2009 NBA Draft - 6/25/09

[Truth]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Absolutely. That team was anchored by Prince, Sheed, and Ben owning everything in the paint. Rebounding, interior defense, blocking shots. Even Billups set up his outside game by, wait for it, going to the hoop. Yeah, I know its hard to remember him doing that because stopped the past few years, but once upon a time Billups would get into the paint now and then.

Those who own the paint, generally win the game. And that Piston team was the epitome of owning the paint.

I thought you were talking about offense when I read,

. . .the last perimeter based team to win an NBA championship. I will wait. Maybe the Bulls? In what, the past 40 years? And even the Bulls are stretching it. Pippen and Jordan went to the rim for the most part.

"

The team that best met this criteria lost to the Magic in the Conference finals.

The SF spot should be played by a guy who has an explosive first step. Someone who can get to the rim and attack it like it insulted his mother. Someone who can finish in traffic.

The PF should be someone to knock heads and bang people around. Rebounding with a vengeance, be strong around the rim, take charges, hold position, etc.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Truth

The team that best met this criteria lost to the Magic in the Conference finals.

Really? James no doubt trumps anyone. But Ariza and Gasol give you two better overall players then James and Varejhoweveryouspellhisname. Plus, when you take Gasol out or he slides to the C spot, Odom comes in and he just dominates anyone from off the Cavs bench.

Yes, I would trade Ariza, Gasol, and Odom in a heartbeat for James. But when you figure you have to fill 3 spots, the Lakers had a much better cast to do so.

[Deleterious]

Draftees add depth but won't play much | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Draftees add depth but won't play much
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills --What draft night was about for the Pistons, if we can take a step back from made-for-television hysteria, was bolstering the back end of their bench.

None of the three players taken -- Austin Daye (15), DaJuan Summers (35) or Jonas Jerebko (39) -- is likely to play a pivotal role next season. In fact, a player the Pistons drafted 59th last season -- 6-foot-7 wing player Deron Washington, who played in Israel last year -- might have a better chance of cracking the rotation.

That doesn't mean, however, draft night was a bust for the Pistons. Far from it.

"This is about adding to our talent base," president Joe Dumars said. "In this game today you have to have incredible depth. When you see Cleveland going out and adding a Shaquille O'Neal and Orlando trading for Vince Carter, that tells you just having one superstar on your team isn't enough. You have to have depth, and that's what we've tried to do here."

This draft gave perhaps the first peek at Dumars' plans for remodeling the next era. Gone, apparently, are the days of the traditional center, power forward, small forward frontcourt.

It's about length, athleticism and skill now. It's about interchangeable parts. It's about 6-11 players being able to handle the ball and shoot like guards, as well as being able to guard people at and away from the basket.

Daye is 6-11, and he reminds Dumars of a raw Rashard Lewis. Daye can create plays off the dribble and he has deep range on his jumper. His length and quickness, the Pistons hope, will allow him to be a capable weak-side post defender as well as effectively defend pick-and-roll plays. He might toggle between the forward spots.

Summers, at 6-8 and 240, has a more NBA-ready body. He is considered a better perimeter shooting threat, but less of a playmaker off the dribble. Though he is more of a traditionally sized small forward, the Pistons think he could eventually play both spots.

Jerebko, 22, is older, bigger and stronger than Daye or Summers. He measured just over 6-10 and 235 pounds. He also has more experience, playing on the Swedish junior national team, Swedish pro league and the Italian pro league the last two seasons.

Washington, at 6-7, can toggle comfortably between shooting guard and small forward.

So you add those four to Tayshaun Prince, who has played every position except center, and Richard Hamilton and Arron Afflalo, who both played all three backcourt spots, and you can see what Dumars is trying to do. Instead of playing the methodical half-court style that worked so well with Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups, the Pistons want to have no fewer than four players on the floor who can handle the ball, shoot with range, run and play pick-and-roll.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Daye is 20 and, at 192 pounds, might be at least a season away from making a vital impact. Summers and Jerebko, though more physically ready, will have their own adjustment issues.

