2018-19 Detroit Pistons

**401don** · December-02-18, 01:44 PM

Crowds have still been lousy except for last night and the fans aren't buying in yet. They need to hold their own until Christmas and then the big "if" they can keep Griffin and Jackson healthy all year they are capable of being a 4, 5 or 6 seed at the end of the season, especially if Kennard is productive when he returns.

**EGrant** · December-03-18, 08:15 AM

It'll be interesting to see where Kennard finds minutes once he gets back. With Stanley coming off the bench and Ish playing so well, the Pistons can afford to play rookie Bruce Brown with the bench unit a lot, even though he brings very little offense. There's always room for shooters in the NBA, but Luke is stepping into a different rotation than we expected at the start of the season.

**sirrealone** · December-03-18, 08:56 AM

Last year they started off equally as hot and then completely fell apart.

They definitely look more legit this year. I can see them cooling off, but Casey seems to have this team a lot more so than SVG, so I don't see the wheels coming off like last year. Injuries of course are the wild card.

**DetroitSoldier** · December-03-18, 10:28 AM

The big elephant in the room is the lack of depth. The only suitable backup for the big 3 is Ish Smith to Reggie Jackson. If Blake or Andre goes down, the season just might go with it. We dont have any financial flexibility to make a move to improve depth if we somehow find ourselves in a title race and one of them goes down.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-03-18, 11:37 AM

They need a SF who can get his own shot, or create for others in the worse way. GR3, won't cut it, and he is very passive on offense. He's like invisible out there sometimes, and bringing Stanley off the bench, seems to be a perfect fit for him. Like you said, they don't have the flexibility to trade for a SF that can do all the things, I just mentioned. This is SVG's mish-mash roster, but I've been impressed so far with Casey trying to make it work.

**401don** · December-06-18, 07:44 AM

In the immortal words of Eminem "Back to reality".

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-06-18, 04:01 PM

As a team, "They can't shoot" This is going to be a ongoing problem.

**EGrant** · December-06-18, 05:37 PM

^Especially when Bullock is out of the lineup.

**djtomt** · December-07-18, 01:25 AM

Originally Posted by EGrant

^Especially when Bullock is out of the lineup.

If you're counting on Bullock to solve the Pistons' shooting woes, you've already lost along with them.

**EGrant** · December-07-18, 07:21 AM

He's not going to "solve" their woes, but when they have to replace him with Galloway in the starting lineup, it's going to have a negative impact on the team.

**401don** · January-08-19, 10:22 AM

I know I wasn't the only one here criticizing the Griffin trade. Getting a star with no surrounding pieces has set the rebuild back another 5 years. At least in baseball there are enough pieces to start the rebuild before all your bad contracts expire. Too bad for Griffin.

**EGrant** · January-08-19, 11:20 AM

Sigh. What a bad season.

I still don't think the Griffin trade was a bad move within a vacuum, but to surround him with a roster not built for the modern NBA [[thanks Stan!) is a recipe for disaster. Blake has no secondary scoring option and should be commended for putting this kind of effort by himself. I worry that his motivation will fade as the Pistons fall further out of the playoffs. Jose Calderon getting more minutes than Reggie Jackson is mindboggling, and I'm no RJax fan.

This team is handcuffed to some bad contracts for the next 2-3 years [[Blake, Drummond, JOSH SMITH, Leuer, Reggie Jackson and Langston). Buckle up, it is going to be a downright mediocre next 3-4 years. They aren't bad enough to get a good draft pick and aren't good enough to make the playoffs.

**sirrealone** · January-08-19, 11:43 AM

I was really excited back when they traded for Reggie Jackson. A young guy putting up lots of points, ready to take charge, that was the promise and it seemed like he could deliver. But he's gotten worse every year since he's come here. You can't blame his injuries on all of it, either. It just doesn't make any sense as to why his game has gone as far downhill as it has.

**EGrant** · January-08-19, 12:07 PM

I think his injury is to blame for a lot of it. Before his first big injury, he was a top 15 PG in the NBA for 2-3 months [[yes, small sample size, but he was balling). I think he's lost his explosiveness, which is what a lot of his game used to depend on.

**401don** · January-08-19, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

I think his injury is to blame for a lot of it. Before his first big injury, he was a top 15 PG in the NBA for 2-3 months [[yes, small sample size, but he was balling). I think he's lost his explosiveness, which is what a lot of his game used to depend on.

