It seems like it, at least according to this article on ESPN:
Pistons guard Ronald “Flip” Murray has exercised his player option for next season to return to the team, his agent, Mark Termini, said Tuesday.
Murray’s salary for 2007-08, in the second year of a two-year deal, will be $1,890,000.
Pistons teammates Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess recently declined similar options to both become unrestricted free agents.
Murray averaged 6.7 points in 69 games last season.
That’s literally the entirety of the article, which is rather peculiar since the fact that Antonio McDyess is hitting the open market is without a doubt more newsworthy than the fact that Flip Murray isn’t. So, honestly, I don’t know if this is actually for real or a false assumption made by some copy editor (there’s no byline beyond “ESPN.com news services”). Once there’s confirmation either way, I’ll update this post.
(Hat-tips to Need4Sheed and Full-Court Press for the link)
Update: As I suspected, McDyess is NOT a free agent. From A. Sherrod Blakely::
I spoke with Antonio McDyess’ agent this morning, and he confirmed that McDyess has not filed for free agency.
“I have the paperwork right here on my desk,” said his agent, Andy Miller. “I haven’t seen the report, but I can tell you it’s false.”
This isn’t to say that he won’t become one (um, the paperwork is sitting on his agent’s desk?), but when it happens it’ll probably receive a bit more fanfare than just a throw-in line at the bottom of some random article. (Thanks to Justin and Brian for alerting me to Blakely’s post.)
Hey I just read that Earl Boykins opted out to become a free agent, anyone think the pistons should look into signing him if no point guard is acquired in the draft?
i am less surprised by this than when he said during the season he preferred to not opt out. if he really did opt out, then you can clearly see which side mcdyess falls on in the great “will this pistons squad ever return to its former greatness?”
certainly no one’s going to pay him $6-7 million a year, so this is definitely a sign he’s moving on, right? he wouldn’t opt out to sign for LESS with the same team.
and suddenly, we’re looking pretty thin up front.
There’s nothing about McDyess on the nba.com transactions page, so I am inclined to think ESPN got it wrong.
BTW, if you’ve run dry on draft coverage, don’t overlook nba.com. Their current homepage is bursting with stuff.
I read somewhere that mcdyess is waiting to make sure the pistons keep chauncey and thus a competitive core group before deciding to remain with detroit.
and I don’t want boykins because he dribbles too much and is a defensive liability.
The rules say that a player option must be exercised by July 1 (or June 25 if that player will be entering a restricted free agent year). So I don’t think Dice is going anywhere, especially since Chauncey’s situation won’t be resolved within the next week. Dice could retire, but that’s it.
It would be ignorant not to think McDyes decision has no bearing on Chauncey’s. With that in mind, McDyes has a huge possibility of staying in Detroit. HOW? Chauncey’s family, meaning, his wife, kids has been involved closely in the community (i.e. Children Center). Also, Chauncey is looking to invest in the community. In essence, I’m confident that Chauncey will stay and McDyes will follow. It’ll be a big adjustment for Chauncey’s family to move to another town which may not happen since family is more important than the game according to him.
Ric its McDyess not “McDyes”
but isn’t dice leaving $6.8 million on the table just to see if his buddy comes back? and if he does, are we really going to put that much money back into a guy who always shows up a step slow at the beginning of the season and then loses his jumper in the playoffs. is that the going rate for 6th men? 6-7 million per year?(ignoring how much nazr is getting for dnp-cds every night.)
McDyess a free agent?
Posted by A. Sherrod Blakely June 27, 2007 10:56AM
I spoke with Antonio McDyess’ agent this morning, and he confirmed that McDyess has not filed for free agency.
“I have the paperwork right here on my desk,” said his agent, Andy Miller. “I haven’t seen the report, but I can tell you it’s false.”
Miller went on to say that no decision had been reached as to whether McDyess would test the free agent waters. But reading between the lines, it seems as though McDyess will likely return to Detroit and seek some type of contract extension which Joe Dumars has said in the past was something the Pistons would pursue with the 6-foot-9 forward.
No offense to Flip Murray-but I hope he gets traded in a heart beat. He is not worth the $ on the cap. Maybe he can be a better fit this season but I just don’t think he exemplifies what the Pistons are about. Him and Nazr should be dealt-for anybody. They just clog the rotation and prevent other, younger palyers from getting a shot.
i agree on brian’s view on this
Yes, trade Flip Murray if you can. But he’s not getting paid a ridiculous amount. Wasn’t he getting less money than Dale Davis? And he contributed more. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if he stayed and was just stashed on the bench in case there were wholesale injuries.
