The Pistons announced today the signing of Jarvis Hayes. From Pistons.com:
We are pleased to add Jarvis Hayes to our roster,” Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement. “Jarvis has proven himself as a solid NBA player over the last four seasons and we like the flexibility and depth he will bring to our team at the small forward position.”
Hayes is a more consistent outside shooter than Delfino and, at 6-foot-8, is bigger. He got squeezed out in Washington when the Wizards, already heavily invested in their perimeter with Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and No. 1 pick Nick Young, chose not to extend a qualifying offer to Hayes, who was scheduled to be a restricted free agent.
Unfortunately, the Pistons didn’t release any of the contract terms, including the length of the deal. But if we assume Hayes was had for a relatively modest one-year deal (he made just $2.5 million last year), it’s not a bad move at all. I was concerned about the small forward depth earlier this summer but eventually bought into the company line that Arron Afflalo could handle the job. Now I realize the Pistons had other plans all along.
Hayes may not have lived up to his billing as the former 10th overall pick in the 2003 draft, but he might not a horrible guy to play 15-20 minutes a night. I’m not sure his size is really an asset, though; yes, he’s two inches taller than Delfino, but that’s kind of beside the point considering he’s not as good of a defender and he makes his money shooting jump shots.
In fact, even though Hayes is a legitimate small forward while Delfino was an off-guard playing out of position, I’m not sure Hayes is an actual improvement. If you compare their seasons last year, you’ll see Delfino had more assists, more rebounds, just two fewer steals and a better field-goal percentage despite playing far fewer minutes. The only real advantage Hayes has is shooting from long distance, where he shot .361 compared to Delfino’s .331.
The real comparison shouldn’t be between Delfino and Hayes, though, but rather between Hayes and Afflalo/Ronald Dupree/Sammy Mejia. Those three are all unproven while Hayes is a legitimate rotation guy, so getting deeper is getting better. Even so, the Pistons already have 15 guys under contract, so someone has to go. Will Lindsey Hunter retire? Flip Murray be bought out? Mejia released? The Pistons have the rest of the summer to make that decision, so we’ll probably have to wait and see.
Thanks to DBB reader Glenn for the head’s up.
I think Meija would be the likely choice to not make the roster - can the Pistons send him to the developmental league without losing the rights to him?
I will say he fits the Joe Dumars profile for FA steal… Drafted highly, oddles of potential, not a great fit with his former team who eventually gave up on him and dirt cheap.
Otoh, I saw TWO entire Pistons/Wizards game last season and don’t remember the guy coming up at all. The article could have said “He played last season in Spain on Athletico Jockstrapo who won the Spanish Division XIII title” and I wouldn’t have known the difference.
All in all no complaints, because this is the kinda move I was expecting if any at all and he at least has the potential to be something better than “the guy who plays when Tay is about to die from lack of oxygen”, which is all we get from Dupree. Plus wouldn’t it be nice if Joe found ANOTHER gem someone else threw away? You gotta like any move with that kind of upside/almost no downside ratio.
If anything I hope he does not cry like Delfino. Delfino was good but I don’t think he had the mental make up to play for us. Hopefully this new guys will help push the starters.
Hunter retire!
I found a good 2-part interview with Jarvis Hayes on YouTube. He has a twin brother who is coaching in college and he’s humble about all of the injuries he’s had in the past and still sees himself as having a great future. He’s also pretty fun - he beat out Gilbert Arenas for best dressed on the Wizards and is known in the locker room for giving detailed restaurant reviews. Does anyone know a good steak place in Detroit for Jarvis?
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LwVQu_PrL0
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_etquSkNMyk
Mejia wont be cut in my mind. Why sign him for 2 weeks? The most sense to me is Flip or Hunter or Dupree. Hunter or Dupree makes the most sense since dupree is worthless pretty much. Hunter is old. Flip will probably stay just in case a guard gets injuried.
Hopefully, he has one of those I-wanna-sign-a-huge-contract-next-year explosions.
The only reason I am even mildly concerned as a Wizards fan is that you guys signed him, considering your track record with turning ex-Wizards into major players.
