Taj Gibson veteran presence is helping the Detroit Pistons | Pistons Talk Podcast

Taj Gibson veteran presence is helping the Detroit Pistons | Pistons Talk Podcast

Yo guys what is going on welcome to Pistons Talk podcast have a very special guest again um apparently we’re twins um that was the comment section I read last time you were on like four months ago like dude you guys related like no we just have beards and wear hats I don’t

Know um close enough but people really enjoyed you uh coming on four months ago um I know we’ve been kind of like communicating back and forth trying to get this get you back on the show happy you the time today but welcome back to the show and uh how about them Pistons

Appreciate it glad to be here them Pistons hurt my heart every day like I know we were talking about a little bit earlier just we knew that the Pistons were gonna lose as soon as that Cade like kind of brick that shot like we knew it like I thought it was gonna

Be Duncan Robinson like I saw him curling off the screen I was just like he’s just going to hit a you know a 35f footer um fact that bam hit a that um like what look all I know is that the second cage shot it I knew it wasn’t going in

And I knew that the heat were going to score probably at the buzzer hold for the last shot when the game not go overtime because that’s just how it’s gone the last 15 years yeah I mean I I like I remember the Matt Barn shot from a few years ago

When he was with the Grizzlies it was like a like for one I sure was like don’t go in don’t go ah [ __ ] that was another one where it’s just like you just sort of know when it leaves his hands it’s going in yeah I mean it was a

Good competitive game I mean I I enjoyed the game thoroughly uh especially because it was the 20 year anniversary of I can’t believe 20 years uh since the Pistons won a a championship so since it has been 20 years I thought what we could do is share maybe a favorite

Memory we have from the going to work 2004 Pistons so uh what was your favorite memory of that Squad I was a young but I was at game four of the finals and I just remember Kobe traveled Kobe got a tech crowds going crazy Pistons just won that

One easily that’s just that’s just burned in my head as is a favorite personal memory but other than just like yeah every moment of that team was just amazing the one moment moment that I I vividly remember because I do remember Carl Malone getting hurt that series

Even though he was like 60 yeah um he was just he was so old him and Gary pton were like both like 40 40 year old uh veterans trying to the ring Chase and it’s funny because the talk going into the series was like oh the super stacked

Lakers team with you know car Malone and Gary Payton and it’s like I mean they they’ played decent this season but like getting old the one memory I have is when Rasheed Wallace um basically got like really pissed off because I think their their backup they had like a European I

Can’t remember his name I think it was like medeno yeah like oh yeah he went off on him yeah so rashed like I I can’t remember which game it I think it was like game two or game three like you know she just I don’t know got pissed he

Said something to him he’s like ah this little [ __ ] can’t guard me and he just like went off like I remember that uh that was probably one of my this the one memory that I just remembered vividly I remember Chanty just dogging Gary Payton like crazy like he could not

Guard him like that man we got spoiled with that roster I know I think the rest of the season during every Pistons game I’m just going to watch a separate 2004 Pistons game and pretend that’s live so I don’t feel the pain that I felt the

Last 15 years with this team oh my god dude it’s been so bad I mean even Isaiah Thomas kind of like took like a uh shot at Tom Gores without actually like talking about him this week I saw that yeah yeah when you get rid of people that actually know the

Game and you know you bring in your own guys this is what happens dumbass yep I saw it yeah uh Chanty clining GP to tune into the the finals uh and being asally recognized that headlines was legendary 100% 100% yep uh I I miss that team every day man um the fact that

Like basically everyone I think outside of rip uh is doing something in basketball right now is actually really cool to see yeah like t i I completely forgot tan was even like in like uh the front office with Memphis but yeah honestly I kind of wish he was here but

Yeah I wish all of them were here but you know just whatever ownership in front office chose to you know we don’t have to dive into that no I mean rip said he wanted to own a team so hey you never know you never know that’ be great

Please rip please no more t-shirts and uh drunk press conferences save us um just give us something to cheer for it’s all we can ask did want to talk about um a a current piston that did did sign a 10day contract and the Pistons have signed him for the remainder of the

Season uh so my question to you is the Taj Gibson experience what have been your your thoughts on him I know he hasn’t played a whole lot but we’ve heard from players like Jaylen dur and James wisman like just his veteran leadership and impact so maybe kind of

Your perspective on on that I love it my first thought when he signed was like all right durren and wisan finally have a big man who can help them you know play basketball properly especially in the defensive end I mean wisman has been solid defensively this year but Duren

Just needs a a vet to help him defensively and wisan needs a vet to help him offensively but I love I mean wiseman’s been playing really well lately um I’m you know I’m sure it’s not all on taj but I’m sure Taj has helped Duran’s been

Better it’s just yeah he he’s the type of vet you want around your team like everybody talks so highly of him uh it’ll be interesting next year if he stays around if he retires if he sort of moves into the coaching staff or what happens there but it just it it can

Never hurt around a young team like this to have a vet like Taj oh I 100% agree it’s it’s kind of funny because the Pistons have a you know quote unquote big man coach I think it’s Mark Bryant who man brought with him from Phoenix and like obviously he’s supposed to you

Know Help The Bigs and I think he he’s done wonders for Jaylen Duran Isaiah even Marvin Bagley this year uh was really good like probably the first year I actually saw Marvin Bagley actually play defense I was like okay okay maybe there’s something there um I think Taj is just

Mentorship particularly with James wisman I I think I saw it right away um because James wisman wasn’t second guessing himself I think a lot of the time this year when he did get the play was he wasn’t really sure whether he should set a pick whether he should just

Score or or whatnot I think he’s kind of given him that confidence to just play his game personally I think you’ve kind of seen that um um to your point defensively yeah like he’s been I don’t even want to get into those conversations because I know how Pistons

Fans are but like he’s kind of been better than Jaylen dur defensively defensively I think he has been all year defensively honestly I I don’t know if that’s a hot take but I I know that the the wisman discourse is weird all around on both sides yeah like I I see

