[Quasi-Quasar]

the best case senario for the Pistons at the end of the off-season is the following:
1. they have all but made Billups official
2. get Spree in the rumored trade
3. get Maggette and Wilcox in that rumored trade....it doesn't seem to be here but it's coming out of Dumars office and it looks like this may go down pretty soon White,Varda (re-signed), and the 1st pick from Memphis to the Clippers for Chris Wilcox and Corey Maggette.
4. sign Rebraca in the 5 million range per year
5. sign Okur to a multi year deal in the 400k per year range

rotation:
PG Billups Atkins Jones
SG Spreewell Maggette Prince Jones
SF Maggette Robinson Prince (he just isn't ready)
PF Robinson Williamson Wilcox Okur
C Wallace Rebraca Wilcox Okur

this allows Wilcox and Prince to develope at their own pace and sets up a future lineup of
PG Billups
SG Maggette
SF Prince
PF Wilcox
C Wallace
with Okur and Rebraca being key reserves....pretty good

 

[jvanbusk]

Originally posted by TheGoods
the best case senario for the Pistons at the end of the off-season is the following:
1. they have all but made Billups official
2. get Spree in the rumored trade
3. get Maggette and Wilcox in that rumored trade....it doesn't seem to be here but it's coming out of Dumars office and it looks like this may go down pretty soon White,Varda (re-signed), and the 1st pick from Memphis to the Clippers for Chris Wilcox and Corey Maggette.
4. sign Rebraca in the 5 million range per year
5. sign Okur to a multi year deal in the 400k per year range

rotation:
PG Billups Atkins Jones
SG Spreewell Maggette Prince Jones
SF Maggette Robinson Prince (he just isn't ready)
PF Robinson Williamson Wilcox Okur
C Wallace Rebraca Wilcox Okur

this allows Wilcox and Prince to develope at their own pace and sets up a future lineup of
PG Billups
SG Maggette
SF Prince
PF Wilcox
C Wallace
with Okur and Rebraca being key reserves....pretty good

Oh man, I think I would actually cry if all that happened. I haven't heard anything about the rumored trade involving Wilcox, but I highly have my doubts we would give up Rodney White, Ratko Varda, and the Memphis pick.

White and Wilcox are about equal in potential level so throwing them out of the equation it would be:

Maggette for the Memphis Pick (roughly 5-8) and Varda. I don't think Maggette is worth that much.

Joe Dumars made it clear that neither Minnesota or New York even approached him about the deal involving Stack and Spree. Frankly, in my opinion, the trade makes absolutely no sense. Finally, I don't see why you take a central division champion and make all those changes. For a team that is supposedly going to build piece by piece, that's alot of roster manipulation.

 

[Quasi-Quasar]

Wilcox has waaaay more potential than White and Maggette is worth about a #7 pick, Varda is just a thow in the Pistons wouldn't re-sign anyways. But about Wilcox, his potential is not even in the same catagory as White. Wilcox is the same age as Kwame,Chandler, and Curry (within 2 months, Diop was born in March 83, he's a bit younger) and his skill level and stage in developement his higher and past any of the other 3. Wilcox has athleticism rivaled by only McDyess amongst bigmen, he has a soft touch, he is by far the quickest rising PF in the NBA, he is a great shotblocker and interior defender, and he has a good post game... he needs polish and experience but image Wilcox isn't even 20, when hes 24 he could be as bulky at PF as Maggette is at 2/3. As for White, he doesn't play much D and although he can hit a 16' shot he can't pull up, and his game is a lot like a less polished Big Nasty.... an undersized post PF who doesn't run back on D.... also White is somewhat of a headcase, he doesn't like to be a role player or a backup and the Piston play disciplined offense and stifling D, he just doesn't fit. On the other hand Maggette is known for his super tough D and he can be a 1st,2nd or 3rd weapon in the Piston offense...he could really sprout offensively.

 

[jvanbusk]

I like Wilcox, I really do. But, he was the third or fourth power forward taken in the 2002 draft. Sure, the draft was power forward deep, but he was still taken 8th in the draft (after Gooden, Skita, and Hilario). The big question I have about his game is his offense. He needs to assemble some sort of post game. His shot just isn't very good. We have Ben Wallace on the team right now that provides exactly what Wilcox would provide in the future. Great athleticism and a superb defender. Rodney White can play either the SF or PF position. Taken 9th in the 2001 NBA Draft (compared to Wilcox's 8th) Michael Jordan and Jerry West both highly touted him. He on the other hand has a good post game, unlike the afforementioned Wilcox. He can run the floor and create, and this is something we need. He still as young and has plenty of potential. He showed some great glimpses in the summer league games in Orlando.

I don't feel that Corey Maggette would be worth a #7 pick. In any case, that pick could end up being as high as #2 with luck. It would be somewhat foolish for Joe Dumars to trade that pick without knowing what it's worth if he can't get an established star for it.

Ben Wallace is not a center. During the 2000-01 season that is the position he played, but being around 6'8" he is not suited for that position. He's a natural power forward. By putting Wilcox on our team we would be stockpiling at an already overcrowded power forward position...something I'm sure Clipper fan's now know about .

By the way, Varda is not just a throw-in. He has gotten praise for the way he played in Orlando and looks like he could be a great center down the road. I fully expect him to be signed, he's got enough potential to be here...

I'm just curious why you think a team that won 50 games last year is going to make so many trades...