I actually had 4 of my questions answered. Two under Jesse. One under JPN (which is how they shortened Jesse from PistonsNation), and one under Zeke11. Pretty cool huh? This was a pretty big thrill to me being I'm such a huge Isiah Thomas fan. Link l Pistons.com
Thanks Mr. Pistons...Jesse. I wonder why there is the perceived lack of teachers among the veteran players? Selfishness? Disinterest? Maybe higher salaries? Look at the salaries of the 1992 Pistons including Isiah.. Mark Hughes..$250,000 Mark Aguirre..$1,232,000 William Bedford..$900,000 Lance Blanks..$415,000 Joe Dumars..$1,295,000 Gerald Henderson..$130,000 Bill Laimbeer..$1,369,000 Bob McCann..$130,000 Dennis Rodman..$1,075,000 John Salley..$2,000,000 Brad Sellers..$600,000 Charles Thomas..$130,000 Isiah Thomas..$2,960,000 Darrell Walker..$665,000 Orlando Woolridge..$957,000
Evening Bills.. You said, "I wonder why there is the perceived lack of teachers among the veteran players? Selfishness? Disinterest? Maybe higher salaries?" Just some theory but it could be in part that the average age of the player in the NBA today is younger than during Zekes day. You didn't have many teams back then with a guy on a roster pulling down millions but that still couldn't buy himself a legal beer in a hotel bar. Today teams have multiple players per team that age. Since most of Zekes time was spent pre-expansion, almost all the teams were laced with better talent from one end of the pine to the other. It was a lot harder to crack a line-up as a late 2nd round pick 20 years ago. Fewer teams had a greater concentration of power in a smaller area. They didn't feel as threatened as todays guys cause they had more comprehensive skill sets. Maybe today the mindset is more about the "I" than the "WE" cause a more expanded league creates a faster revolving door. You have to make your mark or your mark is "X". Tougher, younger competition combined with a swiftly turning door may not be creating the type of atmosphere where guys are willing to help eachother as much as they once did, for fear they'll be helping themselves right out'a job. Especially in lieu of the way managing the salary cap has become so fundamental to a teams success. Help a guy making a couple mil a year less than yourself and you may become expendable for the effort. You end getting traded so your team can exercise an option on another rostered player two years down the road. I think GMs in general are a much more "forward" thinking group today, than they were a couple decades ago regarding aggressive cap management. Could be todays "difference" as Zeke pointed out, in there being less floor leadership (less helpful vocal vets) is about guarding your own henhouse. The old "CYA" factor... On the other hand - maybe I've simply got my head way up my azz..
Good answer G, I believe we also see a lot more player movement these days... where vets are shipped just because of their expiring contract... they go to new teams where the young players have already established themselves.... it's hard to be an experienced voice of reason when everyone knows you're a borrowed player.
Not to mention that coaches generally don't last more than 3 years. It's hard to teach a system and develop talent in time to reap the rewards. I think that is very apparent in the moves Joe has made. He keeps bringing in new teachers to expand the quality of his talent.
Isiah was winning championship at the cusp of the TV era. Big money was a new thing in 88-89 with the TV contracts. Tv and money. That changes a lot of dynamics.
Why didn't you just as for a big Hug? Here's what I would have asked the Zeke. Do you expect Lb 4 Lb to develope talent as you insisted B. Malone to do in Toronto? Or have or methods changed with time? [High and tight fastball] ...Does S. Marbury have the all around skills to help your team to finals? Could he be as dominant as Bup-Bup Billups or yourself back in the day? [Hanging curve, don't study it too long] ...What were your intentions for the C.B.A. you bought for 10 mil.? They say you wrecked it. [cut slider toward the knees]
TheeTFD I like your thinking on the tough questions but I'm surprised he got what he did out of Isiah. I think those questions would have made it a dodgeball game not a baseball game. Quite a while back forum members from the Detnews forum got a chance to have Joe Dumars answer some of their questions and I got one of mine answered. Joe gave the most pathetic and evasive answers possible. Really shameful effort by Joe D. Makes Isiah look great by comparison.
BBills, its all PC stuff for High visability guys. That's why you need to corner them when you get the chance.
