This is the second of a three-part look at each of Detroit’s three 2008 draft selections.

Just as Walter Sharpe will get the chance to develop for Detroit, their second selection will should be right along side him. While Sharpe maybe a better defender, Trent Plaisted looks a little more polished on the offensive end and like Sharpe, brings good size and athleticism.

No. 46: Trent Plaisted, 6-9, 240-pound forward/center, Brigham Young University.

At 6-11 and 240 pounds, Plaisted shows excellent footwork and a versatility to the low post with both a nice shooting touch and passing ability. Being a left hander poses a new set of problems for opponents because there are so few in the league and may grow to be similar offensively to Zach Randolph. Where he may lack is facing up to the basket and appears to be more effective catching the ball with his back to the basket. He will need to increase his intensity and trust his skills and not be satisfied with just “being out there”.

Can he defend the five position? Is he strictly a power forward? He does show the quickness to be effective at either position and a willingness to work. His workouts appeared to lessen as they moved to the NBA Draft Camp, but he showed enough in prior appearances to have the eye of many teams, especially Joe Dumars and the Pistons.

While Sharpe is scheduled to start for Detroit’s Summer League team in Las Vegas July 11-18, Plaisted is going to get a long look from new head coach Michael Curry, who is making the trip to coach and get a first hand look at the new arrivals along with holdovers Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Cheikh Samb, and Amir Johnson.

If all works according to plan, a front line rotation of Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Walter Sharpe, and Plaisted is in the cards for the Pistons as they attempt to stack their hand with an athletic and versatile set of bigs.

This is the first of a three-part look at each of Detroit’s three 2008 draft selections.

I have to be honest. I am still scratching my head, but have faith in Joe Dumars. He has his way of doing things and they have been effective thus far during his tenure at the helm of the Detroit Pistons.

The draft went from excitable to “huh?” in a heartbeat. The rumors had been that Detroit had their eye on D.J. White, a power presence down low from Indiana. Everything seemed to work according to plan as he was there at #29 and Dumars nabbed him. Sounded like just what the doctor ordered.

Many fans, including myself, we taken by surprise to see Dumars trade him so quickly to Seattle for two second round selections. Was money a factor? Could be, but with a rookie salary slot, it wouldn’t seem so. Dumars knows talented players and with second round picks, there are no guarantees and no guaranteed money. And with the D-League and a roster full of young players already, maybe this was the way to go. So who is who and new at The Palace? First up is Walter Sharpe.

No. 32: Walter Sharpe, 6-9, 245-pound forward, Alabama-Birmingham.

Many downgraded Sharpe due to a shady past and a “lazy” presence. Diagnosed with narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder that led to tardiness to team functions and academic shortcomings, Sharpe now takes medication that he says turned his life around.

“It’s definitely behind me,” Sharpe boasts. “My worst days are behind me and my best days ahead of me. Nobody thought I had narcolepsy. People thought I was just lazy and slept a lot.”

And while some have compared his game to Laker forward Lamar Odom, it is unknown at this time if Sharpe will make the club out of camp of spend some time at Fort Wayne of the D-League. He will have to prove that an arrest at a club with four other UAB players was a case of poor judgment, and not a character issue that will continue. Though he says he was sticking up for team mates, he knows he should have known better. He is working on being a better man, and player.

“I can’t completely blame it on narcolepsy,” Sharpe admits. “I’d just say that some things I could have done better.”

“I like to put the ball on the floor,” Sharpe points out. “I’m not scared to dribble or shoot it from anywhere. I like to pass the ball. I like to do everything on the court that you can do on offense. Maybe by looking at me or reading my stat line, you might not notice that, but in due time, you’ll see.”

Trusting Joe Dumars has been easy, and this draft will test that loyalty, but the summer league should be fun to watch as these players get their first tests.

Maybe the rumors were true.

The Detroit Pistons have been busy all the way up to the draft denying rumors that they had promised Indiana forward D.J. White to select him with their 29th pick in the first round were he available. He was, and now is, a member of the Pistons. What they didn’t say was they had a notion to deal him once they drafted him. The team will send White to Seattle for their 32nd and 46th picks.

The 6-9, 250 pound White averaged 17.4 points and his 10.3 rebounds which led the Big Ten. While he would have been a great fit for the Pistons, team president Joe Dumars has something else in mind. While all trades are contingent on league approval until after, the teams who make deals make the selections for their trading partners.

Stay tuned this weekend for a look at who the Pistons select, who now have the 32nd, 46th, and 59th selections in the 2008 draft. Dumars is looking to add youth to this team and it looks like he’s doing just that.

While some will report that a trade for Carmelo Anthony is out of the question (and I wouldn’t close the door on that just yet), that doesn’t keep the rumor mill from churning in the waning days before the NBA Draft.

