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Pistons Better With Signings, But What About Rip?
Anyway you look at it, the Pistons are a much better team now than before they agreed to terms with free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva.
Gordon is a hot and cold player. He is either exceptional or exceptionally mediocre. Little in-between. But you know those nights when he is really hot, Gordon is literally going to carry you to victory. The Pistons haven’t had a great streak scorer like that in awhile. It’s a good thing.
Villanueva isn’t very scrappy and doesn’t address the Pistons’ inside needs - unless he develops more of a toughness in the paint and on the boards.
The key with him isn’t skill - he can do it inside. The question is whether he wants to. He has a good outside touch, but the Pistons don’t need him firing up 3s too often like Rasheed Wallace.
The good part about Villanueva is there is an upside. There is a chance he could develop into a much better player.
I don’t know what they’ll do with Richard Hamilton. Three guards isn’t going to work. We saw that last year. Gordon shouldn’t be an $11 million per season "super sub" as some have suggested. Can Hamilton be traded for more size? Seems doubtful. Will be interesting how it plays out.
Random Thoughts
- No truth to the rumors the Lions are bringing back Bobby Ross, the Tigers Buddy Bell and the Red Wings Bryan Murray. Where is the love for George Irvine? Sorry, hate cynical people. And here I am being one.
- The Tigers better not look behind them, the Twins and White Sox are gaining on them. If Justin Verlander is going to be all that he can be, he has to do it on the road. How is that for a couple cliches.
- Red Wings’ worst value for a contract next season: Tomas Holmstrom at $2.25 million.
- Marian Hossa will be a fine fit for the Blackhawks, but they lost more than they gained in free agency Wednesday when Martin Havlat signed with Minnesota and Nikolai Khabibulin with Edmonton.
- Sign of the times: Just how much salaries were down for NHL free agents.
Gordon is a hot and cold player. He is either exceptional or exceptionally mediocre. Little in-between. But you know those nights when he is really hot, Gordon is literally going to carry you to victory. The Pistons haven’t had a great streak scorer like that in awhile. It’s a good thing.
Villanueva isn’t very scrappy and doesn’t address the Pistons’ inside needs - unless he develops more of a toughness in the paint and on the boards.
The key with him isn’t skill - he can do it inside. The question is whether he wants to. He has a good outside touch, but the Pistons don’t need him firing up 3s too often like Rasheed Wallace.
The good part about Villanueva is there is an upside. There is a chance he could develop into a much better player.
I don’t know what they’ll do with Richard Hamilton. Three guards isn’t going to work. We saw that last year. Gordon shouldn’t be an $11 million per season "super sub" as some have suggested. Can Hamilton be traded for more size? Seems doubtful. Will be interesting how it plays out.
Random Thoughts
- No truth to the rumors the Lions are bringing back Bobby Ross, the Tigers Buddy Bell and the Red Wings Bryan Murray. Where is the love for George Irvine? Sorry, hate cynical people. And here I am being one.
- The Tigers better not look behind them, the Twins and White Sox are gaining on them. If Justin Verlander is going to be all that he can be, he has to do it on the road. How is that for a couple cliches.
- Red Wings’ worst value for a contract next season: Tomas Holmstrom at $2.25 million.
- Marian Hossa will be a fine fit for the Blackhawks, but they lost more than they gained in free agency Wednesday when Martin Havlat signed with Minnesota and Nikolai Khabibulin with Edmonton.
- Sign of the times: Just how much salaries were down for NHL free agents.
Labels: Ben Gordon Charlie Villanueva Richard Hamilton Justin Verlander Tomas Holmstrom Marian Hossa
posted by Pat Caputo at
1:40 AM
6 Comments:
Pat, Hossa is a great player but I think you have to give a sucker to Black Hawk management due to the length of the contract. Am I missing something here, why would they sign a player for 12 years? He will be 42 years old when his contract runs out. The other stars only sign for 5 years.
Agree with your analysis of Gordon and Villanueva. Like the fact that Joe has created a youthful nucleus, but wonder who is going to rebound. Looks like the Pistons may have been saved from themselves with Collins withdrawing. Some are calling him a genius, but isn't there a clear track recodr of him rubbing others raw and self-destructing? That does not change with age (see Larry Brown).
Pat, disagree with you on a few things.
If Joe D didn't think he could trade Rip for a big why on earth would he sign Gordon? If the Pistons don't make any more moves this year I think these would be bad signings, as it blows all of our cap room for years by overspending on non-star players.
However Joe's smarter than that, and I expect that one or both of Rip and Prince will be moving for a legimate star big that'll either sign long term or have an expiring contract to give us room to sign someone next year. Even just flipping Rip or Prince for Boozer would give is a lot of cap room next year and more talent this year. We can't just sit on the roster as is.
I also disagree on the Blackhawks being worse after this offseason. Hossa is a big upgrade on Havlat (particularly defensively). Madden is a big upgrade on Pahlsson. Khabibulin is getting really old and Huet is a solid goaltender. I see the Hawks as being a much bigger threat this year than last.
Barry,
It's just the way teams are getting around large yearly salaries with the cap going down or remaining flat. It will catch up to them eventually.
Caputo
Larry Baker,
Yeah, and Doug Collins is no Larry Brown as a coach in terms of ability.
Caputo
Michael C,
I don't disagree fromn the standpoint I wouldn't be surprised if Dumars has something up his sleeve involving Hamilton.
Caputo
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