Bleacher Report - Articles by Tony Wichowski

Detroit Pistons Need A Player Like Joe Smith, Not Big Ben!

Tony Wichowski — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:41:00 -0400

One of the lesser headaches former Pistons coach Michael Curry inherited last season was trying to incorporate a triad of young post players with limited offensive skill sets (Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell, and Kwame Brown). Often they seemed to cancel each out, as it was difficult to play two of them at the same time.

This season, with several off-season additions, the Pistons are looking to be a more high-octane offensive team that attacks the basket and hits outside shots. Having big men who can spread the floor with outside shooting is valuable in such a offense because it creates space for players like Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, and Will Bynum to penetrate for easy layups.

Last season the two big men Michael Curry relied on the most were Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. Both did their best offensive work away from the basket. This season both Dyess and Sheed are gone, and the recently signed Charlie Villanueva is the only veteran big man the Pistons have who is capable of spreading the floor consistently.

This summer, rumors abound that the Pistons will soon bring back Ben Wallace. The problem is that Ben is another player whose best offensive move is a dunk. The Pistons already have Chris Wilcox, Kwame Brown, and Jason Maxiell. What this team needs is offensive diversity. Whatever player the Pistons bring in should ideally provide a skill-set that compliments the other players on the team, not duplicates them.

For this reason the Pistons should look to sign a player like Joe Smith, Mikki Moore, Chris Mihm, or Juwan Howard. They need a player who does not only provide veteran leadership, but who can hit the mid to long range jump shot.

Doubtless, Ben Wallace would generate much more excitement in Auburn Hills than any of those players. I am not saying that Ben is a lesser player than those guys. However, unlike those guys, Ben only brings to the table things that other players on this team already do. True Pistons fans will be more excited about a player who can help win a few more games than a player who can bring fear the fro signs at the Palace.

Joe Dumars: Madman or Genius?

Tony Wichowski — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:29:43 -0400

Throughout his tenure as President of the Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars has been known for finding diamonds in the rough. He and his staff have demonstrated an ability to pick out those players who have something nobody else saw.

For this reason, up until this summer, most people have given Dumars the benefit of the doubt.

Ben Wallace was thought to be a throw-in so Detroit would not lose Grant Hill to the Orlando Magic for nothing. Chauncey Billups was considered a bust and a wasted number-three lottery pick. Antonio McDyess was washed up, Richard Hamilton was too one dimensional, Tayshaun Prince was too skinny, Rasheed Wallace was a cancer, Corliss Williamson was too short, Mike James was another throw-in, and Mehmet Okur’s game was too European to be effective in the NBA.

Each of these players proved their doubters wrong after becoming Pistons.

Joe Dumars has also taken in a number of players who were considered too old, and most have made significant contributions. The first player who comes to mind is Lindsey Hunter, who has been considered too old for half a decade now, only to make a big impact each postseason.

The Pistons have also gotten solid playoff performances from former All-Star big men like Chris Webber, Dale Davis, Elden Campbell and Theo Ratliff, who each proved they had a little left to give, helping the Pistons reach the conference finals or beyond. The other veteran bigs, Nazr Mohammed, Derrick Coleman, and Danny Manning, were not given the chance to show what they could do in the playoffs, due to a numbers crunch.

It isn’t just aging veterans with something left to give that Joe Dumars has pulled out of his hat. Recent draft picks were also overlooked by other teams for perceived flaws.

Jason Maxiell was too short. Amir Johnson and Cheikh Samb were too skinny and too raw. Arron Afflalo was not athletic enough to defend in the NBA. And Rodney Stuckey—whom everyone now covets—was supposedly only good in college because he played against sub-par competition. Many other aging contending teams wish they had prospects like those.

Of course Joe Dumars is not without his botched draft picks. Rodney White is out of the league now, Mateen Cleaves is a fringe NBA player, Darko Milicic turned out to be a role player instead of the star he was projected to be, and Carlos Delfino did not enjoy success in the NBA until he was traded to Toronto prior to last season.

However, the last of those players were drafted in 2003, meaning the Pistons have not had a bad draft in five years. What’s more, Milicic, White, Delfino and Cleaves were not supposed to be diamond-in-the-rough players. Each was highly touted. It seems Joe Dumars has done his best work finding players nobody else wants—those with something to prove.

In recent months, Dumars has continued the tradition of searching the wilderness for gems, but why are pundits questioning Dumars’ genius now? This summer—against all the hoopla initiated by Dumars stated intention to shake up the core of the team—the Pistons have only made small moves, again acquiring players nobody else wanted, and one player most fans never even heard of.

What raises more eyebrows this time is the questionable history of the three Pistons acquisitions. Kwame Brown, the bust with bad hands. Walter Sharpe, the player who was dismissed from two college teams for different reasons before being diagnosed with narcolepsy. Will Bynum, a former European castoff.

