Archive for the 'From the news' Category

More background on Hunter’s legal problems

Published by Matt Watson on August 27, 2008 in From the news. 16 Comments

Dave Dial at MLive’s Full-Court Press has unearthed a little more background on Lindsey Hunter’s brush with the FBI, finding alleged victim Bruce McClellan’s personal account of the story at FlippingFrenzy.com.

McClellan describes every step of what went down, and it’s worth pointing out that Hunter seemed to have a hands off approach in the early going, at least in terms of apparently never meeting McClellan face-to-face until after months after the purchase was consummated. Hunter did add McClellan to one of his bank accounts, but even that was done over the phone:

On March 30, 2007, Ivan Johnson called to tell me that he needed me to meet him at LaSalle Bank in Farmington Hills, MI, where it was necessary for me to add my name to Lindsey and Ivy (wife) Hunter’s bank account. When I asked why my name was being added to Lindsey’s account, Ivan told me that this was necessary so it appeared to the bank that I had more money than I really did, which would help me qualify for the loan. When I asked Ivan why Lindsey wasn’t worried about adding me to his personal account, Ivan told me that Lindsey knew that I was an honest person and that I would never attempt to steal from him (which of course was true—I would never steal money from anyone).

Ivan Johnson and I went to the bank together where Ivan called Lindsay Hunter on his phone. Lindsey spoke to LaSalle Bank employee Shatha Atcho-Salmu, and from what I could hear of the conversation, it was obvious that they knew each other. Anyway, with the assistance of LaSalle Bank’s Shatha Atchoo-Salmu, and without Lindsey Hunter or his wife Ivy Hunter present, I signed my name onto Lindsey and Ivy’s account, which I was told Lindsey had authorized.

When the house didn’t sell and McClellan grew antsy, he demanded to meet Hunter in person — and as far as I can tell, this was the first time McClellan actually met Hunter in person:

A few days later, Ivan called and told me that Lindsey had invited me to a Detriot Pistons home basketball game for the day of October 24, 2007. After being treated like a VIP in a private suite during the game, Lindsey, Ivan and I went to an upscale restaurant in Bloomfield Hills (MI), where Lindsey proceeded to tell me that everything for the real estate investment deal was in great shape—he reconfirmed that they had a buyer lined up and ready to buy the house from us for $2.1 Million—and that he wasn’t going to do me wrong or get me involved in any illegal activities. Lindsey even went as far as to tell me that he was financially set for the rest of his life, he wanted to make me and Ivan millionaires within the next one to two years, and that he wanted to make me a partner in L&I Enterprises, LLC.”

I recommend reading the entire article, but bear in mind it’s completely one-sided. We still don’t know Hunter’s version of events, and we probably won’t until the investigation is complete. Even though this side of the story is coming directly from McClellan, who makes no attempt to hide his belief that Hunter has wronged him, Ivan Johnson, the business partner who found McClellan and walked him through every step of the process, comes across as more culpable. Time will tell.

The FBI is investigating Lindsey Hunter

Published by Matt Watson on August 25, 2008 in From the news. 21 Comments

Lindsey Hunter has bigger fish to fry than simply deciding if he’s going play next year. From Crain’s Detroit Business:

So far, Wayne County investigators consider him a victim, with someone else serving as what they describe as “a mastermind.” The FBI, on the other hand, according to sources close to its investigation, has him as its main focus and as a leading participant in at least two possibly fraudulent deals that went awry.

To Bruce McClellan of Waterford Township, a boiler operator with the Pontiac Schools, there is no doubt about Hunter’s role.

McClellan said he is cooperating with the FBI investigation and told the agency that he was a willing but naïve straw buyer in the purchase in April 2007 of a home at 1718 Morningside Way in Bloomfield Hills for $1.25 million, a home that is back on the market now for $780,000.

McClellan thinks it started when his near-perfect credit became known to a lifelong friend, Iron Johnson. Not long after Johnson sold McClellan a car at Golling Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Bloomfield Township, Johnson approached him with a possible business deal.

