He very much does have maturity issues… I have good sourcing that he puts in very little off-season work. Just parties in Miami all summer. Seems like a decent guy and doesn’t clash with teammates, but definitely lazy and immature.
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Cap Space, you’re the real MVP in this trade.
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But you still have to be able to attract free agents to Detroit. That was the mistaken theory of the Griffin trade–to get a premier player without relying on free agency, even if they had to overpay. But we know how that has worked out.
We should be using the cap-space to take on bad contracts + assets in the offseason. We’re not in a position to go after free agents right now
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Exactly. Can’t pick up an asset if you have no cap space.
Yes, I understand the economic theory of the trade; my point is that it isn’t a given the Pistons will be able to attract meaningful free agents.
This is true but if Drummond isn’t part of your long term plans and you don’t want him to murder your team’s cap next year by agreeing to his player option, cutting him loose now makes sense.
Free up some cap space and throw yourself into trade talks in the off season as a third team in deals, if nothing else.
If Drummond opts in he’ll be a real nice $28million expiring contract for Cleveland to use next year to acquire assets.
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Cap space isn’t worth all that much when you’re not going to be in contention (for a playoff spot, not even talking about winning anything significant) in the near future. I don’t want the Pistons to use cap space this summer to sign anybody to a long term contract unless they’re a promising young player. Christian Wood might count, but my desire to keep him depends entirely on how much he is asking for, which would be a non significant amount of money towards the cap.
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The Pistons, like 15+ other teams in the NBA, is not going to sign a star FA, ever. They need to draft one. Getting rid of Drummond will make them worse now, and increase their chances of getting a higher pick.
It also gives them more space that they can use to eat bad contracts and get draft compensation in return for doing so - more chances to draft that star. For example - this off-season, the Grizzlies got DeAnthony Melton this year (a better young player than any Piston except maaaybe Kennard) for taking on Josh Jackson’s contract.
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They will sign if we are good
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For a team that is not attractive to free agents, trades and amassing draft picks is the way to go. Gotta have the cap space to play the trade game, though.
If you can party a lot without getting into trouble and collect $28M/yr in salary, I don’t see a maturity issue of any kind. Just someone who isn’t obsessed with his job.
He seems to have improved as a player. I’m not sure how much higher his ceiling could be.
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Just as everyone predicted.
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It always seemed doubtful he would succeed at that level. Let alone working with one of the worst run franchises in all of sports.
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He really gave up the Michigan job for a 6-month stint in the NBA.
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Now, Woj says he might not come back after the All-Star Break…
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It is going to be so hard to watch him coach at another school next year, if he doesn’t take a year off. My knowledge of basketball X’s and O’s grew with John Beilein’s tenure at Michigan.
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Terrible decision for him, worked out great for us currently, but imagine him taking the IU job.
Highly doubt he would, but he’s not going out as a coach after all his work with a failed NBA stint.
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