Put it this way. Before I renamed the sections, Jarvis Hayes’ suckitude had it’s own category.
Enjoy the steady diet of off-balanced 18 footers with 18 seconds left on the shot clock.
Love, the Bullets Forever community.
p.s.: Only kidding on the bitterness. But just a little.
The question is can he take a Sheed jersey to the grill if necessary?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edTWKeHmAAw
As a player, I would have rather gotten James Posey. But, then again, I might have had to root for him.
Doesn’t matter who we get, until we get a Real coach.. instead of a do-nothing Bill Murray stunt-double. (Holding my breath, but bring back LB)
On a lighter note, I was really hoping we could pair the draft picks for an agile Big Man, or a veteran 3. Yes Prince needs relief, but Hayes isn’t the answer. This is probably our last year to contend for awhile and Hayes plays Absoluely no D (well did any Bullets/Wiz play D??)
Concerned about the moves made in the East. I don’t even have any faith that our young guys will see the court w/ Robot Flip @ the helm.
F’Sho - Ya Daily Dose of Sardonic Rillness’
http://sobo.podomatic.com
Jarvis Hayes has potential. It’s not limitless, but he has potential. Time to let Dupree go, and put Mejia in Dupree’s spot (12th man)
damn it I want to see the new Piston team in action now and not till October. Everyday the Piston seemed to be doing everything right. Let’s hope the changes are the recipe for a Championship.
I’m already looking forward to screaming “Don’t pass it to bullet head!” during every 4th Q that matters.
that’s a good pick-up on the cheap. if arnie can work any magic with this guy whatsoever, he’s going to be a good role player for us.
Arnie should get a punch card - for every ten knees he fixes, he gets a free soda and 6 inch sub!
Hit the Flip’s a Bad Coach siren! Hit it!
Complete with personal attacks! In a completely unrelated post, even.
It seems that the fans of every team say they have one of the “best trainers in the business.” That’s true because there’s about what, 500 really elite jobs in the field? But Arnie and Mike have consistently proven to be one of the best. Like Sheed’s plantar faciaitis (sp?) that got better when there was no reason it should have in 2004. Consider that the starters have played the equivalent of 5 season in 4, and realize that last year felt like a rash of injuries. Incredible, just how much worse it could be.
“Hit the Flip’s a Bad Coach siren! Hit it!
Complete with personal attacks! In a completely unrelated post, even.”
While I agree that it’s a bit too common for NBA fans to turn on the coach the moment their team gets knocked out of the playoffs…… and I do admire you’re effort, I’m not understanding your point…
Isn’t Flip a bad coach? I mean you saw Larry Brown, you’ve watched him throw a chess match with Pops in the 2005 finals that came down to one bad playcall… Having seen what a real “coaching matchup” with actual “in game adjustments” and “called plays” are you trying to tell us that Flip DOES these things?
When? I’ve never seen it. Are you telling me Flip has CREDIBILITY with this team? That he’s a great leader? Then tell me why he can’t even get Rasheed into a team huddle? Tell me why he can’t control borderline players like Nazr and Webber?
I’m no bit C-Webb fan but come now you’re telling me that you didn’t agree just ONE tiny bit when he supposedly stood there screaming at Saunders “That’s it?!! That’s it?!! That’s all you’ve got??!!!!”
Come now… The only reason “hitting the bad coach alarm” is stupid is because there are roughly 4 actual GOOD coaches in the NBA atm.. It doesn’t change the fact that Pat Summitt would hand him his ass in a 7 game series with women’s college players just because unlike him she actually COACHES basketball while the games are happening.
Hell Yeah, Pistons Girl.. I concur.
Preach on Pistonsgirl4life. “There are roughly 4 actual good coaches in the NBA” — Absolutely correct, but there are a few that are not in the NBA — Larry Brown, Hubie Brown, Chuck Daly, and dare I say Bill Laimbeer, and each of them has some connection to the Pistons (Hubie Brown just loves them).
A while ago, I would end every post with some reference to firing Flip and bringing back LB. Flip has done less with more than any coach I can think of, with the possible exception of Del Harris.
