I don’t want to be his divorce avasion vehicle. He can hop over our Marvin Gardens and get bent.

fucking spelling and mornings, evasion and all that shit. Fuck Boozer.

Go get Millsap Jod!! If Boozer doesn’t opt out, no way Jazz can pay all 4 (Booz, Millsap, Okur & Korver). Millsaps will come cheaper, is younger and a better rebounder.

OTOH, Boozer starting at 10/11M per is definitely a very good deal for the pistons. That would leave ~8-10M left, which would be great meaning we couldn’t sign BG for 11M. And personally I think Boozer flips out if he’s getting 10M and BG is getting more.

Suddenly, Boozer at 10M or Millsap at 7.5M, Gortat at 6.5M, totals either 16.5 or 14M, with several million left pick up a couple of vets. And given that sources say we won’t do 13-15M/per, I’d say Mr. Boozer elects to opt out. If he signs only a one year deal, he’ll have more suitors next summer as Bosh & Amare are the only competition he’ll have but with more teams with cap space and someone will be the lucky loser feeling they set aside all this cash and will have nothing to show for it, but will overpay him. OTOH, given his recent injury history, he may be better off taking a 5 year 55M contract. I think either way it’s a win/win for the Pistons.

Throw in a SnT with Orl Sheed for Gortat, and I think Sheed plays for 6.5M per. I sincerely doubt he is going to get 8M per. And nothing would make Sheed happier than to help lead another team to the chip. And if I’m the Magic with Sheed, I think I’ve got the best starting lineup in the NBA, hands down and I don’t think VC makes up for both Hedo & Lee combined. Plus with a one-year deal for Sheed, WTF, you’ve got a great shot along with being the favorites to win a chip. Do it Orlando. Kneel before Jod!!

Shinons: I agree. But he’s a bargain at 10 or 11M per, injury issues aside. And I think if we can get him at that price, Gortat, there is a, albeit, very small chance we can entice Dyess to come back. I doubt it, but I can dream.

From this morning:

Sources tell ESPN Insider’s Chad Ford there’s a significant chance that Boozer will not exercise his player option and return to the Jazz next season. And the Salt Lake Tribune quoted Okur’s agent, Marc Fleisher, as saying in Monday’s editions that Okur is “leaning toward opting out.”

Also from ESPN:
Korver already indicated he’s NOT opting out. Supposedly Hedo rejected a 35M/4 yr extension. (Hedo, you should have taken it.) Orlando probably will not match Gortat offer north of 5M. On the other hand, it appears we are targeting a soring gurad and a PF, Gordon and Charlie V are mentioned. GIMME Millsap.

Shinons: I agree. But he’s a bargain at 10 or 11M per, injury issues aside. And I think if we can get him at that price, Gortat, there is a, albeit, very small chance we can entice Dyess to come back. I doubt it, but I can dream.

I like that, MBinSoCal. Boozer+Gortat is a definite upgrade over last season.

A couple questions: do you think that vaults us any further than the 3-4 seed in the East?

Second, I love Dyess. I would love to have him back. But, the other part of me wonders that if we were to bring him back, what would we do with Max? After several years, I still don’t think we know what we have in the kid. His minutes have been inconsistent year after year… and yes, he seemed to take a step backwards last year.

But, if your answer to the first question is, “No,” then why not let Dyess walk to a contender (hard as it would be), and give those minutes to Max.

In other words, if we’re not contenders this year, even if FA signing work out perfectly, then why not let Boozer/Gortat/Max (with a little cake thrown in) get the bulk of the minutes, just to see what we have in that rotation?

I honestly thought Max would be starting last season. It seemed like he had earned it.

brgulker: Yeah, I’d love to see Dyess get a ring. His summer home is in Houston I believe which means the Rockets gotta talk to him now. I just saw that the thunder may offer Millsap 65M/5yr. It also says that’s where Lee’s numbers are at also. Boy, Boozer’s going to be pissed. If I’m the thunder and he opts out, do I go after him with the same contract?

If we go with Millsap or Lee, I think we need Kaman more than Gortat to help balance out the scoring. But if we can get Boozer at 10M per, and with a decent 15 footer, Kaman would be nicer to open up the middle a bit more for Stuck & MFWB.

I will say this: This is alot more fun than bitching about another ECF loss (we weren’t better than Orl or Clev with CB) and if KG is healthy not better than Bos. Of course, it can only be evaluated depending on who we sign.

