<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">AUBURN HILLS -- Chris Webber is taking a gamble. But he's not the first aging NBA star to take such a calculated risk, forsaking personal gain for the chance to win a championship. Bill Walton, Karl Malone, Spencer Haywood and Gary Payton -- to name a few -- have been in Webber's shoes. They, too, have had serious injuries, labored on losing teams, and adjusted to the natural decline of their talents. Webber, a Pistons center, stands at those crossroads. He has a history of significant knee injuries and never having reached the NBA Finals in his 13 previous seasons. "I think you reach a place where you realize there isn't much time left in your career, and the money and honors aren't going to be what ultimately matters," said Walton, the Hall of Fame center who had his injury-riddled career temporarily resurrected by the Celtics in 1985. "There is a very tough self-realization that you can't do it alone anymore, after always being the best player with the responsibility to win the game. You need to go somewhere where they can help you reach your ultimate goal. "That's where Chris is at. He's taking a chance, a huge two-pronged gamble, to come home to the Pistons and make a real run for the championship. Whether it works out we'll see." Walton counts himself lucky. His late-career move to the Celtics resulted in an NBA championship in 1986. He retired a few games into the 1986-87 season. "Playing for the Celtics saved my life," Walton said. "Not just my career, but my life. It changed everything for me. "Getting another chance can lead to a transformation that is all-encompassing. And I see the same thing happening to Chris if he can get it done in Detroit." Webber chose the Pistons over other contending teams, such as the Heat and Lakers. He said one of the key factors was familiarity with the Pistons. "It's been a good adjustment so far," said Webber, 33. "It's now just about knowing what plays people like, what plays come in crunch time, get us going when we have a scoring drought. It's just the overall concept, along with the plays and memorizing the mentality and personality of a team. "I'm glad I was familiar with this team because it's made the adjustment much easier." Making the move to another team, and having the right attitude to work hard and fit in, often comes when maturity trumps youthful arrogance. Veteran Pistons guard Lindsey Hunter understands that mental shift, having gone through it himself. He has bounced around, through trades and free-agent signings, and won two NBA titles in 13 seasons. The last few years, he has forsaken other options to stay with the Pistons and go for another title. "You've got a lot of growing pains to go through (in an NBA career) before you realize what's important in the small scheme of things and get there," Hunter said. "You want to go somewhere where you can fit in, win and become part of something that's bigger than yourself. "I think everybody here understands that. And that's kind of the makeup of our team; we feel like we have a chance to compete for a title every year." Former Pistons guard Jon Barry, now an ESPN analyst, played with Webber for three seasons in Sacramento. Barry doesn't have a crystal ball to foresee how Webber's gamble will pay off but he sees a few things already. "I remember how explosive Chris used to be, and man, it hurts me watching him run nowadays -- it's not a pretty sight," Barry said. "Chris isn't the player he used to be. That being said, he's still good enough and smart enough to get it done. "He told me earlier this season that he feels a lot stronger than last year, and if that's even medically possible, I think he can really help the Pistons. Barry continued: "I think Chris took a gamble, and he really went for it by wanting to do it his way. I'm a huge C-Webb guy, and I'm rooting for him totally. "It would be a great way for him to cap things off. Get his title, do it in Detroit. Nothing would be better."</div> Source
