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The U.S. Men’s hoops squad stayed perfect (4-0) hitting on 48% of their 3pt shots this morning in way to routing the previously unbeaten Spain 119-82.  Along with the 3pt shooting defense stood out.  USA smothered the politically incorrect Spanish team into 28 turnovers. The win puts the U.S. team one win away from being the top team in Group B which they can achieve by defeating their next opponent, Germany.

Tayshaun played 13 minutes and had 10 points (3/4 3ptrs) to go along with a steal, rebound, and an assist.

PN Press clippings are back with a vengeance! Joe may not be making any big moves but there’s stuff and junk going on.

• Gilbert Arenas like our Kwame Brown pick up, Agent Zero even goes as far to say that this will be “Kwame’s year”. He also seems to be campaigning to get Juan Dixon back in a Wizards uni: “I’ll take him back in D.C. right now.” and Bullets’ Wizards’ fans are in accord.
• Kwame understands that his key to being a productive member of the Pistons is going to lie in his ability to defend:
  

  “A lot of people don’t take pride in their defense and don’t tip their hat to guys that go out and stick their nose in there and play hard on defense,” Brown said. “I think I’ve been one of the underrated defensive players in the league. I think on this team I’ll have a chance to shine and that’s exactly what this team needs.”

• SI writer Marty Burns ranks the Pistons 6th in the East:
  

  Logic says they should be ranked higher, since they suffered no significant losses (other than coach Flip Saunders) from a team that won 59 games last season. But even president Joe Dumars seemed to think this present group had run its course at the end of last season and needed some new blood. Kwame Brown isn’t likely to light a fire under anybody. And how will all those Pistons vets react to hearing their names in trade talks all summer? Unless Dumars has something else up his sleeve, the Pistons just seem like a team headed for a decline.

• Pat Sullivan is Über happy to be back in Detroit.
• Rasheed’s pre-game huddle dance is maketable
• Rip’s former agent is accused of stealing $500k for Hamilton. Even for a millionaire that’s a pretty penny.
• Could the Pistons use a 18 ppg scorer off the bench? Ah, nah never mind. Rodney Stuckey.
• Remember Rodney White? No? Joe D took White #9 overall in 2001. Still no recollection? Perhaps that’s why Matt Watson has him at #3 on the biggest busts of the 00’s list over at Fanhouse. Last December, if you recall, we found out Rodney was averaging 36 ppg…over in Asia. He’s since landed on a very good Maccabi Tel Aviv roster (now w/ Carlos Arroyo).
• “Super Dupe” is still hoping to find the right situation in the league and would like to return to Detroit and play for coach Michael Curry
• A Jazz fan dreaming up a trade to bring Darko Milicic to Utah to back up Memo
• Tayshaun and the U.S. Redeem Team continue their quest for Olympic bling by crushing the current World Champion Spanish team 119-82. Check out this Beijing Q&A with “Big Daddy Rich” Chuck Daly at NBA.com
  
• So you want entertainment? Check out Baron Davis and Steve Nash’s Step Brothers parody. Clas-sick!
  

Ok, so technically Antonio and Rip didn’t crash Mo Evan’s wedding since they were groomsmen but I needed an excuse to make the above crappy photoshop.

That’s quite a savage beard Ripper’s working on. It’s gotta look killer with some stunner shades. He’s going the give the Baron Davises and DeShawn Stevensons of the league a run for their money. To check out the real wedding pics see: DBB via Need4Sheed via The Sports Culture

In other Piston’s news:

Rumors have Theo Ratliff on the verge of signing with the Philadelphia 76ers to replace injured center Jason Smith, and if there’s a big man in the league who has more to prove than Kwame Brown it’s Ratliff. (via Hoopsworld)

For me Theo played to mixed reviews last year.  I would say he earned his money but I somehow thought he had more in the tank.  Or maybe he wasn’t utilized right by Flipper?   But kay sera sera, we’ve got Kwame Brown now!?

