Category: Detroit Pistons Blog

Pistons, Andre Drummond must work out an extension

Here’s Michigan Live reporting on Pistons center Andre Drummond, whose big potential is a key part of the team’s future, assuming the two sides don’t get a massive amount of money get in the way of that:

It’s the lingering business element and will be resolved, one way or another, by an Oct. 31 deadline. Andre Drummond is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Pistons have just more than a month to sign him to an extension in the five-year, $120 million range. If they don’t, he can become a restricted free agent next summer. The Pistons plan to pay Drummond the same amount in the same time frame either way, but would like their cornerstone center to delay signing until next year. The reason is because until Drummond actually signs his contract, only his cap-hold figure of about $8.2 million would be factored into the Pistons’ 2016-17 payroll for salary-cap purposes, not the $21 million-plus he actually figures to make that season. If Drummond is willing to wait, the Pistons could take care of all other business before him in summer 2016, then blow through the salary cap to re-sign their own free agent. The two key questions are whether Drummond trusts that to happen and is willing to risk a major injury ruining his windfall. He probably can trust it, probably won’t endure any catastrophe this year, and waiting would help put a better team around him. But it’s his future and his decision.

Some Detroit Pistons players recently learned MMA techniques that they probably won’t be applying in actual basketball games. But some extra toughness and additional training information can’t hurt. Here’s Detroit Live reporting:

The Pistons just wrapped a week of team bonding that saw most of Van Gundy’s youthful roster travel to the UFC training compound in Las Vegas, where they learned MMA techniques from Griffin, heavyweight Stefan Struve and strawweight women’s champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

“I love to do it, I’m excited to do it. I do get a little nervous,” Griffin told MMAJunkie.com. “That’s a very expensive knee going on there. The No. 1 job – my job – is to make sure these guys don’t get hurt.

“Do not get people hurt. Do not get million-dollar athletes hurt.”

From all accounts, the Pistons, who kick off training camp later this month, came away unscathed.

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on the Pistons, who welcome a talented, confident rookie into their mix this upcoming season:

The Pistons know Stan Van Gundy’s track record.

Second-year point guard Spencer Dinwiddie knew that his head coach hadn’t missed the playoffs until last year when the team finished out of the hunt.

They are young, confident and expect to not only just make the playoffs, but contend for NBA titles in the near future.

“We just don’t want to get in as the eighth-seed,’’ said rookie forward Stanley Johnson. “We’re trying to put our efforts forth to win a championship every year that we’re here. I think any guy that’s interested in winning would want to be here. I think we’re a team of substance instead of flash. As long as we’re doing our job every day I think our fans will come and we have to focus on basketball instead of selling tickets.’’

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on the Pistons, who will soon reportedly get tougher and meaner:

A contingent of Detroit Pistons will travel to Las Vegas on Aug. 31, but it won’t be fun and games.

Members of the team are going to train with some UFC trainers. It’s a team bonding event put together by the players with Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond being the leaders.

Two weeks ago, some UFC fighters came to the team’s practice facility to cross train with the Pistons. Now the players are returning the favor, but will be working with the UFC trainers and coaches.

The players will be in Vegas for about a week.

Spencer Dinwiddie didn’t know who all would be attending, but he’ll be one of them.

Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on one of the keys to the Pistons’ future:

Andre Drummond turns 22 next Monday.

The other important number for coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy is 50.

He’d like his big center to shoot 50% from the free throw line this upcoming season.

That might be a tall order for the 6-foot-11 man mountain, who has career averages of 12.1 points per game and 11.8 rebounds.

His rookie season Drummond shot 37.1% from the free throw line. In his second year he improved to 41.8%, however last year he took a step back at 38.9%. For his career he’s shooting just 39.7%.