Ben is not only overrated but he is also on a decline.
I believe the Pistons made a huge mistake when they traded Darko.
Darko could've been a good substitute for Ben. Now he's gone.
Ben Wallace is done. Pistons should not re sign. They should let some desperate team overpay Ben.
It's over with the Pistons. They should break up their core. Letting Ben go is a first step in that direction.
And replace him with who? This talk of breaking up the core is stupid. If they can get some more decent bench players and force Rasheed to play in the post, they will be right back contending for a championship next season.
EDIT: To all of you who said you dont break up a contender and all that realted stuff: The Pistons wouldnt be the first team. They broke up the 98 Bulls. Which had just threepeated. I wouldnt say breaking up is a 100% no no.
We had one thread in the old forum about this. Are the Pistons done? They just lost in the ECF, the team looking no more ready and able to be the championship team they were the last couple of years.
This summer they have to resign Ben Wallace, which it seems they'll do. At least we havent heard anything contrary. When they do that, they have an aging front court, which hasn't provided an offensive inside presence all season long. Rasheed Wallace isnt willing to mix it up in the post, the other Wallace isnt able to do so. They get no consistent scoring from their frontcourt, one of their main problems if not the main. They just have to hope that at least 2 of the Hamilton, Billups and Prince bunch show up. When they dont, they have a problem.
They have a 6 man rotation with no real backup at the 3, and washed up guys like Tony Delk and Lindsey Hunter at the backup guard spots. No pun against those to, but on a championship team, those two should be probably the No. 9 and 10 players in the rotation, just like Darrel Armstrong on the Mavs. They bury Carlos Delfino that far down the bench, that so far he shaed the Milicic fate, but he isnt seen as much of a failure, since he was never projected to be as much as Darko.
Anyways, the Pistons are just not a deep team and have an aging front court, to say the least.
What do you do now, if you're Joe Dumars. You just gave up your biggest asset in Darko Milicic, whose chances in Detroit were given up for the chance to make something happen in the playoffs.
You dont have the cap space to sign impact players, especially after resigning Ben Wallace.
But then again, maybe its not the time to blow this team up. The way they are now, they will be able to contend for the finals, Shaq isnt getting any younger in Miami and Lebron and his Cavs havent got the pieces yet to be a true contender. So maybe you're set well enough.
I truly dont have that much ideas what they could do. They dont want to part with Billups, Hamilton and Prince. Other teams dont want no part of Rasheed Wallace and McDyess. That leaves Ben Wallace as your only tradeable asset.
If you dont want to blow up the team, her would be some free agents which might be available for the MLE or LLE:
Mike James (full MLE)
Adrian Griffin (part MLE)
Lee Nailon, Qyntel Woods, Justin Reed, Trevor Ariza
Lorenzen Wright, Michael Olowokandi.
Players who most probably wont be available:
Chris Wilcox
Matt Harpring
Jared Jeffries
James Posey
Bonzi Wells
There arent really any major names on this years free agent market and most probably the Pistons wouldnt be able to sign those anyways. They would need some scoring and athleticism at the 3 position. If they could get a hold of Bonzi Wells some way that would be awesome. With the way Wells has played though in the Sacto-Spurs series, he might not be available though for the MLE. Jared Jeffries would give them size but not much scoring. Harpring can shoot, but especially after his injuries, he isnt exactly the fastest guy around.
I could see a Chris Wilcox signing, he really showed what he is capable of in Seattle. He just might be another contract year player though. A sign and trade with Seattle could be an option. If I was Joe D, I'd trigger on a Chris Wilcox and #10 pick for Ben Wallace. Together with the MLE, the Pistons could reload.
The look of the team would change drastically. I doubt they are ready to make that change. But this year might be the year to do that. Once you're commited to another 5 years of Big Ben, it might be to late to do so.
I don't think Dumars will have the guts to let Ben walk but that's what he should do.
