Thrilled

Great to have Will Bynum back on the team. At 10.5 mil over three years it's a win-win for Will and the Pistons.

Pistons News

- Greg's foot surgery went well and isn't supposed to interfere with his training schedule so I expect a Muscular Monroe come pre-season.

-The free-agency buzz has become more of a hum these days with all of the premiere free-agents and all the second tier guys and all the "didn't see that coming" guys (Hi, Darko) being signed to (mostly) huge contracts.

-Many fans and basketball "experts" are really down on the Charlie V. and Ben Gordon signings from last year. I don't know how many times this summer I've heard on t.v. and read on the Internet about what a waste the signings were and how they didn't work out and blah, blah, blah. Let me just say this, they were both injured for much of the season, actually, half the team was injured at one time or another. It's like all the good health from the last six years suddenly went bad and thundered down in a perfect storm of injuries. "Every Game a New Sprain" should have been flashing on the Jumbo Tron at The Palace. If the team stays healthy this year, the Pistons make the playoffs. And Ben Gordon and Charlie V. will have great years and while none of the naysayers will admit that they were wrong, they'll begrudgingly accept that maybe they weren't such bad signings after all.

-The Pistons are not getting Chris Paul. No one really wants to trade the future of the team for a star that will pull a LeBron in two years and leave Detroiters burning CP3 jerseys in the streets.

-And one final note, Pistons' fans are spoiled. The team has had so much success, so much stability, in the last six years that people are bewildered and unable to wrap their minds around the fact that we missed the playoffs last year. Some of that is pride in their team and I can respect that. The Pistons have set the bar pretty high and every year they miss the playoffs we shout, "unacceptable" and look for someone or something to blame. Some blame Joe Dumars for drafting Darko and trading Billups for Iverson, some blame Charlie V. and Ben Gordon for not having more of an impact in their first year.

I blame injuries.

The Pistons will make the playoffs this year.

Guaransheed.

Can I still say that?

The Blueprint

ESPN mentioned that the blueprint to beat the current Miami squad is the 2004 World Champion Detroit Pistons blueprint: A deep, defensive minded team. The current Detroit Pistons roster contains some depth but it's the defense that is sorely lacking. Is this team on the right track to compete at the highest level?


PG Stuckey/Bynum/Sosa*
SG Hamilton/Gordon/White
SF Prince/Daye/Summers
PF Villanueva/Jerebko/Maxiell/Koshwal*
C Wallace/Monroe**/Wilcox

(Pretty much all of our bigs can play either PF or C depending on the match-up and who is playing beside them, and Jerebko may be a more natural 3 than a 4 but we'll leave him at the PF for now.)

* Summer League guys that may make the team.
** Monroe may end up starting at C, but Ben Wallace's rebounding and defense may be too important for him not to start.

I don't know if Joe Dumars is going to trade Rip and/or Tay by training camp but I know that he won't give them away and I appreciate that. Joe is a shrewd GM and he knows the effect that injuries had on the team last year so he won't be hasty and it may be that he won't make any trades this summer.

That being said, with current the state of the roster, I am expecting Joe to pull a maneuver and get the team some value via trade going into next year.

But far more important than any trade is the improvement of our current players, particularly on the defensive end. If the Pistons can stay healthy and Coach "Q" can squeeze some defense out of our weaker defensive players then the Pistons are back in the playoffs.

Are they ready to defeat the Superfriends in the NBA Finals? Not yet, but if you look close you can start to see the blueprint.

I'm Just Sayin'...

Point and rebound totals from the last 3 Games of the Las Vegas Summer League:

Monroe

Pts...7, 20, 27

Rbs...7, 6, 14

Cousins

Pts...16, 10, 6

Rbs...12, 7, 6

Greg Monroe Final Summer League Efficiency Rating: 14.60

DeMarcus Cousins Final Summer League Efficiency Rating: 12.17

DMC got Rookie of the Month and my man G-Money didn't even make the All-Tournament Team.

I know, it's only summer league.

I'm just sayin'...

The Final Grade

The Pistons Summer League days have come and gone. Each game provided it's own questions and answers, bright spots and worrisome performances. Let's break down the playas.