And there’s an outside chance at the Birdman, but I doubt he’s leaving Denver, particularly since he just married a chick from there and has his support group close by.

This is sort of fucked up.

@ Colin: ?? That we’re competing with the Thunder to sign FA’s? Because of the shitty economy we can get players cheaper? Forty’s GF hasn’t been named coach?

And is sorta fucked up kinda like sorta pregnant?

Yikes, Keith Langlois has outdone himself this time. His latest piece on pistons.com glowingly speculates over the equivalent of a nuclear apocalypse scenario: That our big free agent splash will be Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva!

Ugh:
http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/truebluepistons.html

Are we trying to create the worst defensive team of all time? Any line-up that features Ben Gordon at SG and Villanueva at PF will automatically be well below average defensively. Not to mention, both Gordon and Charlie rely almost entirely on their jump shots for offense: So we’d have an offense built around jump shooting and a horrible defense… Sounds like a plan, sign me up!

I just do not understand what possibly would attract Joe Dumars to Ben Gordon. Um, Joe Dumars? Your team has TWO big men on the roster right now. TWO! You already have four guards with whom you are reportedly happy. One of those is a multiple all-star.

So your signature move in your defining offseason will be to sign to a large, long-term deal a redundant player? One who plays the same position as your best player, whom you also just signed to a long-term extension? One who won’t even be starting games??

Shooting guard is literally the one, the only position where the Pistons could not stand to think about an upgrade. Meanwhile, we have TWO BIG MEN ON THE ROSTER! How does this make sense??

I’m not feeling Boozer at all. He’s too injury prone for the money he’s looking for. Why even pay 10 mil a year for a guy who’ll give you 60 games a season?

Call me crazy, but I’d rather have Villanueva and/or David Lee.

I know that Joe Dumars hasn’t done anything yet. Please forgive my hyperventilation. Just, please, please, please, not Gordon. There are so many smart moves we could make, moves that actually would help to improve the roster.

“Are we trying to create the worst defensive team of all time? Any line-up that features Ben Gordon at SG and Villanueva at PF will automatically be well below average defensively. Not to mention, both Gordon and Charlie rely almost entirely on their jump shots for offense: So we’d have an offense built around jump shooting and a horrible defense… Sounds like a plan, sign me up!”

What if BG comes off the bench? He’s done that for Chicago. We don’t have any scoring punch off of the bench except…Bynum? Afflalo is inconsistent

If Boozer does not opt out— and we can’t get Millsap, I’d be 100% okay with picking up David Lee and then signing Mehmet Okur. My beef with players like Lee/Millsap et. al. is that they aren’t scoring bigs, and we need that at the 4. They play like undersized Centers, Lee without the shot blocking or solid defense. The biggest issue is that they don’t stretch defenses, which complicates things for Stuckey MFWB.

But if Lee is the only option, he’d work quite well with Okur in the frontcourt. If we could sign Lee for $10M (overpaid, mind you) and Okur for $6.5M (assuming our FA competitors are spent, and we’re the only remaining team that can offer the MLE), we’d still have some $ left for filler. Beyond that, we’d be able to move Tayshaun (or worst case, Rip) for upgrades at other positions.

Stuckey
Hamilton
Prince
Lee
Okur

That squad isn’t a contender, but it is a clear upgrade over last season and gets you rebounding, defense, jumpers, slashers, and spread offenses. If we could move Tay mid-season for a 3 that can score and shoot the 3-ball, we’d have a competitive core.

was supposed to read: “and we’re the only remaining team that can offer MORE THAN the MLE”

We could shore up our defense, you know. I understand Ben Wallace might be bought out by Phoenix. Four time Defensive Player of the Year, from what I understand…

I started hyperventilating a bit too about the thought of Gordon and Villenueva as our big free agent signings. But if Milwaukee’s turning down 4.5 mil for CV31, maybe we’d be looking at a tad over the MLE for him. And if we bring in Gordon for under $10 mil annually, we’ve still got some room for a bruising big man like Gortat or we’ve got the flexibility to move Rip for one. We’d have a cheap young PF who could realistically put up 17/8, an explosive shooting guard who would provide more of a three point threat, and we could still have our enforcer down low. Plus, provided we don’t overpay Gordon, we wouldn’t be blowing a ridiculous amount of our cap on one player.

Yeah, I don’t believe any of that crap I just wrote, I’m just trying to talk myself of the ledge. I still really dislike Gordon and hope this is all just a diversion to make Boozer willing to take a lowball contract.

