NBA Team by Team

DETROIT PISTONS

Currently 6th in the East. Joe Dumars. Perhaps his first mistake since taking the reins? Well maybe not. Something did need to happen. A move (or two) had to be made. With only 1 title out of 6 Conference Finals appearances the Pistons have not been able to get it done. Whether it be Miami, Cleveland or Boston - all teams made the necessary moves to dethrown the Pistons with success. Now the Pistons are faced with the same challenge. Joe D. not only had to imrpove his roster to keep up with other elite teams, but is also faced with an ageing roster. Moving Billups for Iverson could have worked. Perhaps it was only 1 year either side of working. If Iverson was a year older and Stuckey, Johnson and Maxiell a year older. However it is clear that Iverson is now more a liability than a positive for any team. A volume shooter, he needs to re-evaluate how he contributes to a team. He's still an effetive slasher, but has slowed somewhat, and he isn't a fantastic spot up shooter and he defenitely is not great defensively - despite his ability to poke a hand into the passing lane. Rip Hamilton is clearly hurting the most from the Billups trade. Billups and Hamilton knew each other's game and with Billups being able to pass Rip the ball off the curl Hamilton truly flourished - but without Billups Hamilton cannot find the same shots he once did. Unfortunately the Pistons strength is now there weakness. A redefining of their roles is needed. Billups, the orchestrator is gone, Brown and Saunders are also gone. Stuckey, a promising young talent and possible future all-star, is not Chauncey Billups and the Pistons need to build around Stuckey, Maxiell, Johnson and Prince. In my opinion moving Prince isn't the option. I think Hamilton has to go. Iverson's expiring contract should free up enough cap space to see the Pistons return as an elite team in a couple of years. For now though, the Pistons will have to cop their licks as a team who are only 50/50 to make it out of the first round. What's missing - leadership and chemistry