Is there discord on the Pistons? First it was Ben in Orlando, now it's Delfino:
"I need to come in and shoot more, but I'm finding it very difficult to get used to the selfish mentality here.
"I prefer to pass the ball and here, if you enter for four or five minutes and don't score, you're out of the game."
If there's one thing we've learned recently it's that it's easy for things to be lost in the translation -- no one has ever called the Pistons' style of play "selfish." The above comments were lifted from a Spanish-language interview that was subsequently translated -- until I hear otherwise, I'm writing this off as a 23-year-old who's hailed as a national hero in his home country trying to explain why he's just a little-used (*cough* under-used *cough*) reserve in the NBA.
There are also a few comments from him suggesting he'd like to skip out on the NBA playoffs in order to help Argentina win the FIBA South American Championships (July 10-15), though he admits that it may not happen:
"However, I don't know if I'll be available to play the South American Championships because it would be complicated if Detroit get to the NBA Finals."
Bear in mind, Delfino won a gold medal with Argentina during the last summer Olympics, so you can't fault him for being eager to re-join his national team. And even though he was along for the ride for last year's playoffs, he was forced to watch from behind the bench as Larry Brown left him off the playoff roster. Were he giving the interview to an American news source, I'm guessing his comments wouldn't be construed so strongly in favor of leaving the Pistons and joining Argentina. Or maybe I'm wrong and just saying what I'd like to be true, but I don't think so.
I've had more than a few people point out this article to meAnd thanks to Natalie from Need 4 Sheed, The Microwave from PistonsForum.com and DBB reader Angela for doing so., but for now I'm not going to give it much thought. Perhaps it's my bias for Delfino shining through, but if anything, I think it's my bias for wanting young players to develop and stay in Detroit. I don't want Delfino (or anybody, really) to be happy with a limited role, but as long as he plays hard when his number is called, he can give as many juicy interviews back home as he wants.
Frustrated Delfino wants to make Venezuela trip [FIBA Americas]