The latest report making the rounds of the association is Detroit is inquiring about the services of Golden State point guard Baron Davis. While he has a season remaining on his contract at a guaranteed $17.8 million, he has told team mates that he will not take advantage of an opt-out clause that would make him a free agent.

The possible Piston players to be parlayed? The word is a deal of point guard Chauncey Billups and forward/center Rasheed Wallace, who would make an estimated $25 million in ‘08-’09, which would require the Warriors to include another player, rumored to be Al Harrington, disgruntled at the way coach Don Nelson bounced him in and out of the rotation and is close to requesting a trade himself.

Billups would certainly step in and give Golden State a versatile backcourt with Monta Ellis, who could alternate at point. Wallace would give Nellie the three-point shooting threat he wanted Harrington to be and has an expiring contract after the upcoming year. Would Davis and Harrington fit the Piston mold? You would be surprised with what kind of transformation can change when playing for a title contender while having a chip on your shoulder and team president Joe Dumars has proven to be effective with such players.

Everything looks good on paper and the particulars look as if they are a fit. For myself, and I am certain some fans, we tire easily of talk and like action. While nothing is imminent and the draft is fast approaching, whom the Pistons select may have an impact on what deal is going to be made or not made.

Stay tuned.

Prince enjoyed an undefeated stint playing for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament. Of the thirty players in the program, the final fourteen have been identified and Prince is amongst them as the team will be selected without holding tryouts according to director Jerry Colangelo. What seems to be happening is that the games may be a stage for Prince to audition for another team looking to add a young veteran with ample playoff experience and versatile defensively.

Amongst some of the names being bandied about are Prince, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns, Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets, Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats, and Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks. With contract implications and salary cap constraints playing a major role in any trades made, many are looking for a time period closer to the NBA Draft this month for some action to take place.

It is not imminent that Prince will be traded as Joe Dumars’ phone has been ringing off the hook since he made the declaration that any Piston, sans Rodney Stuckey, would be available for the right price. It has been rumored and written that Prince may be part of a package deal in most scenarios with another Detroit starter, although everything is speculation at best.

If the price is right for Prince, he may be on the move after the Olympic games. The real dilemma will be recognizing who is looking to deal and who is just window shopping. The Pistons window for a championship may be closing, and this off-season will either prove to be a refurbish or a house cleaning.

The Associated Press and Detroit Free Press are reporting that the Detroit Pistons have hired their next head coach, former player and assistant Michael Curry to a three-year contract (with a team option for a fourth) that averages $2.5 million per season. It will be announced at a press conference held Tuesday at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

This is Curry’s first head coaching job of any kind, but Joe Dumars feels he will command the respect of the players, some which he actually played with. Dumars, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince were all team mates during Curry’s two stints with the team in 1996-97 and 1999-2003.

Being a Piston fan for over thirty years, I have always been wary of the coaching hires. Obviously some calls were good ones, but like the Lions, there have been many poor ones as well. While I always thought Curry was a solid defender and player, personifying the Pistons, I would have preferred a “name” coach, more for the experience than the splash it would bring. When you think about it, Avery Johnson is much like the departed Flip Saunders; great regular seasons and incomplete playoff runs. And while Dumars doesn’t like using the word “rebuilding”, what does this hire signify?

Of course, if Curry brings the same amount of success we have grown accustomed too, who can argue it? But this isn’t like bringing in Chuck Daly, Larry Brown, or even Flip. I am hoping that Dave Cowens stays on as an assistant while it looks like this may be Lindsey Hunter’s first foray into the assistant realm as well, we’ll see. This is untested waters with a team still performing well. This hire doesn’t shed much light on what roster moves are in store for the team, but as they are made, we may be able to see the direction the team is going in after the draft and as training camp approaches.   

We trust you Joe, makes us happy.

If at first you don’t succeed…

While few can argue the job Joe Dumars has done in the Pistons’ front office, one of the glaring mistakes is the drafting of Darko Milicic with the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. The player taken immediately following Darko? Carmelo Anthony by the Denver Nuggets. According to a league source, Detroit is rumored to be one of the teams who are testing the trade waters for the young forward.

While hindsight is always 20/20, this would certainly qualify as the “shake-up” Dumars is insisting the team needs. While it would bring a dynamic scorer to the Pistons, who would the team give up in exchange? Would Melo fit in with a defensive minded club like Detroit?

These are crucial questions that require answers before Dumars rolls the dice. Is the price going to be too high? Rasheed Wallace will have an expiring contract at $13 million and Chauncey Billups is a Denver native. Will it be Rip Hamilton to even out the statistical scoring? Is Tayshaun Prince or Jarvis Hayes in the picture?