@MP: Like your thinking, but Okur wouldn’t opt out at 9M he’s due to make this year and then sign for 6.5M unless it greatly accelerates. I’m thinking 8M for Lee to start and 9M for Okur. maybe even 7M for Lee since Milcic and him are redundant position and Darko is at 7.5M this year so I don’t think the knicks match. The problem is the Thunder also are looking at Lee/Millsap and the Grizz (who are trying to work Z-Bo from Clips I understand) are our two adversaries and they may offer more out of the shoot. So I think we’re faced with perhaps offering more to start (perhaps overpay) to get a signature or wait, see what the others do, let them tie up their money for 7 days and then go after who is left.

Totally agree with the BG thing. Truth be told at this point, if he’s willing to be 6th man (and I think he’s a starter in Chi if he resigns) why would have come here instead of Chi first? They’re roster is clearly better than ours at this point and he has a distributing PG more than we have.

I also read where Ariza is looking for 8-9M and his agent said the Lakers won’t be getting a homeboy discount. Of course, that’s his agent and that’s his job to put that out there.

The greatest unknown is what the Rockets are going to do now. Somebody can trade for T-Mac and have a shitload of money next season. If I’m the Jazz and Boozer doesn’t opt out, do I make that trade knowing I can take a lux tax hit this year but I’m able to hold onto Millsap.

@Rob G:
If Phoenix buys him out, I wouldn’t mind offering him the vet minimum for nostaligia’s sake, let him work out the twilight of his career in 10mpg off our bench.

Forgot to mention that now that Yao is out, I believe RonRon has become more available. But I see the Lakers making a run at him at the expense of both Odom and Ariza if they so choose. I think if they take Odom & Ariza money and/or work a SnT with Houston, that helps out both teams and I don’t see how the Rockets don’t do that deal.

@MFMB:
Like your thinking, but Okur wouldn’t opt out at 9M he’s due to make this year and then sign for 6.5M unless it greatly accelerates.

I’m operating under the assumption that A) Okur’s suggestion that he’d take a $3M paycut to stay in Utah would bring his price down outside and B) that other FA players are spent, so we could offer > MLE money, which would start at $6.5. Yeah, I can see him earning closer to $9, but I think ~ $34M for 5 years could land Okur. Lee, however, is likely going to command $10M due to the hungry market for young PFs.

MFMP – Now that he’s made his money, I’d like to see Ben come back here too, since Flip is gone, and we need dudes who can mentor on defense. He’d have to wear a different number for his farewell tour though.

Mark, wouldn’t Yao’s horrible medical history really starting to catch up with him make Artest an impossible guy to part with, given their deep playoff run? With McGrady and Yao being such huge question marks, if I was Rockets Brass, I’d cement that dude in Houston.

@MFMP: 34/5 isn’t even 7M per. I think if we go large early and a declining contract we scare off our competitors and hopefully he has a soft spot for Det. He’s hands down a great add to NY if they don’t like Lee at 10M/per.

If Jod is seriouis about BG, then a SnT with Rip for Okur would work for me. Perhaps even Boozer, but both scenarios are last resort.

Skylar: Artest is a good bargain but I don’t think they want to invest their future with Artest. I also believe he’s unrestricted so it’s his choice because I don’t recall reading anything that they gave him a qualifying offer (so they could match anything else).

And if I’m RonRon, image improvement, I don’t want to be in the lottery and the only Allstar on the Rockets. And if I’m on the Rockets, I don’t want that personality on my team in those circumstances either. I think that’s why LA looks at RonRon. He can play both positions Odom/Ariza did, Kobe’s personality will keep Artest in line and the Lakers can’t lose both Ariza and Odom with the changes the Spurs, Orl and Clev have made along with the changes that Port will end up making.

I think that’s why Morey is looking at making some kind of deal involving Battier/Brooks/Landry for Amare or Bosh or ??. They’ve got Lowry to play the point at worst and I think they spent 9M for Budinger and whoever else’s picks they bought last week. I think he recognizes he’s going to need bodies and I gotta believe this “news” yesterday regarding Yao was known last week during the draft.

repeating is always tougher and fans in LA have very short memories. The Lakers let Odom & Ariza leave and don’t do something and they don’t make it next year, fans will once again hang Kupchak for not trying to get Artest. And Artest is a Kobe guy.

It would be fun to watch them team up. They have a strange and interesting dynamic. Frenemies, as it were.

MBSC:

I meant that Boozer’s family saga is sort of fucked up. Divorces creep me out.

