This is very interesting/encouraging: the Carlos Delfino interview that got everyone talking yesterday appears to be a great big non-story. One of the members of PistonsForum.com is a University of Michigan professor specializing in Argentina, and he tracked down the original interview published in Clarin, one of the two major daily newspapers for Buenas Aires, the nation's capital. He provided a more literal translation of the original text, which doesn't seem nearly as negative. Check it out. (Big thanks to PF.com moderator LanierFan, who told DBB about the new translation.)
As you'd expect, both the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press report the non-story in today's editions. Both papers are running quotes from Pistons VP John Hammond, who shot down any chance of Delfino leaving the club early. From the News:
"It's a non-story," Pistons vice president of basketball John Hammond said. "Every international player who plays in the NBA, his first responsibility is to his NBA contract, and his second is to his national team. Every national team is aware of this. A player has never left his NBA team in season to join his national team. It's never happened, and it never will. It would be a breach of contract."
Delfino said recently he plans to join the national team after the Pistons' season is done.
There were other disputed quotes in the FIBA report, as well.
Delfino was quoted as saying about Saunders, "He is so offensive that we forget defense a bit. Saunders is focused very much on attacking, on points. I need to come in and shoot more, but I'm finding it very difficult to get used to the selfish mentality here."
The Pistons are hardly known for their selfish play, and with the third-stingiest defense in the league, it's hard to believe Delfino could find much fault.
Hammond said Delfino was misquoted.
"I don't know how things get lost in translation," Hammond said. "But I know they do."
So there you have it. Now that homecourt advantage has been secured, hopefully by this time tomorrow all we'll be talking about regarding Delfino is how well he played in extended minutes tonight against the Raptors.
A more literal translation [PistonsForum.com]
Delfino stirs things up [Detroit News]