The the pit like the ogs of Piston’s Twitter uh anything James wisman I know it’s going to be negative sure even if he has a good game right um but then you have the the Warriors SL the wisemen like wisman Muse wisman SS accounts where they will run through a brook wall

For this guy and I I I love that yeah but I think there has to be a happy medium where like we can talk about him without it being negative and we can talk about him when he has a good game and when he doesn’t have a bad game it

Doesn’t have to be negative but like he is what he is at this point he’s only 22 and I think some people have kind of capped his ceiling like oh he’s never going to get better he is what he is he’s a bus he’s 22 like chill out yeah I

Mean don’t get me right it’s like it is funny because it’s like earlier in the year I would tweet or not earlier in the year but like midseason I’d be like mcalla needs to be playing right now like stretch the floor especially when assar was coming off the bench and then

You get attacks from from the wisan stands about that but then you’re like all right like I I remember I tweeted at one point I’m like wiseman’s probably been the best or second best big man defender on the Pistons and then you get attacked from the other side but like

You said he’s 22 like he’s he’s been much better as of recently like the first half of the Season it was it was an issue especially playing him with thear but that’s not necessarily on him I mean we could talk about Mr Monty Williams but yeah I don’t

Know I think there’s definitely a happy medium wiseman’s been getting better the last few weeks to a month or two but yeah yeah I mean thank God for TSH I I’d honestly love to see him if he does want to retire to be part of the coaching staff whether that’s just like a

Consultant like kind of like how John beine was or right maybe you replaced Mark Bryant as the big man’s coach because TSH Gibson in a week literally like unlocked James Weisman and kind of tells you like right Pistons fans are right you needed a veteran presence you

Need a veteran big like I don’t know why I mentioned this guy all the time but like when Pistons trade for Anthony Tolliver you immediately saw the veteran presence and impact like that why DOD Gibson’s had that same type of effect even though he hasn’t played yeah um

You’ve kind of just seen like I never saw the bench actually celebrate when we had a three-pointer you got like Troy Brown Jr who doesn’t play gets dnps right for Stanley Amud now um and D Gibson like they’re just like bench mobing over there and having a good time

Yeah I mean it is it’s also frustrating like CU TSH has been great and it’s like we’ve just been begging for like a small move like this to bring like a a solid vet presence in like him especially specifically a big and it’s like you like you said like you already see the

Results in a week or two with Wiseman yeah and again wisan was trending up before that but like it seems like since Taj got here it’s just like completely unlocked his confidence yeah it’s kind of like Amplified it to a point where you’re like if you would have got a big

In the beginning of the year maybe they don’t have 12 wins maybe they’re you know closer to 20 wins maybe they don’t go on a 28 game losing streak because you actually have a a vet that’s vetting nothing against bur or boam but to me I don’t really think their voice in that

Locker room was really you know heard like taj’s voice has been right I don’t know it’s weird some vets have that you know leadership quality where they can yeah you know talk and they’ll listen boad and Burks from what it sounds like with Nick fans they can’t stand

Those I mean it’s a Pistons fans couldn’t stand Burks for half the season and then the other half they’re like oh he can’t miss this is kind of fun let’s get a first round pick for him it is funny yeah we were talking about that earlier but like just how

That trade has turned out for both teams so far you know obviously it’s like Burks and Buon could could really help with the playoff push for the Knicks but we’ll see yeah we we’ll see we’ll see I think the Knicks will still you know go deep in the playoffs but yeah too yeah

Yeah happy for Tage you know Nick Legend Pistons Legend um y honestly seeing him in a Pistons jersey looks more natural than a knck jersey I don’t know why yeah even a BS Jersey he looks better and a knck jersey it just looks for sure right

Right yeah it’s like Ai and a piston Jersey just does not look right yeah yeah no he’s no no um apparently they still sell him at LCA which is wild to me but I mean that’s why they made the trade in the first place yeah New Jersey be selling for another 15 years

Literally because it’s just a name no we were talking about a little bit about James wisman and um you know Taj Gibson the coaching him up obviously he’s a free agent this summer yeah so my question to you is would you bring James wisman back on his qualifying

Offer uh the qualifying offer is you said 15 million 15 15.8 so almost 16 um I would say yes and here’s why like we were talking about the improvement’s definitely there he’s 22 you have a lot of money and there’s not a lot of meaningful free agents out

There um you know it depends on the trade market you can always resend the qualifying offer if like something comes up that makes sense but if there’s really no better option or like a similar option I say yes um I’d like you know obviously if you are going to bring

It back ideally it’d be for a a longer term lower money deal but I don’t mind I mean the Pistons what have 60 million coming up give or take um couldn’t they get to 80 I think it’s down to 55 because of the buyouts um because Shake was actually

Still guaranteed for next season and we bought him out so we’re gonna be paying them like a couple Mill for the next two years but I think it’s like a 55 56 million like around that price point okay I mean nonetheless I think yeah I think it’s worth extending that and I

Obviously you’d like to upgrade that but you can always resend that so but as of now I I don’t see any issue with it and aiming to bring it back on a longer term maybe like a two-year 17 million doll deal that’s probably too high but just spitball in here

I know it’s like you kind of look at the qualifying offer and it’s like 16 million like close to that uh to your point I I would probably like to lock him down if you do want to bring him back right at the end of the day I know

That he’s a fan favor to Troy Weaver um and I know Troy Weaver is very high on him if he’s gonna be here that that’s that that is true I haven’t really seen him at uh Pistons games as a flight since the incident yeah since the incident

Um it it it seems like just kind of like going off of recent contracts with this organization they really like the the three-year deals threee 30 million like the old Marvin baggley three for 36 absolutely not in my head yeah um I I think there’s a price point for

Wisman but I I think when you start getting into the you know the $15 million range even though it would only be for a year for the qualifying um I think the organization would probably want to get him lower for sure yeah no you you wouldn’t

Keep I mean if he accepts the qualifying offer and you don’t resend it because there’s nothing better all good it’s one year whatever I think that he would have a no trade clause at that point right I don’t even know spot track it’s like that’s just what I got I don’t know

