These are the dudes the Pistons apparently want. Should they want them? See below, where I analyze these dudes.
- Ben Gordon
Why I like it: The Pistons desperately need outside shooting to beat the zone, and Ben Gordon provides that. He can come off the bench as part of a three guard rotation, and take the heat of Rodney Stuckey. Derrick Rose clearly benefited from playing alongside Gordon last year, and the same should hold true here.
At 26, Gordon should be in peak form long enough to help the Pistons win a title, and could be the key to converting to a more uptempo game.
Why I hate it: Gordon's ability to defend the two spot is questionable at best. While Gordon should be fine coming of the bench in spurts, Rip Hamilton obviously is not. I would have to think this would be the first domino to fall in a busy summer for the Pistons should he wind up here.
- Charlie Villanueva
Why I like it: At age 24, Charlie V. quietly put together a breakout season, scoring 24 points per 40 minutes. He's also an underrated rebounder, who can hit the three and hit free throws. In other words, he's a bit like the guy he would be replacing. Villanueva still carries baggage from a draft in which he was excoriated by scouts for a lackluster attitude. As such, he is likely to come at a bargain price.
Why I hate it: Some of that baggage is deserved, and he is notoriously terrible defender, which results in a high foul rate that keeps him off the court. While a jump in productivity is not unheard of at age 24, it was a contract year from a guy regarded as a flake. Also, the last time the Pistons had an oddball power forward who averaged 16 ppg at the 4, he drowned.
- Hedo Turkoglu
Why I like it: Hedo was a key component of the Magic's fairy-tale run to the championship. He can knock down threes, can play the four or the five, and is a good passer for his size.
Why I hate it: Let me put it this way. Hedo and the Magic were made for each other. With the possible exception of Portland, no team could be a better match for his skill set. And he still wasn't that good, sporting a paltry 14.82 PER on 41% shooting. Not a problem for a guy seeking the MLE, but Turk turned down $35 million over four years. Pass.
- David Lee
Why I like it: David Lee is a flatly outstanding rebounder who can generate offense for himself solely by hanging around the rim. His defense, while uninspired, exceeds his reputation. While players like Lee tend to get overpaid, the Knicks are not keen to re-sign him, which means he could be had at a reasonable price. $36 million for four years? I'm buying at that price. Lee had the highest PER of any free agent during the 2008-09 season.
Why I hate it: The PER is at its worst when measuring great rebounders who are not great defenders. The fact of the matter is that every missed shot results in a rebound. Someone's going to get that rebound, and if you play on a team that is not inclined to chase down the ball. If Lee is such an astonishing rebounder, why was his team one of the worst rebounding teams in basketball? In fact, three of the four worst rebounding teams featured players (Kaman, Camby, Biedrins and Lee) who are regarded for their rebounding.
- Marcin Gortat
Why I like it: He's a true center, and he isn't Kwame Brown. Also, he seems to be a good basketball player. In limited minutes, he has shown himself to be a good rebounder and good defender.
Why I hate it: I think he's going to be overpriced. There is a built-in risk signing a guy whose only role was spot duty for Dwight Howard. Sure he grabbed rebounds. Who else was going to with Howard on the bench? Marcin Gortat for $4 million per year? Worht the risk. Marcin Gortat for $8 million per year? Echoes of Calvin Booth.
- Paul Millsap
Why I like it: Millsap has always shown signs of being a real talent. This year, he demonstrated that he is, in fact, a real talent. His string of double-doubles in Carlos Boozer's absence were impressive. He's a tough defender who won't hesitate to mutilate. He shares Jason Maxiell's culinary affinity for infants.
Why I hate it: Speaking of Jason Maxiell... Is Paul Millsap that much better? I'm not so sure, and I'm not interested in paying $50 million to find out. The truth is that Millsap's asking price accords with his full potential. Sometimes, you have to take that risk, but Millsap has yet to prove he can stay on the court. If we're going to hold that against our present talent, shouldn't we factor that in to our free agent signings?
- Marvin Williams
Why I like it: An under the radar free agent, on account of his restricted status, Marvin Williams has registered two consecutive seasons of substantial improvement. Once regarded as a bust, Williams has become an effective mid-range shooter who is capable of getting to the line, and has only recently added a three point shot to his repetoire. At age 23, there is still some upside here, and Williams could be had at a bargain. Plus, unlike most possibilities listed here, Williams is a solid defender.
Why I hate it: We have two wing players who can play defense and have solid mid-range games. Plus, since Williams is restricted, we'll have to deal with the headache of waiting for Atlanta's gonzo leadership posse to make a decision as to whether to match. Plus, Williams is inconsistent enough that last year's uptick could be seen as a contract year ploy for more cash.
- Leon Powe
Why I like it: Powe has demonstrated all-star talent, which comes at a bargain-basement price out of concern for his knees. We would be taking away the Celtics' insurance policy, further cementing their demise.
Why I hate it: Does he suffer injuries, or does he just wear out? If the latter, then he is almost useless in building a championship roster. Also, the arrival of Kevin Garnett seemed to cast a weird spell on the team's role players. I'm not sure we can replicate that magic here.
- Trevor Ariza
Why I like it: Trevor Ariza is magic!
Why I hate it: No he isn't. Ariza has demonstrated that he deserves a starting job somewhere. Key rotation player on a championship team isn't a bad second best. But Tayshaun Prince is better than Trevor Ariza, and we didn't store up cap room to make a series of semi-lateral moves. Let's just admire the dude from afar, okay?