The Detroit Pistons Look To Rebound Back To The Top
The Detroit Pistons are an NBA team that had a rough season, finishing 39-43, and getting taken out in the first round of the playoffs.
As the NBA Draft on June 25 draws near, a lot of questions need answering.
We all know how the Allen Iverson-for-Chauncey Billups trade ended up. The Denver Nuggets won that trade hands down.
According to Joe Dumars though, the move was done to make salary cap space the team needed to possibly get a big name free agent in the future. Goodbye Allen. Your salary did its part.
The Piston's will also part ways with power forward/center Rasheed Wallace. Wallace is rumored to be retiring if he doesn't get a deal worth at least $8 million on the open market. This is just a rumor though.
The rumor also says Rasheed will sign a two-year deal with Cleveland.
The reason I bring this up you ask? Because this will give us some idea about who will possibly be Detroit's picks in the NBA Draft.
Detroit has four picks: 15th, 35th, 39th, and 44th.
Pick a big man at No. 15.
Possible choices could be Earl Clark, a 6'9" forward out of Louisville, James Johnson, a 6'9" forward out of Wake Forest, or Austin Daye, a 6'11" forward out of Gonzaga.
Detroit will also have to address a need for a good backup to Richard "Rip" Hamilton if Detroit doesn't decide to trade Hamilton to the Chicago Bulls for Ben Gordon—also another rumor.
Detroit's later picks could be K.C. Rivers, a 6'5" shooting guard out of Clemson, or maybe Daniel Hackett, a 6'5" shooting guard out of USC.
The Piston's worked out more than 50 players, so it's really quite confusing which ones they would like to pick.
Other players the Piston's might take: Luke Nevil, a seven-foot center from Utah, B.J. Mullens, a seven-foot center from Ohio State, or Garrett Siler, a seven-foot center from South Alabama.
I also heard that Carlos Boozer, a power forward currently signed with the Utah Jazz, might opt out of his contact, and wants to sign with either Detroit or the New Jersey Nets. If the Pistons pick up Boozer then you might see them get some guards with their first picks.
The Piston's currently have Hamilton, Will Bynum, Rodney Stuckey, and Arron Afflalo. Also, three of last year's picks: Deron Washington, small forward out of Virginia Tech, Walter Sharpe out of UAB, and Trent Plaisted out of BYU.
What I'd like to see is for the Piston's to get bigger in the front court.
Whatever happens this offseason for the Detroit Pistons they will have a different look. Rasheed Wallace is gone, and maybe Antonio McDyess and Allen Iverson as well.
Joe Dumars has lead the team so far with some good moves. Let's all hope he does it again on June 25 and beyond.





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