From mlive:

Tracy McGrady may not have been the only big-name veteran the Detroit Pistons pursued this summer.

Shaquille O’Neal said during a recent interview with the New Orleans Times Picayune that he had an opportunity to sign with the Pistons before settling for a contract for the veteran’s minimum with the Boston Celtics.

“I could have gotten $8 million from Atlanta and Detroit, but it wasn’t about that,” O’Neal told the newspaper. “It was about being somewhere and being seen and winning.”

O’Neal said the two-year contract he signed with the Celtics — worth about $3 million — will be his last.

He was not clear about whether the $8 million figure he cited was for a single season or multiple seasons, but the Pistons did not have $8 million available to sign a player for one year this offseason.

“A lot of people said I only got the league minimum salary, but that’s all right,” O’Neal said. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

O’Neal averaged 12.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games with Cleveland last season. He has averaged 24.1 points and 11.0 rebounds for five teams during his 18-year NBA career.

Pretty good deal, if you ask me (you are asking me, right?).

There’s been a lot of negative chatter on the efficiency of this move, but from one Dumars critic to another, I’m just not buying much of it. Offer McGrady anything above the veteran’s minimum, and my tone might be a bit different. The truth is, the Pistons are gambling pocket change for a guy who just might stay healthy/keep a positive attitude this time. If he turns into a drama queen in December, dump him. If he’s having back spasms by January, then he’ll probably retire. But the Pistons lost next to nothing in the process.

I’m thinking of it as a low-risk, low-to-mid-reward scenario, if that makes sense. If Rip doesn’t get traded, then he’ll make an efficient backup at the two or three. Keep him healthy, and he’ll probably upstage Tayshaun on a regular basis. But the “but” lies therein – McGrady comes with the dubious health. Curse those knees/legs/back!

Enter Arnie Kander . . . result: optimistically unknown.

So far now, I have faith in T-Mac. He comes with a fraction of the baggage that Iverson came with, and we’re not swapping anybody important, or potentially important for him. In fact, we’re not swiping anybody at all. If there’s any has-been superstar that has the lowest amount of team-related risk attached to him, I’d say it’s Tracy McGrady.

Now let’s get a damn big man already.

The Denver Post reported Sunday that the Nuggets and Pistons were arranging a deal that would send the Pistons’ Arron Afflalo to Denver to clear cap space, which brings me to my first point.

Afflalo’s paycheck this coming season would total all of $1.09 million. In the sports world, that’s pocket change. Not even pocket change. Walter Sharpe nearly gets paid that much, and the only time fans usually see him is during timeouts, where he can be spotted in the second row donning his finest designer suit.

What Afflalo brings to the Pistons is rare. He brings a work ethic, he brings backcourt defense, and he brings an ever-improving jump shot. The front office is always talking about how important a positive attitude and hard work is to becoming a contender, so why would they think about getting rid of the one guy that does those things best?

The answer: there is none.

Like so many puzzling moves the Pistons have made over the past five years, there’s a good chance this will become the latest cherry on top of the team’s Cupcake of Confusion.

Part of the disarray lies in Dumars’ fear of commitment: six coaches in ten years, letting valuable free agents go, and, in Arron Afflalo’s case, ousting young guys before they can come to fruition.

Ironically, that fear of commitment was briefly overlooked when he signed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to respective five-year contracts. The contract lengths were head-scratchers, due to their streakiness and poor defense.

Newly-hired Pistons coach John Kuester, who was an assistant to Larry Brown, has already stated that he wants to emphasize defense. How many players on the current Pistons roster can boast about their defense? Two or three, tops.

Why not lock up 1/58th of your cap space on a player who meshes with Kuester’s system perfectly?

Joe only knows…

Also found at The Western Herald.

It sounded like, “All day! All day!” as a fan screamed from the stands at the Thomas & Mack Center in the first game of the second day of action at the NBA Summer League on Saturday.

He was really yelling, “All Daye!” as in Austin Daye, Detroit’s first-round draft pick. The “e” in his name may be silent, but his game certainly is not.