I for one liked the Pistons better when we had zero Flips on the team. I’m pretty sure John Hollinger is working on a mathematical forumla to prove that the # of Flips on a team strongly decreases their chance of winning an NBA Championship
*wink*
Brian, fwiw Flip might be a realistic possibility because he’s done after next year but I’m pretty sure we couldn’t trade Mohammed for a used pair of Starbury’s at this point.
Getting rid of flip murray would be sweet. He isn’t worth the roster spot, the minutes, or the salary cap hit. Our team is too old. bottom line. a loser like flip murray isnt helping us out. Dice is coming back and so is big shot. beg lindsey to retire (although he played well last year) trade flip for a second round pick in 2079. you free up cap space and playing time for players who are hungry and have a future. Also arm twist flip into giving young guys playing time. Home court is worhtless if your old and tired at the end of the year.
PistonsGirl4Life.
Sadly, you are right. T
Flip Murray needs to play a ton of minutes to be effective. Portland was smarter than Detroit by not signing him last summer.
Nazr seems to have little or no value. He could have been used in the playoffs to at least commit 6 fouls a game but Saunders never tried that option. He should have had Nazr knock down Veraflop and Gooden at least or push big Z around. It was nuts to see him in Game 6 of the ECF, almost insulting. He kept his cool about losing playing time so he is a real Pro’s pro but what else would a guy earning $6 million do?
Now the Pistons may lose Billups and McDyess and be stuck with Murray and Nazr. Good gracious that’s frightening.
Jason, Flip’s barely making more than the veteran’s minimum!!! THERE IS NO SALARY CAP HIT!
Name me five players getting his salary (that don’t have a rookie contract) that are better than him.
I’m not saying he’s a great player but he makes for good insurance at the end of the bench. Plus, he costs nothing (and he’s off the books in a year anyway).
I’m no huge Flip fan, but he’s a quality player who’s getting paid jack-squat, so I like him around. And with the uncertainty that hangs over this team heading into this next season, I’m impressed that he’d want to stay.
Quick observation: McDyess is not yet listed as opted out on the ESPN Trade Machine.
Not a shocker: all these Kevin Garnett trades are falling through. Can we get an audience with Joe D to tell him that he has to step out of the “preparing for the future” mode and realize he has a limited window with his core players? How did the “future-based” decisions of Okur, Darko, and Delfino work out? He could absolutely swing a deal for Garnett if he could stomach giving up a lot. Here’s a reasonable proposal:
Tayshaun Prince
Rasheed Wallace
Nazr Mohammed
#27 pick in the draft
for
Kevin Garnett
If the Wolves don’t want to take on Nazr’s contract, throw in Lindsey Hunter instead to make the contracts work (both of these scenarios do pass muster in the Trade Machine, btw). The Wolves would get a pretty sweet rookie with the 27th pick, given how deep the draft is this year. It may seem like the Pistons are giving up a lot there, but to get a Garnett, you have to be willing to sacrifice. Just look at our depth chart with KG:
Billups
Rip
[free agent small forward - Grant Hill?]
Maxiell
Garnett
Off the bench, you bring in McDyess, Flip Murray, the #15 pick in the draft, occasionally Amir Johnson, and whoever else can be lured through free agency. Webber and Hunter should not be included in the latter group — put them out to pasture.
To me, that’s a far better lineup than we had in ‘06-07, where our biggest problem was a lack of consistent scoring on the block (when our outside shooting mysteriously started failing us). With KG and Maxiell down there, we’d have a great mixture of skill and hustle/garbage points. And with one-leg-Webber out of the lineup, our team defense would be worlds apart from last season.
Otherwise, if we can’t get KG, Shawn Marion would be great fit for the Pistons, and it looks like he’s there for the taking (he rejected the Boston trade today, using his contract extension leverage to keep him away from the perennial loser leprechauns).
I’m concerned, though. For all his talk, I’m not sure Dumars has the cajones to pull anything significant off. He panicked last year when Big Ben split town, trying to steal Joel Pryzbilla from the Blazers (thank god that didn’t pan out), and finally settled on overpaying Nazr, who really doesn’t even fit with the team. At the trade deadline, Webber falls into his lap, and Dumars decides a cranky, one-legged has-been is our panacea. These moves do not inspire confidence. They inspire fear, dread. Joe, please: step out of your protectionist doldrums for a few minutes. Do something daring. Trade several excellent assets for a single exceptional asset. Trade for KG, baby.
I like Flip around too…around the inactive list…right next to Ronald Dupree.