Austin Daye: Grade B+

Austin looked great in the first two games but injuries ended his summer league early and on a low note with an abysmal performance against the Kings. Overall he was greatly improved in his confidence and determination, his post up game and his body control. Had he stayed healthy he may have been the biggest positive for the Pistons this summer.

DaJuan Summers: Grade C+

Looked great going to the basket and drawing fouls. The guy looks quick for a 240 pounder and when he gets aggressive and asserts himself he can make plays. I just don't see what DaJuan does that guarantees him a spot in the rotation. Jerebko has the hustle and defense, Daye has the length and skill-set, Prince can do everything and do it well. Where does DaJuan fit in? Maybe he fits in on another team or maybe he refines his game and becomes an impact player. Only time will tell.

Jonas Jerebko: Grade B

Jonas got fewer and fewer minutes as the week went on. He continues to show the relentless style that earned him a starting spot on the team last year. His physicality seemed to land him in constant trouble with the less experienced summer league refs and he needs to refine his offensive game with one or two go-to-moves on the block and a more consistent shot from range. On a side note, Jonas is the player on the summer league roster I have the fewest questions about going into the season. And that's a good thing.

Greg Monroe: Grade B+

You could see him really start to settle down against the Heat and then he had a monster game against the Knicks (27 pts. 14 rbs.). I liked the kid from the first time I saw him play and he finally started slowing down and showing us what he could do. A lot of people question if Greg is really a center. Steve Smith even mentioned he may spend some time at the three...anyway, here's why I think he is capable of playing against any center in the league and being successful. His versatility. If he can't overpower you in the post he'll simply take you outside, force you to play him 15 feet from the bucket and either A)hit jumpers B) put the ball on the deck and get by you or get you to foul him or C)drop dimes to cutters because he has pulled the opposing team's big man out of the paint and opened up a clear path to the basket. If he does match up with you in the block he can A)spin into the lane and hit you with the baby hook B) turn baseline and hit you with the short corner-turn around or C) Throw a couple of fakes and get the up-and-under-and-one as you jump to block the fake and end up fouling him on the lay-in. Couple that with a guy who consistently runs the floor and runs it well and you have the makings of a star. He needs to add strength and his defense still needs a lot of work but with Ben Wallace sticking around for two more years to guide Greg, I can't help but like his chances of becoming a good defender.

Terrico White: Grade B

Solid, that's how I would describe Terrico's summer league. He flashed his athleticism but never tried to do to much. 1.6 assists to 1.0 turnover (per game) is respectable considering how much the guy had the ball in his hands. He showed a nice shooting touch both off the dribble and on spot ups. How much he plays this season will depend largely on how fast he learns but he has the tools, and, despite a poor shooting day against New York, ended the week looking like a brilliant pick at #36.

Other Notables:

Mac Koshwal: I think Mac makes the team and I'll tell you why. 1. The Pistons need big, active bodies that can rebound, 2. The Pistons need to get tougher. Mac is a chiseled 6'10" 255 and does the dirty work. Every team in the league needs guys like Mac, guys that hit the weights and then crash the boards. He looks like another guy that would blossom under the tutelage of Ben Wallace.

Edgar Sosa: Not sure Sosa makes the team but he showed enough to give the Pistons pause. He is quick, passionate about his game and plays hungry. He's not a great shooter but he'd be joining a Pistons team where he wouldn't have to be. Plus he a New York City point guard and they come tough. If the Pistons don't pick him up for the minimum someone else probably will.

Thomas and Smacked

In an 83-92 loss to the Miami Heat that featured little offensive flow, fouls galore and 35 turnovers between the two teams there were a few bright spots for the Pistons in their first game this summer at the Thomas and Mack Arena.

The playas:

Austin Daye...DNP


DaJuan Summers...20 pts. 3 rbs.

I get the feeling DaJuan is playing just good enough to get himself traded. He is definitely at his best going to the basket where his size and strength allow him to draw fouls (7-8 FT). Steve Smith referred to him as a "tweener". I'm not sure why. DaJuan's a small forward, there's no hint of power forward in his game. He doesn't post up. His rebound numbers are marginal and he shoots a lot of threes. He shot a respectable 6-13 but had more turnovers (5) than rebounds.

Jonas Jerebko...DNP

Greg Monroe...20 pts. 6 rbs. 2 blks. 1 stl.