The wildcard here is Dumars, who brought in Rasheed Wallace and turned the team into champions in 2004. He has a proven track record in influencing players and could make this work. Anthony has had some off-court issues as well (DUI) and these type of things cannot happen here as the fans have certainly had enough of the inmates running the asylum.

While Detroit would be only one of the clubs shopping for Anthony, the Pistons have made it known their roster, sans guard Rodney Stuckey, is up for grabs. Dumars is ready to rock the Palace with a move that will generate a buzz and give the new head coach a fresh start. While he insists he is not tearing the team down, Dumars is done with giving another chance to the same group that showed promise during the regular season, only to fall back into old habits come playoff time.

Dumars knows from the Wallace deal and the trades both the Celtics and Lakers made this past off-season that it can be done. Trades landed both Boston and Los Angeles in the Finals ans that is where Dumars wants to get back to. If a deal is made, look for it to be a big one, especially if they are mining for Nuggets.

The change of the guard continues. As Flip Saunders exits, one of his staff is leaving for a great opportunity.

Piston assistant Terry Porter will be leaving the Motor City for the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr has announced an agreement with Porter to become his next head coach. A press conference will be held early next week to announce his appointment and a three-year, $7 million contract. Kerr believes Porter is ready to be a head man again and will lead his team to the next level.

“He’s a great leader,” said Kerr, who played with him in San Antonio for the final two years of Porter’s 17-year career. “He’s very tough-minded, confident yet humble, in a way that I think players will respect. He’s a really good communicator.”

Kerr believes Porter will command the respect of the veteran players on the Suns while being well equipped to develop the younger players as well, much like Detroit has done the last two seasons with the roster. Porter coached the Milwaukee Bucks in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 and while the team was the NBA’s 4th best offense (and led the Eastern Conference) in his first year, a 30-52 record the following season sent him packing to Detroit. Kerr selected Porter over Houston assistant Elston Turner and Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin and will collaborate on a staff with his new coach.

“I think he can help us achieve the balance we feel we need, getting better at the defensive end while still pushing the ball. “I like the fact that he’s had that experience and now will be able to use that experience with a talented team,” Kerr exclaims. “I’m excited about that combination.”

The Detroit Pistons have announced this morning that they will not bring back head coach Flip Saunders next season.

After posting the best regular season record in club history of 176-70, his 30-21 playoff mark and losses in each of the last three Eastern Conference Finals prompted team president of basketball operations Joe Dumars conclude that the team is in need of new leadership.

“Decisions like this are difficult to make, especially with the success we have had throughout the last three regular-seasons,” Dumars said in a statement. “However, at this time, I feel it is necessary to make a change. I thank Flip for his hard work and dedication, but it is time for a new voice to lead our team.”

The rumor that has been circulating is that assistant coach and former Piston player Michael Curry, who has not been a head coach in any capacity, is in line to succeed Saunders. Personally, it would be a bad move. I just don’t believe someone without experience can take the reins of a perennial playoff and title contender. Would Curry’s appointment to the job mean that the roster is going to be blown up? Its anyone’s guess. With candidates like Avery Johnson still available, I would think the coaching search would explore all avenues. Saunders had begun work on the NBA Draft and a coach should be in place soon to resume those responsibilities I would hope.

Saunders had one year remaining on his four-year deal. In the end, his reputation proved to be true; solid regular season performances, but underachieving playoff results. The veterans did not respect Flip and it was painfully obvious whenever the public could see inside the locker room and huddles. He may have talked a good game, but the game never played out.

Another year, another Eastern Conference Final defeat. The Celtics go on to meet the Lakers in the Finals, something the league is wetting themselves over. The Pistons are done for the summer and the staff is preparing for the NBA Draft.

You had to get the feeling that even when Detroit mustered a ten point cushion in the fourth quarter of their 89-81 game six loss to the Celtics that it wasn’t nearly enough. And the 23-8 Boston run reaffirmed those fears. The fleeting moment of hope you may have had should have disappeared by the next commercial break. The Pistons are creatures of comfort, their own. They should be a team on the coast, because most of the times they get there, but when you run in sand, you fall back two steps for every three you take.

What happens now? Its the morning after and after posting the league’s second best record, there have never been more questions to be answered. Every area should be addressed. The Sixers should have been routed. The Magic series should have been a little easier. The Celtics should have been beaten. The old Piston adage of “if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right” is over and done. Its an excuse. And this team leans on excuses much too much. Where does Joe Dumars go from here?