Colin: According the article I read, since the papers were filed in Mar, she doesn’t get anything if he signs a new contract. So if he opts to stay in Ut this year, she gets 50%, ~6.5M. If he opts out, he could legitimately sign a contract for 6.5M and make the same this year as he would have staying in UT. Or, he opts out and then she doesn’t get anything he signs for going forward. From what I’ve read.

Yes, divorces creep me out to. But, does this mess with his head next year as they go thru divorce in the next 12 months? I heard they are seeking counciling, but yes, I don’t want my “face of the franchise” in his first year of a mega deal to be dealing with personal issues.

Curry Fired – From ESPN Chad Ford chat

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chad Ford just reported it:

THE PISTONS FIRED MICHAEL FUCKING IDIOT CURRY!

:)

Three cheers for Joe Dumars!

Shots are on me.

The Detroit Pistons have fired Michael Curry as coach, the team announced Tuesday.

“This was a difficult decision to make,” Pistons president Joe Dumars said in a statement. “I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change.”

Curry was named coach on June 10, 2008 and was 39-43 this past season.

The Pistons were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.

At 10:00 PST, everyone hold up and give a cross-country air high-five. Fuck yeah. Jod reads DBB !!

Firing Curry means Rip stays…means no Gordon?

I don’t even know what to say. I think I might have an erection?

Yes!!! There is a jod!!!!

Jod bless us, every one!

@Joel:

If you’re not sure, go straight to the ER.

But seriously, I feel kind of bad for Curry. I kept hoping (even when it was clearly too late) that he would eventually figure it out and stop being AFI. Guess not, lets speculate then! Who we getting?

In JOD we trust

YES! So who’s the next coach DBB?

I wonder what caused Joe D to make this decision now instead of after the season ended. Something had to happen recently.

Chad Ford says Doug Collins, Avery Johnson and John Kuester as a dark horse.

Joel: TMI. lol

No to Doug Collins. Avery a yes. JVG a yes before Avery.

Bill L: Yes after JVG.

Does this mean AI is coming back? I kid.

OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!1

I don’t even know what to say. I think I might have an erection?

I thought it. You said it.

==========

Serious note:

Who’s gonna be our coach?

And what will we bitch about next season?

What will the new acronym be for the new coach?

JVGIAFB? (Jeff Van Gundy is a f’in baldy?)

AJHAWV? (Avery Johnson has a whiny voice?)

BLIABABB? (Bill Laimbeer is a Bad Ass Bad Boy?)

I want JVG to coach. He’s just too good for tv.

I vote for BLIABABB. Blee-A-Bab. Easy to say too.

I don’t know what his contract status is, but Thibedou (sp?) from Boston would be interesting coaching canidate.

Reliving the bad memories, which now seem hilarious in retrospect:

Look at how ESPN used Eddy Curry’s photo when announcing Curry’s hiring.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3434114

LOL @ Bill. Awesome. I wonder if having Eddy as a coach would have made us better?

=======

Just heard a rumor in the Twittersphere: Sam Mitchell — because it would help us get Bosh.

I’d actually love a staff with Jeff Van Gundy as the head coach and the Laimbeer as head assistant/defensive specialist. If our coaches rubbed off at all, we’d have the meanest fucking squad in the NBA.

If JVG is our coach, I might have to boycott.

Seriously, wasn’t the biggest issue with MCIAFI that the players didn’t respect him?

How in the hell do we expect our players to respect a twat like JVG? All you have to do is listen to him ramble and whine like a sissy on Sunday afternoons on ABC.

Seriously, this is the guy who thought (with Mark Jackson) that we needed to bench Stuckey or Rip so that AI could start, get more minutes, and take more shots. That was the winning forumula he proposed.

We want that guy as our head coach?

Moving to the new thread about MCINLAFI!!!!!!!!!!!

Once AFI, always AFI.

Boozer wouldn’t fit in the system. He doesn’t do well unless he gets multiple isolations and pick and roll/pop opportunities, and those duties belong to ‘Sheed. Plus, Boozer is undersized and only worked in Sloan’s system because he was a tough rebounder.

The Pistons can spend less money on a WORTHY recipient like Paul Millsap. He’ll do exactly what Boozer does, just with more upside and a better attitude. They need rebounding, but Millsap would be the smartest decision: logically, financially, et cetera.

I am a lawyer, and I can definitively say that signing a new contract would have no bearing on what his wife would be entitled to. Unless, of course, he were to lose his job – then there would likely be no spousal support.