Are the Detroit Pistons the Citibank of the NBA?

The good old days of when Joe Dumars had the Midas touch seem far away. 

In his third year as GM with Rick Carlyle as coach he guided the Pistons back to respectability with a 50-32 record and winning the first of six consecutive Central Division Championships.

The Detroit Pistons were back on the map by capitalizing on the NBA's version of a sub-prime market. They went after mid-leveling or sub-prime players who were perceived trouble makers or considered just average.

Shrew personnel decisions that included (hind-sight is twenty twenty) trading for Ben Wallace, the defensive anchor to their third NBA championship and drafting a sleeper in Tayshaun Prince, a Scottie Pippen type-clone, the ultimate utility man.

Trading Jerry Stackhouse to the Wizards for Richard Hamilton who learned how to move without the ball under the tutelage of MJ.  Hamilton also was in possession of a deadly mid range game; it was viewed as a minor trade.

Trading with Atlanta for Rasheed Wallace who claims he was misunderstood; he was an integral part of that '04 championship run.

Mr. Bigshot Chauncey Billups, whom the Celtics gave up on before he could adjust (a moment of silence for me wandering what if....), was the finals MVP and took his squad back the to the finals the following year.  If it wasn't for that bone head play by Rasheed, leaving Robert Horry, the deadliest shooter when the game is on the line, they would have won it again.

Antonio Mcdyess, whose lasting impression in the playoffs are of him crying with a towel over his head, can still give you a double double.

Jason Maxiel is a Rodman like rebounder only in tenacity not results.

Rodney Stuckey, who made Chauncey expendable, is a rugged, powerfully built guard that can finish at the rim.

Now his not so wise decisions, Mateen Cleaves and Rodney White, where are you now?

Taking Darko over player of the year and reigning NCAA Champion Carmelo Anthony.  Darko is getting spot minutes with perennial cellar dweller the Memphis Grizzlies. Larry wouldn't even play him.

Letting Larry Brown go, the coach who brought those band of misfits together for their only championship and bringing them close to another.

And now A.I. the ultimate little big man.  Was Dumars envisioning Iverson as a combo Isiah/Vinnie Johnson the ultimate sub-prime player on the market.  A great scorer, in a little mans body who can pass also. 

All that is true but the hidden fact about A.I. that he did not know since he was blinded by the bling is that A.I. passes only on the sixth option, the first five being himself.

Now A.I. has been exposed for the great player 'that never could' that he is; a lot of pomp and circumstance but of little value or substance just like Citibank.

Now that the A.I. market has gone under in Detroit they are on the mend and can be a dangerous opponent come the playoffs.