Greg needed this game. He showed his versatility in his shot selection with face-up jumpers, a turn-around jumper in the short corner, dunks, lay-ups and hook shots. He slowed down when he got the ball, tried to read the defense and make the appropriate move. He scored 20 and looked capable of more, but with many of the Pistons' point guards trying to showcase their skills in an effort to make an NBA roster he was missed on some pick-and-rolls and poor post entry passes. I don't know if the coaches are telling him to hound the ball 30 feet from the basket but he is recovering to his man too slow resulting in fouls and dunks for the opposition around the basket. He also has a bad habit of reaching when attempting to block or disrupt a shot. Instead of holding his arms straight up he lowers in a half-contest-half-shot-block move that always results in a foul. Greg needs a repeat performance or better next game and I think he'll get it. He seems to be settling down and getting more comfortable with the NBA game.

Terrico White...11 pts. 3 rbs 1 ast. 1 blk. 2 stls.

The Pistons' coaches wanted Terrico to be more aggressive this game and he was for spurts but at times I found myself wondering if he was still on the floor. His stat line looks pretty good and, again, he only committed one turnover but he shot 2-7 from the field and 1-4 from range after averaging 65% shooting from the field and 60% from range through the first three games. He had only one assist but he played almost exclusively at two guard. He still looks like a great second round value.

Other Notables:

Mac Koshwal...4 pts. 6 rbs. 1 ast. 3 stls.

Mac continues his roll as garbage man, cleaning up the boards and getting his hands in the passing lanes for steals. I am curious to see if he can put up similar numbers against tougher competition. He could be a great spot minutes, energy guy for a Pistons team that needs to add toughness.

Marquez Haynes...10 pts. 3 rbs. 2 asts. 1 blk.

Marquez was trying to play himself onto on NBA squad, flying all over the court, trying to dunk the ball over Miami's center. He was trying to get over-looked by shooting 2-8 from the field, 1-5 from range and dribbling out the shot clock on one possession. Shot an efficient 5-6 from the free-throw line and showcased his hustle.

Elijah Millsap..8 pts. 4 rbs. 1 ast.

Showed that he could shoot the jumper, which is important when you are trying to be successful in the NBA as a 6'6" guard-forward. He had a nice little crossover-dribble-to-jump-shot from about 20 feet out that showed he can do more than run the floor and get put-backs.

The Terrico White Question

No game today. Time to shed some light on the Terrico White Question: Can Terrico White become an NBA point guard? I understand that it is the summer league and that meaningful conclusions are tough to draw from such a small sampling of games but we'll work with what we got.

Scenario 1: Terrico White can play point guard in the NBA.

This is the best case scenario in my opinion. My mind is full of images of Rodney Stuckey and Terrico White, two tall, strong, players at the guard positions, wrecking havoc on the Jameer Nelsons and Derek Fishers of the NBA with lock-down defense, post-ups, explosive drives and pull up jumpers all the while handing out a healthy amount of assists in the greatest Pistons' back court since Billups and Hamilton. Think of the mismatch potential with Terrico's athleticism and three point range coupled with Rodney's wrecking ball drives and blossoming pull-up game.

If that sounds too good to be true then I would settle for Terrico being able to learn the offense, run the offense, and be a solid option a the point as a back up next year, with potential to become a starter at the one later on.

Scenario 2: Terrico White is not a true NBA point guard.

This is probably the more realistic scenario. The one where Terrico can play the point in a pinch but will have more success at his natural position, two guard. He will still be a valuable addition to an already deep Pistons' back court, but unless Dumars orchestrates a trade for Hamilton or Gordon, Terrico will likely be buried at the end of the bench behind the veterans.

Why Terrico's summer league performance so far favors Scenario 1:

Terrico doesn't turn the ball over despite having it in his hands much of the time. The guy just doesn't give up the ball. Through three games he has 6 assists and only 2 turnovers. He seems at ease handling the ball and makes the easy play. In the NBA, or at any level of basketball, taking care of the ball is paramount to a team's success and Terrico takes care of the ball. He has poise, plays under control, and doesn't seem to get rattled, important traits for an NBA point guard. Despite his relatively low assist numbers these "intangibles" attest to Terrico's ability to become a successful point guard.

