Was Kwame signed simply to trade later?

Interesting post. I doubt it was the reasoning (although when asked about it, I think the Pistons said it was “the right price”).

OT: Matt W., I heard an interview with A. Sherrod Blakely where he said that Walter Sharpe is built like McDyess. I’ll take him at his word because he’s probably seen them both up close. Was wondering what your thoughts were.

That’s a little bit of a stretch, I’d say. I know they’re both listed as 6-9, 245, but if my memory is correct, Sharpe seemed a bit longer and leaner. Of course, I’ve yet to see them standing next to each other. I guess they’re not far off, but it’s not the first comparison I would have thought of.

sharpe on tv looks crackhead skinny. how is that possible if he’s dyess’ size?

And think about it…we can not lose with this deal. Most people are so upset that we have not made the “big deal”. Do we really need to at this point?? The “big deal” was getting a coach to make the play the right way. I really like to believe that most of our problems were coaching. I am a firm believer that Flip Saunders is not a good coach. He played our guys depending on their contracts, and was scared to do otherwise. I believe Michael Curry will play who deserves to play. Curry, being a rookie coach and a good friend and believer of Joe D will almost be a clone of Joe D. Most of our guys never bought into Flip’s system. These guys LOVE and RESPECT Curry. Along with that, they have all been on the trading block this whole off season, AND, as the season goes towards the trading deadline. They are all now going to be playing while watching their backs, and, worried that if they do not perform they will a) Curry will bench them; b) Joe D will trade by the deadline. I do believe with Curry that the ‘play when they want, flip the switch’ mentality will be gone. Between that and our bench being able to relieve these guys more(because we have a very good bench). Our core has played 7 nba seasons in the last 6 years, because of all the playoffs. Great on experience, bad on legs…Curry will use that bench, as he should.

All being said, yes, I believe we currently do have a title contender right now!! Why would’nt we… We finally have a coach again that is GOING TO MAKE THEM PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!!! And that means a lot!!

Here are some recent pictures of Sharpe in a Pistons uniform.

http://www.pistonscast.com/

JD: I was thinking the same thing.

It seems to me that Sharpe might be closer to 6’9" or 6’10" and 235.

Look at this picture of Lebron. He is now 260 lbs with 5% body fat. Does he look 260 in this picture? How fat you look depends on how much fat you have on your body. The more muscle and less fat the thinner you look at the identical weight.’

I think saying that Sharpe looks like a crackhead is in very poor taste.

http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2007/08/lebronjames_usa.jpg

Nice pics, Mike. Does he look sleepy to anyone else?

/totally kidding.

I don’t think the player weights that sports teams put in media guides are ever accurate. I remember my HS football team program listing guys that I towered over as 6’2" 230 and I was 6" 180. My wild-arsed guess is Sharpe is 6’9" 220. Click my name to see a picture of McDyess at Alabama (and see Antonio sky for a rebound).

matt, what’s going on with dbb readers, u posted a kwame brown blog and most of the comments are walter sharpe, huh!!!? very confusing! i don’t get it…same thing happened with your previous blog, u have to remind them that they are off the topic. guys, is kwame gonna be traded or not? how/why?

I think we should trade rick without a “k.”

Mmm, T-Mac.

Mmm, Josh Smith.

Mmmm, Kwame… dammit.

to oblige ric, to say he was signed simply to make a deal later seems wishful thinking. like joe d is some criminal mastermind where everything goes to plan. like the joker.

hey, wasn’t the new batman great, pg4l?

and i didn’t call sharpe a crackhead. i said he looked as skinny AS a crackhead. just like tractor traylor looks as fat as a pothead. this website better start to lighten up here soon….

http://mastersofnothing.ytmnd.com/

/average Pistons fan for 2008-2009

/have fun with that, Matt Watson

@sauce
Purely hynotizing

it doesn’t necessarily mean that we need kwame to make a trade, although it will give pistons more options on whom to include in a package trade-sign-in. i guess we just need to be on a look out, i mean nobody even sense about this kwame deal….who knows, tomorrow, the next day, it maybe prince, chaunce, rip or wallace for mr “right” it could be any day without having any clue. i have a strong feeling wallace maybe the one to be traded coz of kwame……i smell a stoudemire.

