New-look Pistons still a perplexing bunch

Detroit is actually in position to make the playoffs, because most of the Eastern Conference is mired in mediocrity at the moment - but the Pistons have still been one of the NBA's most perplexing teams this season. Detroit is 17-23, only two games better than at this point in 2012-13. That's good enough for a spot among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference right now, but after the Pistons added Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the offseason, fans were hoping for more.

There was always going to be an adjustment period after so many significant changes - new coach Maurice Cheeks was also added during the offseason. But this season is now about half over, and it's fair to wonder if this new-look roster will need another makeover before the stretch run.

-- AP

On an upnote, we are a really fun team to watch and we got a chance at getting a pretty good player from the lottery!

^^ We don't have any draft picks this year man....

I am starting to think Cheeks isn't coaching this time right,

Our offense should be running through Moose, the other night he took 4 shots, and the night before he had 18 minutes... No foul trouble... Hmm..

And Smith, check this out
[url]http://instagram.com/p/jUJUgUTO-X/[/url]

Both of these points I have made are unacceptable...

I do agree that Monroe needs to be involved more. I think Smith is almost involved too much.

We may or may not have a draft pick this year. It's leaning toward not. It's top 8 protected. So if Detroit is that bad, we will end up with a really good player in the draft. That's why I'm not so excited to be an 8 seed and get knocked out in the first round. I'm also really not excited about being the 9th or 10th team because then we miss the playoffs and probably don't have a draft pick.

Sneaking into that 8th pick could be extremely handy, players like:

Hood (Granger comparisons)
Young (granted he can play SF in the NBA)
Grant
McDermott (better version of Korver perhaps)

All these players could slot in nicely at SF if (when) one of Smith or Moose gets moved...

[QUOTE=Aussie Dunker]Sneaking into that 8th pick could be extremely handy, players like:

Hood (Granger comparisons)
Young (granted he can play SF in the NBA)
Grant
McDermott (better version of Korver perhaps)

All these players could slot in nicely at SF if (when) one of Smith or Moose gets moved...[/QUOTE]

None of those guys makes the Pistons a better team though. If that was the best we could do for Monroe then it would be a sad day and it's going to be a very long rebuilding process.

You misunderstand me ^^

I was meaning if we sneak into that 8th pick, any of those players would be GREAT to get for our team - and they ALL make the pistons a better team than they are now. Heck Hood and Young would of been the #1 pick in this years group...

Moving Moose or Smith should be happening before the deadline this season in a completely different transaction to the aforementioned 8th draft slot...

Ah, I understand. Outside of Hood I don't think any of those other guys would be considered at #8 though (at least right now). The top 6 picks of the draft are going to be very good. In no particular order this is who I see being there right now:

Jabari Parker
Joel Embiid
Andrew Wiggins
Marcus Smart
Dante Exum
Julius Randle

I think pretty much everybody agrees on the top 6 players. Now after that there's a few that deserve to be in the conversation. Hood is one. Gary Harris is another. I'm not sure about Grant out of Syracuse. Just because SF is a need, I'm not sold on the ones in this draft outside of Wiggins or Parker. There's still too much college bball left to know though. Really being in the top 6 is the place to be though. Those guys are the ones that could all end up being all-stars or at the least being very good starters.

I'd love to snag Exum - Trade Jennings for a pick 8-12 and Snag Hood, then trade Smith for Klay thompson

Drummond
Moose
Hood / Singler
Klay / KCP
Exum / Stuckey

mmm I'v been playing NBA2K14 for too long, putting the controller down now..........

[QUOTE=Aussie Dunker]^^ We don't have any draft picks this year man....
[/QUOTE]

I'm going to assume you understand this isn't correct from the rest of your posting.

Top 8 protected... Which I assumed we would be no where near... But our recent stretch of terrible play has us flirting around it... Knowing our luck we finish with the 9th worst record and get no picks haha..

[QUOTE=Aussie Dunker]Top 8 protected... Which I assumed we would be no where near... But our recent stretch of terrible play has us flirting around it... Knowing our luck we finish with the 9th worst record and get no picks haha..[/QUOTE]

If we give Charlotte the #9 pick I'm going to be so bummed over this season..... That is definitely worst case scenario.

Being stuck at that #10 spot is really scaring me. That BG trade has a ton of potential to backfire on us. I've said all along we needed one more really good draft pick to turn things around. This year would have been that year. I think Joe D would gladly trade Smith right now and then hope we end up with a top 8 pick. The problem is I don't think there's a team in the league that would want that contract.