<font face="ARIAL" size="2"><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Nothing is etched in stone, of course. But, after talking to Flip Saunders, the plan going into training camp is to have Antonio McDyess playing power forward alongside Rasheed Wallace on the first unit. McDyess, who turned 33 last Friday, has already been told to prepare for that possibility. He has come back to Detroit a month early to get a head start on his conditioning, something he hasn't done since his knee surgeries.</font></p> <font face="ARIAL" size="2">The move makes sense on several levels. Wallace needs a high-energy player alongside of him, particularly early in games. We saw that last year, as the team consistently sputtered out of the gate with Nazr Mohammed and Chris Webber. McDyess isn't Ben Wallace, but his motor runs a lot hotter than Mohammed's and Webber's. Plus, McDyess can score on the block (his turnaround jumper remains a consistent weapon), which defenses have to honor. His presence will allow Wallace more freedom at the offensive end.</font></p> <font face="ARIAL" size="2">The move should help McDyess relax. The last two years, the Pistons have asked McDyess to come off the bench and not only provide energy, but to be one of the main scoring options. By starting, he can ease himself into the flow of the game more and play off the rest of the starters. Plus, at age 33, it will be much easier for him to warm up before the game and play 12 to 15 minutes a half, as opposed to warming up, sitting for six to eight minutes, then come into the game cold.</font></p> <font face="ARIAL" size="2">The problem will come when the Pistons face the few over-sized centers left in the league, like Shaq and Yao. Mohammed, it would appear, would be tapped for extra duty against those types of players (taking over the Dale Davis, Elden Campbell role of past teams). Like I said in a previous blog, re-signing Webber is still an outside possibility. But only if the Pistons find a way to move Mohammed. Teams have known Mohammed was available since last January and nobody has come calling, so the odds of the Pistons moving him and opening up a space for Webber are slim right now.</font></p> <font face="ARIAL" size="2">Also by starting McDyess, it allows Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson, the young guys, to provide the energy off the bench -- which makes sense. To accomodate Johnson's talents, the Pistons might have to turn that second unit loose. Because Johnson struggles in structured sets, Saunders may have to let loose the reins and allow Johnson, Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey and Jarvis Hayes to run and gun a bit. That will be fun to watch.</div></font></p> Source: Detroit News</p>
The CWebb as Sheed version 2 doesn't seem to have worked out. People thought that maybe Detroit may have pulled off a similar coup with the CWebb signing last season, but it didn't pan out in the post season, and now they're effectively saying it out loud. Perhaps as a signal to CWebb to get his act together, or perhaps they're just giving up on him altogether.</p> I'm liking the Hayes pickup. </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing)</div><div class='quotemain'>I thought <font face="ARIAL" size="2">Maxiell was ready to start? </font></div></p> Same here.</p> I think he will eventaully.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane)</div><div class='quotemain'> The CWebb as Sheed version 2 doesn't seem to have worked out. People thought that maybe Detroit may have pulled off a similar coup with the CWebb signing last season, but it didn't pan out in the post season, and now they're effectively saying it out loud. Perhaps as a signal to CWebb to get his act together, or perhaps they're just giving up on him altogether.</p> I'm liking the Hayes pickup. </p></div> </p> yeah...i wish he signed with a different team, because i like hayes, but not detroit. same with flip murray last season, too.
I dont think Maxiell will ever be a permanent starter, keeping in mind he is only 6'7, and dropped alot of weight this offseason also, it would seem he may be thinking about trying to play some minutes at the 3.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane)</div><div class='quotemain'> The CWebb as Sheed version 2 doesn't seem to have worked out. People thought that maybe Detroit may have pulled off a similar coup with the CWebb signing last season, but it didn't pan out in the post season, and now they're effectively saying it out loud. Perhaps as a signal to CWebb to get his act together, or perhaps they're just giving up on him altogether.</p> I'm liking the Hayes pickup. </p></div> </p> Why? Hayes is a pure jump shooter who knocks down a mediocre percentage even though he gets alot of nice looks. He's a decent defender and mediocre rebounder but trust me, by half way through the season all Pistons fans will be getting frustrated seeing him clank wide open looks. </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane)</div><div class='quotemain'> The CWebb as Sheed version 2 doesn't seem to have worked out. People thought that maybe Detroit may have pulled off a similar coup with the CWebb signing last season, but it didn't pan out in the post season, and now they're effectively saying it out loud. Perhaps as a signal to CWebb to get his act together, or perhaps they're just giving up on him altogether.</p> I'm liking the Hayes pickup. </p></div> </p> Why? Hayes is a pure jump shooter who knocks down a mediocre percentage even though he gets alot of nice looks. He's a decent defender and mediocre rebounder but trust me, by half way through the season all Pistons fans will be getting frustrated seeing him clank wide open looks. </p> </div></p> Because a team in Detroit's position has rare chances to even get a guy of Hayes' quality. He is going to get minutes and should be a good contributor in their system.</p> </p> </p> </p>