I apologize ric, that wasn’t Stoudemire you caught a whiff of…

Where is the presser? Where is Joe speaking glowingly of this… ahem… “steal”?

I still believe we need a player upgrade somewhere in the starting lineup, either at the forward position where we can get someone to rebound and post-up (WITHOUT UNNECESARILY FLOATING TO THE THREE LINE) or at the guard position, where a slasher could create plays for himself when our machine-based offense breaks down (though you could say stuckey serves this purpose).

I agree, coaching and apathy have plagued us, especially in 06 and 07, when we should have beaten Miami and Cleveland. But I’m of the belief that we are just not good enough to confidently beat a Celtics or Spurs team in a 7-game series. I mean, with the exception of game 3 against the Celtics this playoffs, we played with a good amount of heart. And yet, they still beat us (sure, blame Saunders if you want for benching stuckey just as he was getting hot, but that’s not the end of story). The same goes with the Spurs in 05. Sure, we forced a game 7, but the point is that we should have a team that doesn’t need to do that.

I’m ‘working’ from home today so I have the USA / Turkey game on and Fran Fraschilla was able to watch the USA Select Team vs. Olympic Team scrimmages a week ago and he had this to say about Stuckey : “Rodney Stuckey is a rising star and he played extremely well all week against the olympic team.”

Nice to hear. Stuckey is unpolished but he’s already competent defensively. He needs to become a better finisher, which includes better decision-making on when to drive (there were times when he just lowered his shoulder and ran into a defending big, which ended in an offensive foul or the shot getting stuffed). His jumper, I’ve noticed, has a hitch. I know some players have had success with weird looking jumpshots, but I wonder if he can ever get much consistency with that shot. It’s not all that common, but it may be beneficial to get a shooting coach for him to remake his shot ala Chip Engelland with Tony Parker.

As far as the topic goes, I think I remember someone on another board asking why teams don’t sign bit players to extravagant one year contracts and use them as trade bait later on. In that way, bad contracts can be useful, although Brown’s contract is more in line with his market value. But yeah, his contract certainly could be used in a trade sometime during the year, but there’s no way to really know at this point.

I’d say that’s extremely wishful thinking. I also think it’s a bit of a ridiculous concept to accept a complete scrub just so we can package him later. I know it happens, it just doesn’t seem like the type of thing that Joe would do.

I honestly believe that we’ll try him out. He’ll get some time, and a few chances – and probably blow them, just like Nazi did. The only difference will be that Nazi was good before joining Detroit. What’s to look forward to with Kwame Brown? I’m still trying to decipher in my head whether or not this is all some big retarded joke that everyone else is in on except for me. Or maybe… just maybe, he’ll turn into a former-scrub-piston-all star like the rest of our squad.. I wouldn’t bet on it though.

I’m pretty much in agreement on your assertions of Kwame being a trade value chip. One of two things could happen this season:

1) Kwame gets a chance and proves that he can be a serviceable backup big man in the NBA and in doing so becomes much more valuable as a trade chip. If this happens, we’ll want to trade him this season to get value for him since he would likely opt out after this season (I believe he has a player option for the second year) to find a more lucrative contract as it is.

2) Kwame gets a chance and fails at which point we’ll look to trade him before the deadline as it is, at which point he becomes a valuable mid-level salary just like Matt W said. Even if we don’t trade him before the end of the season in this case, we have him for next year which makes him even more valuable as a trade chip as teams look to get under the cap for the massive free agency in 2010.

I don’t see why people seem to think that Joe D. wouldn’t have signed him with the explicit intent on trading him. It is an incredibly smart move in this case because no matter what happens, he’ll either be traded this year for something more valuable, be off the team by the end of the season because he played above his potential, or become even more valuable as a trade chip next season.

Took me a couple times reading through to figure out what was going on there…I was all “we had a Nazi…?”