A true point guard controls the tempo and flow of the game. If he can't find someone with the clock winding down he either drives to the basket and dishes off or takes a jumper. Jackson was best playing pick and roll with Drummond but that was the entire offence. Casey obviously has lost faith in him but I don't like that the ball is in Griffin's hands all the time either. Reminds me of Collins doing the same thing with Grant Hill.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · January-09-19, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

Sigh. What a bad season.

I still don't think the Griffin trade was a bad move within a vacuum, but to surround him with a roster not built for the modern NBA [[thanks Stan!) is a recipe for disaster. Blake has no secondary scoring option and should be commended for putting this kind of effort by himself. I worry that his motivation will fade as the Pistons fall further out of the playoffs. Jose Calderon getting more minutes than Reggie Jackson is mindboggling, and I'm no RJax fan.

This team is handcuffed to some bad contracts for the next 2-3 years [[Blake, Drummond, JOSH SMITH, Leuer, Reggie Jackson and Langston). Buckle up, it is going to be a downright mediocre next 3-4 years. They aren't bad enough to get a good draft pick and aren't good enough to make the playoffs.

Nail on the head, EGrant. I've been preaching this since the start of the season. SVG put this franchise in purgatory, now he gets to work for ESPN, as a analyst, but he couldn't analyze that stinking roster he put together. Reggie Jackson seems disinterested or injured again, must be mad because Blake is a better playmaker than him. I, like you have never liked RJ, even when he was healthy. Blake has been great, too bad he isn't getting much help, from a very flawed roster. TDL is coming soon, I expect them to make some kind of minor deal, but it won't be earth shattering because they're capped out.

**Smirnoff** · January-10-19, 09:45 AM

Give the HC a president title to "manage himself", wait, wasn't that joke recently tried?

**401don** · January-10-19, 10:03 AM

I'm getting too old to wait 3-4 years for bad contracts to expire on another poorly run Detroit franchise.

**EGrant** · January-10-19, 12:04 PM

Gores was able to attend the game last night since it was in Los Angeles, and his comments were concerning.

“I like this team. I think they can work through the adversity,” Gores said during a halftime interview. “Whether we want to say it or not, this team expects to be in the playoffs. This team does expect excellence. You have Andre and Blake — and these are major, major players.” -Via DetNews

This isn't "adversity" this is a team designed to win in 2008, not 2019 and beyond. The fact that he "expects" to be in the playoffs tells me the franchise will continue to make band-aid fixes so they can attempt to limp into an 8th seed and continually mortgage the future at the same time. It is truly a shame to watch Blake give everything he has for a team that is going nowhere.

**sirrealone** · January-10-19, 12:18 PM

Gores either doesn't have a clue what he's doing or really doesn't care what happens so long as he gets his shared revenue. Either way, he's one of the worst professional sports franchise owners that Detroit has had in decades.

When Bill Davison died, this franchise died with him.

**401don** · January-10-19, 03:29 PM

The new practice facility looks impressive, didn't realize it was moving that quickly - and if any team could use a good practice.

https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons/s...466435/video/1

**Cincinnati_Kid** · January-11-19, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by sirrealone

Gores either doesn't have a clue what he's doing or really doesn't care what happens so long as he gets his shared revenue. Either way, he's one of the worst professional sports franchise owners that Detroit has had in decades.

When Bill Davison died, this franchise died with him.

Ain't that the truth. Gores only cares about the bottom line, his. I wonder if Casey is having 2nd thoughts about taking this job? Even though his bank account is probably not.

**401don** · January-11-19, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Ain't that the truth. Gores only cares about the bottom line, his. I wonder if Casey is having 2nd thoughts about taking this job? Even though his bank account is probably not.

I don't understand the thinking here. Gores may be incompetent in hiring, but if he doesn't want to win why give the max contracts and have the team at the cap? Why give Casey a huge 5 year contract when any cheaper coach could have done a similar job? Why build an expensive new practice facility? Why not put more butts in the seats with a winner and make more money?

**EGrant** · January-11-19, 11:06 AM

Gores' desire to win is what has held the Pistons back. His loyalty to Drummond plus numerous win-now trades and signings all point to an impatient owner, not a cheap owner. They've been hellbent on just making the playoffs, which has cost them draft picks, young players with potential, and draft position.

Not only did he give Casey a large contract and build the practice facility, the Pistons gave up The Palace in order to pay rent to Olympia and they've spent a decent amount of money in the community.