In the deal, Johnson also involved his business partner, Hunter. The two are principals in Southfield-based L&I Enterprises, a limited liability corporation formed in 2006, according to the Michigan Department of Labor.

“They ran my credit through and were jumping up and down. They said ‘We’re going to make you a millionaire,’ and they’d get back to me. Two months later, they called and said, ‘We’ve got a great deal for you. Lindsey wants you to purchase a house for a friend.’ ”

You really need to read the entire article, and even then it’s a little confusing what happened and why. According to documents filed with the state of Michigan, L & I Enterprises is a “real estate investment company.”

Hunter’s attorney has responded by saying that Hunter was strictly a silent partner in L & I Enterprises, but that doesn’t seem to jive with McClellan’s recollections … or the bank records. McClellan only makes $36,000 a year but was able to qualify for a $1.25 million mortgage through direct help from Hunter:

On March 30, 2007, Lindsey and his wife, Ivy, added McClellan to a bank account they had at LaSalle Bank, according to a bank document. Twelve days later, McClellan signed the loan-disclosure documents.

McClellan’s attorney, Michael Smith of Sterling Heights-based Michael J. Smith & Associates P.C., said he assumes McClellan was added to the account so a credit report would show more assets than he actually had.

I’m sure there’s more to the story than what’s been reported, and unfortunately for Hunter, I’m guessing we won’t hear his side until this investigation is complete. That may take a while, because this isn’t the only investment the FBI is looking at. From Crain’s:

Anthony Barbour, owner of a Utica-based business, Fireside Heating & Cooling, is also cooperating with the FBI in another deal involving Hunter and Johnson. He told Crain’s he would discuss his case with the approval of his attorney, but the attorney declined.

Stay tuned — I’m guessing this story won’t be going away for a while.

Joe Dumars thinks he’s done for the summer

Published by Matt Watson on August 25, 2008 in From the news. 14 Comments

Keith Langlois interviewed Joe Dumars last week, and several of the questions centered on the lack of expected turnover this summer. From Pistons.com:

KL: We’re a little more than a month out from when training camp will open. I know the Rip Hamilton-Jerry Stackhouse trade happened late, but are we getting kind of close to the window closing and you say we’re going to training camp with who we’ve got or are we already at that point?

JD: I think that I would be very surprised if anyone called at this point to offer the type of deal I was open to and had been open to doing. I don’t expect that call. So therefore, I expect us to go to war, if you will, with the guys we have on this roster we have right now, with the 14 guys we have now. And I say that just because I don’t expect to hear from anyone at this point about the size of the deal we were talking about doing.

If the right deal never materialized, I can’t blame Dumars for refusing the pull the trigger. That said, I also can’t help but wonder if the bar was set too high. Everyone overvalues their own players, it’s a fact of life. You and I do it in fantasy sports, and I’m sure Dumars does it in real-life.

I know the dangers involved of doing a trade for the sake of doing a trade, but honestly, what’s really so wrong about a lateral move? If this team’s biggest problem is a sense of complacency (I’m not convinced, but that’s the company line), isn’t there something to be said for disrupting the status quo?

Ratliff returns to Philly

Published by Matt Watson on August 19, 2008 in Former Pistons and From the news. 126 Comments

From Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

According to a source familiar with the situation, the 6-foot-10 Ratliff has accepted a one-year contract for the veterans’ minimum of $1.4 million.

At Monday’s press conference to announce the signing of Andre Iguodala, Sixers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski said he hoped to have a big man in place “within 48 hours,” but would not elaborate further.

Ratliff, 35, had offers for more money, but the source said he would prefer playing for the Sixers.

Did he really have other offers? Or is this source simply trying to repair Ratliff’s wounded rep? Either way, I’m happy to see Ratliff found a new home. He proved last year he still had something left in the tank and should be a good mentor for Marreese Speights.

Pistons release 2008-09 schedule

Published by Matt Watson on August 6, 2008 in From the news. 185 Comments

The NBA released its schedule today. Just like last year, the Pistons need their A-game early: their first 12 games will feature eight road games, including a trip out West and a home/away set with the Celtics.