It literally was all Daye as the 6-foot-11 forward selected No. 15 out of Gonzaga played all 40 minutes for the Pistons (after playing just 19 minutes on Friday), tying fellow rookie DaJuan Summers for the team lead in points with 19 and also swiping eight rebounds.

“He has a chance to be a real nice basketball player,” Pistons summer league head coach Darrell Walker said. “That’s going to come with age and Arnie [Kander].”

Kander is Detroit’s legendary strength and conditioning coach charged with bulking up the lithe 200-pound Daye the same way he helped pad the frame of Tayshaun Prince when he entered the league in 2002.

Daye is the latest summer league participant to be scrutinized for his skinniness. Last summer it was Golden State’s Anthony Randolph. Two years ago it was Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant. Instead of questioning his weight, Daye left the packed gym marveling at his length. Standing nearly 7-foot with an even longer wingspan, Daye is the type of guy who can scratch his shins without bending his knees.

Daye, whose father Darren played for the Celtics in the ‘80s, credited his dad for stressing the importance of his all-around game even after he grew from a 6-foot-2 point guard as a freshman in high school to the sky scraper he is now.

Can’t really put this one on Joe Dumars either, if Avery was really demanding a long-term contract at $4-5 million a year, it doesn’t really fit into the rebuilding equation.

It looks like the position will now be between Cavs’ assistant coach John Kuester and Celtics’ assistant Tom Thibodeau. Hope those assistant coaches don’t turn out like the last assistant coach Detroit hired.

By VINCE ELLIS • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • July 7, 2009

Pistons president of operations Joe Dumars confirmed this afternoon that Avery Johnson is no longer in the running for the Detroit Pistons head coaching vacancy.

The announcement was made after the two sides could not come to terms on a contract.

It is widely believed that Cleveland Cavaliers assistant John Kuester is now the favorite to get the job, but Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau remains under serious consideration.

Johnson, currently an ESPN studio analyst, has a career winning percentage of nearly 75% and was once two wins from an NBA title. It was believed that type of resume made his asking price a bit steep. There were also reports that Johnson, 44, wanted a say in personnel matters, something Dumars was unlikely to be open to.

It now appears that Dumars will turn to Kuester, 54, a longtime assistant who has never been a head coach at the professional level but was a member of Larry Brown’s staff in 2004 when the Pistons won the title.

I’m actually pretty surprised he signed with Boston, considering his playing time will be considerably lower compared to signing with the Magic or Spurs. The Celtics will likely use their mid-level exception and sign him for two years. $5.6 million is a bargain for Sheed will probably do when he’s on a Boston roster that actually motivates him.

I will remember Sheed like I remember Michael Jackson: blocking out all the “questionable” things he did in his career. I guess that includes signing with the Boston Celtics. Guess I should’ve seen it coming.

From Boston Globe:

An NBA source said tonight that Detroit free agent forward Rasheed Wallace has committed to sign with the Celtics on July 8 when free agents are able to sign. Wallace is expected to get a two-year deal using the mid-level exception (expected to be about $5.6 million to $5.8 million). Celtics All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, owner Wyc Grousbeck, coach Doc Rivers and president Danny Ainge met with Wallace last week. Wallace turned down overtures from Orlando and San Antonio to commit to Boston.
The Celtics also have interest in Suns free agent forward Grant Hill. Despite a Fanhouse report that Rivers was to meet with Hill today in Orlando, its uncertain if he did and Rivers declined comment. All Boston can offer is the $1.9 million bi-annual exception.

Last season however, Carlos Boozer was injured for half the season. From November 24 to January 7, in Boozer’s absence, Paul Millsap scored a double-double every single game. his streak beat out Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, and all the other big names. All from a guy who was making $800,000 a year.

We could have 17 Paul Millsap’s for the price of one Sheed!

In all seriousness, there would be a pay increase, and a good one at that. But he’ll still be a bargain. Boozer got $12.5 million last season and that number will stay the same or increase due to his relative youth.

Millsap has four years on Boozer, he puts up around the same numbers when he takes his place, and he’s more explosive.