I don’t think it’s that ridiculous a concept. He might not be a very useful player, but the important thing is his expiring contract, not his play. Teams, especially rebuilding ones, will clearly give up talented players for expiring contracts, even if the players don’t have great utility. That’s how the Gasol/Kwame fiasco happened, after all. Kwame’s expiring contract would be helpful for teams who want cap room in order to attempt a big signing in 2010, a huge free agent year. We can’t be sure that’s what Joe is intending, though.

Well, the good thing about Joe is that when he misses on a free agent (Arroyo, Flip, Nazr, etc.), they’re not around long.

OK, but PLEASE tell me Joe D. isn’t thinking, “OK, now that I have Kwame Brown, ’Sheed is more expendable.”

New Walter Sharpe interview. Featured on MLIVE and ESPN NBA Local section. www.pistonscast.com
Audio Interview: http://pistonscast.com/podcasts/pistonscast060.mp3

The Artest to Houston trade continues to provide the greatest quotes ever. Here’s Artest after initially being unhappy with Yao talking about the Palace Brawl:

After Yao called to clear up the matter: “I’m a Yao Ming soldier babyyyyy!”

On Yao being the latest to believe “all the propaganda”: “I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto. That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture.”

This is the guy some of you wanted to trade for Tayshaun?!? Sure he’s hilarious, but he’s a nutjob. Certifiable.

qd, i just started talking about that at nat’s need4sheed….i was all for it to trade prince for artest, but after hearing him say that, that’s just insane…first of all, how can u say its a culture problem, thats like a personal attack against yao(chinese), by the way im not chinese…second, why use the term ghetto, whether you are or not, no need to point it out, instead, point out that you’re a professional basketball player…..and lastly his comment

“Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from”

that’s a simple analogy that his trying to justify what he did should’ve been understood….ok yeah, but you can’t make it an excuse. attacking a fan in the stand is a clear cut that you lost your temper, period. so to houston, go ahead and have fun with artest.

artest — yao…..early stage of locker room problem.

ric, Artest doesn’t lose his temper. That’s what makes him so crazy. When he punched Rip in the balls in the playoffs he was completely stone-faced. Same with that needlessly hard foul on Big Ben. When he went up into the stands, he was in complete control (especially in comparison to Steven Jackson who started swinging for no reason and was basically the one that made everything escalate).

well whatever thought process he had, same direction, its a wack job.

Paul M,

Umm, teams chase BIG expiring contracts to clear cap room at the trade deadline… that’s what the term “expiring contract” means in the context almost ANYONE who writes about the NBA uses the phrase. A 4 Million dollar 1 year contract doesn’t count. By that logic the Piston’s should totally sign YOU for 3 Million a year because “Hey it’s a 1 year EXPIRING CONTRACT”…

Your post makes no sense.

what about u matt (watson), still want artest in pistons….roaming around the locker room, you never know whats going through his head……..imagine his presence around our youngs, stuckey, amir and samb….or maybe around our vets in the locker room playing with a pocket knife or ice pick…..LOONEY!!!!

I’m curious why everyone is so quick to blast Artest for his stupid comment but gives Yao a pass? You’ve got a crazy guy coming onto the team and you’re worried about how he’ll fit in. Ok, I can understand that. So what’s the best way to ensure good chemistry? Go to the media and tell them that you and other guys on the team are worried about how he’ll affect the chemistry, of course! Need to improve team chemistry and communication? No better way to do that than with potshots through the media! But don’t forget, make sure you bring up the brawl – I’m sure Ron Ron just loves being reminded of it every couple days, just so he can be sure that his legacy is defined by it.

That is going to be one awkward first meeting, and it’s not because of Artest.

PG$L,

During Paul M’s rambling he left out a point that I think he was trying to make…

While Kwame’s contract is not large enough to be considered valuable, he does possess a contract that can be classified as filler to make salaries match.

So while he still is an idiot, he being Paul M, he’s not so far off base that he’s wayyyyyyy wrong.

“:this website better start to lighten up here soon….”

