Detroit Pistons Tickets - Motor City Transition
August 29, 2010 by Stub_Hub
The Pistons spent half a decade recently as Eastern Conference Finals regulars, winning one NBA Championship along the way, but as is the case with all great teams, that era has come to an end. When the Pistons shipped Chauncey Billups to Denver a couple of years ago, it signaled that the team was ready to move on from the group that had won the title, and the team has been in a transitional phase since.
The two key members of the title team that remain are Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton. Prince is entering the final season of his contract and could be shipped by the trade deadline in February, potentially in conjunction with Hamilton. These two players signify a different era of Pistons teams, as Detroit is now going with a youth movement and building for the future.
The team made two major acquisitions last offseason in Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, but both players had a down year in their first season in the Motor City. There is a chance that they pick up their game in 2010-11, but it's still likely that the team overpaid for their services and potentially damaged their future from a salary cap standpoint. Both players received hefty contracts last summer and spent most of the 2009-10 season either injured or coming off the bench.
The Pistons do have some intriguing young players, though, that figure to be key cogs in the future of the organization. Rodney Stuckey is a favorite of general manager Joe Dumars and was seen as a potential star player just a couple of years ago. But Stuckey has struggled to take the necessary steps in his development and it appears as though he's more a two-guard than a point. The Pistons had hopes for Stuckey running the show, high enough that they felt comfortable moving Billups. It's unclear whether or not they're ready to give up on that experiment, but Stuckey is probably a combo guard at best. He's got enough size to play the two and could be more useful if allowed to focus on scoring.
Detroit did well to land Georgetown big man Greg Monroe with their first pick in the 2010 draft. Monroe is likely to step in as a starter immediately and should be a key contributor going forward. Monroe is a bit of a throwback big man, equipped with excellent court vision and a solid perimeter game. He's the kind of four that a team can run their offense through. Monroe will have to hit the weights, get stronger and become more willing to bang with the big boys inside, but he's got a ton of talent and is probably viewed as Stuckey's future running mate in leading this team down the road.
One youngster that could make a big difference - this season and going forward - is Austin Daye. A silky smooth small forward, Daye didn't do much to help sell Detroit Pistons tickets in his rookie campaign, but the offseason reports on him have been promising. Daye has reportedly added a good amount of muscle, something he sorely needed, and is becoming more confident in his game. His skill set is tantalizing and he flashed some good signs during summer league play. He has the potential to develop into the best player on this team, in somewhat of a Rashard Lewis mold, but will need to put the work in.
Detroit is certainly in a rebuilding mode, but they've got young talent that could carry them into the next era of winning Pistons teams. With Stuckey, Monroe and Daye, as well as potential role players like Will Bynum, Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers, the future could be a bright one in the Motor City. 2010-11 will be a good opportunity to give some of these kids significant playing time, so the Pistons can see what they've really got in this group.