Wow, A+ again for PG4L if you ask me. 2 recent killer posts (going back to her most recent post in the Nazr thread). I dunno if I like the dramatics of the Pat Summitt (if she’s getting divorced that means someone actually married her, which shocks me) reference, but the general point is well-received. Flip is kind of a joke and how he appears to “coach”. Sure, we got him as a direct response to LB’s riding of the players and his unrelenting ego (friggin’ whiny baby), neither of which are Flip trademarks (he is the ultimate good soldier even though more important, he’s not a spectacular basketball mind), but the change in philosophy is not really working as well as it should.
We have the best roster in the East. We’ve had it for a while now, and we haven’t seen the Finals since ‘05. I firmly believe that we still have it this season (if anyone responds shouting “Boston”, color me an ass, but you’re basically a reactionary. Those 3 aren’t carrying them past us or probably Chicago barring a significant injury to either squad.).
I can imagine accepting the idea of Miami creating the perfect storm two years ago but they shouldn’t have embarassed us the way they did, that part is on Flip. Last year, I can sort of rationalize that Flip probably felt (slightly justified) that he didn’t have a reliable enough bench to produce a solid rotation, but again, we got embarassed by a decent team, and I put it on him. If he fails to give Maxiell and Hayes (assuming his health isn’t an issue) significant (say at least 15/night each) minutes, he needs to go. No more DNP-CDs for Maxiell. If he fails to treat Nazr with respect by giving him at least 15 a game (preferably 20 or so and that’s assuming the depth at that position remains as is), he also needs to go. If Rodney Stuckey is as good as he appeared in the summer league, and Amir is ready to blossom as we expect, and Afflalo can be the defensive stopper to LeBron and Wade that we’ve sorely needed and Flip doesn’t let them show it, he’s got to see the door.
For now, I’m willing to give him this one more season of being optimistic that he’ll get the job done and get us back to the Finals. I see anything short of a Finals trip this year, assuming health in tact, as an intolerable offense that necessitates a change in my book.
PS: Just as a note that I found really fascinating when I stumbled upon a while back, Rodney Stuckey was rated the 131st best college prospect by Rivals.com in their 2004 Top 150. Big Ten “studs” Matt Tewelliger, Spencer Tollackson and Goran Suton were rated: 111, 118, and 123 respectively. Yeesh.
“ME”,
I’d take Twitch Saunders over LB any day of the week. Yes, LB may be a better coach technically, but I still, to this day, feel more betrayed by Larry Brown than even Ben Wallace. Larry Brown abandoned the Pistons after the conference Finals in Miami, and was nearly absent in the NBA Finals against San Antonio. That year, we were the better team, we nearly outplayed the Spurs, but our coach was off blowing the media talking about “what do i want to do next year, who do i want to coach, i think i might like to felate lebron james”. That is betrayal that I do not forgive. Between the two, I’ll take a mediocre Twitch than a heartless opportunist who can coach this game. LB is not a Detroit Piston.
Back to the subject, can anyone point me to a 41% shooter who is an effective backup small forward? How does this provide what the Pistons need? A 26 year old does not have any substantial upside. I just don’t see what I am supposed to like about this.
He’s a player with good shooting range and a very solid free throw percentage. His rebounding and defense are suspect, but I think he’s just a more polished (I wish I could think of a word that doesn’t evoke SUCH positive imagery) player than Delfino. Being 6′8″, he’s not playing out of position at the 3 like Delfino was. I recall a lot of people on this board being upset that we only got future second-round picks for Delfino. Essentially, we’ve now traded him for Jarvis Hayes.
Kevin, I think if he can just be an able-bodied rotation player for the length of the season, it’s a big plus. A lot of us loved Delfino, but he never brought some of the intangibles that Hayes brings (height, free-throw shooting, and a LOT more experience as a starter playing big minutes). When healthy, Hayes has shown flashes of great ability over his 4 years with the Wizards. He’s far from consistent, but he’s also coming in to backup Tay, who hasn’t averaged under 35 mins./game since our championship season. If Hayes is healthy for the year, that should change, which I see as something to very much like about this move, especially since it was totally on the cheap.