All in all there are 14 nationally-televised games, though that doesn’t yet include any NBA TV games that will presumably be added to the slate later. If you’re an out-of-towner without NBA League Pass, clear your schedule from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1 — the Pistons will have five out of their seven games in that stretch on national TV.

The Celtics, by comparison, will play under the bright lights of the national stage 25 times, but the Pistons should be happy they’re not the Pacers, Bobcats, Timberwolves, Knicks or Kings, who won’t have a single game on a national stage all season.

Also worth noting: the official schedule at Pistons.com currently says that the 2/27 game against the Magic will be played in Washington DC and the 4/15 game against the Heat will be played in Dallas. Has the league suddenly embraced neutral sites? No. I’m told this is just a glitch. Those games will be played in Orlando and Miami, respectively. (Update: the schedule has been fixed.)

(Another update: Henry Abbott proposes a conspiracy theory regarding the “neutral site glitch:”

So, what is with the weird neutral site thing? Is this some kind of surprise that is going to be sprung on us with much fanfare as the season draws near?

Furthering the intrigue, check out your team’s schedule around those dates. In some cases (but not others), teams will be near their alleged neutral site locations on those dates. For instance, the Magic are in New York on February 25, and Philadelphia on February 28. A game in D.C. on February 27 would make a lot of sense, and that’s what the original schedule said. (Now it has Dwight Howard and company flying all the way down to Orlando in between.)

Hmmm. For what it’s worth, Detroit’s schedule at the end of February is @ Miami on the 24th, @ New Orleans on the 25th, @ “Orlando” on the 27th and @ Boston on March 1. Logistically speaking, it would make sense for the Pistons to work their way up the coast to Boston by stopping in DC. I still doubt this will actually happen, but I suppose we shouldn’t completely close the book on it.)

I may take a longer look at the schedule sometime in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here it is:

October
Wed 29 vs Indiana 8:00pm

November
Sat 01 vs Washington 7:30pm
Mon 03 @ Charlotte 7:00pm
Wed 05 @ Toronto 7:00pm
Fri 07 @ New Jersey 7:30pm
Sun 09 vs Boston 6:00pm
Tue 11 @ Sacramento 10:00pm
Thu 13 @ Golden State 10:30pm
Fri 14 @ LA Lakers 10:30pm ESPN
Sun 16 @ Phoenix 8:00pm
Wed 19 vs Cleveland 7:30pm
Thu 20 @ Boston 8:00pm TNT
Sun 23 vs Minnesota 6:00pm
Wed 26 vs New York 8:00pm
Fri 28 vs Milwaukee 8:00pm
Sun 30 vs Portland 3:00pm

Continue reading ‘Pistons release 2008-09 schedule’

Kwame Brown speaks

Published by Matt Watson on August 6, 2008 in From the news and Transactions. 35 Comments

As mentioned by several readers in the comments of a previous post, Kwame Brown spoke to reporters on Tuesday during an introductory conference call. If you’ve already made up your mind about his signing, nothing he says in August will change your mind, but at the very least he deserves credit for knowing how to say all the right things.

The Freep, News and MLive all came through with a recap of the conversatin, but for the most bang for your reading buck, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com has the longest, most comprehensive collection of quotes.

On Brown not caring what role he plays:

“I’m just happy to be a Detroit Piston,” he said. “I think a lot of things will be answered once we start playing. I’m not concerned about playing time, not concerned if I start. That’s the coaches’ job. I just have to get myself the best prepared as I can.”

On his commitment to defense:

“I can’t speak for Mr. Dumars, but I definitely hope he sees in me what a lot of people don’t see,” he said. “A lot of people don’t take pride in their defense and don’t tip their hat to guys that go out and stick their nose in there and play hard on defense. I think I’ve been one of the underrated defensive players in the league. I think on this team I’ll have a chance to shine and that’s exactly what this team needs. Every team doesn’t need a big guy that plays defense and runs the court, but this team happens to have that gap in the size they need.”

