It's silly. But when Joe Dumars announced that he would try to shake up his Pistons core, he practically begged people to speculate. And considering Dumars is unlikely to swing a deal before the draft June 26, or even the start of free agency July 1, this gives us a bunch of time to either a) work or b) dream up trade scenarios. (Or, in my case, both at once!)
Let's look at this logically. The Pistons have six highly regarded starters: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Rodney Stuckey.
If you were looking to make a trade, and you had six highly regarded starters, wouldn't you try to package two for a superstar? Of course you would.
SCENARIO ONE: That Carmelo fellow
The Carmelo Anthony rumors make sense. The Pistons can send Billups and Prince to Denver for a package headlined by Anthony.
The Nuggets probably would improve next year because Billups and Prince are a better fit with Allen Iverson than Anthony is. The Pistons, meanwhile, would have a core of Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and Anthony for the next few years. Anthony isn't perfect -- he seems to avoid defense at all times, except when he gets arrested -- but he is incredibly talented and only 24. He is worth the risk.
But what if the Nuggets balk? Where would the Pistons turn? Let's keep the Carmelo logic: The Pistons probably need a team in the Western Conference, in playoff contention, willing to deal a superstar for two starters -- one of whom almost certainly would be Billups.
Follow that train of thought, and it won't take you long to end up in Houston.
SCENARIO TWO: T-Mac
The Rockets have never made it out of the first round of the playoffs with Tracy McGrady. They have tried a disciplined coach (Jeff Van Gundy) and a loose coach (Rick Adelman). They had Yao Ming complement McGrady and had McGrady complement Yao. This year, they even tried winning without Yao, who was hurt. And for a while, that looked like it would work. But it didn't.
Right now, McGrady is a better player than Anthony. But he also is five years older and not quite as durable. Plus, the Rockets have another star -- Yao -- so they can trade McGrady and still plausibly contend for a title.
How about McGrady straight up for Billups and Prince? It works under the salary cap. And if Houston is willing to part with McGrady, the deal makes some sense for both teams.
Billups and Prince could elevate Houston in the West next year. And the Pistons would start Stuckey, Hamilton, McGrady, Wallace and McDyess. That lineup could contend for a title.
McGrady has pouted on occasion and coasted at other times. But he has two years left on his contract. The Pistons could figure that McGrady would play hard in year one because he is on a new team, and then play hard in year two because he would be playing for a new contract.
And speaking of new contracts, this brings us to ...
SCENARIO THREE: The Pistons bide their time
Other than Anthony and McGrady, I don't see any true superstars who could be available and make sense for the Pistons. They still could make a trade, but they would have to shoot lower.
This scenario still could land the Pistons a star. Wallace's $13.68-million salary comes off the books next summer. As of now, they should be roughly $11 million under the salary cap in 2009.
And in the summer of 2010, they should be way, way under the cap. That, by the way, is the summer when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could all hit free agency.
This is why Dumars is in no hurry to move Wallace. 'Sheed has value because of his unique skill set and expiring deal -- but the elite teams, who love his skill set, won't want a one-year rental, and the bad teams, who would love an expiring deal, don't care about the skill set. For that reason, he might have more value to the Pistons than anybody else.
Fans might not like it, but Wallace easily could be a Piston again next year. But his days as the most gifted player on the roster are numbered. You can be sure of that.
Original Story:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic....
Let's look at this logically. The Pistons have six highly regarded starters: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Rodney Stuckey.
If you were looking to make a trade, and you had six highly regarded starters, wouldn't you try to package two for a superstar? Of course you would.
SCENARIO ONE: That Carmelo fellow
The Carmelo Anthony rumors make sense. The Pistons can send Billups and Prince to Denver for a package headlined by Anthony.
The Nuggets probably would improve next year because Billups and Prince are a better fit with Allen Iverson than Anthony is. The Pistons, meanwhile, would have a core of Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and Anthony for the next few years. Anthony isn't perfect -- he seems to avoid defense at all times, except when he gets arrested -- but he is incredibly talented and only 24. He is worth the risk.
But what if the Nuggets balk? Where would the Pistons turn? Let's keep the Carmelo logic: The Pistons probably need a team in the Western Conference, in playoff contention, willing to deal a superstar for two starters -- one of whom almost certainly would be Billups.
Follow that train of thought, and it won't take you long to end up in Houston.
SCENARIO TWO: T-Mac
The Rockets have never made it out of the first round of the playoffs with Tracy McGrady. They have tried a disciplined coach (Jeff Van Gundy) and a loose coach (Rick Adelman). They had Yao Ming complement McGrady and had McGrady complement Yao. This year, they even tried winning without Yao, who was hurt. And for a while, that looked like it would work. But it didn't.
Right now, McGrady is a better player than Anthony. But he also is five years older and not quite as durable. Plus, the Rockets have another star -- Yao -- so they can trade McGrady and still plausibly contend for a title.
How about McGrady straight up for Billups and Prince? It works under the salary cap. And if Houston is willing to part with McGrady, the deal makes some sense for both teams.
Billups and Prince could elevate Houston in the West next year. And the Pistons would start Stuckey, Hamilton, McGrady, Wallace and McDyess. That lineup could contend for a title.
McGrady has pouted on occasion and coasted at other times. But he has two years left on his contract. The Pistons could figure that McGrady would play hard in year one because he is on a new team, and then play hard in year two because he would be playing for a new contract.
And speaking of new contracts, this brings us to ...
SCENARIO THREE: The Pistons bide their time
Other than Anthony and McGrady, I don't see any true superstars who could be available and make sense for the Pistons. They still could make a trade, but they would have to shoot lower.
This scenario still could land the Pistons a star. Wallace's $13.68-million salary comes off the books next summer. As of now, they should be roughly $11 million under the salary cap in 2009.
And in the summer of 2010, they should be way, way under the cap. That, by the way, is the summer when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could all hit free agency.
This is why Dumars is in no hurry to move Wallace. 'Sheed has value because of his unique skill set and expiring deal -- but the elite teams, who love his skill set, won't want a one-year rental, and the bad teams, who would love an expiring deal, don't care about the skill set. For that reason, he might have more value to the Pistons than anybody else.
Fans might not like it, but Wallace easily could be a Piston again next year. But his days as the most gifted player on the roster are numbered. You can be sure of that.
Original Story:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic....