If it’s updated yeah um but I I think a price point for him like the organization would probably like around six to maybe 9 million per year would probably be a little bit more friendlier sure yeah and I I think from a standpoint of there hasn’t been a

Whole lot of games for you know wiseman’s agent to point to saying like hey my client deserves you know 15 million a year be like you know he hasn’t really played a lot like this is kind of like a Prov a deal like right prove to us that you know you deserve to

Be here more than uh you know next three years again only 22 years old um right I I think there’s value in keeping him but I could understand if the Pistons decide hey like you know we traded for you we traded sadique Bay for you it just

Hasn’t worked out these you know these last two years yeah um you know we we got rid of Mike mascala to give you more playing time we just don’t feel that you’re you’re ready yet uh good luck I don’t know I I think there’s value keeping him but I also can understand

From other fans perspective of saying like hey you know let’s go get a big man free agency instead right which is fair I mean also it’s like I don’t necessarily trust this front office just in general but especially to negotiate contracts with their own free agents um and that’s like you were

Saying like the Bagley deal no one was was bidding like they were bidding against nobody in that situation they overpaid it if they pay baggley like three million less a year I think he’d be seeing as a pretty good deal and like I know three is not that big of a deal

But like I just so I don’t necessarily trust them to keep Wiseman for a good value even though they should because like you said it should be a pro it deal look if he goes and gets an offer sheet somewhere else that’s bigger than you want a match

Like you let him walk it is it is what it is there are a lot of like decent theoretically free agent backup centers um I bet I bet they’ll make a push at Andre Drummond I it’s funny you say that because I actually have have a

List of like um free agent centers I could put it on the screen uh real quick and you did mention and Drummond yeah and I feel like that’s a name that I would Monitor and I know some fans probably don’t want to hear that I I think he’s a name that the organization

Is familiar with and also worth noting you know Tom Gores is a huge fan of Andre Drummond big fan of Andre Drummond um like I love javel McGee that’s just me just kind of like that that’s presence but I don’t know at at 36 years

Old what what he has left in a tank I really I mean javil might play The Taj Gibson brle if he was you know brought in yeah I mean you look at some of the these are like the top names I mean I feel like hartenstein is probably a name

That I would keep an eye on he’s had such a big role with the Knicks this year and he’s just he’s a good rim protector you could probably get him on the cheap where you’re not like um like really too worried about overpaying him um and you know the Knicks are kind of

Like in cap space hell yeah you could we’ll keep helping them out yeah every summer I’m down would Nick Claxton be be a name you look at because I I know he’s probably the best center out there and I know the center position we we think it’s jayen

Duran’s spot but I mean if he doesn’t start locking in defensively I think you kind of have to entertain like players looking at Claxton I probably wouldn’t this summer look at Claxton I mean I think he’s going to make too much money to justify you know conceivably the

Backup center spot but yeah I mean like you said like I think I would argue that Jaylen duren’s defense of growth is more valuable than Kade taking another step yeah to this team because I mean Kade Kade has Pro I mean you know we don’t have to talk about today but in general

Kade has proven that like he is that guy and he can carry this team he’s been on fire since the All-Star break since he got back from injury um but I think yeah the Pistons need an anchor because that allows you I mean Stu has been that’s probably

Partially why Stu has been starting too um and Duran’s young as hell like he’s got plenty of time but like him taking that next step defensively is the the biggest thing in my opinion that the Pistons need to take another step I I I know we we mentioned

Drummond and I’m sure you were watching games when Drummond was in a second year yeah I think when you look a lot of Pistons fans when they look at Duren and I love Jaylen Duren by the way they they try to come out with these Dwight Howard

Comps and I don’t even think it’s a a fair comp sure to be honest with you because like white Howard was blocking the hell out of shots defensively not a comp no no I it’s think from a build standpoint like you know body types absolutely I could see what business

Fans are coming from but the reason why I mentioned Drummond is you know before Drummond had his back like he had a back injury I think his like second year in the league yeah I mean he was almost blocking a a shot in a half a game um

Like he was a legitimate Rim projector um I don’t know I I feel like Duran’s capable of taking the next step because I’ve seen it in the offensive end this year like from his rookie year to his sophore year I think he’s got a lot better around the rim his free throw

Like you look at his percentage has gone way up it’s almost up to 80% since uh the All-Star break he’s been a beast dude he’s been awesome he’s been amazing it’s just on defensive end of the the floor I don’t know if he’s just going to be a guy where you

Know he can get you your 14 and 12 a night and maybe blackish out a game I’d like him to be more of a rim protector and I know it’s really early in his career he’s only 20 years old right um who’s who’s to say he can’t take that

Next step but usually when guys are in their second year you start to see a little bit of flashes I just really haven’t seen those flashes probably since his rookie year when he was coming off the bench blocking everything I wonder if the ankles have had anything

To do with it like if he’s staying grounded more uh defensively because of that because he keeps landing on people and hurting his ankles just just a thought I don’t know I mean that’s an issue but just that could be part of it 100% I I I think you

Know he’s had ankle braces on uh since he’s come back on both ankles yep because I was looking up because I had no idea like he had like nine MBA injuries and eight of them were ankles I was just like whoa that’s that’s actually kind of alarming it’s why every

Time it happens I’m like can someone please put ankle braces on him and everybody else on the team literally just W him in a bubble but that that that could be reason why he’s not blocking as many shots I I didn’t really consider that I thought his ankles were

You know healthy because he was playing no I think that I think he’s healthy but I think it’s possibly something that he’s like all right like I need to stay a little more grounded to protect that but I don’t know just something I thought about but

It you know he does need to improve on that end for sure but I don’t think you make any decision based on that lack of growth yet yeah I think it’ be wayo keep Aaj Gibson in you know a a backup center who’s a vet who can help

Him 100% or you go out and get someone in free agency that you feel that can maybe you know replace wisman if you want to do that but yeah uh it’s just something because I remember when he was a rookie coming off the bench man he was just like swatting everything like crazy