I started to read Keith Langlois’ newest True Blue blog post talking about what the Pistons lineup to finish games might look like and he talked about Rodney Stuckey being out there and sliding Tay over to the four. First thought, Tayshaun is not what I think about when I think of power forward. But, then Keith makes a some good points:

Look at some of the power forwards in the East. Is there any reason to fear the 6-foot-9 Prince being overwhelmed by the likes of Antawn Jamison, Rashard Lewis, Josh Smith, Yi Jianlian or Charlie Villanueva? Maybe you’d want to protect him from the likes of Elton Brand or Zach Randolph, but even terrific power forwards like Chris Bosh or Kevin Garnett don’t present physically dominant mismatches for the lanky Prince, at least not over short stretches – not when the corresponding matchup on the other end takes those players out of their comfort zones. Even if Garnett and Bosh have the foot speed to stay with Prince, pulling them away from the basket to do so is a victory for the offense.

This isn’t the NBA of yesteryear where you have a clearly defined perception of what position players look like and what kind of game they play.  There’s more tweener types like Tayshaun.   Like Keith is saying, he doesn’t have the body to bang with every four in the East, but he’s versatile enough to hold his own against most of them and even create match up problems for other clubs.

If we can be competitive with Rasheed playing the pivot I don’t see why we can’t close out games with Tay at PF.

Long time no post…since it’s been a relatively quiet summer for Joe D. and the boys (Kwame freak’n Brown?) here’s a look at where some of our former Piston’s players have gone this past summer.

• Flip Murray, who last season with the Pacers after being released by the Pistons back in February, has signed on with Atlanta. He’ll be joined in the Atlanta backcourt by fellow former Piston swingman Maurice Evans. Atlanta picked up Evans to fill the void left when Josh Childress took a very lucrative deal to play overseas in Greece.
• While on the subject of players that have sought greener pastures across the Atlantic former Pistons Carlos Delfino and the Serbian Gangsta, Primoz Brezec, both inked deals overseas. While the Childress signing may have caught many off guard these should not. Both Brezec and ‘Los were constantly whining about not getting run here in the States and threatening to go Euro.
• Carlos Arroyo also spurned the Association for Europe. Arroyo is expected to lead Maccabi Tel-Aviv in dribbles per possession.
• Jarvis Hayes signed on with the Nets. There’s a guy you might have expected to go overseas. Loves to hoist, can’t defend.
• Damon Jones (Bucks) and Joe Smith (OKC) were part of a three team trade that brought Buck’s guard Mo Williams to the Cavaliers. You know what that means? It means since DJ is now on the Bucks roster we’re guaranteed to meet them in the Playoffs.

Even though there’s been no major waves like expected, here’s a couple ripples from the Pistons pool. Everyone’s favorite 12th man Walter “Herrmannator” Herrmann is being brought back, after a strong summer league showing Will Bynum earned himself a two-year deal with the club, Detroit also added a second Walter, second round pick Walter Sharpe …

…What’d I miss??

Since the Carmelo rumor’s legs didn’t strengthen we’ve got a new and more interesting deal, in my opinion, to mull over today. Check out the noise coming out of Bay Area this morning:

Joe Dumars, the Pistons’ president of basketball operations, gave notice after losing the Eastern Conference finals that no one on his veteran-laden team would be safe, and the source said Detroit is willing to divest itself of longtime stars Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups.

Wallace, like Davis an unrestricted free agent after ‘08-09, would give the Warriors their best true power forward since Chris Webber’s first stint in 1993-94 and has 3-point range that coach Don Nelson would love.

[…]

Since Wallace and Billups will combine to take home nearly $25 million in 2008-09, the Warriors would need to add more salary ballast to Davis in order to make the salary-cap numbers work.

One possibility in that role would be forward Al Harrington. A source close to the 10th-year forward said he is currently leaning toward requesting a trade from the Warriors this summer, although he will not make a final decision until after the draft.

I like this deal. If we have to part with guys this deal sounds fun. Baron is very similar to Chauncey in that he’s a big bodied dominant guard. I think Baron is a little better going to the rim than Billups. Chauncey may have the better long range stroke, but Davis is no slouch. Plus, this gives our PG of the future, Rodney Stuckey, one more prime time floor general to learn from.