Fire Flip

Anyone who has the sense of sight can see a major problem here. Nice regular season record, but a history of inadequacy in the playoffs. You would think with the Pistons’ veteran core that there would be little for a coach to say. That may be true, but there has to be a respect for the coach and in Detroit, its nonexistent.

In today’s NBA with all the in-game access, the locker room and the huddle, places we were never allowed in the past, has opened a window into the dynamic of player-coach relations. Flip Saunders falls upon deaf ears and has since he got the job. I don’t believe I have ever seen an attentive bench or locker room while Flip was handing out a game plan or speech. All eyes should be fixed on the coach when he speaks. The Pistons don’t even pretend like they hear him. How many huddles have we seen Rasheed Wallace or Rip Hamilton talking with an official or another assistant?

Flip’s methods and philosophy may be solid, but he commands no respect from the Piston veterans. The inmates are running the asylum. When Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell were providing a spark and making things happen, the starters had to be reinserted and the walls came crumbling down. Do you want to go with your best players? Of course you do. But it should be the players who are playing best that game. Flip’s second biggest problem all season was his substitution patterns. No respect and no consistency, Flip has taken this team as far as he can.

I have read that assistant Michael Curry is the favorite to assume control. With no head coaching experience, who knows if he can garner the respect. Avery Johnson is out there, but the question is the same about him, but both are defensive minded coaches.

The Roster

After last season’s debacle in the Cleveland series, the local papers and media were certain the coach was out of a job and the roster was going to be blown up. It didn’t happen. Dumars kept Saunders and they decided they would incorporate the bench a little bit more over the course of the regular season to preserve the starters for the playoffs. Maxiell became a solid contributor, Amir Johnson saw his minutes increase and both will be entering their fourth year in the league next season. Add free agent shooter Jarvis Hayes and the depth was vastly improved. Flip decided not to use it in the playoffs.

The draft brought rookie guards Stuckey and Arron Afflalo who both provided reassurance of having the back court of the future for the club. While Stuckey got the chance to shine in the playoffs, Afflalo sat idly by without complaint and watched. Johnson and Hayes did as well. Its safe to say that all will be back next season, but the real question is, what about the starters. Apparently, the bench was merely to save the starters for the playoffs, and it didn’t work.

It was painfully obvious the team struggled without Chauncey Billups. He is the captain, has a fresh contract extension and will be here. He had several clutch plays Friday night, and misfired badly on others. He has the ball in his hands and the power to control what happens on offense. When he was abusing Rajon Rondo time and time again going to the rim, he let up. He passed out of a lay-up. He worries too much about contact. He should recognize whats working and go to it. His spot is safe, but his play can use some work.

Rip Hamilton’s game has remained unchanged over the last few seasons. He is one of the league’s best and most consistent performers. Often times, its his passing and defense that come through as his weaknesses. He can “sell” a call with some of the best of them, but the league is now going to penalize players for such acts beginning next season. Many times Hamilton is caught out of position in the team’s defensive switches and that helped Ray Allen get it going in games five and six.

What is much worse is his attitude. He finished a close second to Wallace in team (and league) technical fouls. Like many players, primarily scorers, he complains about nearly every call. This has sprinkled down to the mild-mannered Antonio McDyess as well. And what is happening while the complaining is going on? The opposition is racing down the court and scoring. Rip and McDyess will likely stay, but without new leadership and re-commitment, is the team spinning its wheels?

Tayshaun Prince failed miserably the last three games of the Boston series. He is a great defensive player and doesn’t need to be an offensive juggernaut, but has to be much better than a single digit liability on offense. His turnover late in the fourth quarter to James Posey after securing a rebound with the team down only four was a back-breaker. His shooting percentage was on a nosedive since the Orlando series and after averaging 16 points a game in the first two rounds, he dropped to an uneventful nine. Is he a multi-dimensional player? Yes. Is he a starter? Not so sure anymore.

Wallace is obviously a wildcard. He is wonderfully talented and skilled. Everyone knows what his problem is, his emotions, which may also be his greatest strength. He was late to the team shoot-around and fined. Inconsequential? Maybe, but not a good sign for game six and not something you expect out of a dedicated team leader. Does he stay or should he go? You can see where someone would take him on their team and how he would be fired up to play against the Pistons were he jettisoned. Especially when we know he doesn’t believe he is part of the problem.

Solutions?

Where does the team go from here? I haven’t a clue. I can see where Dumars may stand pat and tweak the roster some more. I do not see how this team moves any further with Saunders at the helm. Will Dumars allow the players dictate to Flip if he stays? With one year remaining on his deal, I don’t see keeping him as a lame duck. Its safe to say if the Pistons had won the title this season, and extension wold be in place.

Keeping the status-quo will only extend the same old problems and standing still will bring the same; standing still at home for the summer and not playing in the finals.