Why Terrico's summer league performance so far favors Scenario 2:

Terrico isn't a dynamic play maker. He is a dynamic scorer. He has shown little desire to get into the lane off the dribble and kick to shooters, which you would think would be one of his strong suits due to his size and athleticism. His shooting game is clearly more advanced than his passing game. The guy makes tough shots and has range. He doesn't attempt tough passes or even mildy risky passes. I have yet to see Terrico attempt to "thread the needle" to anyone. Terrico has done nothing at the point so far this summer that Bynum, Stuckey, Gordon, Hamilton, Prince or Daye could not duplicate as far as the passing game. All the players referenced can bring the ball up and either dump it into the post or swing it to a wing shooter.

Destroyed in the Desert

Tough night for the Pistons. I had my doubts about pulling out a win when it was announced that we were going to rest Jonas. A twenty-nine point loss and a lot of looks at Jared Reiner, needless to say it was difficult to watch.

The playas:

Austin Daye...5 pts. 0 rbs. 2 asts. 0-7 from the field 0-2 from range.

As good as Austin looked the first two games he looked that bad tonight. Tonight was a reminder of why we haven't traded Tayshaun Prince. I kept hearing how he was a "little banged up" and it started to sound like an excuse. The defense was keying on him (as any smart defense should do to the opposing team's go-to-guy) and frustrated Austin into a forgettable performance. Defensively he was not moving his feet and his reaching resulted in six personal fouls. I am interested to see how he bounces back from this game, that will be a good indicator of his maturity level and improvement.

DaJuan Summers...10 pts. 4 rbs. 1 blk.

DaJuan continues to show his worth getting to the rim and drawing fouls (4-5 from the line) but 3-11 from the field isn't going to get it done. With Austin having a bad night this was the chance for DaJuan to step up and say "Alright, let's go. Get me the ball and let me work." Unfortunately it didn't play out that way and an opportunity to further DaJuan's case for a consistent spot in the rotation was lost.

Jonas Jerebko...Had the night off.

Greg Monroe...7 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast.

Greg wasn't dominated by Cousins, the player taken two spots ahead of him in the 2010 Draft, and showed some fire stepping up to foil Hassan Whiteside's dunk attempt. He shows well on pick and rolls but doesn't close-out well on defense leading to blow-bys and fouls. It was good to see him being active stealing the ball from Cousins on a post entry pass and he continues to show his ability to handle the ball in the open court and in half-court sets. I continue to like what I see from Greg. He got up the floor again for a couple of nice lay-ins and pulled down 3 offensive rebounds. Once he settles down and tones up he is going to be in good shape (no pun intended) to help the Pistons win some games next year.

Terrico White...9 pts. 2 rbs. 2 asts.

Terrico White's jumper (particularly off the dribble) is smooth. Barry mentioned his balance and you could see it in his shot. He showed his hops on a nice alley-oop throwdown from Daye and delivered another solid performance. He comitted only one turnover. Still would like to see him get a five or six assist game under his belt before the end of summer league.

Other Notables:

Mac Koshwal...10 pts. 12 rbs. 1 ast.

He's 6'10, 240, rebounds and airballs free-throws. Sound familiar? Mac Koshwal is not the second coming of Ben Wallace and I really didn't think we had a roster spot for him at the beginning of summer league. But, I warming up to the guy. He fights for boards. He's got size. Sure, he needs to clean his game up, but he seems like the kind of guy we could use in the D. I'm not saying sign the guy up immediately, but he may play himself into a Pistons' uni by the end of the week.

A.J. Slaughter...10 pts. 1 rb. 1 ast. 3-3 from the field 1-1 from range

Had a good shooting day but another small shooting guard(Hi, Ben Gordon)is not what the Pistons are looking for.

Big Ben is Back!

No Summer League today for the Pistons but there is good news nonetheless. According to numerous sources Ben Wallace is re upping for two more years, thank goodness.

Ben's signing goes beyond last year's stats, which were remarkable for a player in his mid-thirties who sacrificed his body as an undersized and underrated center for so many seasons. Ben is an icon in Detroit and this signing further cements his hero status in the great state of Michigan and in the minds of all those who value heart, hustle, and perseverance in life and on the court.