I have no problem with the deal. The Pistons needed a backup SF, and they got one. What is the problem with sitting Tay down for 10-15 mins and putting in a dude who shoots treys? He can just spread the D for a little bit. He’s like a poor man’s Robert Horry. Obviously, Joe D ain’t done here. Hayes is definitely staying, but it remains to be seen what happens with Murray, Webber, Davis, Dupree, and Mejia. I trust Joe D to make the right decision. I’ll end with this: wouldn’t it have been nice to be able to throw a consistent 3 shooter in ECF when Tay was struggling and let Rip or Lindsay guard LBJ??? It woulda been awwfullly nice….
If he can just knock down open shots Stuckey will hopefully be getting him then I will be pleased. Though I think we will miss some of the intangibles Delfino has (the proverbial nose for the ball) hopefully the rooks and young ones will show that and then some.
What makes him more polished than Delfino? What good is height if it doesn’t translate into made baskets (or blocked shots)? Given his knee problems, is it fair to say that he is “able-bodied”? If the one thing we are looking for is minutes, why a guy with an injury past?
Speaking of flashes of greatness, Hayes did have a few big games. In fact, when he got big minutes, he often had a strong night. When he got fewer than 20? Not so much. Is he another “volume scorer”? What does that phrase mean, anyway? Needs a lot of shots to score points? By that definition, I am a volume scorer. A high volume scorer at that.
This just seems like a treading water pickup to me. Why now? Why not wait to see how free agency plays out, or even wait for the trade deadline? We already dispensed with two wing players (Delfino and Evans) in consecutive years who had more ability, so why this?
Agreed Kevin S, it is a “treading water pickup” and not to continually beat a dead horse, but we’re treading water with the coaching situation as well. Are we going to settle for good enough, or are we going to go after a championship?
IMHO, there is no excuse for this team with it’s make-up from (2003-now) should not have 2-4 rings. Regardless of Boston or Cleveland, we still have the best combo. of talent and experience in the East. (Chicago arguably is more talented) I just don’t see the fire, We seem to be complacent from Front office on down. Not trying to be sour grapes, but I expect more.
I’m sorry Mr. Payne, but all things considered, I rather have a “diva” like LB who won championships, then an ineffective “nice guy” who doesn’t have “control or respect” from his team. There is no excuse for their playoff performance the last two years or his pitiful clock management. (I apologize, but I’ve been steaming all summer.)
Hayes is a streaky shooter and has always been injury-prone, but I’m hoping Kander can deal with that. Nazi needs a clear role as well as some consistent PT, if we’re not going to get rid of him, We still remain in desparate need of a stopper in the middle. Hasn’t Webb already gone to Dallas? (My fingers r crossed there, Please take him!!)
Not every move is about getting better. Some moves are about risk mitigation - the risk of getting worse. Before Joe D. acquired Jarvis Hayes the Pistons would be in huge trouble if Tayshaun Prince had an injury. They would either have to rely on an out of position Afflalo or Maxiell to play in the rotation at the 3. Now they no longer have that risk. That to me makes this a strong move. Injuries knock teams out of contention all the time - this is cheap depth and the Pistons are still a 50 win team with Jarvis Hayes playing 1/2 the minutes at SF in case of a injury to Prince. And Hayes has a small but realistic chance of blossoming after years of injuries. I like the move.
The Pistons are not a 50 win team if Prince goes down for any substantial length of time. According to Hollinger’s PER stats, Hayes ranked 311 out of 372 rotation players. Players get cut for that kind of mediocrity.
Even if you are not high on Spellcheck, you have to think he can provide 15th percentile production with better than average defense. SF is one of the easiest positions for which to find a servicable backup.
Meanwhile, the Spurs just picked up Ime Udoka, so the gap has widened.
At first, I wondered why we didn’t go after Ime Udoka but he’s a 6′5″ defensive minded player. Sounds like what we already have in Afflalo.
JoeJoeJoe is probably right about this move being cheap depth. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never sees the floor and Dupree/Afflalo get most of the minutes when Tay’s not on the floor.