To top it off, Joe has hired a rookie coach with little assistant coaching experience to run the team, Michael Curry, who succeeded as a player despite having more knocks against him than many of the above-mentioned guys.

These moves have left some to wonder if Joe Dumars has lost his Midas touch, or if he has just lost his mind.

Perhaps he has lost neither. Maybe in each case, Joe Dumars knows something that the other guys did not. It’s not like it has not happened before.

Personally, Joe has earned my trust. He is, after all, a genius.

Another Kwame Heads to Detroit: Pistons Happy To Give Brown a Second Chance

Tony Wichowski — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:07:23 -0400

Kwame Brown needs to get use to the jokes about sharing a first name with Detroit's controversial Mayor Kilpatrick now, because according to sources, he just signed a two-year deal at $4 million a season to be Detroit's backup center—or possibly even the starter.

This likely means the departure/retirement of center Theo Ratliff, whom the Pistons were rumored to be interested in retaining.

Brown brings more than former number-one draft pick bust status to the Pistons. At 26, he is still fairly young and has some upside left. He provides size and athleticism at 7'0" and 270 lbs. While his work ethic has been questioned in times past, his natural gifts have not.

New Pistons coach Michael Curry will not allow players to take plays off, which Brown has been criticized for in times past. In the right environment, Brown could still develop into a more than serviceable role player, which Joe Dumars no doubt is rolling the dice on.

It is not the first time the Pistons have taken a chance on a talent others have given up on, and in the past such moves have usually paid off. If this one does not, it's not like the Pistons lose much. Like many other players the Pistons have brought aboard, Kwame Brown has something to prove, and this might be his last and best chance.

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the host of "That's Real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network.

Rodney Stuckey Needs to be Leading the Detroit Pistons

Tony Wichowski — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:06:33 -0400

If there is one player on the current Pistons' roster who has the ability to finally lead them past the conference finals for the first time in three years, it is Rodney Stuckey. Without him, the Pistons would not have even competed with the Boston Celtics.

This is not a knock against the other Detroit Pistons, but the game is changing due to the no touching on defense rule. Players like Stuckey, Paul Pierce, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James, who can beat their man off the dribble, are now virtually unstoppable.

Being too much of a jump shooting team has killed the Pistons the past three seasons. It is now impossible to stop a player with a quick first step who can finish in the lane. You win a series by out penetrating the other team. This is why players like Lamar Odom and Tayshaun Prince have unfairly been criticized for losing a step defensively. Under the new rules, nobody can stop a player like Pierce.

With Stuckey's combination of size and speed, his ability to finish, and his free throw shooting, there is not anyone who can stop him for long either. He is young, tough, and this needs to be his team. Rodney Stuckey needs to start, and that does not mean Richard Hamilton or Chauncey Billups need to go.

Supposing that the Pistons make no significant offseason moves, there are a number of ways the Pistons could make Stuckey a starter. One unorthodox lineup would make Prince a four-position super-sixth man, with Richard Hamilton moving to small forward. There are not many threes who can keep up with Hamilton, if any at all, and his defensive workload would actually be easier than at two-guard.

Starting Billups and Stuckey together in the back court would make it difficult to slow down the Pistons' offense, as both of them can score or create shots for others. Other options would have Billups or Hamilton coming off the bench as a super-sub (similar to Manu Ginobili or Jason Terry).

In any scenario, Stuckey needs to assume a leadership role with the team, sooner rather than later. If not as a starter, than as a 30+ minute per game sixth man. "Hot Rod" is ready. The "no superstars" era of the Detroit Pistons is ending quicker than anyone could have imagined.

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the host of "That's Real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network.

NBA: David Stern's National Basketball Entertainment Empire (Part One Of Four)

Tony Wichowski — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:11:25 -0400

"Damn those Detroit Pistons!" the evil tyrant David Stern thought to himself. "They are making my superstars look human! This could cost us millions!"

Just then, NBA official Tim Donaghy walked into his office, as he was still in the good graces of the NBA elite at the time. Stern looked at Donaghy with fury in his eyes.

Donaghy knew not to take Stern’s glare personally; after all, Stern always knew he was the one official he could always trust to “properly” officiate a playoff game.

It was only two seasons prior that Donaghy helped see to it that the Los Angeles Lakers staved off elimination against the less marketable Chris Webber and the Sacramento Kings in Game Six of the conference finals.

The Lakers were given 18 more free throws than the Kings in the fourth quarter. This allowed the Lakers to proceed to win the NBA title that year.

Just two years later, things had gone grossly wrong. After the Detroit Pistons had used smothering defense to upset the highly favored Los Angeles Lakers, David Stern nearly went into shock. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were supposed to be unstoppable. This was all wrong! This was not in the script!