I was let down when Ben left Detroit, but I was glad when he came back and overjoyed when he played like he had entered a time warp crossing the state line and was in his twenties again. I'm glad he wants to stay and retire a Piston. It feels right. It's good for the team. It's good for the city of Detroit.

Now, if we can just get him to bring back the fro...

Deja 2

The Pistons scored 89 points for the second game in a row but unlike the previous game this affair was a blow out as the Pistons defense held the Warriors to 69 points. Got a great look at Greg Monroe as the Pistons fed him a steady diet of post feeds in the second half.

The playas:

Austin Daye...20 pts. 5 rbs. 4 asts. 3 blks.

Austin wasn't quite the sharpshooter he was against the Lakers but still managed to lead all scorers with 20. At 6'11" he has a remarkable ability to create his own shot and when he spots up for the corner three it's lights out. He continues to be the Pistons go-to-guy on the offensive end, deservedly so, but he seemed to force the issue a bit tonight. His free throw shooting was off (2-5) but overall another encouraging performance.

DaJuan Summers...18 pts. 7 rbs. 1 stl

Loved DaJuan tonight. He wasn't just hanging around on the perimeter. He was in the mix underneath and hauled down 7 rebounds, even managing to out rebound Austin. Continues to knock down jumpers and slash to the basket for lay-ups and fouls. He was much more assertive this game. I would still love to see him take a couple guys down into the block and exploit his strength but I thought tonight he really showed his value at the 3 position.

Jonas Jerebko...11 pts. 7 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.

I thought Jonas looked better tonight and he nearly got that double-double I was hoping for. His offense is still pretty raw, but defensively he was better. He needs to stop taking that half-charge where you think he is going to take a charge but ends up stepping into the guy driving at him and then bouncing back about five feet with his hands in the air. That's never gonna go your way, Jonas. Never. Close-out, hedge the guy, take the charge, block the shot or at least contest, but please no more half-charges.

Greg Monroe...11 pts. 8 rbs. 3 asts. 2 stls.

Saw a good sampling of what Greg can do tonight and, again, I was encouraged. He led the team in rebounding, ran the floor, contested shots and made some nice passes. His free throw shooting was poor, and after seeing the squeaker dunk he threw down tonight on Brown no one should ever mention his name in the same sentence as David Robinson again. He definitely needs to get stronger, but look at the guys shoulders, he's got the frame. He just needs time. I thought his wind looked better tonight and was impressed the way he was getting up the floor. Nice improvement from Game 1.

Terrico White...7 pts. 3 rbs. 1 ast. 1 stl.

Terrico looks comfortable with the ball in his hands and his jump shot is miles ahead of where Rodney Stuckey's was (is?)particularly from range. He's going to help the Pistons, but in what capacity? Can he play point? I mean, he can bring the ball up, but 1 assist in 25 minutes is not very reassuring. Still, he has a smooth shot, athleticism and never looks like he is rattled or in a rush. He is looking more and more like a steal at 36. I would love to see that assist number rise next game.

Others

Koshwal: Not a walking turnover this game. 9 points, 6 boards and some toughness down low. Also, the dunk of the night. Nice game.

Sosa: Looked tough and quick. 6 points, 5 assists and 1 turnover. Also, the lay-up of the night.

Millsap: Led the team in steals (3) and ran the floor hard. Impressed with his hustle and all round play.

1 AND O

Pleasant surprise tonight in Vegas. After a poor first half the Pistons finally started to pick their game up and finished strong with an 89-84 win over the Lakers.

The playas.

1. Austin Daye... 22 pts. 6 rebs. 2 asts. 2 stls.

Looked great. Shooting. Check. Ball handling. Check. Passing, defense, asserting himself. Checks all. He was a match-up nightmare. His fade away, something he's been working on, looked undefendable. Barry kept comparing him to Tayshaun, but Austin has a much better stroke, particularly from long range. Hope to see more of the same throughout summer league and during the regular season.

2. DaJuan Summers...17 pts. 3 rebs. 1 asts. 2 stls.

He's 6'8" 240 and still shows very little desire to post up...ever. DaJuan is not a 4 he is a 3, a big, strong, athletic, wing (Come to think of it, he's almost a giant two-guard). He outweighs Austin by 40lbs. and gets half the rebounds. He's a load going to the basket and lived at the foul line tonight (9-11). If he could somehow incorporate a post move or two into his game it would make him that much more effective.

