Dumars: Pistons must rebuild softened roster

Dumars: Pistons must rebuild softened roster - Yahoo! News

"We're more committed now than ever before to maintain our core values," said Dumars. "We drifted from who we were; we didn't play with the same grit and toughness." Joe Dumars says Pistons will be a tough team again | detnews.com | The Detroit News

looks like J.D. realizes that

I can't believe that sombody at the Associated Press actually got paid to compose that facinating piece of investigative journalism.

That was some groundbreaking stuff right there!

My appologies to the A.P.

When I clicked on the link earlier, it only loaded up to the sentence: "Dumars has several ways to change that, starting with the No. 7 pick that Detroit received in last week's lottery."

There was a little more to the article than my internet connection lead me to believe.

I had the same problem earlier today.

GOOD one Max. I am asking myself the same question after reading Joe Dumars interview. A real head scratcher.

Grit and toughness is fine, but I'd settle for a roster that looks like it's going in a direction other than down right about now.

This "softness" isn't entirely our overpaid bench players' fault. This team should have defended much better than it did all year. Let's look at our roster. Here are the group of guys that have seen regular action during the year (>41 games and >10mpg) and what their reputation around defense is:

RIP: can defend if he feels like it. He was a decent defender with the '04 team
Stuckey: can be an above average defender
Gordon: can be an average defender, but has size disadvantage
Prince: he still is one of the better defenders at the 3 spot in the league
CV: defensive liability
Bynum: can be a really good on the ball defender
JJ: pure hustle, but rookie mistakes
Maxiell: above average defender
Big Ben: 4xDPOY
Daye: has the potential to become an above average defender, but rookie mistakes
Kwame: can defend big guys ok


So, looking at that, our only gaping hole in defense should be CV. Everybody else on the roster should have done a better job defensively this year. On paper, prior to signing Gordon and CV, this team had good defensive pieces in place, but not enough firepower. When looked in that light, Gordon and CV signings make more sense.

In hindsight, yes, the CV signing is questionable. I still have faith in Gordon.

The bottom line is: our defensive lapses are not because of the Gordon and CV. Our entire team didn't put forth the effort. The players just gave up on the season before Santa came to town.

To me...it was about coaching.

How does grit translate to offense? I hope we aren't going to have more teams where they don't take a shot until the last 5 minutes of the shot clock

I know. I prefer it when teams take a shot with at least 6 or 7 minutes left on the shot clock.

Maybe someone should send Quester a copy of the book about the Phoenix Suns Seven Minutes or Less so he gets the point?

On a different note, does the Pistons return to grit (I smell the 10-11 marketing slogan) mean that the era of players without positions has ended? That was a quick one if so..............

chad ford's insider v.3 is up:
1. Wall, 2. Favors 3. Turner 4. Wes Johnson to Minny, 5. Aminu to Sac, 6. Cousins to G.S.
Analysis: I think the Warriors will do backflips if Cousins slips this far.


He actually had a pretty good week in Chicago. A number of NBA GMs told me that based on Cousins' body of work, interviews and his measurements, they believe Cousins has as much talent as anyone in the draft, including John Wall.


Cousins has been compared to everyone from Shaq to Zach Randolph, but here's an interesting historical comparison to ponder -- could he be the next Moses Malone?


"He's huge, he scores around the basket, he's a terrific rebounder and he plays with a chip on his shoulder," one GM said. "How many 20-10 centers come along? Not very many. As far as a talent goes, he could be incredible in the NBA. The league has gotten smaller and quicker. Cousins would kill most of the big guys in our league today."


Cousins also fared well in the measurement category, comparing favorably in size to NBA centers. He measured a legit 6-foot-11 with a tremendous 7-foot-6 wingspan and 9-foot-5 standing reach. Those numbers put him on par with the likes of Dwight Howard, Greg Oden and Brook Lopez. His interviews weren't nearly as bad as everyone made them out to be, either.


While the Warriors have Andris Biedrins in the middle, he's nothing like Cousins, who can come in and be a big-time scorer right away. Teaming Cousins with with Stephen Curry and Anthony Randolph would give the Warriors a great foundation.

7. Pistons, Davis

Analysis: Pistons president Joe Dumars has said he wants his team to regain the grit and toughness of past Pistons teams. But picking at No. 7 makes that a bit of a challenge. The Pistons are really high on both Cousins and Favors, but most likely they'll have to move up in the draft to get one of them. Regardless, the Pistons are taking a big man.


If they stay at No. 7, Davis makes some sense. He's got a nose for the ball and attacks the offensive glass. But he's also not the most polished player in the draft. Greg Monroe and Ekpe Udoh are other possibilities here. Apparently Cole Aldrich really isn't in the mix here.

If the Pistons try and fail to move up, and Cousins goes 6, I plan on vomiting. A lot.

I still can't quit complaining about these stupid wins at the end of the season. This organization has sucked the last years, but that made everything even worse; if you tank, than tank correctly