03-06’ Pistons - Rank the starters 1-5 based on importance

[Hook_Em]

Starting with the 03-04’ title season through 05-06’ (Ben’s last season in Detroit).

Over that 3 year span how would you rank their big-5 based on importance to their team:

(in no order)
Billups
Hamilton
Prince
Rasheed
Ben

[MrBigShot]

Chauncey
Ben
Sheed
Rip
Tayshaun

[eminence]

Think there's a notable flip towards Billups with Saunders arrival in '06, but considering the whole period equally this is my list.

1) Ben
2) Sheed
3) Hamilton
4) Billups
5) Prince

[MiamiBulls]

1.Ben Wallace
2. Chauncey Billups
3. Richard Hamilton
4. Rasheed Wallace
5. Tayshaun Prince

[lessthanjake]

1. Rasheed Wallace
2. Ben Wallace
3. Chauncey Billups
4. Tayshaun Prince
5. Richard Hamilton

Rasheed Wallace is super underrated and really is one of the best several players of his generation IMO.

[One_and_Done]

Very ensemble cast, so the top 2-3 flip a little based on preferences.

Billups
Ben
Sheed

Rip
Prince

[jojo4341]

Chauncey
Ben
Sheed
Rip
Tayshaun

I agree with this ranking.

[Snakebites]

Chauncey
Ben
Sheed
Rip
Tayshaun

This is the one.

Rasheed was the most talented but far from the most impactful.

[Dr Positivity]

Billups
Ben
Sheed
Hamilton
Prince

I can't see Ben first when they were still a fringe contender after he was gone.

[trex_8063]

Billups
Ben
Sheed
Hamilton
Prince

I can't see Ben first when they were still a fringe contender after he was gone.

Yeah, in '08 back to being just good as they'd been in '04 (lost to juggernaut Celtic team in six, in ECF). Then they fall off a cliff in '09 with Chauncey's departure (much of the same cast as in '08 otherwise, if aging [and get a washed Allen Iverson]).

No way can Sheed crack the top 2 for me, if for no other reason than he's only present for 2.5 of the four years we're talking about.

My only question is the order of 4-5. It's definitely Rip and Prince, but I'm not sure Prince wasn't more valuable: outstanding point of attack defender who became a passable tertiary scorer, too; excellent glue guy, imo.

Probably I go with Rip at #4, but just wanted to give Prince some praise.

EDIT: I'd even say I DEFINITELY go with Rip at #4, since he was already a starter and a key cog in their offense by '03, whereas Prince was a rookie getting scant playing time until his coming out party in the playoffs (defending peak TMac).

[Djoker]

1. Ben
2. Chauncey
3. Sheed
4. Rip
5. Tayshaun

Sheed was very impactful but he actually wasn't on the team in 2003 and a chunk of 2004. And I still think push comes to shove, as underrated as he was, both Ben and Chauncey were likely more important to that team anyway. The team fell off pretty sharply when the two of them left in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

[ReggiesKnicks]

1. Ben
2. Chauncey
3. Sheed
4. Rip
5. Tayshaun

Sheed was very impactful but he actually wasn't on the team in 2003 and a chunk of 2004.

This is the 2004 season through the 2006 season.

And I still think push comes to shove, as underrated as he was, both Ben and Chauncey were likely more important to that team anyway. The team fell off pretty sharply when the two of them left in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

2005 Pistons: 3.31 SRS
2006 Pistons: 6.24 SRS

Ben Wallace Leaves

2007 Pistons: 3.69 SRS
2008 Pistons: 6.67 SRS

Chauncey Billups Leaves

2009 Pistons: -0.36 SRS
2010 Pistons: -5.02 SRS

[Djoker]

1. Ben
2. Chauncey
3. Sheed
4. Rip
5. Tayshaun

Sheed was very impactful but he actually wasn't on the team in 2003 and a chunk of 2004.

This is the 2004 season through the 2006 season.

And I still think push comes to shove, as underrated as he was, both Ben and Chauncey were likely more important to that team anyway. The team fell off pretty sharply when the two of them left in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

2005 Pistons: 3.31 SRS
2006 Pistons: 6.24 SRS

Ben Wallace Leaves

2007 Pistons: 3.69 SRS
2008 Pistons: 6.67 SRS

Chauncey Billups Leaves

2009 Pistons: -0.36 SRS
2010 Pistons: -5.02 SRS

I appreciate the SRS. 2008 is definitely a bounce back season but I'd still take the 2004-2006 Pistons over 2008. When Chauncey left, the wheels definitely came off completely but Chauncey kind of became more prominent when Flip came in 2006. In 2004 and 2005, I feel like Ben was the heart and soul of that team and the impact metrics support that AFAIK.

[kcktiny]

I can't see Ben first when they were still a fringe contender after he was gone.

Over the four seasons 2002-03 to 2005-06, Ben Wallace:

- grabbed 1210 offensive rebounds, most among all players in the league, no other Piston grabbed even 350

- grabbed 2747 defensive rebounds, 2nd most among all players in the league, no other Piston grabbed even 1100

- grabbed 499 steals, 7th most among all players in the league, no other Piston grabbed even 300

- blocked 833 shots, most among all players in the league, no other Piston blocked even 300

Detroit averaged 55-56 wins over those 4 years, mostly on their defense (2nd best in the league over that time), Big Ben was the best defender in the league over that time (3x DPOY, 4x all-defensive 1st team), and was also 3x all-NBA 2nd team.

[GeorgeMarcus]

1. Rasheed Wallace
2. Ben Wallace
3. Chauncey Billups
4. Tayshaun Prince
5. Richard Hamilton

Rasheed Wallace is super underrated and really is one of the best several players of his generation IMO.

This is my order

[GeorgeMarcus]

Maybe Billups over Ben now that I think about it, idk

[DCasey91]

1 - Ben Wallace
2 - Chauncey Bill ups
3 - Rasheed Wallace

The core make-up is from Big Ben and himself only. Billups was the main ball guy and hit big shots.

In saying all of this they barely had enough offense to get it done. But yes Ben Wallace was and always will be the most important player to that team.

Don't think you get away with it today on defence though we just seen it in these past NBA Finals. So who knows

[B-Mitch 30]

Surprised Rip Hamilton isn't getting more love here. He was clearly the best scorer on the team during their playoff run in '04, and probably the best NCAA champ who won a Finals in the 2000's. I've also heard his defense was underrated, while Chauncey's was overrated, but I could be misremembering.

[One_and_Done]

If Ben was the most valuable Piston then we probably wouldn't have seen them win 53 and 59 games the 2 years after ditching him. The only reason they didn't win more in 07 was because they were playing Webber & Nazr at the 5. Once they started McDyess the team was humming again.

The real drop off came after they moved Billups for Iverson, cratering to 39 wins while the Nuggets he was sent to actually got better.

[eminence]

'06-'08 Billups with Flip was not really the same player as '04/'05 Billups with Brown.