In case you needed any more proof that the '08-'09 Pistons are a team in shambles, I submit last night's game against the Nets. With the playoffs in the balance, the Pistons proceeded to get beat down by a 31-43 team. No focus.
Joe really has his work cut out for him in the summer. His hope was to take a gamble on Iverson for this season, free up cap space, and then add one or two key pieces for the following season. Looking at the team now, they are more than just one season away. My guess is they'll need perhaps 3 or 4 seasons to regain elite status - and that's if everything goes right (Stuckey becomes an All-star, Afflalo develops into a competent 2, Hamilton remains reliable, they find some gems in the draft, and they land a prominent big man who can defend). That's just too much to hope for. I don't see it happening. It's more likely the Pistons will wallow in mediocrity for the foreseeable future.
For the record, Iverson is now saying he'd rather retire than come off the bench. This is after TWO GAMES as a non-starter. Geez. At least Hamilton waited until the team went 4-12 with him as a sub. I thought Iverson would do whatever it took to help the team win? Yes, he comes out looking like an egomaniac, but I think he's rallying a bit against the anti-Iverson sentiment emanating from the Palace. Piston beat writers have been writing anti-Iverson articles for weeks now. It's a sad situation. If I've learned anything about the Pistons over the years... it's that they're full of drama.
Then retire. Great career, but consistently classless.
ReplyDeleteThis outburst is beyond depressing. When AI first came to Detroit, he said his attitude had changed. Clearly, that was just talk. Now, he's got all the reason in the world to be frustrated -- losing, local reporters taking potshots, no backing of the organization, etc. But that don't mean he should resort to these outbursts. It's not helping anything.
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