From the Championship team a few years ago, which starter for the Pistons would you start a franchise around. Let's say you had to pick one of them for your expansion team, who would you pick and why? Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince?I'll post on who I would later.
Chauncey Billups. He is a great scorer. He shoots the 3 ball very well, and has a very nice mid-range jay. He is a top notch defender for a pg, he is a great passer, and he rarely turns the ball over. He leads the league in A/TO ratio, I think. He is just a great player to start a franchise with.
Chauncey Billups. I personally see the rest as role players (except maybe without Sheed if you think about his portland days). He is a great leader and he comes through in the clutch. I really like the man, I mean he gets everyone involved in the game and still manages to get his fair of shots down. He has very solid defense and I don't think you can get as many Billups' in this league than you can as the others.
Chauncey, easily. He is arguably best PG in the league....fantastic scorer, great passer/playmaker, great defender, and great leader who knows how to win big games.Then look at the other players: Rip is a one dimensional offensive player and not as good defensively as Billups, Rasheed is getting up ther ein age, never has been a great teammate and isn't the kind of leader you want on your team. And Tayshun will always be a great 2nd/3rd man, but will never be a 20PPG, 6APG player that Billups is.
I pick R. Wallace because I believe in building your team inside out............I think we sometimes forget how good this player really is. A PF who can hit open 3's and has a very good post up game.Rasheed is one of the top power forwards in the league imo, he went to detroit and gave them the post up presence that they needed to be an elite team. He is the kind of player who can score if he wants to and I believe that we will see what Rasheed is all about this year especially the way he ended last year.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Every championship team needs a low-post presence and Rasheed was that guy for the Pistons.</div>
Rasheed has skills, but in terms of building a team I think that there'd be too many chemistry issues. He CAME into a good situation and was able to find a good role. If he was the "go-to" guy (which in this situation whoever we pick would be) then I think his head would get in the way of his game. And I understand your philosopy of building inside out (good post players are golden) but with Rasheed's personality issues and Ben's challenged offensive game (I don't think he's as bad as some say he is, but you definitely aren't getting 20 points out of him... I think 15 would even be a stretch...) I think that in terms of building a franchise neither Piston starter post players would make good foundations.I'd have to pick Chauncey Billups. I was thinking Prince because of his all around great game (he's getting better, watch) but the problem is right now in the NBA small forwards are definitely in abundance. With Billups you have a tough defensive point guard who not only can effectively run an offense and score almost anywhere, but plays smart tough defense. In all the other positions I think it's easier to find players who are both effective defensively and offensively, but at the PG level it seems to be harder. The best point guards in the league often have mediocre defense but are brilliant passers and shooters. Mr. Billups plays both ways.
I definitely would have to say Chauncey Billups. There is really no contest, IMO. Chauncey is the leader, the true winner, and the most clutch. He is a dynamite shooter, especially in the clutch and from the line, he's a very good defender, he's extremely unselfish, good playmaker, and he's a great person. He keeps the mistakes to a minimum and he is a guy that can fit in well on any team in any system. Chauncey is finally putting up the numbers he's capable of, but trust me, if he really wanted to Chauncey could average 23 points and 10 assists a night. He is easily one of the best PG's in the league, one of the most clutch players, and he's a true leader (thanks to Larry Brown). Big Ben is easily one of the best defenders in the league, a good locker room guy, a leader, tough as nails, and a bull (lol, no pun intended) on the boards. He is a guy that is a face of the franchise type, but the age kills him in this argument. He's in his 30's and he's going to slow down real soon. He's a great guy to have on your team now, but in the long haul he's not someone you want to start your franchise with. A few years ago, probably. Rip is a very good scorer and he's the most durable player in the league, next to Allen Iverson and probably Morris Peterson. He's unselfish and he doesn't dominate the ball. But he's not a guy to build a franchise with. He is a great 2nd or 3rd option, but not a first. Sheed is my boy. I love him. But he's also not a guy to build a franchise around. He isn't the first guy on the roster you want to be the face of your franchise, due to his attitude history. I think he gets knocked on for his attitude more than he should, and he is a good guy, but he isn't a Face of the Franchise type of player. Plus he's getting older. Tayshaun is a very good young player, a very good defender, a good guy, he works hard, and he can shoot. I don't think he will ever be a guy to lead a team. He will always be that 2nd or 3rd option, a damn good one, but he can never be a 1st option player or a leader. His personality just isn't "leadership material."
Maybe if Big Ben wasnt so far in his career I'd pick him because I would like to have a solid bag man to start a franchise with, but I may even choose Chauncey on any occasion though. Top 3 pg for sure, he can both score and pass with great consistency, he knows how to lead a team. I'd like a leader to lead my team, and who better to fit that role than Chauncey?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lakersfoelyfe @ Oct 8 2006, 05:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I pick R. Wallace because I believe in building your team inside out............I think we sometimes forget how good this player really is. A PF who can hit open 3's and has a very good post up game.</div><span style="font-family:Book Antiqua">You can't really say that there's someone else who is doing better than Billups. For Sheed? Dirk Nowitzki shoots three's while being guarded, too. Dirk's post up game might not be as great as Sheed's, but I guaran-sheed that anyone would pick Dirk over Rasheed. In Billups' case, you can't really find a PG who can lead a team full of potential All-Stars, too! :boogie: , become MVP candidate in a team full of potential All-Stars, play great D in a team full of potential DPoY, and become the superstar in a team full of potential All-Stars, too! If that's confusing, I'm sorry...What I truly mean is that not a lot of PGs in the league can do what Billups does. In Rasheed's case, there's a few who do things similarly and are (arguably) better than him.My vote goes to Chauncey Billups.</span>
Chauncey Billups easily. One of the most versatile Point Guards in the league. He's very consistent, a great shooter, great playmaker and passer, top notch defender, very clutch, has a takeover mentality when needed, and he's a great free throw shooter. This honestly isn't even close.