And it’s just like I don’t know if it’s getting used to playing starting s starter Center minute or to your point it’s just like an ankle thing where maybe the ankles are only like 70% and he’s a little of everything yeah um like I said only 20 years old I

Mean I think he leads the lead in 20 point 20 rebound games at 20 years old he’s got three this season so he is he’s a absolute Beast offensively and on the board so just just that last step of his game yeah like I said there there’s a

Lot of potential there this something that I did want to bring up because I know some people like I get it like you’re a fan of the team but I think sometimes the the opinions or takes we have are we got those rose color glasses on all day like

We can’t criticize these guys are for a hater right or something like that I I don’t know man it’s it’s pretty crazy yeah there there’s a lot of strong opinions positive and negative about every player depending on the day yeah I literally got tagged in uh that jayen

Brown take that I had I think it was under your one of your tweets the other I remember that that comes up a couple times a year that’s a good one that’s a good one oh I was like oh man I’m a dumbass hey wasn’t didn’t majority vote

Drum in there too yeah yeah so it’s it’s not just you but you you showed yourself at least I was like damn yeah uh speaking of you know a player that’s we’re very high on Simone fio yeah uh obviously I think he’s been the Pistons dare I say best player uh

Since the trading deadline give a take he has started 41 games so as a result he’s reached started criteria so his qualifying offer I think was at like 3.1 now it goes up to 5.2 so my question is one what would you offer him in free

Agency and two do you think he’s more of a starter or he’s more of a bench player I am probably biased because I don’t I don’t know why I’m so high in him but I am um like I that was when Troy made the trade I was like oh okay

Troy’s actually making some pretty great moves here and then the rest of the trade deadline comes like what are you doing but with vono I think he’s a starter with this group like I think if you have I mean we’ll see how it plays out that’s why I want assar to

Come back but I I would love to see Cade Ivy assar fanto and Duran and see what that actually looks like um but I would I mean because he just makes life easier for everybody in the starting lineup like he stretches the floor he can tack off the dribble he’s

Not scared to shoot which is good most Knights um defensively he’s totally solid like he’s not I don’t think he’s necessarily an above average defense Defender but he’s totally solid he’s not you know he’s not a traffic cone like the last man we had in his position um but I think he’s a

Starter but I would like to see that starting lineup before free agency and I don’t know that we will because I think even when Asar is back which hopefully he’s all good but I think Monty’s Gonna Keep starting stew who’s also been good and improved lately but I think he’s a

Starter or at the very least should always be playing starter minutes I I I just see that conversation a lot right now um is he a starter because that then you get into like these weird these weird combinations um like do you put assar at

The four do you start Tech at the three um do you have Tech Off the Bench and just you know put assar back into his small forward role and have you know fonio at Power forward and steart Off the Bench right um I personally don’t

Know I think he should be a starter just for spacing purposes and to your point uh he could score at all three levels and I think that’s something that like Pistons don’t really have a whole lot of and nope sure arguably he’s like the second option right now next to Kade

Like Cade looks for him a lot yeah it’s it’s insane like this guy was barely getting any play time in Utah and he’s our second best player right now right yeah I mean I would so as far as the money goes I guess like I wouldn’t mind paying him that like Jeremy Grant

Deal the 20 million a year and I know people are probably gonna say that’s high but for what he gives you like you said spacing solid defense um he also moves the ball well I think there was there was a moment today he was like pretty open gave it to Amud

Hits the three but like pretty unselfish but not scared to shoot it I just think he’s super versatile and you can play him in pretty much any lineup and he helps every single group um so I I wouldn’t mind giving him the 20 million a year deal I definitely would want to

Lock him down long term yeah I mean even if you were I know people are gonna think that’s high you know what I think with the way NBA money is nowadays I don’t really think that’s too high um yeah I mean look at a guy like Duncan Robinson he’s on a huge deal

Right he just torched the [ __ ] out of us tonight yes he did like he he looked like Prime Klay Thompson out there like it was insane could not miss a shot um yeah I don’t even think the Pistons like even think about the qualifying offer to

Your point I think they tried to lock him down multiple years I think you know three for 60 would be a steal I mean you have to remember like that’s what they gave boan two for 41 right and I think we can agree that I think think fonio is

A better player than bad right now like I would rather give fonio 20 instead of Tobias 35 yeah which I think is what his number might end up it’s definitely going to be 30 plus well that and I I I feel like you’re gonna have bids too like who’s to

Say someone doesn’t try to you know steal funako from the Pistons because they see what a type of player he is I mean he was pretty coveted at the deadline like I the Pistons weren’t rumored for I think it was the Celtics and a couple other teams that were

Rumored to to try and grab them and then Pistons swung out of nowhere yeah I think I think they are going to give him a good amount of money and I’m not like I’m not mad at 20 even though it might be a little high to some

People I think it’s a little I think it’s a little high when you talk about just like when trying to get a free agent but you also have to remember like Pistons aren’t really in a position where they can get that you know team discount yet they’re still a a young

Rebuilding team like I don’t I doubt fanto is going to take less to stay here um if a team that maybe it’s like a bubble playoff team or a playoff team’s offer 20 million he’s probably G to take the 20 million with the the playoff team

I think it you’ve heard the Pistons just try to lock him down as long as you can because he’s only 28 years old right um I think he’s young enough to where he can grow with the young core that you currently have so I don’t really think

You’re too far off with the 20 million I think I think three for 60 honestly um if you’re not in love with any free agents and you just kind of want to retain him I think it would be a good deal I agree yeah I I’m higher on him

Than most and I was very excited but yeah I think that’s in the ballpark I mean I love to keep him for cheaper I just you know I’m okay with 20 yeah I mean if if you can get them for like 12 to 15 I feel like that would be like a

Home run sure like if you could get for like I don’t know three for 45 I think that would be incredible steal but I don’t know it it just it just depends like what what he wants and who his agent is at the end of the

Day yeah I mean it it’s interesting too like compared to like Isaiah Stewart’s extension like it’d be interesting to think I value fako more than Stewart just because of mainly offensively but you know a lot of teams want Stewart too yeah I mean feel like fako is a lot

