Have we broken up the pistons?

[crownsy]

So Last night i got to thinking, between flip getting the boot and rip and sheed trade rumors begining to fly around, did we break up our closest eastern conferance foe during this 4 to 5 year "window" we've been given?

and has this happened anytime before? i can't remeber a time that one team beat a long time playoff team in a ECF and that team then wen't into full shake up mode, if not rebuilding mode.

So, what are your thoughts? did we "break up" the pistons? or do you think its all just a show by dumars, and thier core will be kept together? ive heard both ends of the spectrum in the rumor mill, everything from no changes to everyone except stucky is open for trade discussions.

I hope we did break them up, that would be pretty cool 

[Onslaught]

If they do break up it wasn't just because of us. Being the Buffalo Bills of the eastern conference these last few years would be the reason. It's obvious that while this is a good team it's not good enough to get the job done anymore.So I think the Spurs,Heat, Cavs and Celtics did it to them. But most of all the Pistons broke themselves up.

[nickagneta]

I'm not so sure we are responsible but the timing is uncanny.

If I put blame on anyone's shoulders for the performance of the last three years in Motown it's Joe Dumars. He tried to ride a fluke. Team conceptualized basketball where there is not one true superstar is an aberration.

He should have known this and after the 2005 loss to the Spurs he should have been dumping the cancer that is known as Rasheed Wallace while he still had a boatload of value left in him. Instead he brought in another loser named Chris Webber and it's been all downhill.

Now he has to break this team up and the only chips anyone really wants are Amir Johnson, Maxiel, Prince, Hamilton, and Stuckey, the players Dumars will want to add a superstar to.

IMHO he's going to get pennies on the dollar for Wallace, McDyess and Billups, three players that take up almost $29 million in cap space, through to the end of next year. If Dumars plays his cards right at the end of the 2009 season he will have Billups, Johnson, Prince, and Hamilton on the roster for $32 Million in cap space. He could get very creative at the end of next year.

But unfortunately he will and needs to make changes now and that will entail moving at least Wallace and probably their best player in Rip Hamilton. Wallace as an expiring contract and Rip as bait. I don't know who would bite but the people in Denver seem to want to maove Canby and Melo. That could be a very interesting swap for both teams. Iverson and Hamilton in the backcourt for Denver would be scray and Detroit gets the requisite possible superstar to build around.

A starting five for Detroit in that scenario is

Billups - PG
Stuckey - SG
Camby - C
Prince - F
Anthony - F

with Maxiel, McDyess, Johnson, and Hunter off the bench with Dumars having the ability to try to add strength in the center and backcourt areas.

[Roy Hobbs]

From what Dumars said, it sounds like he wants to reload, rather than rebuild:

"The idea you can make yourself bad and make yourself good again, that's a farce,'' he said. "I have no interest in completely ripping the team down. Will I look to making significant changes? Yeah, you're [dang] right I will.''

[Chief]

This team would have won 2-3 titles if Dumars would have drafted Carmello or Bosh instead of Darko. The blame should be solely on him. Now they better trade Billups and get something of value or they are going to be bad for a long time.

[RebusRankin]

They should have drafted Bosh.

[wdleehi]

Flip broke up the Pistons.  He wasn't the right coach.