Bonzi Goes to Texas and Rip Gets Honored

Bonzi Returns to Southwest

"ESPN.com reported Thursday that the free-agent forward has agreed to a two-year, $5 million contract with the Houston Rockets."

Sigh. When I heard Bonzi Wells had spoken with the Miami Heat, who was then considering him for their mid-level exception, I was praying for the decision we now know he made. As much as I think we can still take the Heat, adding Bonzi would make them far more dangerous and give them a lot of firepower off the bench.

"This isn't about the money; this is about being in the right place. Bonzi doesn't care about starting. He just wants to be some place he can contribute." - Merle Scott, Wells' agent, speaking with ESPN.com."

There he will join a Houston Rockets team and solidify there top six, lead by rejuvenated Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. They probably aren't up to par with their fellow Texan teams yet, but there is at least progress with the Rockets. Barring any unexpected problems, Houston could conceivably be a strong team this year. Bonzi will help them add the depth they need to be better matched with the top Western teams, and he likely be coming off the bench as the sixth man, although there is room for him to start with certain line-ups.

No. 35: Rip Hamilton
SLAM Magazine is ranking the top 50 players in the NBA. It will be an arbitrary and contentious ranking, as all rankings generally are, but it generates debate and there's nothing wrong with that. SLAM previously selected former Piston (in case you don't remember) Darko Milicic at #49, and now Hamilton comes in at #35. Billups will inevitably appear as well, so stay tuned for that. Here's what SLAM's Ben Osborne had to say on Rip:

"Remember when Jerry Stackhouse was traded for Richard Hamilton? The spin at the time was that the Pistons were only dealing Stack because his contract was coming up for renewal, and that Rip was the best they could get in return. As if the Wizards were getting over on the Pistons. Ha! I may have been a bit biased because at the time I had recently written a story about Rip talking about how overlooked in Washington he was and how he was ready to explode, but I really was confident that the Pistons killed the Wizards in that trade. I’m no Stack hater (far from it, actually), but that dude’s career was heading downhill while Rip’s was just starting.

And sure enough, Rip has gone on to be a centerpiece of one of the League’s top teams; he stays in tip-top shape, works his ass off on both ends of the floor and can score with anyone in the League. On another team, at this point in his development, 28-year-old Rip could average 24 a night, but he’d rather do what it takes to keep the Pistons winning. Just another reason no one would be so quick to trade him this time around."

Summer Recap

Season Theme: Edgier

"That will be my theme for the whole year. If you don't have an edge with you,
this is not the place for you. We have no place here for people who are content,
fat and happy. That just won't work for me." - Joe Dumars

Fair enough. It has been a long time since the last championship (for a contender.) The teams of the past few years have been pervaded by a sort of egotistical stupor at some point in each season. Not that they were in a stupor because of any sort of arrogance, but that they were egotistical enough to allow themselves to be in a stupor until the late game. I am pleased to see a renewed focus on this theme.

We should also be on the look out for another traditional theme. The media has declared the Pistons on the decline far faster than they ever put us at the top. It is a popular thought among some journalists that we were never actually anything but the team that was "at the right place at the right time" for the Lakers' collapse. The underdog mantra proved to be a huge motivating factor in 2004, and it was mocked for the brief period that the media had Detroit at the top spot. With the Miami Heat sitting atop the NBA and the Bulls, Pacers, and Cavaliers introducing upgraded rosters, Detroit is once again looking up.

Playing wise, expect a faster and more offensive-minded team, due to the loss of Big Ben and the league's increasingly anti-defense rules.

Bulking Up the Coaching Staff
The Pistons added Terry Porter, former head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Dave Cowens, former head coach of the Boston Celtics, the Charlotte Hornets, the Golden State Warriors, and the WNBA Chicago Sky, where he also served as general manager. Porter and Cowens, as former coaches, obviously bring a lot to Detroit, and they also provide Dumars with interim coaching options should the unthinkable happen with Flip Saunders. Don Zierdan will likely be leaving the coaching staff to accept a head coaching position in the WNBA.

The Roster Situation
This summer featured some intriguing fluctuations in the roster, most notably the departure of Ben Wallace. While he took the money and bolted to Chicago, taking with him a lot of leadership and energy and much of the defensive intimidation of old, most are rightly in agreement that he was not worth the money we was getting. He isn't going to make Chicago a juggernaut, and his departure isn't going to sink us. It is important to remember that Ben's game is based almost exclusively on athleticism, and that will inevitably decline with age.

He was replaced the following day by Nazr Mohammad, a solid center who will be refreshingly competent offensively. He has averaged 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds over his career. The Pistons also resigned Lindsey Hunter despite the pursuit of Phoenix. Detroit added much needed bench scoring in guard Ronald "Flip" Murray, and brought back the sound back-up Ronald Dupree for a little extra depth. Murray can provide the instant offense able to break the Pistons out of their habitual scoring droughts.

Drafted 6-0 point guard Will Blalock was also been signed to a multi-year deal after displaying his strong and athletic game. The Pistons were particularly impressed by his floor vision and aptitude for getting to the basket in a pre-draft workout. Blalock averaged 15.4 points and 6.1 assists in 30 games for Iowa State last season, and he may make the team as a third-string point guard. Last year's third-string floor general, Alex Acker, will be playing in Greece, but the Pistons still hold his rights and may elect to bring him back next year.

Jason Maxiell will look to join the big man rotation of Muhammad, who is unlikely to play more than 30 minutes per game, Rasheed Wallace, who has been perpetually susceptible to foul trouble, and Antonio McDyess. The Carlos Delfino drama will be intriguing to watch play out, with the small forward once again complaining to the foreign press. Although he mentioned a desire to play overseas again (and the Barcelona franchise is very interested), he is under contact and his release is unlikely. If Delfino continues on the path he has treaded the past few years, Amir Johnson's option has been exercised for this year, and he will be ready and waiting to perform.

The improved bench should allow the starters more rest, which was a legitimate criticism of last year's regular season performance. The preseason begins on October 10th at Miami.

Pistons Basketball? Mhm.

The new blog for quick and easy access to my treasured opinions on Detroit and intermittently the NBA in general. Check back tonight for a new story, and tell all your family & friends (and acquaintances) tomorrow.