Lady (PG4L) and Gentlemen, not every player on your team can be an all star. Sometimes if your bench can hold the fort until the starters return then that’s a bonus. I personally think we can compete with anyone in the league if we can keep our main guys at 30-34 minutes a game. Can you imagine a well rested Chauncey, Rip, Tay, Sheed playing heard every minute because they are just that ‘well rested’. As oppossed to them taking breathers while they are still actually in the game (ala sleep walking part of the time). I think we have 3 bench studs in Stuckey (hopefully), Dice and Maximum. Now you throw in a little help from Amir and if Hayes can simply ‘not hurt us’, then we’re ok.
The championship year I think our guys were hungry but also well rested cause we had Okur, Corliss, James and Lindsey. It’s obvious that Joe’s belief is that his main 5 (including Dice) can still kick some ass, but only if they are not dragging up and down the court from exhaustion of playing 40+ minutes a night. Stuckey, Dice and Max can all average 10 pts a game if given maybe 20 mins each. Hell what do we really need from Hayes. Just stay out of the other 4 guys way, shit. Throw in a few put-backs and fast break dunks from Amir and we’ll be fine guys.
playing ‘hard’ every minute that is. Not heard
I realize most of you have moved on from the brief “Flip Sucks” interlude there but I’ve been stuck doing belated spring cleaning for a couple of days there so forgive me for bringing this back up…
ME, the problem is that Larry Brown WOULDN’T have credibility with this Piston’s squad. He’s used that up here on the way out of town. I’m VERY happy for the Championship he gave me as a fan but Larry’s window in Detroit was closed willfully, knowlingly and forever. Ask Isiah how long Bill Davidson’s memory is.
It takes some combination of technical skill, personal credibility AND leadership skills to succeed as a coach in the NBA…in fact one could argue that the technical side is the least important of the lot since plenty of coaches historically have won more on moxy and personality management (see Daly, Chuck and Riley, Pat) than any sort of “technical expertise”. With this team Larry wouldn’t have any credibility left, nor would he be welcomed as a leader anymore. Otoh I wouldn’t rule out him signing to coach a young contender deeper into the playoffs at some point in the future….it just WILL NOT EVER be Detroit.
One of the reason’s I’m not in favor of firing Flip is BECAUSE there are no available candidates who would automatically be better except Larry. There are SEVERAL good technical coaches out there on the market, but it takes a giant set of nads to take over a championship roster with oddles of veteran experience/personal pride. Flip doesn’t have them, but neither do the Van Gundy brothers and after the way he pee’d on the floor until Davidson let him leave……neither does Larry Brown.
As for Jarvis Hayes, how the hell can this even still be a discussion?
Carlos Delfino asked to be traded and therefore was traded. He was never an option to back Prince up this season by HIS OWN CHOICE.
Jarvis Hayes is not Ronald Dupree. Prior to the aquiring of Jarvis Hayes, the person most likely to see mins at SF when Prince was on the bench was Ronald Dupree.
How can anyone POSSIBLY need any more explaination than that? Seriously?
Also, for those of you who were hoping Affalo was going to take all the other mins at SF…..A) he’s 6′5″ and has never played a game under NBA rules in his life…what if he sucks? B) Just because Tay is on the court doesn’t mean he’s playing 3. Flip goes small (too) often and Tay often moves to 4 in those cases… meaning we’re talking about more than 12 mins to go around here. C) Injuries, blah blah blah.
Honestly I’m just not getting the people upset about this. He cost almost nothing, he’s a former #10 overall draft pick and by ALL acounts still has some potential left (okay all acounts not named Pradamaster), we had a need at both SF and 3 point shooting in backup roles, he’s not Ron Dupree AND THE MAN’S HEAD IS SHAPED LIKE A BULLET, therebye prompting the loveable nickname “Bullethead”. What is not to love? What’s the worse case scenario here, we suck at SF when Prince leaves? We made the ECF with that same problem last year.
Someone mentioned his free-throw shooting. Yeah, that may be a plus if he ever freaking to the line. He like shooting long jumpers and he sucks at it, I don’t see how he’s helping the second unit much. That said, it’s much better to have him around than to let Prince die by running around for 44 minutes in the playoffs. If he can spell him for 10 minutes or so and not embarrass himself, I’ll be happy.
