Best Team on Paper

Happier Times
It's official. The Pistons are now historically bad. The 0-5 start is the worst since 1980. That's 30 Piston teams in a row that all started better than this pathetic incarnation. The 2000-01 squad with Eric Montross at Center? Better. The 93-94 squad with Sean Elliot (the most disgruntled Piston ever)? Better. Kent Bensen's 81-82 squad? Better.

Unfortunately, it gets worse. For as long as I've known the Pistons, they've been a magnet for drama. From Isiah's "trading" of Dantley to Laettner and Stackhouse's fistfight to Rodman's feud with every single coach not named Chuck Daly to the Malice at the Palace to Dumars unceremonious firing of Rick Carlisle to Allen Iverson vs Rip Hamilton vs Michael Curry, they're an NBA soap opera with a tradition that would rival General Hospital. You can change the names, but the results remain the same.

After the Celtics game, Kuester called out his team. He wanted a vocal leader to step up. Tayshaun took this personally: "(Kuester) has to do some things better too." Big Ben, once a staunch Kuester supporter, offered little comment to the media, "I'm not going to touch that." But while Ben and Tayshaun were the center of attention after the Celtics loss, it's apparent now that Kuester was actually directing his comments toward a different player - the one player who was handed the keys to the franchise, a starting position, and three years to develop his game - Rodney Stuckey.

Last night, the Pistons took on the Hawks, and, in general, they played quite well, despite ultimately losing in the familiar collapse-in-the-4th-quarter way. I noticed during the 2nd quarter that T-Mac and Austin Daye handled most of the point-guard duties. That continued through most of the 2nd half. Where was Stuckey? It was strange. He was supposed to be the cornerstone of the rebuilding process. He didn't get injured, so why wasn't he playing? At the time, it didn't really matter. The T-Mac led offense fared quite well. The Pistons hung tight with the Hawks. Daye, T-Mac, and Greg Monroe offered the welcome burst of energy. They couldn't defend worth a lick, but neither could the starters.

After the inevitable 4th quarter collapse, news leaked that Stuckey was benched. Apparently, Stuckey ignored Kuester during a stoppage in play. Kuester immediately subbed him out, and the kid didn't play the final 20:56. Add Kuester vs Stuckey to the long list of Piston feuds.

With all the support the kid has received, it's pretty shocking to see Stuckey at the center of controversy. Perhaps part of his ill humor is the fact that Dumars did not offer him a contract extension prior to last weekend's deadline. He's the first Dumars draft pick eligible for an extension that did not receive one. This is Dumar's first ever vote of no-confidence for Stuckey. It must've stung, but it was a sound business decision. Stuckey played pretty well the first few games, but they were all losses. His development through his first three seasons was fine for a #15 overall pick. But it wasn't enough for the kid with Billups-level potential. He finishes poorly at the rim, doesn't pass all that well, and, in general, doesn't make those around him better. On the flipside, he does have good athleticism, a decent jumpshot, and rarely turns it over. So, he's a mixed bag. And Joe D may want him back. He just doesn't want to lock him in right now.

It's also possible the decision had more to do with the team's ownership issues or the looming NBA lockout. Either way, Stuckey was likely disappointed. Add that to the sting of the losses and Kuester's comments and you have a full-fledged feud. This is coming from the kid who thought the Pistons had the best team in the NBA on paper. Best team on paper = worst team on court. Right now, they're like the Knicks during the Isiah Regime - great individual talents with zero chemistry. At least last night showed flashes of what the team could become. It may be a lost cause at this point, but Austin Daye and Greg Monroe did show an ability to make the team better. Daye has to play at the 2 or 3, and Monroe needs minutes. Satisfy both those requirements, and the wins should eventually come. But with all the drama, it's more likely the team will implode.