As a business owner there is one thing that just annoys the hell out of me....

Continue reading this post »

The Future Power Rankings are ESPN Insider's projection of the on-court success expected for each team during the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

HOW FUTURE POWER RATING IS DETERMINED

PLAYERS (0 to 400 points): Current players and their potential for the future, factoring in expected departures

MANAGEMENT (0 to 200 points): Quality and stability of front office, ownership, coaching

MONEY (0 to 200 points): Projected salary-cap situation; ability and willingness to exceed cap and pay luxury tax

MARKET (0 to 100 points): Appeal to future acquisitions based on team quality, franchise reputation, city's desirability as a destination, market size, taxes, business and entertainment opportunities, arena quality, fans

DRAFT (0 to 100 points): Future draft picks; draft positioning

22. Detroit Pistons | Future Power Rating: 444

PLAYERS	MANAGEMENT	MONEY	MARKET	DRAFT
103 (26th)	113 (13th)	111 (11th)	38 (20th)	79 (5th)

Add the Pistons to the ever-growing list of problems in Detroit. After an amazing run last decade, Detroit fans can no longer be confident in the franchise's future.

Owner Bill Davidson has passed away and the team is up for sale. The Pistons lack a legitimate star, are stuck with a couple of bad contracts on their books, have no long-term solutions in the middle and have been plagued by injuries and apathy. And fans are no longer flocking to the Palace like they used to.

One problem is that they don't have much to rally around, and team president Joe Dumars didn't shake things up this summer, either. Greg Monroe is a rookie with potential, but Pistons fans will need to be patient after his up-and-down performance in summer league. Among the youngsters, Austin Daye has shown promise and Jonas Jerebko should be a good role player. Veterans Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon are solid building blocks. But none of them is enough to get fans excited.

For the Pistons to progress further than we've projected here, they'll need to get Richard Hamilton off the books, trade Tayshaun Prince for something of value before his contract expires after the 2010-11 season and get strong development from their young players. That adds up to a lot of ifs for a franchise that once seemed the steadiest in the NBA.

(Previous rank: 20)

It is insider only.

http://www.pistonpowered.com/

Interesting trade idea over there by feldman that actually got some love.

In short,

Trade

Pistons receive:

• Chris Paul (18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 0.2 blocks, 2.1 steals)
• Emeka Okafor (10.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.7 steals)

Hornets receive:

• Tayshaun Prince (13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.4 blocks, 0.7 steals)
• Rodney Stuckey (16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.2 blocks, 1.4 steals)
• Greg Monroe (16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 blocks, 1.2 steals)
• Austin Daye (5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 blocks, 0.4 steals)
• Chris Wilcox (4.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 blocks, 0.4 steals)
• 2012 first-round pick
• 2014 first-round pick
• 2011 Denver Nuggets second-round pick

This may be the first time you have heard about the wonderful free agent signed by the Detroit Pistons , his name is Ben Gordon.  New in as much as it will be the first time you hear the truth about what a great player he is. This guy is the kind of guy who wins championships. He’s exactly the type of Piston many scream that Dumars should go out and sign.  When Dumars does exactly that, people scream bloody murder about what an idiot Dumars is. But that’s for another rant…until then understand that we have on our roster one of the most underrated players in the NBA, at a bargain. Yes you heard it correctly, Ben Gordon at 11 mil a year  is a bargain.

                Ben Gordon won ROY and Sixth man in the same year, I do believe that is the first time that has ever been done (could be wrong). He is one of the most productive Scorers in the NBA, he has the ability to score points faster on the scoreboard than Jenna Jamison on her head board. An all star if not for the fact that he came off the bench for an unworthy division rival the Chicago Bulls (still don’t like them).  The man subbed in for people not worthy to set up the racks during practice for him. Yet you never heard him complaining. That alone is amazing to me.  Wheres all the respect for locker room guys now? Arenas is a talent to be sure, but would you have him on your team? These things matter. Also we have a closer…no one can argue he’s not a great finisher. That’s not exactly something everyone can do. I’d have to throw last year out of course . admittedly  the boy could he not hit a shot at the buzzer. But that year was nothing more than an aberration, so as any good statistician knows you toss those out. What we are left with however  is something we have needed since Mr Smooth left, someone to hit in the clutch.

                I hear people complain about his defense. But in Today’s NBA I think its more about team defense than solo.  But that’s an argument we can have later. For now come away with the fact that Gordon is a Career  40% 3point shooter even with that nonsensical season he had last year.  In fact he’s shot 40 percent beyond the arc EVERY season besides last. And were not talking a “I sit in the corner waiting for the point guard to break down defense for a kick 3 pointer,” but an honest to goodness  “I will break your ankles and launch it type player.” He may take a lot of hell for that since people use that to say he takes bad shots, I don’t believe it’s a bad shot if your hitting 40 percent of them. To Gordon, he’s just that good. And besides, was he supposed to pass to PJ Brown? He will rebound his numbers this season and you haters may get to love the guy like I do. Piston fans love winners, and he is one, first in college and hopefully soon in the NBA.

 I know I’m going to catch hell for this and that’s ok.  But I saw someone in the comments one time ask a simple question “who  at his pay scale is better than him?” to which he was  he was ridiculed. Which was funny. Fair enough. But the following answers were not. Mike Miller and JJ forgot his last name? Really! I am going to pray that Ben Gordon sticks around for another year and is healthy so you guys can  see what this kid can do. Great addition to the Pistons.

with love,

Kool aid drinking piston fan.