Kobe and Shaq were suppose to be the new ratings swoon, the one’s to restore the NBA to the glory it had once enjoyed with it’s ultimate marketing tool Michael Jordan.

The NBA frowned greatly upon then Pistons coach Larry Brown's idea of "playing the right way." To play the right way meant to play perfectly executed defense that could stop or slow down even the NBA’s most elite players.

Playing the right way was the wrong way to David Stern and his league of billionaire owners. Even Stern’s corrupt referees could do nothing to stop all the trapping, ball hawking and physical play from dethroning the team of the “New Jordan” and Shaq.

It reminded David Stern too much of the way the Bad Boys use to hold back his marketing darling, Michael Jordan, years ago. Mr. Stern needed a solution, and Donaghy had a suggestion.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Tony Wichowski is a writer for The Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's Real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network.

Walter Herrmann Could Still Be an Option for the Detroit Pistons

Tony Wichowski — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:32:17 -0400

Joe Dumars has stated that there is a 50-50 chance that a trade will happen by day one of training camp. With that in consideration, it seems to reason that next on the Pistons' agenda should be finding a suitable backup small forward for Tayshaun Prince.

It is possible that rookie Walter Sharpe will not be ready to replace Jarvis Hayes in the Pistons' rotation. While Arron Afflalo will most certainly get some minutes at the three spot, he will primarily be the team's backup shooting guard, especially if Chauncey Billups is traded and Rodney Stuckey moves full time to point guard.

Several players the Pistons have targeted for the backup small forward spot have already signed with other teams. Ricky Davis is still on the market, and while he could help, he is probably looking for a team where he could be a starter and revitalize his career.

Maurice Evans (a former Piston) is another option. However, he too is said to be looking for a starting role, or at least starter's money. The Boston Celtics could also look to sign Evans in an effort to soften the blow from losing James Posey to New Orleans. Davis (a former Celtic) is also an option for them.

The Pistons might do well to simply re-sign their own free agent, Walter Herrmann. He has great range, some driving ability, and can also play power forward. He can put up a ton of points in a hurry. Best of all, he is a defensive energy guy, the type of player that would get minutes under new coach Michael Curry.

He was not given many opportunities last season after being traded from the Charlotte Bobcats. Former Pistons coach Flip Saunders did not want to mess with his rotation too much in the middle of the season.

There is no questioning Herrmann's talent and work ethic, even if his style appears a bit awkward at times. The Detroit Pistons might be wise to give him another look.

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network

Houston Rockets Should Try to Trade for Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton

Tony Wichowski — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:40:11 -0400

It seems that the talk of Tracy McGrady coming to Detroit is like professional wrestler Matt Hardy's credo it "will not die!" ESPN's Stephen A. Smith continued to fan the flame recently, stating that Tracy McGrady told him that he would not mind a deal to the Pistons, and that he has all the faith in the world in Pistons President Joe Dumars.

Stephen A. Smith is one of the most highly respected basketball journalists in the world. I do not believe that he is lying or blowing things out of proportion as Rockets GM Daryl Morey suggests.

I believe that Morey is interested, but the offer of Billups and Prince wasn't enough. Understandably so, as Prince is essentially an upgraded version of Shane Battier. Any McGrady deal would need to make Houston better.

With that said, I believe that there is a deal to be made between these two teams that would make both teams better. Detroit would send the Rockets their all star back-court of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton for Tracy McGrady and Rafer Alston.

Houston would have a back-court that knows how to win a playoff series. Imagine the combined basketball IQ with Shane Battier at the three. Moving without the ball, Richard Hamilton is the best offensive player in the NBA. He is tough to stop. That is why he surpassed Isiah Thomas as the Pistons all time playoff scorer this season.

He and Billups have led the Pistons to six straight conference finals appearances. Billups knows how to control the tempo of a game like few others. With Shane Battier, Houston would be so proficient with the ball, it is ridiculous. Hamilton and Billups would get many scoring opportunities with Yao Ming in the post.

Aaron Brooks would make the perfect change-of-pace third guard for the Rockets. He is everything that Billups and Hamilton are not. Billups can defend shooting guards when he and Brooks are in the game together.

Detroit would be able to pair Rodney Stuckey with Tracy McGrady in their back-court. Alston would make a fine third guard off the bench. McGrady would give the Pistons a "hungry" superstar since he has yet to advance beyond the first round. Acquiring McGrady would give the Pistons two dribble drive players in the back-court. Detroit already has enough shooters.

This deal just makes too much sense for both teams. Someone needs to make a call! You still have Joe Dumars' number, right Morey?

