The Detroit Pistons had a very disappointing season in 08′-09′. They definitely didn’t look like the Pistons of just a few seasons back.
Chauncey Billups is now in Denver (and playing great basketball). Allen Iverson, who was acquired in this trade, has also left town to sign with the Bobcats (so much for winning that championship anytime soon). Then there’s Rasheed Wallace, who opted to join the Celtics after the end of this season.
In are Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, two capable scorers. In is Ben Wallace, a familiar face from the past, though not nearly as effective as he used to be.
Ben Gordon should help their scoring issues. He put up some very respectable numbers in the past for the Bulls and even came up big in several playoff games.
Villanueva comes in with some size. He can score points as well and with his presence on defense, he should help improve both sides of the ball.
Say what you want about the Pistons. They’re a different team than they once were, but they’re clearly not throwing in the towel either. It was about 7 or 8 years ago that the Pistons were the joke of the NBA, and GM Joe Dumars has done a terrific job at rebuilding the team. It’s apparent that the Chauncey Billups trade was a bad idea, but the Detroit Pistons are ready to accept their current state and move on.
There’s some talented youth in Rodney Stuckey, and he’ll finally have the opportunity to shine at the point guard position. Additionally, Jason Maxiell will continue to develop, and Chris Wilcox will provide the team with some solid minutes at the forward and center positions.
Meet the new Detroit Pistons. There’s certainly some talent to go around here. Perhaps they’ll surprise us all.
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