Trade for KG? What does KG bring to the table that Tayshaun doesn’t? Tay is great defender, Has a very underrated low post game, shoots from the perimeter, nad gets boards? Why trade a “not yet reached hos potential” (who should be an all-star pick) for a 30 something who has done NOTHING to get his team into the playoffs in 3 seasons? Nope, a trade for KG with Tayshaun on the hook isa horrible move, that said, Maybe Rasheed, Flip Murray and the 27 pick for KG, but no more than that!
I posted this under another thread but was curious about your opinions too… I understand Joe’s desire for an influx of hunger & youth, and I also understand that Sheed is USUALLY the best player we have on the floor…so Joe’s not chomping at the bit to give him away like some fans are suggesting. But Sheed does have the propensity for the doing the worst possible thing at the worst possible time, and with him not getting any younger, we aren’t going to get the world for him either if we do trade him. What do you all think about this:
–Rasheed Wallace and Atlanta’s #11 Pick to Boston (giving them the veteran stud Paul Pierce wants–w/o giving up Al Jefferson or all their young players–and still the ability to get additional help)
–Sebastian Telfair, Wally Szcerbiak, & 2 future Detroit 2nd Rounders (from Delfino trade?) to Atlanta (giving them the point guard they need, and another solid scoring threat along side Joe Johnson and potential trade pieces for the future…they certainly don’t need ANOTHER PF–Al Horford–without moving one of the 3 they already have)
–Shelden Williams, Speedy Claxton, & Boston’s #5 Pick to Detroit (giving us a backup point, a defensive bruiser to battle for boards and block shots down low, and a potential stud for the future like Jeff Green).
It seems to me this deal makes everyone potentially better in the long run and keeps flexibility for all. Here is what a potential roster would look like.
STARTERS
PG Chauncy Billups
SG Rip Hamilton
SF Tayshaun Prince
PF Antonio McDyess
F/C Shelden Williams
BENCH
SF Jeff Green-R (5th Pick)
F/C Amir Johnson
PF Jason Maxiell
SG Rodney Stuckey-R (15th Pick)
C Nazr Mohammad
G Alex Acker
PG Speedy Claxton
INACTIVE
G/F Ronald Dupree
PG Will Blalock
SG Flip Murray
In one clean stroke the Pistons go from one of the oldest teams in the league to one of the youngest. Just thinking about this squad gets me excited…it makes us more athletic, more versatile, and also gives us the chance to take a “project” from Europe with the 27th pick, and let C. Samb stay and develop for another year in Europe…which then gives us even more help in the next few years. GO PISTONS!
Hey Moldypants…I like KG too, but why in the world would Minnesota trade one 32 year old PF for another (slightly less talented) 32 year old PF and a solid SF(Tay is very good, but not an all NBA player) when they can get YOUNG pieces and LOTTERY picks elsewhere (as is being talked about in regards to Atlanta send the #3 and #11 to Minnesota plus young players from the Suns & Hawks…KG to PHX and Amare to ATL.)
Yes, Sheed and Tay are very good, but I wouldn’t do that trade if I were the wolves, and despite the fact that McHale used to play for the Celtics…he’s not a COMPLETE idiot. We have NO CHANCE for KG or Kobe…the sooner we get used to it the better.
Tyler, please, please, please don’t wish Speedy Claxton and Shelden Williams on my beloved Pistons. I’m a Detroit home boy who lives in Atlanta now and Speedy is straight TRASH. Shelden is a career backup who will never average more than 10 pts, 7 boards. Period. I truly hope you were joking on that one. If so, very very very funny. You got me on that late April Fool’s joke.
Those were the guys that make the money work…what I want is the #5 Pick
w/Shelden as a fill in until Amir or Cheick Samb are ready.
Shelden isn’t trash Tyler (like Speedy) but I still don’t want to touch him man. Who do you want with that #5 pick? Someone mentioned Shawn Marion would be a good fit. No he wouldn’t. We don’t play run and gun and we don’t have Steve Nash to get him 10 wide open looks or easy slashes per game. He’s a good player, but in the right system and that right system damn sure isn’t ours.
I watched Georgetown a ton (was in DC for a while) and Jeff Green is the real deal. he can play 3 positions and could cause some hellatious mathch up problems with him and tay on the floor together. Marion is a salary cap nightmare who is WAY overpaid…hence why PHX is so eager to ship him out instead of Amare…Joe is too smart for that. We can get a true back up at point for Chauncey via FA or even in round 2 (Jared Jordan?) have mad max, amir, Dice, shelden & even Nazr (whose numbers weren’t all that different from CWebb) rotate up front, and Smooth, Rip, Tay, #15 (Stuckey or Young) and #5 (Jeff Green) rotate in the backcourt. That is youth, athleticism, and mismatches galore…running Rip and Chauncey 40 minutes a night is why we don’t have 3 championships instead of 1.