More uh I don’t want to say he’s more mobile but laterally he’s quicker than Stuart yeah sometimes it seems like Stuart has like Center blocks on his feet because he’s kind of slow but I mean I don’t want to say like steuart’s slow by any means but fonio is actually

Like sneaky athletic you wouldn’t think he’s athletic but like some of the drives he has to the basket you’re like dude what the hell just happened yeah but it’s it’s also the fonio conversation also opens up another discussion where it’s like there are probably some hard decisions coming up because

Realistically how far does a core and it might be far depending on you know the progress they they have and maybe if there’s a change in coaching style but if like what does Kade Ivy assar fonio and dur like how far can that group go in three years you know like does is

That enough from your starting unit if you upgrade the bench because that’s the other question it’s like I love fonio but if that group has a ceiling of seven seed in two years what are we doing yeah I I don’t I I’ll just say this I don’t know if Ivy and

Cade I don’t know if they can work with both of them trying to run the show um yeah I said L I said last week I I’d like Ivy to get back to how he was playing off it Purdue playing more off ball right um because that game where he

Had like 30 points and he shot six threes I mean he was he was like a movement shooter out there and I think that’s what they I think that’s what they need out of the two guard position they need like a Duncan Robinson they don’t need you know Ivy running in

Transition making just like crazy passes where nobody’s open and it’s just a Clogg Lane um nothing against Ivy I like them I I just think to your point they have a lot of tough decisions to make because I don’t really know if Cade and Ivy backourt may work long term I like

Them both they have incredibly High ceilings but I mean it it’s it’s G to be a tough decision and who knows what Monty Williams wants because you you see quotes from him he always talks about wanting a grownup I mean he’s playing Evan forier like he’s MVP right now it’s

Just like yeah for definitely slid into the Burks role for Monty for sure uh someone said he’s a new Killian uh but you guys are crazy CU he’s French doesn’t mean he’s a new Killian you guys you guys are funny though oh Killian it is crazy too just

Like how long and this goes for the front office and coaching staff this year just how long it took both of them to just make the really obvious good decision like Killian who’s not gonna be on a roster to close out the year you know I’m sure he’ll get a training camp

Deal next year but like we’ll see what happens there you’re starting Isaiah livers you’re starting Kevin Knox and Knox was your best option but that’s a problem at that position and then finally miti starts staggering Kaden Ivy a little bit with the bench unit but to your point I

Think I agree that like the the perfect two guard would be yeah movement shooter off ball you know but I do think and they haven’t and I don’t know if this is a CO it’s probably a coaching I’m just always gonna blame coaching based on

What Monty’s done to us this year but I I really do think they could work together but ivy needs to be more consistent with his shot like that’s just if it is going to work that’s essentially what it’s going to take and staggering ivy with the bench and just

Let him run the freaking show like you saw what he can do we saw it last year when Kade was out Monty saw it this year when Cade was out I just I don’t know why the ball isn’t in Ivy’s hands more to initiate especially with the bench unit like sasser’s been great

But I think you’re going to be at your best or at least see if this can be good enough with staggering them more and just letting Ivy initiate letting Kade do his thing but yeah I I think there are hard decisions that are going to come yeah

Like I said I I happen to like iy a lot uh but to your point like he played a lot better as like the lead guard yeah um that’s like when Kate came back he got the ball and he was the lead guard but just the style of plays of which

They they play as a lead guard are completely different like I’s really uptempo fast loves the transition game and Kate is more of like that half court type of guard where he’s a little bit more methodical a little bit more slow likes to get to his spots tons of

Screens that he looks for where IV’s just like I don’t need a screen just I’m just gonna go into the basket and like force a pile um right I think that’s why fio was so important to this team because there’s kind of this like like someone told text

Me today they like imagine if you had F Teo and Lori Markin then uh as you’re three and your four I was like there’d be ultimate spacing like it could work with Kade and Ivy like uh you could just like throw it out to both of them I was

Like but ideally like that’s not Utah is not going to give us one of their best players for nothing right well they might have with fonio but we’ll see we’ll see I don’t know you caught Danny age napping that day I think we did with bu on too even though you

Know he got his boy though he got K lck back he’s got like a man crush on him for whatever reason that’s true honestly they don’t even know um I did want to talk about this because I feel like a lot of people probably saw this and it

Was a tweet from Jackson Frank who actually follow because I I I like his content he’s a good follow if you guys do want to follow him on Twitter but he was getting into the debate about Jaylen Williams from the Oklahoma City Thunder and his stance was basically

That if Jaylen Williams was on the Detroit Detroit Pistons he would be the best player now do you agree with that and do you think Jaylen Williams is a better player right now than Kate Cunningham let me start off by saying love Jaylen Williams absolutely not uh I

Think he’s a great player and he’s going to be great but he I mean OKC is a really good situation for pretty much everybody in OKC um he benefits from Shay obviously ly uh and all the spacing they have there and just defense they have there

Um whereas if you put him in the lead role I don’t think it’s the same I mean maybe he would be able to get to that at some point if he was consistently in that role but no long and short answer is no absolutely not yeah I I I saw the

Tweet I want to see if I can pull it up because he just didn’t say Detroit right he he had mentioned um like nine teams you said he’d be better in Houston he’d be better in Orlando Brooklyn just to name a few like I’m all about three in D wings I

Really am but to your point like SG playing with SGA and playing in OKC which at hman all those guys I think you look a like you look like you’re a top 20 player just use use his quote because of the players around you I don’t think

If he was in Detroit next to K Cunningham he would be in those conversations and I think he would struggle to get a shot a hell of a lot more here in Detroit because we like playing two bigs like it’s 1995 sure do we love it I don’t I hope we do it

Forever eventually the game will revert back to how it was played so let’s just keep doing it till it happens and we’ll be ahead of the curve yeah I I thought this was pretty wild honestly to to to even suggest that um Jaylen Williams would be a better