Pistons are aging and Ben is on a decline. Giving him a max contract wouldn't be smart at all and I doubt Ben will sign for anything short of a max contract.
I kinda like your ideas but they made a huge mistake when they traded Darko. Darko could've been their future center.
I don't think they should change the team drastically but they should let Ben walk.
Wilcox and Pryzbilla could replace Ben pretty well. Pistons should push for those two IMO.
No need for a complete breakup. Just try and add a couple players, perhaps get a deeper bench. I'd S&T Big Ben, hopefully getting a decent, defended minded centre to replace him in the starting lineup. If they had of kept Darko they'd be better off situation regarding trading B.Wallace.
And the only reason they broke up the Bulls in 98 was because Jerry Krause was an egomaniac and was out to prove that management win championships not the players. They could have still contended for a couple more years.
Ben demanding the max is going to cripple the pistons if they give it to him. I believe that Billups is also coming up for re singing in a year or 2. What wil their cap situation be after they have given these two their contracts?
I think cleaveland also will be a greater threat to detroit next season. Even this season they made it tough. I think if other teams employ hack-a-ben strategy, ben can not play in tight games in the 4th quarter and that becomes a major headache.
you can't break up the piston's starting 5. if all their starters return, they'll make another run at a championship next yr. they have to find a way to sign ben wallace, but not for the $100M he's asking for.
The Pistons dominated the East and were two wins from the finals. No reason to even consider breaking anything up.
There is ZERO percent chance that detroit considers a breakup.
I strongly disagree. Ben & Rasheed are getting old now. It IS official. Ben is still the heart of that team but if he was any kind of an offensive threat at all you have to believe the Pistons might have won this series. Rasheed... I have no idea what is up with this guy. He should have dominated the Heat. They have nobody to guard him. No team does, really.
They're playing completely uninspired. Their hunger really is officially gone. It had nothing to do with the coaching and everything to do with them becoming complacent.
Rasheed is maxed. Ben is due to get max/near max this offseason. Tayshaun has a hefty contract. Billups is due to get max if you believe his hype after next year.
There's no way they're going to pay all their starting 5 what they'll want. So the time has come to make a decision. Either commit to paying these guys what they want and regretting it as the team ages... or trading them while you can and rebuilding while still being a good team.
Ben or Rasheed will be traded this summer, and it might be Ben because he'll be leaving in a S&T.
I wonder who would want him tho. I guess the only point of trading for him would be the chance to be a contender. Which rebuilding team would want an aging one-dimensional player, as good as he might be at his strenght.
I know I suggested a S&T to the Sonics. But why would they want him? No clue.
Cleveland would love him, but they dont have the assets Detroit would want and the Pistons would never ever deal him to one of their rivals. That basically equals out the whole Eastern Conference.
Maybe Sacramento. They would love to pair him with Ron Artest. Imagine that defense. I have a hard time believing that would work though, after the great Detroit brawl of '04.
Memphis maybe. He'd fit in there. Two great big men in Gasol and Ben.
The Lakers. Maybe. But they think highly of Kwame and dont they have that other really young center who is working out with Kareem? Andrew Bynum I think's the name. Dunno if Ben would grant them a shot. I'd rather think no.
Suns have no use for him.
Spurs neither.
Dallas is happy right now, they have Diop as a starting center for years to come.
Dencer would be a fit. They want to get rid of Kenyon Martin and could offer some other pieces. The Clippers are set in the frontcourt.
So basically, even if the Pistons would consider trading Ben, from whom would they get an even offer?
The only threat to Pistons in East is the Heat, whose core player Shaq is declining faster than Ben.
The MAgic, Nets, Bulls,Clevland and Toronto will all be improved next year. Detroit should not resign Ben Wallace. He was the main liability this series.
Because Wallace is not an offensive threat it allows the Pistons to be played 4 on 5 on the defensive end.
The Center is able to cheat off of their man because he will not score consistently enough to make them respect him. That allows Shaq and Alonzo to double on the perimeter.
Time to break up the Pistons?