Lighten up? What’s wrong with being dark. You racist bastard!!!! You’re probably queer, too…

(goes away for the weekend)

(finding out where kevin s. went for weekend, getting in car, driving there, slashing kevin s.’s tires, driving away.)

i used to think a mass meeting of dbb particpants would be a great idea. now, i’d be afraid of melee after melee sparking from ron artest discussions and kwame brown signings. we’ll have to do it after we win the ’09 championship when even boney and lawyerboy will be able to hug it out.

ok fellas. Is it just me or on those pictures that Mike posted of Walter Sharpe, the one where he’s sitting on the mirrors. Doesn’t that look like something a high school girl would do? Who the hell was in charge of this photo shoot and thought that him possing that way, sitting on a mirror which reflects clouds and a powder blue sky was masculine? What’s going on around here? It makes him look queer. I bet you’d never get Sheed to take that damn picture. LOL. What the hell man? That photo was my laugh of the day!!! :-)

I agree JD. The air gets mighty thick around here sometimes. I think we are all guilty from time to time. On occasion someone will make a comment or pose an idea or trade that makes you say “what the f*%k are you smoking?”. We all know it’s not nice but you can’t help yourself sometimes. But by in large, the group on this blog is sharp as hell when it comes to basketball knowledge though.

One thing is for sure. I can’t see any one wanting Kwame Brown straight up unless they are desperate for an expiring. And unless Detroit gets a really good player for that expiring I can’t see us making a move for an average player. This scenario seems far stretched to me. Like Matt said the only way that Kwame is traded is if he is filler so we can protect our young players.

But I don’t think we should expect a trade in the first place. I can’t see anyone wanting to trade with us without the fear from the fall out of getting fleeced (see Memphis).

Your response doesn’t make much sense either. His contract doesn’t count as expiring because it’s $4 million? Even if he’s as useless as you say he is, teams wanting capspace down the road will be willing to take on his contract. The contract by itself wouldn’t be enough to get a Gasol-level talent, but it’s still hefty enough to use to as a throw-in to make trades work, as alluded to in MW’s article. If he’s used in that capacity, the signing will have had some use even if he doesn’t set foot on the basketball court.

Oh, but his expiring contract is only $4 million. The capspace he frees up isn’t real. Yeah, okay.

“when even boney and lawyerboy will be able to hug it out” talk about jumping from “detroit BAD BOYS blogsite” to “lets do a make over” blogsite. jack, u might as well throw a theme party called “legally blonde” and “sex in the city”

ric and JackDutch,

First off, did you ever see Hulk Hogan hug Andre the Giant? Of course not… so that means that I will not hug LB.

Second off, we should have a party where all the DBBers get together and talk about the Pistons. Maybe we can wear our Piston flannel pajamas and sit around the fireplace and bring up how we used to laugh when Vinnie Johnson would take a jumpshot because it looked funny the way he shot the ball off the top of his head…

I would be up for it, so long as the girl to guy ratio was 2-1. Unfortunately, we’d have to settle for only PG4L and that girl that ends every comment with “LETS GO PISTONS! LETS GET THAT SHIP!!!!1”

is my heterosexuality being called into question simply because i’m not calling enough people “idiots” and “retards”? i did (allegedly) call walter sharpe a crackhead above. does that count?

you guys are all jerkwads.

"LETS GO PISTONS! LETS GET THAT SHIP!!!!1″ is my signature for my work emails.

boney, maybe we can invite need4sheed members, there’s quite a few more girls there than in dbb….by the way im not suggesting hook up and the likes, it just makes it more interesting to hear girls perspective on pistons.

Did somebody say cake?

PG4L,

I know this was pointed out in Matt’s post, but Keith Van Horn effectively was ready to retire and the Mavs signed him only so that they wouldn’t have to give up anyone else on the team to make salaries match in the Jason Kidd trade. So the Mavs paid him 4.3 million to effectively do nothing and go to New Jersey in a deal.

So it’s not like Joe D. would be the first to sign a guy with trading him later on in mind.

Finally $4 million for a big body in a conference that just got bigger with Elton Brand especially given how much centers let alone backup centers are making. If Curry can get something out of him he will be well worth it. If he can’t, well it’s an expiring contract…

sorry…my random thought wasn’t finished, “Finally $4 million for a big body in a conference that just got bigger with Elton Brand especially given how much centers let alone backup centers are making is not all that extreme.”

