2009-10 NBA preview: Detroit Pistons
No matter what the local spin is, this is a team that is either rebuilding or reloading for anther historic run in the NBA post season. After reaching six straight Eastern Conference Finals the Pistons were swept out of the first round of last year’s playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Over the summer there was much second guessing about the trade that sent Chauncey Billups to Denver for one Allen Iverson. That is a move that clearly did not work, so Piston GM Joe Dumars had to go out and change the way his team is going to play.
The 2009-10 Pistons will not be the Bad Boy Pistons for which Dumars is an alumnus. They will also not be the Defense first team that won the NBA title in 2004. What they will be is left to be seen, but this is a team with a new Head Coach in John Kuester who has a few new weapons in Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. What their roles will be is yet to be known, but this should be a team that scores more points then in years past.
The other big question, this team has is who is going to play center. They have former number one draft pick Kwame Brown, and free agent acquisitions Chris Wilcox and Ben Wallace on the roster. While Wallace was a center piece of the 2004 Championship team, his role now is more than likely one of mentor to Brown and Wilcox. While this team was able to rebuild a young nucleus quickly only time will tell if they can achieve the heights of past Piston teams.