And E-Double, yeah, it’s one thing to have a bench that can just hold the fort, but the championship year, we had a pretty fearsome second unit. Corliss and Okur were insanely good options off the bench, and James and Hunter, while offensively limited, just smothered other teams’ secondary backcourts. The prospect of having options like that makes me grin like a moron, but we don’t have that kind of depth anymore and we haven’t for a while. I love our young talent, but I’m not sure that they’re ready for that kind of contribution yet, besides Maxiell.
I’d be okay with not being on a mission to get the first seed this year. It’s cursed man, the teams that net it haven’t been in the Finals for about 5 years, although that’s been our fault about 3 times (there was only one year that we haven’t been expected to move on to the Finals though). It may be better for Saunders to sacrifice a few wins by letting the kids take some lumps, but the team will probably be better for it in the end.
Point well-taken, PG4L, however I refuse to believe that there are no candidates that wouldn’t do better than Flip as Pistons coach. That being said, I’m going to do my due dilligence & come up with some viable candidates for future posts.
My frustation and impatience stems from seeing a very talented team underachieve for a second consecutive year in a seemingly unconcerned manner (with the exception of McDyess) but I’m sure we all share that sentiment to some degree..
I just don’t see Hayes being productive on this team under current leadership. But I do hope for the best.
Could it be possible that the reason we still have Flip is because the wnba season is going and Bill Laimbeer is coaching. Thats more of a hope then a dream. Anyways I think if two months into the season (unless theres injuries) Stuckey isnt seeing 15 mins, max isnt seeing 15 mins and amir isnt seeing 10 mins, then Saunders is canned. He can go coach the gophers so he can use zone again. Laimbeer I would love to have coach since hes a guy that will light a fire under someones ass and thats what this team needs.
And to be actually on topic: Signing Hayes? Solid. With this signing we all of a sudden have a deep bench. With Nazr starting, our first guard off the bench last season is now the last player off the bench (Flip).
“More of a hope then a dream?” Damn I got to stop posting at 2:30 am.
@Matt Gibson…
I’ve often thought about which player Laimbeer would have the most effect on as coach. Up until right now, I’ve always thought Rasheed Wallace would FLOURISH under a passionate ex NBA player and a passionate coach like Laimbeer. Someone who really understands where ‘Sheed is coming from.
…However. Then I can see Laimbeer looking at his roster, and deciding– “Rasheed, you play the 5. No questions asked. You’re a hair taller than I am, and only 10 pounds lighter than I was. You can handle the pressure, so get your ass in the Center position.”
Am I crazy in thinking this? I could see the two absolutely connecting, they’ve got so much in common- but I can totally envision Bill pushing ‘Sheed to the 5 spot because of his own experience there. We know ‘Sheed doesn’t like to mix elbows at the 5.
That aside, what do all of you fine DBB readers think that Laimbeer could do with this team? How could he improve? What changes would he make? How would he make this team better? =)
As possibly the only person on this blog who’s ever SEEN Shock games (4 of them to be exact), I’ll offer that he calls timeouts and makes adjustments the moment the other team gets on a sustained run. The media makes alot of noise about how “tough” he is on the Shock but just watching a couple of their WNBA games makes it clear that he’s a better technical coach than whoever is opposing him. Mind you we ARE talking the WNBA here…. so umm that may not be saying much. However I can assure you that when Bill calls timeouts its for reasons other than “inserting Lindsey Hunter in panic mode while we’re already down by 5″.
That’d be a welcome change right there.
PistonsGirl4Life - I think there are some good coaches in the WNBA. Connecticut Sun coach Mike Thibault was director of scouting for the LA Lakers for 2 of their 80s championships and has coached the USA men’s team in various international tournaments. NBA champion coach Paul Westhead (1980) guides the Phoenix Mercury. Some of the players in the league are also college coaches in the fall (Dawn Staley now and Jen Rizzotti a few years ago). They know Xs and Os in the WNBA.
The Lambs/Sheed mix might work well. I seem to recall Lambs (in his day) shooting a lot of perimeter jumpers as well (they weren’t 3’s then) Buddha/Dantley/Aguirre did most of the inside work.