Some thoughts on tempering wild speculations:
“Rasheed Wallace and Atlanta’s #11 Pick to Boston (giving them the veteran stud Paul Pierce wants–w/o giving up Al Jefferson or all their young players–and still the ability to get additional help)”
- Doesn’t work because Paul Pierce wants to contend for a title. This doesn’t make Boston an ECF team, let alone a threat to win. Sheed is good, but he isn’t the kind of help Boston/Pierce are asking for.
“Sebastian Telfair, Wally Szcerbiak, & 2 future Detroit 2nd Rounders (from Delfino trade?) to Atlanta (giving them the point guard they need”
- This fails to work on so many levels it isn’t funny. A) You just called Sebastian Telfair the PG someone needs. No offence intended but I am seriously doubting you saw many Celtics games after the first month this season. Telfair is straight up done in this league as a starter. B) The only place Wally Szerbiak has any value in the NBA is in Minny, where for some unspeakable reason he is a fan favorite and KG absolutely loves him. Therefore, IF Minny is keeping KG it makes a TINY amount of sense to trade for Wally and try to bing the home town crowd out for one last round of nostalgia. Since it’s clear they’re shopping KG around, Wally One-Foot doesn’t even have value there. C) Second round picks are like water, which is why everyone on here was so upset when Delfino turned into two of those on a rising team. At best they become deep project players, too young or too raw to contribute for years. A quick glance at the Hawks roster would tell you that Atlanta is quite possibly the youngest, rawest, most project filled team in the league. So basically you’re giving them nothing for the #11 pick. Even Billy Knight doesn’t make this deal man.
Also:
“Trade for KG? What does KG bring to the table that Tayshaun doesn’t?”
- Um several inches of height, about 30 pounds, the best inside post game in the NBA, one of the most if not the most competative personalities in the NBA and the only chance in hell of guarding Tim Duncan 1 on 1 for the better part of a 6-7 game Championship series. Also, Cleveland doesn’t win a game vs us in the next ECF because when Lebron slips his man he runs into KG at the rim every time. No way Cleveland beats us with J’s and that’s what he forces them to do.
“I like KG too, but why in the world would Minnesota trade one 32 year old PF for another (slightly less talented) 32 year old PF”
- I agree with almost everything you said, but this was so funny it made milk come out my nose. I love Sheed, I love what he brings the Pistons and I have no desire to seem him play anyplace else before he retires…. however, there is no way any sane and rational person would EVER describe Sheed as only “slightly less talented” than KG. Sheed is a very good PF. KG is an all decade/all era type player.
Guys, I understand KG is 32 years old, and I totally understand that when we’re talking fake trades we want things to work out of the Pistons but don’t kid yourself into thinking KG is just another part. The guy is other worldly, and we have ZERO chance of aquiring him OR a top 10 draft pick this year without giving up people we aren’t prepared to give up.
Seriously though, people need to stop pretending KG is a used Honda. The guy is a Rolls Royce, they don’t just fall apart over night man. Nor do they come free.
WORD.
Only about 19 hours to go!
Nice write up pistonsgirl. I’m glad someone put those rumors to bed. The only trade I can see Pistons doing will be a minor move to acquire a center and/or throwing away some of our garbage (Flip, Nazr), which I doubt can happen. This is due to our most useable trading option has already been traded (Carlos Delfino). I wish we kept him longer and maybe packaged him in an attempt to move up in the draft or something then just 2 2nd round picks.
Also let me add this: none of the big 4 are going to be moved. Chauncey will re-up, Sheed wont get moved since Joe loves his game and his intensity, Tay since he’s our youngest solid contributor and best perimeter defender, and Rip is not yet 30 and our leading scorer. Some have said move Rip now, but we’re not rebuilding and any trade that’s made won’t replace the 20 points per game.
This comment I just made will probably be lost in the sea of trade chauncey/rip/tay/sheed and everyone else comments in the hope of getting Kobe/KG/Marian/Amare
And now with fatique setting in as its under 19 hours left to the draft, I’m getting the sense that we’re drafting Rodney Stuckey. He seems like the only player the pistons like still being there. He sounds good with the scoring in everything, but I hope we don’t take him. I hope Nick Young is there. Stuckey doesn’t fill a need. I don’t want the pistons to try and turn him into a pg (a la Alex Acker, Flip Murray). It didn’t turn out well, and we’d still be left with Dupree as our backup sf (that terrifies me more than knowing Flip Saunders will be our coach next season). So please please please, Hornets don’t take Young.