Player not not only better than Kate Cunningham better than Jaylen durren Jade iy like everybody I thought it was kind of wild like I’m all about having a favorite player and being high on a player but I I just don’t think he’d be a I don’t even think he’d be the best

Player um in Orlando I don’t think he’d be better than Paulo van Caro like that’s that’s just wild to even say yeah I agree I mean look I think Jaylen Williams is great great two-way player and I think he he could he definitely has All-Star potential

Um but yeah I don’t think you you plop him on the Pistons and he’s as good or better yeah me either I I think he’s a good player I’d love to have him on the Pistons he’s just those wings that I would love it I think those wings that

Like every team wants see two-way Wing they can you know score and defend multiple positions but we might have that in the start Thompson you never know but yeah we we’ll see if that shot comes around we’ll see hopefully he’s uh he’s better I don’t know apparently he

Has Asma now and he didn’t have at the beginning of the year it’s just right I don’t know this medical staff is wild sometimes I yeah I don’t I don’t know I just I wish we could just lock Arie and Mike in Detroit just lock him at LCA

Don’t let him leave today from the ceremony I mean shout out to Arie he’s like head of like uh I think head of the medical staff for the magic yeah so that’s why uh apparently the magic haven’t had any injuries this year so shout out to them but uh must be nice

Right that’s crazy um so one of the questions that I I’ve asked a lot of guests on this podcast especially with the Pistons having a bunch of money in free agency and they’re gonna have a top five draft pick we probably picking fifth who knows

Um yeah but my question to you is who’s one player you would Target in free agency the issue is there’s really like no one that I think moves the needle enough like I like I said like I’d rather pay tech over Tobias you know if you can grab both

Sure like I mean I don’t know that Tobias would take the Off the Bench roll but I guess one of them off the bench can be your flamethrower Off the Bench um so Tobias I do like him still um I mean Gary Trent Jr I’ve I’ve been asking

The Pistons to Target in trade for a while um I think he would definitely help the bench unit the thing is it’s like yeah there’s definitely no free agent available that’s a starting upgrade over anyone clearly at least which is why you know having a bunch of money in this free agent class

Isn’t ideal but hopefully they’re able to swing some trades I just it’s just bring a new front office in just do it just yeah just please I mean it I don’t know if Troy tried to save his job with the deadline because I know it’s completely off topic

But I would think if he was on his way out he probably wouldn’t have made any moves um but I actually disagree just based on Tom Gore’s statements like during the losing streak was it after like the 25th or 27th game um when he was like look know these guys are here

Like him and Monty like they’re running it like Troy knows that if the team isn’t better I’ll be disappointed this summer um but yeah these are the guys so I think I took that as Troy was gonna have this trade deadline and then if it doesn’t improve things then

Maybe there’s a conversation I granted I don’t trust any change to actually come front office or coaching staff but I think that that at least based on what Tom said to The Limited press I think he at least had this trade deadline to sort of expedite his process yeah I

Mean last year I think was like really disappointing for a lot of fans because you lost your number one pick but you only won 17 games under Dwayne Casey um you have 12 wins and if you made it to 17 I think it would be a miracle given how this team is coached

Given how no no no one on this team can set a pick without moving their feet I just when I watch this team I just kind of look at the way they’re coached and it’s just like they’ve gotten worse somehow from last year um which I don’t I didn’t

Even think it would be possible I I was on here in October saying maybe they can get the 30 wins that was the ceiling I thought for this team but obviously here we are in mark 12 wins like I I I don’t know I mean I was talking crazy saying and granted I

Was actually very tame in my like win predictions this year like I I didn’t even say playing or anything crazy but I was like Kade was gone all last season they bring assar in they have a reigning not reigning coach of the year but a recent coach of the year with the finals

Appearance 17 wins is not the Baseline that doesn’t make any sense they’re they’re starting this roster and coaching staff is better than is starting like at a better place than that 17 win team and here we are I don’t 12 the only thing I could say is I felt

Like Casey was more of a offensive-minded coach and Monty’s more defensive which I I think kind of aligns with Troy because Troy always talks about defense and Monty’s all about defense Maybe I’m Wrong in that but I thought Casey was the better offensive coach even though

You know given what Casey had he only I think he had like 22 23 and then 17 right um I think if you won 23 right now Pistons fans would actually be a static yeah and that and the bar’s low too like I Al have a conversation someone’s like

How did Van Gundy win 32 games his first year with less Talent right and we’re sitting here with 12 I just don’t know man like that’s why it’s so frustrating it’s like we’ve had worst teams worst coaches or so we thought um and all of the sudden yeah we’re the we’re the

Worst team in franchise history essentially yeah it’s it’s pretty crazy just when when you look at it but uh it goes back to like what I was saying where it’s like Troy waited too long to do anything to to put a competent roster together and it took Monty forever to

Start doing anything to help any of his players yeah I mean he had to have an organizational meeting about starting starting Ivy yeah he didn’t want which again we talked about it last time this was before he started starting I think uh where it’s like I

Didn’t mind Ivy coming off the bench I minded how much he played Off the Bench I was like he could it makes sense I understand bringing him off the bench but playing him 30 plus a night that’s not what happened and then we got Killian 30 plus a night and yada yada

Yada just yeah it’s it it’s it’s kind of mindboggling and kind of circl back to like my comment earlier even though you disagreed with it um the reason why I thought you know Troy was gonna stay is kind of his comments after um basically saying like I’m the man for this job I’m

Not basically maybe I’m wrong with this but told me I’m not going anywhere like this owner doesn’t even pay attention half the time um like he wasn’t at the ceremony today which I kind of found wild you know have a you know the 04 team in town you’re nowhere to be found

Which I think is kind of a bad look and also rashed Wallace wasn’t there either so it’s just like yeah I I don’t know Ju Just do we know why she wasn’t there I didn’t hear anyone say I didn’t see anyone saying anything yeah so he had a

Post like I know this just like completely off topic but he had a post in 2004 or 2020 and he was upset with with the Pistons uh demolishing the palace and going down to little suar Arena and uh I don’t know if you follow Rob Perez he uh he used to do

