NBA: Why I Love This Year's Pistons

For Pistons fans, last year was a difficult one to live through.  Watching a team that consistently made the Eastern Conference Finals stumble into the Playoffs, only to be shown a quick exit, was a tough pill to swallow.  It seemed as though we were watching the end of an era, and for the most part, we were.  The end of a seven-year run that saw two Finals appearances and a total of 73 playoff wins.  That's right, 73 playoff wins! 

Saying the average Pistons fan was spoiled by success would be an understatement.  Which made last year a difficult one to figure.

Although I think Michael Curry would've someday made a solid head coach, he was obviously in over his head last year.  Letting him go was both necessary and warranted, if for no other reason than because holding on to him would have prolonged this team's reloading for another season.  Putting blame on Curry is natural, but it should not stop there. 

Watching Rasheed Wallace become even more of a malcontent than he had ever been in his Pistons' career was critical to team chemistry.  Rooting for him was like drinking out of a toilet when you haven't had water in a day.  You do it because you have to, not because you want to. 

And let's not forget AI.

The guy who still can't shut his mouth about last year has played the part of victim this offseason.  The fact that he got a contract, his last to be sure, is almost a miracle in itself. 

It is a good thing for the Griz that Calipari left town.  At least for a year or two while Josh Pastner gets things going, they will for once be the better alternative to Tiger basketball.  As for his brief Pistons' tenure, I'm sure no one was happier to say goodbye to AI than Dumars himself.

With a coach who was in over his head and two past-their-prime, and selfish egos who poisoned the locker room gone, there will be an instant uptick in the chemistry meter, which is more important in basketball than any other sport.  That in itself will help to curb the loss of a guy like McDyess, who always did everything the right way with this team.  But the additions captain Joe made will help even more than the subtractions will, and there is sound reason to believe that the Pistons won't be out of the NBA title picture for very long.

How can you not love the return of Ben Wallace, the spark of the first era of this millennium?  His mere presence, both on the court and off it, will pay immediate dividends.  Expecting eight rebounds a game is reasonable, considering the lack of talent in front of him and the appreciation he must have for what is almost certainly his swan song.  I expect him to play with renewed passion every second he's out there, which will rub off on guys like Wilcox, Kwame, Maxiell, and Charlie V as the season grinds on. 

The three rookies have all already shown that they belong on an NBA roster, and we have yet to play a regulation game.  Expecting anything of significance from them this year isn't a reasonable expectation, but watching them grow in this new system is going to be enjoyable. 

Daye has already shown legitimate glimpses of Prince, except with a better touch from outside (and maybe a slightly softer demeanor).  Summers and Jerebko both look to be able to grow into NBA-ready bodies and have skill sets that should suffice at the pro level. 

Then there's Ben Gordon. 

Quite easily one of my favorite non-Pistons before this year, he brings the tenacity and scoring ability to make this system work.  Speaking of the system, coach Kuester will have the Pistons playing a completely different brand of ball this year, which should leave coaches trying to figure out ways to stop it until well after Christmas.  Having four or five guys able to hang 25+ on any given night will give him the weapons he needs to keep this team competitive. 

As successful as this team was for the last three fourths of a decade, I never could quite embrace players like Sheed and coaches like Flip.  It was a bittersweet romance, one that I am glad has ended.  I happily look forward to watching this year's squad. Although they are still a year or two and maybe one more trade away (which reminds me...I'm pretty confident that either Rip or Prince will be gone before this day comes in 2010), they are building a team that will be very easy to pull for.  That will make the growing pains more tolerable, and the climb back to the mountain top much sweeter.

Time for another era of Pistons greatness to begin.