Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 71 – NBA Blog

Can Austin Daye be NBA shooting guard?

Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Can Austin Daye play shooting guard in the NBA?

He certainly would be a matchup problem at 6-feet-11 — he’s taller than fellow second-year players Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers. Daye spent plenty of time at the position last week during the Pistons’ Summer League in Las Vegas as the staff experimented with him at different positions.

He has the height of a power forward, the body of a small forward and the shooting range of a shooting guard, but at 22, he has plenty of room to grow physically and mentally.

The lanky shooter has the perimeter game to play the position, but whether he has the quickness to guard smaller shooting guards and the commitment to handle the defensive aspects of the position are yet to be determined.

Playing multiple positions would get him more time on the floor during the regular season.

Greg Monroe out 3-4 weeks after foot surgery

The Detroit Pistons announced today that Greg Monroe underwent a successful out-patient surgical procedure on his right foot performed by Dr. Arthur Manoli. The procedure was performed at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Pontiac, MI.

Rehabilitation will begin immediately and he is expected to resume full basketball activities in three to four weeks.

The 6-foot-11 forward/center appeared in five games for the Pistons during the Vegas Summer League and averaged 14.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 30.3 minutes per game. The Georgetown product was drafted by Detroit with the seventh pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Pistons deny they will move to Las Vegas

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

It’s a safe bet that the Detroit Pistons aren’t headed to Las Vegas — and that was even before the NBA denied a newspaper report that an investment group has an agreement in place to purchase an NBA franchise and move it to Nevada if public money is used to build an arena.

“We categorically deny that there is an NBA team under contract,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank told the Free Press today.

The Las Vegas Sun reported in its Wednesday editions that Chris Milam, CEO of International Development LLC, said he has an NBA team under contract and that all that stands in the way of pro sports coming to Vegas is Clark County’s funding for a new arena.

Timberwolves sign Darko Milicic

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed free-agent center Darko Milicic. Per team policy, terms of the contract offer were not disclosed. We’ll post contract info tonight.

“We are pleased to have Darko Milicic back on our ballclub,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “I believe Darko re-discovered his love for basketball last season with us, due to his relationship with Coach Rambis and the opportunity for playing time. Darko is now old enough and mature enough to harness his special basketball skills and we expect big things from him in the coming years.”

Milicic, 25, appeared in 24 games for the Timberwolves this past season after being traded to Minnesota from New York on Feb.17 in exchange for Brian Cardinal. In those 24 games (18 starts), the 7-0 center from Serbia averaged 8.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.38 blocks. Milicic established season highs with 16 points and 12 rebounds March 19 at the Lakers, and dished out a career-high five assists April 9 vs. the Lakers. He contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high four blocks in a Wolves’ win over Sacramento on March 31.

The second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by Detroit, Milicic has played seven seasons in the NBA and owns career averages of 5.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. His best statistical season came in 2006-07 when he averaged 8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 80 games with Orlando.

Ben Wallace will stick with Detroit

The AP reports:

Ben Wallace says he’ll sign a two-year contract soon with the Detroit Pistons.

Wallace told The Associated Press on Sunday he heard from a lot of teams, but agreed to a two-year deal about a week ago because he wants to retire with the Pistons. He’ll make $1.9 million each season.

Raptors re-sign Amir Johnson

The Toronto Raptors announced Thursday they have re-signed free-agent forward Amir Johnson. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Johnson, 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, averaged career highs in points (6.2), rebounds (4.8) and minutes (17.7) while appearing in a career-best 82 games in the 2009-10 season. He upped his averages to 17.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 33.0 minutes during five games in a starting role. He also recorded a franchise single-season record by shooting .623 from the field (min. 200 shots).

Johnson scored in double-figures 21 times and posted double-digit totals on the glass on five occasions in his first season with the Raptors. He set a career high with 26 points April 12 at Detroit and grabbed a season-best 13 rebounds, including a career-high nine defensive boards, April 9 at Atlanta.

Johnson was acquired from Milwaukee with guard-forward Sonny Weems on August 18, 2009 after spending his previous four seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons.

In 2008-09, Johnson averaged 3.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 14.7 minutes in 62 games. In 24 games as a starter, he averaged 4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.04 blocks in 19.6 minutes. He recorded 17 games with two or more blocks shots and led the Pistons in field goal percentage at .595. He had a career-high 14 rebounds versus Sacramento on January 2, 2009.

The 23-year-old was selected out of Westchester (Los Angeles) High School by the Pistons in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft.

Pistons sign rookie Greg Monroe

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed its first round draft selection Greg Monroe to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Monroe was drafted by Detroit with the seventh overall selection in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-11 forward from Georgetown University averaged 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34 games as a sophomore for the Hoyas. The New Orleans, LA native was named to the Big East All-Tournament team after averaging 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists on .545 shooting from the floor while leading the Hoyas to the championship game. Monroe recorded 14 double-doubles last season (13 points/rebounds and one points/assists) and led the team in scoring 13 times, rebounding 30 times and assists 15 times. He scored a career-high 29 points and tied career-high 16 rebounds at Villanova (1/17/10). His career-high 12 assists at Providence (2/9/10) were the most by a center in Big East history.

As a freshman, Monroe was named Big East Rookie of the Year after averaging 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 2.5 assists in 31 games. He recorded 17 consecutive double-figure scoring games, including four doubles and scored a season-high 21 points while grabbing 10 rebounds at Notre Dame (2/28/09).

Greg Monroe: Post player with passing skills

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

What has John Kuester — and the rest of the Pistons’ front office — guardedly optimistic is that Greg Monroe isn’t your typical big guy.

Everyone likes the guys who attack every rebound and score in the post. By averaging 16.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore at Georgetown, Monroe has shown he can do that.

But Kuester, who uses his big men to make decisions on the offensive end, is already thinking of expanding his system to accommodate the talents of Monroe, a multi-skilled big guy who averaged 3.8 assists per game last season.

“When you can throw the ball in the post to a guy that’s a prolific passer, that gives your team a completely different look,” Dumars said. “When you can throw the ball down on the post and then have people start moving, it gives the defense a completely different look, and that’s why post players that can pass are so effective.

“You can run your offense through a guy like that a lot of times. Guys that have been great passers like that have been guys that have helped their teams tremendously.”

Davidson expects Pistons to be sold before season

Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Karen Davidson expects the Pistons to be sold by the start of the season.

Davidson made the announcement tonight while Joe Dumars, the Pistons president of basketball operations, was discussing the team’s new draft pick, Greg Monroe.

“You’re going to have a new owner pretty soon,” Davidson said. “Definitely. I’m absolutely encouraged by the interest. This is a major franchise.”

Davidson said the new owners would be in place by next season.

“Yes,” she said. “When’s the first game, late October, right? I would expect so (to be sold by then). It depends how many lawyers get in on it, you know?”

Rasheed Wallace to retire

David Aldridge of NBA.com reports:

The Boston Celtics’ expected rebuilding began Thursday when veteran forward Rasheed Wallace officially decided to retire after 15 NBA seasons, a league source said.

Wallace’s retirement had been expected after the Celtics’ seven-game loss to the Lakers in the Finals, but Boston had held out some hope that the 35-year-old would change his mind with a few days’ contemplation.

Wallace signed a three-year, $18.9 million contract with Boston last summer, turning down offers from Orlando and San Antonio after the Celtics made a team-wide push to recruit him, sending Coach Doc Rivers, GM Danny Ainge and forwards Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Wallace’s home to ask him to play in Boston. He left more than $12 million on the table by opting to retire.