A um podcast with Rasheed okay and he he tweeted this earlier because someone had asked that why isn’t she there and he says it’s more uh than just doesn’t like the way the team is being run but I’m not going to speak for him told me off camera so obviously Rasheed has a

Problem with Tom goris and problem with him uh you know leaving the palace which I don’t really think the Pistons needed to leave the palace yeah I thought it was I thought it was still a good Arena but I I think I think the Pistons and

Gors saw an opportunity to kind of you know jump on the Red Wings back and kind of go down to Detroit sure like I feel like they the Pistons would be in Detroit eventually but you know kind of see that the Red Wings were building a

New Arena they just kind of jumped on that opportunity right that’s interesting yeah it’s just interesting because everyone else was there essentially yeah I mean dark wasn’t there but well has he ever been included in any of anything I mean left the team say says that said that

They invited him but I don’t think he would want to be in the same room as Larry Brown or any of those guys really right he just especially after I mean all of all of them you know when when the question about like Carmelo or Bosch

Or something has come up in any podcast they’ve been and they’re always like yeah that was we we [ __ ] up and dark was probably like yes but you didn’t need to say it out loud honestly like that’s that that’s honestly pretty crazy though but uh yeah

Yeah I mean I think rasheed’s just kind of had that beef with gores for a while he just doesn’t like him as an owner and I mean I could kind of agree with him I he’s not really an owner that is that involved but right I’m not gonna say too

Much too much bad things about him because I never know who’s watching I mean my so my stance on Gore is you know I know we’re getting off topic but it’s like I’ve always well everybody in the organization has always said that he’s given them every resource

Like anything that they’ve asked for to try and improve the team so I’ve always respected that even if he you know down the street from me in Malibu all the time but yeah I don’t know I think optically he’s it’s he’s not a good look but by all accounts in the organization

He he gives them everything they need and like everybody says he does care he’s just yeah I don’t know he’s probably because he was over involved during the Andre drader and that was a problem I think he was over involved in the stance where Van Gundy coached him

For a year and he’s just like I gotta get rid of this guy right and he attempted to multiple times and Gore’s just you know he vetoed like three trades that I think a lot of people know about now but during the time they didn’t um yeah which I didn’t I didn’t

Mind him being involved and I you know when he said you know I’ll go over the luxury tax if you know there’s a move to be made and it was all about winning and trying to you know push a winning product um even though they were eight seeds and we got bounced

Right um I don’t know I think maybe some business fans would probably want the eight seed [ __ ] again because like what we’re going through right now like rebuilds should not take four years and progressively you’ve gotten worse each year in the wi col right right like the

Fouryear timeline is fine as long as there’s actual progress and you’re like oh I see a way out like soon no it’s like someone locked the door and threw the key in the ocean and we don’t know when we’re getting out like yeah that’s essentially what being

A Pistons fan has been like for the last 15 years like when they like they have money this summer like I don’t trust them I don’t trust them not to overpay or like I I mentioned this like multiple times and I think it’s just GNA happen because you know I’m just kind of

Speaking it into existence I think they go out and trade for Andrew Wiggins I really do just I don’t I don’t see a need I mean they have money why not I guess I like my issue with a lot of moves that I think they might try and

Make this year or this summer is like like yes you can upgrade the starting lineup like you can put Tobias in there he’s an upgrade but he’s not enough of an upgrade to make an actual difference in my opinion you got to stack those upgrades together like taking a big

Swing on it to I I know I keep mentioning him but he’s the big name the the big name who’s been linked um but yeah like Wiggins is the same thing like he’s probably an upgrade over assar right now marginally I don’t know that he’s an upgrade next year you know for

Next year assar so I I don’t know I just yeah it’s I don’t trust the front office but and that’s that’s on gors it’s like he’s he’s got to get them out of there and you know there’s all the too many cooks in the kitchen conversations

But I’m not in tune enough with Insider information to to know what’s really going on but oh man I’ll have to tell you off camera some of the stuff that I I’m not going to name the guest who it was but they were on recently and they

Told me like bunch of Trades that were on the table um this deadline and one of the trades that he told me I was just like you gotta be kidding me are you serious oh boy all right gota hear this yeah for sure um it’s funny because

Like Tobias to me I think is they’re putting all their eggs in one basket with Tobias right but I could I know the the organization has a bunch of you know messy stuff with Rob Murphy and stuff like that but like right I’m not sure

I’m not 100% sure they would say no to Miles Bridges and I feel like that’s a free agent I know that they’ve been high and apparently they were going to give him an offer sheet before the off the court stuff Happ yeah yeah they were going to give him a a big one

Yeah it’s it’s it’s insane it’s just like like to answer your your question R Baron I’m not I don’t know I I really don’t know I mean he’s a Michigan State Alum there there are some people in the front office that are Michigan State Alum I think he would probably get the

Josh Jackson treatment which is you’re gonna live across the street from me that’s what Troy Weaver did with Josh Jackson when he was here right it’s like there’s a house across the straight from me you’re going to live in it I’m going to keep an eye on you I think that’s

Probably what would happen if you wanted to go get Bridges but I mean if you go down that road you kind of just look desperate yeah yeah I mean like Bridges is like very obviously a a very good player um but also contextually like he has been in a losing situation like

Charlotte which we know inflates uh you know how you play when there’s really no other like points got to come from somewhere um but yeah like you said with the Rob Murphy stuff um I don’t know that granted I don’t have any inside information but

It’s just I think it would be a pretty desperate look like you said and I think it’d be a pretty bad look um and I know a lot of fans have been vocal about like their fandom is done if that if that goes down oh 100% I I’ve always said

Like from a basketball standpoint leaving me off the court stuff you know out of it I think it would make sense to go Target an athletic forward that can score from all three levels it makes sense for sure um but I think from a a PR perspective the media would have a field

Day with that yeah um you know given that we’re in Detroit I don’t even think the media has really you know even gotten word about the robin situation like you never seen W tweet about it yet they’ve really done a good job of sweeping that under the the