The draft was just the first step in what could be a lengthy process. The free-agent season is next and that, much more than the draft, will bring the future of the Pistons into clearer focus.

chris.mccosky@detnews.com (313) 222-1489

I forgot about Washington. Anyone know his story? Seems like he had a limited offensive game if I remember right.

If anyone is wondering why no presser was held Friday to introduce these guys, one will be held Monday. Dumars had to go to Florida today to take his son to College.

[Deleterious]

New Piston Jonas Jerebko plays American style | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

New Piston Jonas Jerebko plays American style

You can almost hear the collective groan from fans when a team selects a European prospect in the NBA draft.
Advertisement

That's understandable considering that for each one who turns out like Dirk Nowitzki there appear to be at least 10 who turn out like Darko Milicic.

But the Pistons' last pick of the second round of Thursday night's draft, Swedish forward Jonas Jerebko, 22, isn't your typical Euro.

His game is much more American, with an emphasis on toughness and getting to the rim rather than the classic European game of movement and passing. That's probably because his father is an American who played basketball at Syracuse.

At 6-foot-10, Jerebko runs well and loves finishing at the rim.

He has spent the past few summers playing in leagues around the Washington, D.C., area and Pistons player personnel director George David said Jerebko is familiar with Georgetown product DaJuan Summers, the Pistons' other second-round pick.

And unlike other European prospects left overseas for more seasoning, Jerebko has a good shot at being on the roster next summer, according to vice president of basketball operations Scott Perry.

NOTEBOOK: With the NBA's rookie salary scale, first-round pick Austin Daye will sign a contract that will pay him just under $1.4 million this season. He will get a bump to $1.45 million his second season, and the Pistons will have the option of picking up the third and fourth years of his deal.

[DaBishop]

"That's understandable considering that for each one who turns out like Dirk Nowitzki there appear to be at least 10 who turn out like Darko Milicic."

These are such silly statements if you really think of it considering that for every Lebron James there are 10 Kwame Browns...I would venture that the rate of washing out is no different between foreign players and american players.

[Truth]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Really? James no doubt trumps anyone. But Ariza and Gasol give you two better overall players then James and Varejhoweveryouspellhisname. Plus, when you take Gasol out or he slides to the C spot, Odom comes in and he just dominates anyone from off the Cavs bench.

Yes, I would trade Ariza, Gasol, and Odom in a heartbeat for James. But when you figure you have to fill 3 spots, the Lakers had a much better cast to do so.

I agree, the Lakers had a better cast but their PF wasn't the banger you described. I'm not sure, in the current NBA, what the prototypical PF should like.

[Deleterious]

HOOPSWORLD

DETROIT PISTONS Round 1: Austin Daye (15)
Round 2: DaJuan Summers (35, from the Timberwolves), Jonas Jerebko (39, from the Raptors)

Comments: The general vibe on this draft may not be good from a fan point of view, but the Pistons did very well in this draft. Daye is an all upside guy. He'll take some time to develop, so this is an investment pick. Getting DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko in the 2nd round were good pickups. The Pistons did not impact their pending cap-space too significantly in the draft and they got nice players to show for it.

Grade: B-

They break down every team at the link.

[Deleterious]

Ranking the 2009 NBA Draft - Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons — Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko

Fine moves from Joe Dumars, grabbing a litany of forwards that boast a high ceiling. There might be a chance that all three mope their way out of the NBA, or the triptych could became huge rotation parts. Either way, for the price of a first round pick (second round cash isn't guaranteed), this trio is worth a chance.

Score: 9

[djhutch]

I don't know anything about Austin Day, other than he looks like Tay. (Such a poet)
I'm just surprised they didn't go with Lawson because they've already decided Stuckey is a combo guard, not a point guard, & I believe PG is by far the most important position on the court.