It could be worse, at least the pick beg’s the blog title “Pistons Stuck With Stuckey” the next morning. I think what it basically comes down to is that the areas we need, point and 5, are the areas most of the 14 teams ahead of us need.
Silver lining scenario: We re-sign Billups, throw a 1 year 5-6 million dollar deal at Theo Papaloukas and promise him 22 mins combined behind Chauncey and Rip. Trade the 15 to someone who WANTS Stuckey to pick up something in the mid 20’s and a top 10 protected first next (open the year after) and then just draft the two foreign/underrated 5’s you feel best about in the mid 20’s.
That might be a championship if we then move said extra pick at the deadline for someone being sold at 60 cents on the dollar.
2007-2008 Finalists at least, no?
Ok, then what if it were Delonte West/Wally/Ryan Gomes/Detroit’s #27 to ATL, Sheed/Flip Murray/#11 to Boston & #5/MARVIN Williams/Claxton to Det.
In regards to Boston, this deal might not make them elite, but it certainly puts them in the playoffs and in the running for the Atlantic Division with potential lineup of Acie Law (#11)/Gerald Green/Pierce/Al Jefferson/Sheed…without gutting their team. As far as Atlanta’s concerned, they have a major logjam at PF, and if they take Al Horford like many expect, they’ll have 4 lottery picks that all basically play the same position. THEY could then draft Gabe Pruitt or Taurean Green w/#27 to play point, and have 2 up and comers in West & Gomes (both averaged 12 a game last year)
Hey, its just an idea…that’s why Joe runs the team and I watch the team.
I think rodney stuckey is a good choice at 15 as a combo guard.. imagine ronald murray with defense and that same scoring instinct, as well as a higher assist-turnover ratio. with a great defensive veteran guard like lindsey hunter and an experienced combo guard with ronald, rodney can make an impact immediately and still have a wealth of experience to tap in the next couple of years, ensuring a quality backup behind chauncey and rip for the pistons. (morris almond would also be pretty dope off the bench)
with the 27th, there still are some quality bigs that could fit into the rotation (josh mcroberts?). speaking of mcroberts, he possesses a penchant for good passing out of the high post, which makes learning under c webb a seamless transition. plus, dukies have always ended up as decent backups in the worst case scenarios.
with amir and jason backing up the forwards, we could just rely on a contingent of veteran centers that can block out and rebound…. dale davis, nazr mohammed, mcdyess.
If anything is indicative of the NBA, good guard play is a necessity for any team to win (”boobie” gibson, tony parker and ginobili, deron williams, baron davis in the NBA playoffs this year, dwyane wade in 2006, etc. etc. etc.).
we can address these problems in the draft
The idea that Minnesota can’t seem to grasp is that Allen Iverson went for nothing. A big star will go for nothing because the teams interested either have a star already but won’t give their star (and his huge contract) in return . . . or, they are a lukewarm-to-horrible team with no solid players or contracts that are enticing to add up to match KG’s deal.
Chris Webber was cut. Philly’s paying him for last year . . . and this year. Webber’s contract continues to choke their cap.
I’m fine with the odds of dealing Nazr Mohammed, in comparison. There’s plenty of other poor fits on other clubs with similar size of contract.
I’m also fine with the chances that Joe will find the right fit. Nazr’s the first one that didn’t work out. He basically traded for Billups, Hamilton, and Ben Wallace, and they weren’t solid players before they came to Detroit. That’s a pretty solid percentage for plucking guys from other teams who fit and will improve.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
McDyess will return to Pistons
AUBURN HILLS — Antonio McDyess is in. On Thursday, he notified the Pistons that he will be picking up his $6.3 million option and returning to the team next season.
“We analyzed everything,” said Andy Miller, McDyess’ agent. “At the end of the day, he decided he was comfortable with the situation in Detroit and he wanted to repay the loyalty the Pistons have shown him.”
Miller said he expects to meet with Pistons president Joe Dumars in July to try to hammer out a contract extension that would keep the McDyess in Detroit through the 2009-10 season.
McDyess, who will be 33 next season, averaged eight points and six rebounds this past season.
I’d just like to state I predicted the Celtics would trade West/Wally and the #5 pick for a 32 year old former all star and they DID! Unfortunately, I selected the Wrong 32 year old former all star.
Hahah, for sure…. that having been said Danny boy is being CRUCIFIED everywhere but Boston for making the deal
I think the REALLY scary part of all this is that somehow Atlanta A) didn’t trade it’s picks and B) actually took the right two guys.