I think that there is a mutual respect factor that would go a long way.
“A) he’s 6′5″ and has never played a game under NBA rules in his life…what if he sucks?”
Good point. Let’s play someone who has proven that he sucks. Eliminate the doubt factor. We certainly needed a backup SF. But backup-caliber wings are a dime a dozen, so much though that we have let two of them go in the past two years at the behest of Carlos Delfino.
The San Antonio Spurs are a pretty good excuse for not having 2-4 rings since ‘03.
Kevin, I just don’t think you’re being fair. Jarvis Hayes is a credible NBA player. Affalo is a SG trying to become a part time SF in the NBA for the first time. The move is obviously about insuring there’s enough depth if any one option doesn’t work out. There is no way you can tell me that you’re sure Affalo is ready to play right now, whereas I can prove to you that Jarvis Hayes plays NBA games.
Your ichor makes very little sense in relation to how minor this move is.
Watching Flip fail at adjustments and sideline direction is pretty horrible. To be fair, we don’t have a horrible coach, but for a team that has enough to go the whole way and come out on top, we really don’t have a brilliant coach to match.
He’s got all those plays, but he doesn’t know how or when to use them. He’s like Rain Man or something. I’d like Flip as an assistant. I dislike him as a head coach.
I’m looking deeper at Jarvis Hayes stats (regular + 82games.com) and here are a few things I see…
Positives -
Excellent effective FG%
Low turnovers
Negatives -
Wizards were worse defensively and offensively with Hayes on the court
Now maybe the Wizards were worse because A) Hayes was replacing Caron Butler who was an inside player and B) His outside game duplicates Arenas. I think Tayshaun’s role in the Detroit offense fits Hayes better than Caron Butler’s role in the Wizards offense. I don’t think Hayes is going to be a change of pace type reserve, he’ll be more of a continuity reserve. I think if Hayes looks around the league he can see examples in Raja Bell and Bruce Bowen to follow that would allow him to play and play well for another decade in the league if he stays healthy.
who couldn’t see a “small” lineup of Billups, Stuckey, Afflalo, Hayes and Prince?
fun and gun?
err… not Hayes…
swap Hayes and move Prince to the 4, and Max to the 5.
quick defenders, Prince and Max available alley oop slams… I could see this lineup possibly working against PHX
fun and gun?
and defensive troubling..lol
Low turnovers are a plus, but that’s partly because he didn’t handle the ball much. Arenas, Butler, Jamison, and even Daniels did the heavy lifting for ball handling for the Wizards, so it’d be hard for a player like Hayes (who rarely had to handle the ball) to accumulate turnovers.
His EFG% is okay but not killer. The NBA hotzones page shows that he’s a putrid midrange shooter, and it indicates that having him chucking 3s is actually the better percentage shot. One of the criticisms levied against him is his poor ball handling, which is probably why he ends up taking so many long jumpers. I think the stat more indicative of his offensive prowess is his TS% (combines shooting percentages and free throws to form a measure of shooting percentage, basketballreference.com uses it), which has been way below league average his entire career, and it’s mostly because he never gets to the line.
More troublesome is his 82games position page, which has him yielding a 20.3 PER to opposing small forwards. I don’t consider opponent PER a holy grail or anything, but that’s awful for someone with a solid defensive rep (it basically means an average small forward has an All-Star night against him). joejoejoe also didn’t mention how bad his plus minus was, -8.1 points, which is nearly enough to offset Arenas’ +8.9. There are reasons for why his +/- wouldn’t be great. He’s replacing a much better player in Butler, for one. But still, he’s playing against backups and losing that much ground, that’s not a good sign.
Throwing away all the stats, I really hope Hayes succeeds here. He was a lottery pick and probably a deserving one, and his career has been fraught with injuries which have kept him from being consistent (Kander/Satan can help with that). Players who struggled in their first team have sometimes blossomed with a change of scenery (Boris Diaw, Drew Gooden, Tyson Chandler, Gerald Wallace), and I’m hoping something similar will happen here.
Where hopes take dream, there shall we find a worthy backup.
Go bullethead, go