I like Harrington’s game as well. Like Rasheed he can go inside and outside, although he didn’t get to show to much of his post game under Don Nelson.

Our engine is overdue for an oil change. This deal could help get some of that built up sludge out. I say DO IT JOE!

We we know Dumars at least put a worm on the hook and cast it towards the Nugget’s Carmelo Anthony. Just to recap, Joe Dumars offered up Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince for Carmelo Anthony and Denver (at least for now) is content with keeping their high scoring forward. That much we know.

Even though this deal at this point in time seems to be merely a suggestion I do have some thoughts on it.

On Chauncey: It just seems odd to think that one summer after Mr. Big Shot is made the richest Piston in history that he’s on the trading block.

This implies to me that Joe A) sees Chauncey on the decline. Much like his foresight with Ben Wallace two summers ago. And B) Joe and co. seen enough in Rodney Stuckey to give him Chauncey’s spot if they had to part with Big Shot.

It be tough to see Chauncey go. He’s the present face of the franchise. After bouncing all over the league his tenure in Detroit is all-in-all is a great story and it would be nice to see him finish here, but the bottom line is that as GM Joe’s job is to put trophys in on the mantle.

On Tayshaun: Joe said no one is untouchable, but I just though that was jargon for “it’s time for Rasheed to go”. I guess I never really thought about the possibility on parting with the Palace Prince. Unlike the other four starters Tayshaun was drafted by the Pistons. We watched him progress into the player he is today. He’s the reason we don’t already have Carmelo Anthony.

Tayshaun always has a great attitude, whereas Carmelo’s attitude and character have come into question over the years. It would be a tough contrast to get used to as far as how we view “Pistons” to be character guys.

Tayshaun Prince will join the United States men’s basketball team in Beijing. U.S. Coach Mike Krzyzewski calls Prince “the ultimate team player and a star“. The team starts training on June 28th in Las Vegas, the Olympic games will begin on August 8th.

Drew Sharp says not dismiss the chances of the Pistons trading for Carmelo Anthony, believing both sides can come out a winner in the deal.

Joe Dumars’ son Jordan, has committed to the University of South Florida. Jordan Dumars is a 6′6″ 230 lb. swingman and played his high school ball at Detroit Country Day.

George Blaha tells WDFN that Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton are probably the two Pistons starters who are least likely to be moved.

Pistons’ legend Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson will join a slew of big names at taking part in tomorrow’s Buick Open pro-am golf outting in Grand Blanc.

The Pistons have the 29th & 59th picks in Thursday’s draft. ESPN’s mock draft has the Pistons selecting Kansas State’s Bill Walker.

At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Walker could bring upside to the Pistons big men, who are looking to add someone in the middle. As a freshman, he averaged 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 31 games next to teammate and potential top draft pick Michael Beasley. - Detroit Free Press

Sorry for the hiatus PN. We’ve got a new head man.

After one year of being an assistant Michael Curry has been fast tracked to the Pistons head coach. A lot of us expected Curry to eventually be the man, but this was quick especially considering Curry’s very little experience and the Pistons recent string of high profile head coaches. Curry is expected to sign a three year deal worth 7.5 million.

Curry is Dumars’ guy. We know he’s on board with Joe’s vision, let’s just hope he’s not just a “yes man”. This team needs some one to get on their asses and not be afraid of being unpopular. I’m personally tired of the excuses for lack luster play. No more life time achievement free passes for guys playing below what’s expected from them.

I personally didn’t think Curry was the optimal choice for the Pistons, but I’m willing to give him a chance to prove himself.

Looks like he and Joe Dumars now need to get to work assembling a staff:

Nothing has been settled yet with Curry’s staff. Reports that Lindsey Hunter will be one of the assistant coaches are either inaccurate or premature. Hunter hasn’t yet decided what he wants to do next season.

Former assistant Terry Porter was officially named the head coach of the Phoenix Suns on Monday. Dave Cowens is not expected to return. Igor Kokoskov, who has been on the Pistons’ bench since 2003, is exploring head coaching options in Europe as well as with the Serbian national team. - Via Detroit News

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