After a disappointing season in which they finished 39-43 and were easily swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Detroit Pistons are going to settle for another season of mediocrity.
After giving coach Michael Curry the boot yesterday after only one season at the helm, Joe Dumars acted quickly to land two top free agents and former University of Connecticut stars, landing former Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon on a five-year, $55 million deal and following that up by signing former Milwaukee Brewers forward Charlie Villanueva to a five-year deal worth about $35 million, according to CBS Sports’ Ken Berger.
$90 million may appear to be a lot for two guys who weren’t always regular starters for their old teams, but when you were one of the worst teams in the league in scoring, it looks like money well spent, at least on paper. The Pistons ranked near the bottom of the league in points per game (94.2 - 28th), three-point percentage (26th) and three pointers made per game (4.6 - 28th), and free-throw percentage (75.07 - 24th).
I’m not going out on a limb by saying that those numbers will see an increase next season with Gordon and Villanueva in the fold.
Gordon, the #3 overall pick in the 2004 draft, has been one of the league’s top perimeter shooters during his five-year career. Last season averaged 20.7 points per game, hit 41% of his threes, and shot 86.4% from the free throw line, ranking in the top 30 in the league in each of those categories.
Villanueva, who was drafted #7 overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2005 and was traded to the Bucks after his rookie season, is coming off of the best season of his four-year career, averaging 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game despite starting only 47 of 78 games and averaging 26.9 minutes a night.
Like Gordon, he’s an excellent free-throw shooter, as he hit a career-best 83.8% from the line last season, and he’s also a threat from behind the three-point line, where he hit a career-best 34.5% last season.
Villanueva isn’t a stud on the defensive end by any means, and there’s a lot of room for his game to grow yet, but in terms of immediate impact, he looks to fill the hole in terms of scoring, rebounding, and perimeter shooting left by Rasheed Wallace’s likely departure.
Gordon’s arrival could spell the end in Detroit for a fellow former Husky, Richard Hamilton. Hamilton could stay, because his experience and leadership certainly proves valuable, not to mention his production. But as Berger said, there’s not enough room in the backcourt for Gordon, Hamilton, and Rodney Stuckey, and it’d seem highly unlikely that 2007 first-round pick Stuckey would be the odd man out.
Along with Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince has been mentioned as a trade possibility, and with Detroit drafting Gonzaga’s Austin Daye (15th overall) and also potentially looking at the financial side of things, possibility could be a reality.
Whatever the case, there’s a good chance that the Pistons aren’t done wheeling and dealing just yet. That wheeling and dealing could also involve a big man, because that’s also an area that the Pistons need to address now, unless Dumars thinks that Kwame Brown is the future. If so, I’ll have some of what he’s smoking, and then some.
There’s also the matter of finding a new coach, and judging by the pace that Dumars is working at right now, it may not be long before a new head man is in place, whether it’s Doug Collins, Avery Johnson, or someone else.
It might not be realistic to think of the Pistons being back in the picture as serious contenders next season, or perhaps even the season after that, as they’re moving towards being a much younger team. But at the very least, it looks like they’re going to be a lot more entertaining to watch.
