Big Moves in Motown

I am combing this into one article when it really should be two but to be honest, its been a hell of a work week for me and that you should consider yourself lucky that I care about the integrity of the blog to keep it going. In addition, I thank all the University of Kentucky fans that found me, my buddy Ron compared to the Hoff in Germany which is fairly accurate.

Anyways lets begin with the Detroit Pistons decision to fire first-year head coach Michael Curry on Monday. I personally feel that this was the right choice for the Pistons because it was clear that Curry wasnt working with the players he had. Richard Hamilton hated him according to multiple sources for not giving him consistent playing time and when your star player is unhappy that is never a good sign for your career. I believe that Curry wanted to make his own waves doing it basically his way and he could never figure out how to do that.

I also would like to put some blame on General Manager Joe Dumars. Curry thought he would have Chauncey Billups all season and had a plan set around using Chauncey, Rip, and Rasheed Wallace only to get thrown out the window in the first week with a deal to get Allen Iverson. I realize this AI deal pays off later in the article but it did enough damage to Curry as a coach to get him fired. I would hope they get a guy like Avery Johnson who seemed to got the shaft in Dallas and would have something to prove.

Here is where Dumaes has his "Dumb and Dumber" moment where he totally redeems himself. Today on the first day of free agency, he inks two of the bigger free agents in Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. I am mixed on these two but because they are in the Eastern Conference, it will make a quick impact. I think CV in a way is like a softer, younger Rasheed Wallace. He loves to stay around the premiter and jack threes when they are not warranted. Also CV doesnt seem to make to be a true four and hang around the post, he only does it when needed. He gets his rebounds thanks to awesome athletic ability but its hard to believe he was a top 10 pick.

Ben Gordon is a guy I personally liked in college but not so much in the pros. He falls into the type of player that if he catches fire in the first quarter will keep shooting the rest of the game no matter if he misses the next ten which can cost a team a game. Now heres my question does Gordon come off the bench or are the Pistons not done this offseason? I am guessing right now the lineup looks like this Rodney Stuckney-Rip-Tayshaun Prince-CV-Jason Maxiell/Fabrico Oberto? I could see them trying to deal Prince for a solid center to free up time for the UCONN connection on the wings (never played together in college but always nice to have a guy who went to the same school)

-Charlie.