<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>AS VEGAS ? Even by the optimistic standards of the off-season, the Pistons? front office came back from Las Vegas feeling unusually good about their NBA Summer League experience.?Some summer leagues can be more beneficial than others,? vice president John Hammond said after the Pistons? entry in the Las Vegas league went 4-1 with an unusually high number of players ? six ? who figure to be part of the 15-man roster for 2007-08. ?When you have our three picks from this past draft all playing along with Cheick Samb, who we drafted last year, plus a young player like Jason Maxiell, that?s beneficial in itself. To have the chance to evaluate three players for the first time in an NBA setting and to have Cheick back and Max, it was just an overall great week.?Maybe the biggest news coming from Las Vegas is that Hammond said the Pistons have decided to get Samb signed so he can split time between the Pistons and their new Development League affiliate in Fort Wayne, Ind.Samb had one year left at his option on his contract with his Spanish professional team, but the Pistons saw enough in Samb?s development in the year since they?ve had him to believe the time was right for the leap to the United States. It helps that the Pistons? new D-League affiliate is a three-hour drive away instead of in Sioux Falls, S.D.?It makes life easier for everyone,? Hammond said. ?It?s easier for Cheick and his travel and easier for us in the front office that want to have an opportunity to go and check him out. We can drive three hours and see him. What a big difference it will be for us to be able to do that.?Samb arrived in Auburn Hills on June 25 and got to work out that week prior to the NBA draft with Pistons assistant coach Dave Cowens, a Hall of Famer, and immediately took to Cowens? coaching. Hammond said he also believes that Kent Davidson, Fort Wayne?s coach, is one of the best in minor league basketball.It also now appears likely that the Pistons will carry Sammy Mejia on the 15-man roster, Hammond said. The Pistons selected Mejia 57th in June?s NBA draft after taking guards Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo in the first round. In addition to the three draft choices, Maxiell and Samb, Amir Johnson joined the Las Vegas summer team for its last game, a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, after re-signing with the Pistons as a restricted free agent.?We like him,? he said. ?If we had our druthers, he would have an opportunity to do so.?</div>http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/summer_070716.htmlI'm happy we signed Samb, hopefully he can work on his game and develop in the D-League as Amir did. He has potential, but is still very raw. Mejia played very well in the summer league, and I'm not surprised we signed him. He can defend all three perimeter positions, which Joe really likes. Since we know have 14 players on the roster, I doubt Webber will be signed, or Acker will come over since Joe has said he once to keep a roster spot open for either a trade or midseason free agent case like Webber this year.
So I guess this sort of makes it official no free agents will be signed. I do not like the way this season is looking at all.
I am happy we signed both of them. Sammy Mejia really deserved a spot after his play in the summer league IMO. He showed his versatility by averaging 6.2 rpg, which is actually more than Samb averaged.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teeps11 @ Jul 16 2007, 08:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I am happy we signed both of them. Sammy Mejia really deserved a spot after his play in the summer league IMO. He showed his versatility by averaging 6.2 rpg, which is actually more than Samb averaged.</div> Eh...Summer league means nothing my friend, it's a glorified pickup game.
Mejia is a three-position player at the 1-2-3 spots and was a good rebounder at DePaul I believe. Should be a nice signing. Has Samb gained weight?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noballer07 @ Jul 16 2007, 10:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Mejia is a three-position player at the 1-2-3 spots and was a good rebounder at DePaul I believe. Should be a nice signing. Has Samb gained weight?</div>Yeah, he's gained thirty pounds since last season. He's still trying to gain some more, I believe.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Stonesalltheway @ Jul 16 2007, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, he's gained thirty pounds since last season. He's still trying to gain some more, I believe.</div>Ok, well he definitely needs to, because he came in rail thin at 195 and now he's around 230. 30 more pounds to go I guess...
Mejia is a big time player.. He's so versatile, and so smooth out there, I loved watching him play.. He should be a solid role player for many years.. Great pick by the Pistons..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DRob-50-Forever @ Jul 17 2007, 01:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I watched Samb last season in SL, looked ok, he is freakishly long.</div>I heard his dad had 21 kids. Thats freakishly longOk so maybe you were talking about his wingspan
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The`Dream @ Jul 17 2007, 02:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I heard his dad had 21 kids. Thats freakishly longOk so maybe you were talking about his wingspan</div>Hahaha
