KCP, Jackson). Really enjoyed their style of play in that first round competitive sweep against the Cavs. Would be interesting to see where we would be now if we had kept that core together.

Billl · Post #5 » by **Billl** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 12:52 pm

I'd rather ship out dre for someone to pair with blake - or at least some picks to build. Dre's just not a #1 scoring option and he's not a top defender and he's not a good leader. He's just not a guy you build around. He's maybe the 3rd or 4th guy on a quality team. You can win with a center that just rebounds and dunks, but you can't build around a center that just rebounds and dunks.

ComboGuardCity · Post #6 » by **ComboGuardCity** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 4:59 pm

I like Griffin more than most. He’s a legit star. Karl Malone when healthy.

Crymson · Post #7 » by **Crymson** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:22 pm

Super Powered wrote:I was just thinking about Monroe turning down his qo and becoming an ufa in 2015, before leaving. And as I look at the front-court now, I'm curious of something. Would you fans rather have a front-court of Griffin/Drummond, Monroe/Drummond, Monroe and a stretch 4 or Drummond and a stretch 4?

Drummond and a stretch four, without any hesitation. Monroe/Drummond was a spacing disaster, Monroe himself has gone tremendously downhill as a post-reliant player--in a league that is now rather harsh toward post players--who cannot defend the rim, and Drummond and Griffin are a pair that will take away from each other and do not at all fit together or into the modern NBA.

Tobias Harris provided better value to this team than Griffin did, because he was a far better fit with Drummond and Jackson and provided reliable shooting and shot creation that this team is now desperately short on. He also cost tremendously less than Griffin, and will--barring a superstar season--almost certainly cost far less than Griffin even on his next contract. It also helps that he's healthier and the consummate team-first guy.

ComboGuardCity wrote:I like Griffin more than most. He’s a legit star. Karl Malone when healthy.

No offense, but this has zero basis in reality. Malone is one of the greatest power forwards of all time. Griffin does not compare, and he never has.

As for being a "legit star," that depends on one's definition. It's also an irrelevant appellation; the truly important measure for any player is the value he provides to his team. Griffin is heavily fit-reliant, and he's a poor fit here. That severely impairs his value. "OMG BIG NAME" does not change that in the least. Some players, notably the elite wings that currently power NBA offenses, fit everywhere. Griffin does not.

Billl · Post #8 » by **Billl** » Wed Sep 19, 2018 6:47 pm

Prime malone posted a 31/12 season. No other big has come close to that since. Prime Blake had a 24/10 year - which is insanely good - but that is not in the same ballpark.

Manocad · Post #9 » by **Manocad** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 12:15 am

ComboGuardCity wrote:I like Griffin more than most. He’s a legit star. Karl Malone when healthy.

I'll have some of what you're smoking.

Invictus88 · Post #10 » by **Invictus88** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:44 am

Karl Malone put up 20 and 8 as a 39-year-old.
He had the greatest pure pg of all time passing him the ball, but he also didn't have to rely on athleticism to be effective. He had a skillset that aged extremely well.

Blake has neither. Yet at least.

Invictus88 · Post #11 » by **Invictus88** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:50 am

Also, Malone played 80+ games in 17 of his 19 seasons. He played half seasons in the other two.

Let's just say Blake hasn't been nearly as... lucky.

Post #12 » by **Snakebites** » Thu Sep 20, 2018 5:28 am

Oh freaking please.

Griffin is NOT as good as Karl Malone when healthy, and that’s pretending “when healthy” is even relevant to any discussion involving Blake at this point.

Karl had skills Blake will never dream of.