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network

Chauncey Billups Not Likely Headed to the Milwaukee Bucks

Tony Wichowski — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:59:42 -0400

John Mladic, a writer for HoopsWorld.com, suggests that the Milwaukee Bucks could make a run at Chauncey Billups.

Don't expect this to materialize unless Milwaukee is willing to part with a player who can make Detroit better.

Mladic suggests building a deal around Charlie Villanueva which doesn't make much sense because he would do absolutely nothing to make the Pistons better and he would just add to the four power forwards already on the Pistons' roster.

The only deals that could be made with Milwaukee that might benefit the Pistons would have to include Andrew Bogut or Richard Jefferson. The Pistons could use a center or a scoring forward. Michael Redd is not a significant upgrade over Richard Hamilton, so it is doubtful the Pistons would make a move for him.

Besides, the Bucks already have an up-and-coming point guard in Maurice Williams and a super-sub in Ramon Sessions. This deal just does not make sense for either team.

With that said, look for Billups to be the most likely Piston to be traded this summer and Tayshaun Prince to be the most likely player to get traded as a result, either in a package deal or a resulting trade. Hamilton will be dealt only if a superstar wing is coming in.

I have a tip that I cannot reveal. I am almost willing to put my neck out on this one... remember what I said. Billups will soon be gone.

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network

A New Four Horsemen In The WWE?

Tony Wichowski — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:35:27 -0400

For those of you who are younger wrestling fans, you may have failed to notice that the WWE's Evolution stable of Triple H, Batista, Orton, and Flair was really an updated version of the infamous "Four Horsemen" that ruled the National Wrestling Alliance during much of the 1980s.

The group was led by the then dominant "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, and was known for being dressed in suits and dominating every title in the Alliance. Evolution was not much different.

Personally, I have always been a fan of "super-heel" stables and managers. Since the demise of the final incarnation of the NWO, there really has not been that one angle that was so big it encompassed every other angle. I think the WWE needs that now.

So what I am suggesting is a super-heel stable that transcends brand divisions. It could include an elite group of four super-heels across all three brands.

This might also be the time to turn a few wrestlers heel on the RAW brand, where there is a large number of major faces.

What if Batista and Randy Orton patched up their differences to comprise the RAW members of this super-heel group, along with Edge from Smackdown and John Morrison from ECW? There could be constant interference across the brands, each wrestler insuring that their stable-mates stay on top in their brand.

Perhaps a simple revision of Evolution with Shawn Michaels instead of Ric Flair would be a more likely group. Flair would make a great mentor for this group (similar to J.J. Dillon with the original Horsemen), and would only need to make sporadic appearances with them.

I am not certain that this angle is the answer, but I do feel that the WWE needs a shot in the arm, and super-heel stables like the Hartfoundation and DX have always worked. Hopefully the WWE creative team has some compelling angles up its sleeve.

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network

Could Chauncey Billups Be a Warrior Soon?

Tony Wichowski — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:11:39 -0400

Rumors of the Detroit Pistons wanting Andris Biedrins surfaced last week, after they reportedly rebuffed an offer of Al Harrington for Billups.

Now with Golden State's signing of Ronny Turiaf, who is a similar player to Biedrins, it opens the door for this trade possibility.

However, the Pistons would also likely seek additional compensation for their all-star point guard...perhaps Stephen Jackson?

Jackson would more readily forgiven for his role in the Palace brawl than Ron Artest. Some have speculated that the Pistons may be willing to get their hands on two starters if a deal for an elite player does not present itself.

My inkling is that Joe Dumars is willing to hold his cards. The summer NBA excitement is not over yet! Stay tuned!

Detroit Pistons Aren't "Trying" to Trade Anyone

Tony Wichowski — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:58:08 -0400

I am growing tired of these internet rumors and ideas about the Pistons more or less giving up a perennial All-Star caliber player for nothing or next to it.

If teams are not willing to ante up with fair value, you can forget about it. Let's not forget that these Pistons came closer to beating Boston than the Lakers did.

The Detroit Pistons are still within striking distance of a championship, even if they do not make any changes.

Indeed, the Pistons most talented player, Rodney Stuckey, plays the same position as Chauncey Billups, their leader of these past six years and the 2004 finals MVP.

However, let's not forget that both can also play shooting guard. Together with Richard Hamilton, they will comprise the most talented three-guard rotation in the NBA.

For further reference, the Pistons do not have one player on their roster who they are going to just give away. So if you think your team is going to get Billups, Hamilton, Wallace, McDyess, or Prince for cash, scrubs or draft picks—FOR-GET-A-BOUD'IT!!!

Any move the Pistons make is to help them win a fourth championship in 2009!

Tony Wichowski is a writer for the Bleacher Report and the Host of "That's real Sports Talk" on the Godly Network