On not living up to expectations early in his career:

“I can sit here and spill out all kinds of stuff, injuries or what have you,” Brown said for the reasons his career has stalled. “But I’m not going to do that. The past is the past. I’m not going to disrespect my new organization by saying anything that sounds like an excuse. This is a first for me – I was able to pick and choose from a couple of different teams. This is where I wanted to go and this is where I decided to be and this is my home now.”

On dealing with adversity and making the most of his new situation:

“I’ve heard it all. I’ve been through it all. I’m only 26, but I’ve been through things the average man couldn’t imagine. Your shortcomings play out in the media and get blown up tenfold, but whatever you can say negative about Kwame Brown, everybody who’s met me hasn’t had that opinion. Those people don’t know me. Those people haven’t sat down and broken bread with me.

“I’m in the best situation ever. I’m in a situation now where no one is expecting nothing. I came into the league the No. 1 draft pick. Now I’m on the different end of the spectrum.”

Walter Herrmann will in fact return

Published by Matt Watson on August 1, 2008 in From the news and Transactions. 147 Comments

We asked the question yesterday, and the Detroit Free Press confirms the answer today: Walter Herrmann agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Pistons.

He’ll presumably serve as the primary backup small forward, though if the playoffs are any indication, I imagine we’ll occasionally see three guards on the floor with Chauncey Billups at the one, Rodney Stuckey at the two and Rip Hamilton sliding over as the de facto three. I’d really like to see what Walter Sharpe brings to the table, but he may end up bouncing between the inactive list and the D-League.

In any case, I’m glad to see Herrmann will get another chance. He has an interesting skillset, and no matter what you think his ceiling is, he’s always one of the most active players on the court. Oh, and his hands are ginormous, which should appease all the people complaining about Kwame Brown’s digits.

Plaisted and Washington head to Europe

Published by Matt Watson on July 31, 2008 in 2008 Draft, Contracts and From the news. 10 Comments

We knew from the start that one of the reasons the Pistons drafted Trent Plaisted and Deron Washington was because they were willing to start their professional careers overseas. Well, it’s happening. Plaisted will spend 2007-08 in Italy. From Daily Herald, a newspaper in Provo, UT:

The former BYU center, who forfeited his final year of college eligibility, has signed a one-year contract with a top-level Italian team, Angelico Biella (also known as Pallacanestro Biella.)

The industrial town of Biella, which has about 40,000 residents, sits at the base of the Alps and has no soccer team.

“So they’re into their basketball,” Plaisted told the Daily Herald on Wednesday while vacationing in Idaho. “I guess I don’t know for sure, but the plan right now is that I will play a lot.”

[…] “I was on board (with going to Europe),” Plaisted said. “I’m lucky. The team I’m going to is a Division I (also known as Serie A) team that knows my situation and they’re going to allow me to develop and do those things I need to do to improve so I can go back to the Pistons. There’s great competition, and I’m really excited.”

Exact terms of the deal weren’t reported, but I’m guessing he’ll actually end up making more than if he stayed in the states.

Plaisted said the contract details look even better when considering the tax credit and exchange rate.

“I’m not breaking the bank,” he said. “But it’s a good contract.”

All Plaisted will be responsible for is food, gas and cell phone. The rest is taken care of by the team, plus he’ll be given six round-trip airline tickets.

Washington has yet to sign a contract, but the Pistons are helping him find a team. From Pistons.com:

The Pistons have been working with Washington’s agent and using their network of European contacts to secure the best situation possible for him and hope to land him with a team in either Italy or Spain soon. Before Washington has to leave for abroad, they hope can take part in some or all of the three weeks of voluntary workouts Michael Curry has scheduled in Auburn Hills for August.

“We sit down (with his European coaches) and say these are the things we think he needs to develop so in time he can come back – that’s the idea,” Perry said. “And it’s important that he has coaches who have shown the willingness and the ability to develop guys. It’s also important that he has the opportunity to play. It makes no sense if he’s not going to get minutes on the floor. That will be an integral part of where he’s going as will the living situation. You want him to have the opportunity to be in a place where he’ll enjoy living a little bit because that will be a part of the adjustment.”