Ultimately if this pans out in any way shape or form it will result in Joe D. looking like a genius.

+10 to Artest for not making me look dumb for defending him.

James, I repeat… 4 Million dollars is NOT an expiring contract. Expiring contracts are used to allow one team to match a HUGE salary and another team gets cap space NEXT SEASON in exchange. They are valued because they can be traded to BAD teams in exchange for GOOD players.

4 Million bucks worth of Kwame isn’t going to buy you shit.

Seriously tired of repeating myself here.

James,

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news bud but, Kwame’s contract isn’t technically an expiring deal next year since he holds the key to a player option.

So… carry on

but I still think we should treat Rip as an expired deal…

that skinny f-er probably thinks he’s way underpaid

Boney is right — Kwame’s contract isn’t technically an expiring deal since he holds a player option, but assuming he plays well enough to earn more than $4 million in 09-10 (which is very possible, I know some of you disagree, but $4 million for a big man isn’t much at all), he may as well be considered an expiring deal.

Plus, toss in the fact that Rasheed and McDyees definitely have expiring deals (and Rip Hamilton has an early-termination option this summer), and it wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pistons package one or two players together at the deadline to a team looking for salary cap relief. (And even if Kwame doesn’t opt out, a team would gladly be willing to take on a real expiring deal plus his small contract for one more year in exchange for getting rid of an eight-digit contract).

Completely unrelated side note but I think Rip has to be nuts to terminate that deal…. I think he’s a great player, and I love what he brings to the table but honestly I just don’t see him as being a 12-15 million a year player…

He’s fairly compensated and the CURRENT economic climate isn’t likely to reward a SG who can’t create his own shot any more than Detroit already has….

Mind you who the hell knows what his agent is telling him, but really 2009 isn’t the year to be asking for big dollars on the FA market….

as for packaging Kwame with someone else… yes…..but the same can be said for ANY other small contract with low years… “It can be used to match salaries”… except Kwame’s which can’t be used to match salaries until Dec something right?

Why does this make sense to any of you? Seriously there’s NO way this contract was signed for the purpose of trading later. Maybe (lord willing) that’s what will happen, but your asking me to believe something that simply IN-credible to say that’s WHY it was signed.

I don’t know if anyone is still reading this thread, but I made a mistake: McDyess’s contract doesn’t expire after this year. His two-year extension signed last summer officially kicks in this year, meaning he’s signed through 2010.

I’d be shocked if McDyess didn’t retire after this year though. Though he does seem to have so Favre-like indecisiveness and impetuousness in him.

It’s usually very fun for me to point out when Boney is wrong, but rarely is it so clear-cut and easily asserted. If this report is correct, well, it’s about as easy and clear-cut as it gets. I can’t say this is definitive proof, though I believe it to be a very reliable source:

http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/contracts

Go down to Rip Hamilton, and it says “p-opt ’08” that translates to “Player Option in 2008”. 2008 would be right now if (my hero and a woman who is usually on the money within 72 hours of contracts becoming officially signed) Patricia Bender is to be believed. If Ms. Bender has it right, we’d know Rip is not opting out, because he’d have done it by now. Therefore, these links become hilarious and redundant in their foolishness if Ms. Bender is right:

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2008-07-07/can-the-pistons-sign-corey-maggette/#comment-141536

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2008-07-30/why-signing-kwame-brown-to-trade-him-makes-sense/#comment-143874

I’ve (QD as well) said that Boney’s hatred for Rip can blind him from facts. Well again, if Patricia Bender, who is usually as legit as it comes on contracts, is to be believed, Mr. Boney’s arrogant decrees are, in a word, wrong. Far be it for this to get Boney to admit his ire toward Rip prevents him from accuracy, but I can always hope. And people wonder why I beg members of the DBB community not to act like know-it-alls, and stick to simply sharing their opinion. Everyone knows what happens when you “assume”. I prefer speculation and conjecture to braggadocio assumption.