Heck, maybe Paul could even teach Kwame Brown a thing or two.

“The Celtics offered Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo to the Detroit Pistons for a package that included Richard Hamilton,Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.”

Mind you, the trade was rejected.

First of all, this is from a reliable writer and I believe it really did go down. This isn’t the usual summer rumor mill garbage.

Second, I’ve seen a lot of negative reaction from Pistons fans and to be honest, it’s puzzling.

Sure, if this trade was offered to you in NBA Live, it should be promptly rejected. However, this is the NBA. There are pocketbooks and salaries. The Pistons need to clear cap space.

Some key points:

• Rip is locked up until 2012 at over $11 million a year and he’s declining. He recovered nicely mid-season, but we all know he will never be the same without Chauncey Billups at his side. It’s time for Dumars to reverse the mistake of extending his contract that long.
• Tayshaun is almost 30 and let’s face it, he’s not very reliable. His glory days of successfully putting a body on Kobe or LeBron are behind him.
• I love Rodney Stuckey, but he is not The Messiah. Dumars blocked any offers in the 2008 offseason with the famous “sacred cow” bit. We gave him a year to show his stuff; he had some nice 30+ point games, but it was on-and-off all season, in true Piston fashion. Yes, he will improve, but how optimistic can we realistically be?
• Ray Allen is old, but he has an expiring contract. He’s off the books next summer, the “summer of love.”
• Rajon Rondo is overrated due to his surrounding cast. Regardless, he can penetrate better than Stuckey and has some ridiculous jets. I’ve heard that he’s a nuisance in the locker room, but we’ve dealt with Rasheed Wallace, how much harder can it be? Isn’t that what we hired Michael Curry for anyway?

I will concur that, in lieu of the apparent fan outrage, possibly one more decent body be thrown in from the Celtics’ side. I don’t think Leon Powe would have been too outrageous. But changes need to happen. How are the ever going to occur if our front office shoots legit offers down every time they surface?

“The Detroit Pistons will trade seldom-used guard Alex Acker to the Los Angeles Clippers for an exchange of future draft picks, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trade hasn’t been announced.

The Pistons might stand pat before Thursday’s trading deadline, instead of trading Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace, despite its struggles this season.

If Detroit doesn’t make another trade, it will clear about $23 million in salary-cap space to make major moves this summer and in 2010 when a slew of marquee free agents will be available.

The 6-foot-5 Acker played in just seven games for the Pistons this season, averaging 1.3 points.”

-Yahoo! Sports

“Allen Iverson should start. The proof is in the pudding that ever since Rip Hamilton has been sitting out, the Pistons have been winning. I believe that they have won 8 of their last 10 games with Rip out so I believe that if it ins’t broke than you shouldn’t try to fix it. Rip can’t create for himself. Stuckey and Iverson can, so they should be starting. Rip is still mourning the trade that sent Chauncey to Denver and he needs to just get over it and play some basketball.” [EW]

Pistons assistant coach Terry Porter was interviewed Thursday by Suns general manager Steve Kerr for the vacant head coach job in Phoenix, according to ESPN.

Kerr told ESPN that he flew in and out of the Detroit area Thursday to speak with Porter, who he played with for a few seasons in San Antonio.

Porter, in his second year as a Pistons assistant, was the head coach for the Bucks from 2003-2005. He posted a record of 71-92.

The Suns recently lost coach Mike D’Antoni to the Knicks.

Calling ALL fans of ALL NBA teams! David Stern threatens to take away our beloved pregame pyrotechnic displays and WE can help stop him!

Click here to be redirected to the petition.

There are national rumblings that Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders is under a NBA Finals-or-else ultimatum this spring. But that’s unlikely if Pistons president Joe Dumars still believes the veteran core of this team still has another season of serious championship contention within it regardless of these playoffs.

If you dump Flip, who’s his replacement? It has to be a veteran coach if the core remains intact, and there aren’t any fitting that prerequisite on the unemployment line right now.

Flip’s safe unless there’s an unquestionable collapse in the second round of the playoffs.

-Detroit Free Press