Did Walter Herrmann just re-sign with the Pistons?

Published by Matt Watson on July 31, 2008 in From the news and Rumors. 46 Comments

Walter Herrmann recently gave an interview with DiarioDemocracia.com, which appears to be a Spanish-language news site. If there are any Spanish-speaking readers out there, I’d like a little help with this passage:

Consultado sobre su negativa a integrar la Selección Nacional que participará de los juegos olímpicos de Beijin, comentó: “Básicamente porque no tenía contrato con la NBA. Recién ayer arreglé mi continuidad por una temporada con los Pistons de Detroit.

According to Google Translate, it says:

Consulted on their refusal to integrate the National Selection to participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing, said: “Basically because it had no contract with the NBA. Just yesterday arranged my continuity for a while with the Detroit Pistons.

Machine-generated translations are always confusing, but it seems to say that he’s not playing for Argentina’s national team because he didn’t have an NBA contract when the team was selected, but that he re-signed with the Pistons yesterday. (The article is timestamped July 29, so I’m guessing the interview took place the 28th, which means “yesterday” would mean Sunday. Or something like that.) A reader on the Pistons.com message board confirms this:

I read the article in Spanish and it plainly states (quoting Hermann) that he signed a contract yesterday to return to play for Detroit. No other details were provided.

Can anybody from DBB nation confirm the confirmation with their own word for word translation?

Update: Cisco comes through in the comments:

My Spanish is a little iffy (I’m a Portuguese speaker), but roughly translated, asked why he did not want to take part in the games, Herrmann says: “Basically, because I didn’t have an NBA contract. Just yesterday I arranged to play for one more season with the Detroit Pistons.”.

Kwame Brown, Pistons agree to two-year deal

Published by Matt Watson on July 28, 2008 in From the news and Transactions. 286 Comments

From ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:

Brown’s agent, Mark Bartlestein, told ESPN.com on Monday night that the former No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft has reached a verbal agreement on a new contract with the Detroit Pistons.

The contract is believed to be a two-year deal worth $8 million, with Brown — who spent his first four seasons as a pro in Washington after being drafted by then-Wizards president Michael Jordan — holding a player option to return to free agency after this season.

This is a move that should make Pistons fans happy. Yes, Brown was a bust when taken first overall, and, sure, he may have been overpaid the last three years. But $8 million over two years? For a legitimate center with underrated defensive skills?

Yeah, I’ll take that any day of the week, especially considering if Brown proves to be worth half a damn he’ll almost certainly opt-out after this season in search of a better deal. He made $9.1 million last year alone — one solid season with a team that actually knows how to play defense may be all he needs to convince some team out there to give him that kind of money once again.

Brown missed a lot of time last year with various leg ailments (bursitis, sprained knee and ankle, etc), but nothing Arnie Kander can’t cure before breakfast. It’ll be interesting to see if this move was made to set up another transaction (Rasheed Wallace just became a tiny bit more expendable) or whether the Pistons simply thought the price was right. Either way, I won’t be surprised to see Brown enter the starting lineup next year averaging 20-25 minutes a night, with Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell and (in the right matchups, at least) Amir Johnson filling in the rest of the time.

Where does Theo Ratliff fit in? At the moment, I don’t think he does, unless he’s willing to endure long streaks of DNP-CD’s in hopes of being dusted off for the playoffs. Or, maybe he goes the PJ Brown route, sitting out most of the year before hitching his wagon onto whatever contender needs help — we’ll have to wait and see.

(hat-tip: Kay Wan, who broke the news on DBB in the comments)

Update: Random factoid — this move shouldn’t be terribly surprising considering the team’s solid working relationship with Mark Bartelstein, who also represents Lindsey Hunter, Will Bynum, Trent Plaisted and (former Piston) Ronald Dupree, not to mention Devean George. (Also, PJ Brown, ironically enough.)

Update: Laughton notes in the comments:

Joe is a genius. Seriously. Does this not seem like a familiar scenario? Former high pick, underachieved and unable to stick with a team, comes to Detroit and finally lives up to potential.

And a former Wizard, to boot.

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