PS: Matt has a fact check coming on Antonio McDyess’s contract status. Here’s the hint on that:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Antonio+McDyess+signed+2010&fr=yfp-t-305&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

I use Hoops Hype for data on salaries and they have Rip without an ETO. I’ve seen Rip having an ETO reported in enough places to question what’s over at Hoops Hype. Anyway, here’s the link.

Well, Patricia Bender is apparently NOT to be believed. You’ve lost much clout mystery woman, amassing vast contract information! If Keith Langlois is to be believed, it is 2009. This of course, doesn’t address the idea that Rip would assuredly opt out of $11,375,000 in ‘09-’10.

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox/pistons_mailbag_0907.html

I guess I’ll have to save the comment links for another 300 or so days when they could be more relevant. If Rip opts out of $11,375,000 for his 11th season in the NBA at 31 years old (32 in Feb. ‘10) to sign a new long-term deal (that would presumably pay him more) I would be stunned. I don’t see how Rip’s situation doesn’t have “extension worked out before previous contract expires” or “lets free agency in 2010 come” written all over it. How does Rip cash in at 31?

Other Matt: I’ve always cross-referenced HoopsHype w/Patricia’s site. Almost universally works for me (though obviously neither has the goods on Rip). They offer info different ways. Also, I’m not a big fan of HoopsHype as the only source when they leave years on a contract blank, not reporting details (see: McDyess in ‘09-’10). It’s confusing and it’s frustrating vis-a-vis salary cap.

Right, I was just providing the link as a data point. I do think you’re right about Rip getting an extension before his deal expires. He’s another guy who’s game translates extremely well into his mid-30s.

Other Matt: Yeah, I like HoopsHype. I use it, just don’t love it. I’m glad you agree re: Rip. I don’t know of any player in today’s NBA who gets a long-term raise when signing a deal at age 30 or older (Rip turns 31 in Feb. of 2009). I don’t think Rip’s long-term value is at all compromised from the summer 2009 to the summer 2010. Why give up $11,375,000 of guaranteed contract for the ‘09-’10 season to test the market that year? As you said, Rip can probably play at his current level for quite a long time. We’ll probably give Rip the money he wants as long as he plays near his current level. What’s Rip’s rush to free agency, especially when we can pay him as much as we want at the end of his deal in 2010 without worrying about the cap?

If anything, he’d probably want to wait until 2010 anyway, when he could get a nice extension from us, or presumably fleece a team with a lot of cap space that is scorned by LeBron and Wade. Will Denver, Indiana or Seattle overpay him long-term in the summer of 2009? Denver certainly won’t (Camby trade ring a bell?). Any other NBA team besides those 3 either has a solid starting SG (2 teams if Durant is considered a SG) under a long-term deal and/or doesn’t have the cap space next summer to offer up a serious long-term deal if Rip opted out. Would Rip really pass up $11.375 million guaranteed to get on the open market for the Nuggets, Pacers and Sonics? Maybe the Pacers really miss Reggie that bad. I doubt Rip hangs his hat on making a killing in next summer’s market unless he drops 23 ppg this season. I think Rip drops 23 ppg on this Pistons team when pigs fly.

The other thing to consider is the relative strength of our team. He might opt out for a shot at another ring if we’re rebuilding. If we’re still a legitimate threat to win the whole thing I find it hard to believe he opts out and leaves. How much more can he really get than $11.4 million, especially from a contender?

“If Rip opts out of $11,375,000 for his 11th season in the NBA at 31 years old (32 in Feb. ‘10) to sign a new long-term deal (that would presumably pay him more) I would be stunned.”

Kay, everyone start stockpiling water and Ammo, LB and I agree on something and ya’ll know the only thing that can mean…. Zombiepocalypse, right here, right now, and the fish shall boil in the sea kinda shizzle….

“Completely unrelated side note but I think Rip has to be nuts to terminate that deal…. I think he’s a great player, and I love what he brings to the table but honestly I just don’t see him as being a 12-15 million a year player…

He’s fairly compensated and the CURRENT economic climate isn’t likely to reward a SG who can’t create his own shot any more than Detroit already has…."