3. Jonas Jerebko...16 pts. 4 rebs. 3 asts.

Jonas, to me, looked disinterested for half the game, then in the fourth quarter he was like, "All right, let's win this thing" and turned into the Jonas we all know and love, hustling, attacking, drawing fouls, all the things that make him so valuable. I would love to see him collect a few more rebounds, and if he doesn't have a double-double next game I'll be surprised.

4. Terrico White...17 pts. 1 reb. 3 asts. 1 stl. 1 Big Bucket.

Liked what I saw. He looked comfortable with the ball in his hands. One game is not enough of a sampling to draw too many conclusions, but I already like the guy. Big, big, jumper at the end of the game. Looked as athletic as advertised and a better ball handler then I thought. Looking forward to seeing him play again.

5. Greg Monroe...8 pts. 5 rebs. 4 stls.

After what I saw earlier in Orlando with Evan Turner and Derrick Favors I'd have to say that Greg had a good first game. I was glad to see him dunk the ball a couple of times and that he spent much of time on the block as opposed to the high post. He looked smooth around the basket, though he was rushing things a bit which is natural. He had no assists which I thought was atypical of his game, but, again, it was his first game and after taking so much time off of basketball to insure he was injury free come draft time it'll take a few games for him to get his legs. Overall, I was impressed and encouraged.

Great, gritty, comeback. The guys could have just said, It's Summer League, who cares?" But they made an effort and showed a lot of heart. Fun game to watch.

The Need to Succeed

Need a break from the "Summer of LeBron"? As a Pistons fan it can be frustrating to sit and watch the competition in the Eastern Conference get tougher with the additions in Miami, Chicago and New York while the Pistons wait to see if they can pick up some quality with the mid level exception or a trade after things have settled down.

There is still a lot of summer left to play out but let's look at some things that need to happen with the personnel currently in place for the Pistons to have a successful season.

1. Stuckey

Aside from the team staying healthy, the play of Rodney Stuckey will be the deciding factor for the Pistons this year. Whether he's a point guard or not really isn't the question as much as is he a great player? His combination of size, strength and speed already make him a tough cover. If he can improve his outside shooting (.405 from the field and a brutal .228 from three last year) he has the potential to make the jump from up-and-comer to All-Star. One thing that really stands out with Stuckey is his attitude. He always seems eager to improve, eager to take responsibility, eager to work hard and become a leader. Those qualities, as much as his obvious talent, make it hard to bet against Stuck having a break-out year.

2. Defense

Obviously, you say, but easier said than done. True, but good defenders are not born they are made. Defense is about effort, it's about will, and it's about technique. Was Charlie V. a poor defender? Yes. Can he improve? Absolutely. None of the guys on the Pistons roster are handicapped. They are all world class athletes. If they weren't they wouldn't be in the NBA. I'm not saying all of the players on the team are going to suddenly morph into lock down defenders but if Coach Q really practices what he preaches about defense and holds guys responsible for their effort then we can expect better defense this year.

3. The Second Year Guys

Jonas was the best player on the team for stretches last year and I would not be surprised to see him average close to a double-double next year. His defense and toughness make him a guy the Pistons need to keep around.

Austin is intriguing. The first time I saw him rebound the ball, bring it up court and drop a dime for an easy bucket I was hooked. You want to talk upside? At 6-11 with his skill set and shooting range this guy has potential to be a match-up nightmare every game. I think he can play shooting guard. His length will even the playing field against the quicker players he'll find himself guarding.

DaJuan has the tools to be a starting NBA small forward. He's 6'8", 240lbs. and shot .357 from three point range last year which shows his versatility. The question is, how do the Pistons develop this guy with the logjam at small forward? One answer is trade Prince for a big and move DaJuan or Austin into the starting spot, but the Pistons seem hesitant to do that and who can blame them? Prince is a proven commodity and his salary comes off the books next year. The other answer is trade Hamilton and give Austin more time at shooting guard thereby freeing up minutes for DaJuan at small forward. Of course DaJuan may be packaged with another player(s)for a serviceable big in which case problem solved.