No really, road flares, zombie repelant and shotguns, I’m telling ya.

Other Matt: How much can Rip get? It only takes one sucker of a GM. For an example, John Paxson on just about every signing he’s ever made (especially Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich), or Kevin O’Connor (usually quite good) on the Kirilenko six-year/$86 million deal from 2004. There’s a quote oft-credited to P.T. Barnum, “There’s a sucker born every minute”. Does Rip want to opt out relying on hoodwinking someone into a bad contract? I think even Rip would tell you in confidence that he’s not really going to be worth $12 million/year when he’s 32 and older. He’d probably admit he doesn’t have a good shot of making that kind of money either. Now, $7-10 million/year long-term until he’s in his mid-to-late 30s? That’s more like it.

PG4L: Agreeing is fun. No volatility in agreement. But, as Lee Corso would say, not so fast, my friend! This whole “Rip can’t create his own shot” movement is pretty farcical to me. He usually doesn’t, because he’s lethal off of screens and we can get the ball to him that way most of the time. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. But, Rip is actually really good at posting up. Many shooting guards will take you off the dribble, but they won’t put their back to the basket. That’s a shot Rip creates. I really think people should say “Rip can’t take his man off the dribble”, because THAT is true (and mildly upsetting).

LB, I agree with you about there being an inordinate amount of atrocious NBA GM’s, but I don’t think Rip opts out to take more money at a place he can’t win a ring. If he does, then doesn’t it taint this entire group of Pistons and what they’ve accomplished? You don’t keep getting this close, this close, this close, and then opt out to go to like OKC or somewhere that has money but isn’t going to win. At least I hope that’s not the case, it could turn me off of watching the NBA entirely.

There you go, ruining the moment again.

I swear I pity the poor lady who becomes Mrs Lawyerboy, I can almost see it now:

“Well dear, ACTUALLY these are Iowa not Idaho potatoes, Cancun is in Mexico which isn’t technically the “Caribbean Islands” and paraffin candles are a known carcinogen but aside from THAT, yes this is a romantic honeymoon dinner"

(Yes, I know that wasn’t being nice. Apparently I suck at being nice… so be it.)

PG4L: No complaints here about the level of “nice” in your post. You didn’t blast my comment and better yet, you didn’t make fun of my haircut (ie: something wholly irrelevant) as proof of Rip’s inability to post up. Besides, my hair is in a transition phase anyway, that’d be a cheap shot! As long as Rip is evaluated accurately on the merits of his play, I’m happy.

As for the closest thing to “Mrs. LawyerBoy”, I guess I do a little bit of that to my girlfriend (not a lot, I swear!), but generally she runs the show without much of a fight from my corner. The paraffin candles comment was very informative and certainly unbeknownst to me. +1 for the knowledge drop.

Other Matt: Rip does already have a ring. He seems to be a loyal dude and if pressed, I’d put money on Rip retiring a Piston. But, we might find out that Rip’s “got a family to feed” and as we know from Sprewell, $11.375 million won’t cut it.

The point of the previous post was to say if he wants a ludicrous offer from some idiot GM, he’ll wait until 2010 when they’ll probably be coming out of the woodwork at LeBron and Wade. Someone has to lose the sweepstakes (Cleveland, Miami as well?) and have a lot of money left.

PG4L, objectively, that was a fantastic zinger.

Hangs on the rim for a while and then points at OM before jogging back on defense

Sorry, I just watched a video clip of the pickup game in The Cable Guy :) Youtube owns me. Thanks for the props.

Best line from Cable Guy: “They were speaking another language… I think it was Asian.”

Second best line: “Oh, we’re playin’ prison rules.”

Cable Guy

http://asiangang.ytmnd.com/

http://thecableguy.ytmnd.com/

I could concievably see Rip rolling the dice and finding a couple more million somewhere else, pulling a Big Ben and going to a lame team for more loot. Except Rip doesn’t have the moral objections Ben had to the team, plus Flip is gone now. So like LB, I lean toward Rip dying a Piston.