Radar yeah yeah for sure I mean I said it’s it’s kind of wild though but um I like I like Bridges as the basketball player I just know that if you were to get signed here I think it would just be a lot of distractions and I think a lot

Of activists uh right I mean I I’ve gotten like weird DMS about people from The New York Times wanting me to sign a petition for Tom Gores to sell the team because they they found out about his uh telec comedic company with pris like I could only imagine the type of messages

I would get about if Bridges came here um yeah I think ultimately like there’s just a lot of like not good [ __ ] going on within the organization um that it’s you don’t need to bring someone in like is who has the the stuff that he’s done relatively

Recently um I just yeah I don’t know yeah it’s just I guess I like I’m personally out but I understand if people are in like I get it I just I don’t know I I don’t I don’t really like that move basketball perspective yeah for

Sure it makes sense like I I try to you know have have the conversations where just from a basketball side because I know some people will bring up the op the court stuff and they they should yeah because it’s it’s not right what he

Did but think it makes sense um but I I just I’d have a really hard time um seeing the organization do that and everyone being on board I feel like maybe one person like like you said there’s like three four people that make basketball decisions I think one person

Would be on board but the other three probably wouldn’t um I mean they’ probably all be on board from a basketball perspective but you know you know but yeah I would like you said like I wouldn’t rule it out necessarily but I don’t I don’t think I would expect

It it sound like it sounds like he’s just going to stay in Charlotte but granted we’re still few months away from when all this goes down yeah I mean like I said I’m a Michigan State fan so I always like to root for you know any

Alum but I mean it’s hard to you know support someone that that does that but I’ll just leave it at that yeah um this is a good question I know we talked about Kate Cunningham at top of the podcast uh this comes from Dre so let’s be real what is Kate Cunningham’s

Potential it’s year three and he’s making mistakes can’t win games and doesn’t impact winning yet I would argue that it’s essentially year two but your point is still very valid um it’s kind of crazy like his first year in the clutch like he was one of like the top players in in crunch

Time uh like across the NBA and like he he had it so I don’t know what’s going on this year because he definitely has has been making mistakes down the clutch and has not been as clutch as he was his rookie year um I don’t think his potential changes based on that this

Year I think it’s there’s a lot that has impacted that granted I’m sure most of it’s on him if not half or a lot of it or whatever you want to allocate to that but you you got to think about the whole year the spacing the new the different

Lineups the you know it’s and it sort of goes back to the ivy Point too where it’s like they’ve sort of been thrown into this like what are we supposed to do together situation like all right like are you supposed to initiate this possession like or is that like I feel

Like there’s a lot of like undefined roles but I mean no kad’s been I think fantastic the last few weeks he’s been fantastic most of the year I know a lot of people you know especially when he was out were like well Ivy is probably the guy now um but I think kade’s

Potential is still as high as it was when he was drafted it’s but the the the crunch time stuff this year has definitely been a concern yeah I I think when we talk about his potential I I think a lot of people get caught up in

That they get caught up in the what he could be the comps coming out of college um people were comping him to Luca donic because they were you know similar you know 66 point forwards they could scored all three levels um I don’t think a Cunningham is a Luca donic type player

But I think they have similar skill sets y um to your point yeah it’s year three he missed all last season um to me I think this is more of year to I think this is not to make excuses but this is the second year in the NBA actually

Playing meaningful NBA games he played 12 games last year right I don’t really count that um and you could tell if you watched in his second season there was a lot of discomfort in that leg um yeah he wasn’t hitting his shots he barely had any lift um this year I’ve seen probably

More dunks in year three than I saw in year one and year two combined yeah um I think his knee at times it feels good but there are also days where it doesn’t feel good and that’s when you you see him icing it you know rubbing it um who

Knows if he’s 100% healthy I think this time of year everybody has some type of ailment I mean it’s the end of the season it’s March you’re like 67 68 games in um and yeah he’s gonna make mistakes and to your point yeah the the spacing at the beginning of the year was

Atrocious um having kilan Hayes out there um next decade as his backourt mate I thought was atrocious it was just I I don’t really get it I get it from a defensive standpoint but if you can’t score the ball it it’s just it’s terrible spacing it’s almost like Greg Monroe Josh Smith

Andre Drummond type spacing who won more games by the way done this yeah and they were 2K cheat code yeah but I I I think that they’re you can have a conversation about Kade and what his potential might be uh I think he can be your lead guard and give you 237 and

Seven a night but until this team actually puts a legitimate roster around him and legitimate NBA players it’s really hard to evaluate what he could possibly be in the NBA I I think like my sort of counterargument to being worried about any potentials like look at what

He did do starting next to Killian and Isaiah livers and Kevin Knox and you know recently starting next to aarin too who defensively great Duo off Ely terrible spacing even though Stu’s been better recently um I think he’s done so much with just terrible spacing and like

Up until the deadline or really up until the muscala trade uh mcol muscala trade uh they really lacked in the NBA player Department him and galinari started being like Oh you could have spacing on your NBA team oh my god look what happens they start winning some games

Because they have bigs who could stretch floor um and then the deadline comes Troy did a decent job of bringing in more NBA players which is all we’ve been begging for All Season I think that hopefully they do a better job this summer whoever’s in charge hopefully not the current people

Um but hopefully you’re able to surround him so that every moment he’s on the floor he has spacing and a lob threat and if you can give him that I think you’re going to see his efficiency go up even more I think he’ll be better in crunch

Time cuz like look at how much he gets blitzed this year and I know like the best players do and they deal with it and get better but it’s like just imagine he has better spacing around him you you can’t Blitz that like you can’t triple team him when he has four

Shooters on the floor three Shooters but yeah I’m not worried but I understand why it’s like all right like crunch time Cade has not really been here most of the year so that’s little concern I think people were more upset with today just you know shooting it

With n seconds left and yeah not running down the clock I mean I believe they had a timeout Monty Williams Monty Williams I swear I I sometimes I think he just stands there and doesn’t coach like every time they like Bal does such a funny job of zooming in on his face

During games and dude he looks absolutely clueless out there like 90% of the time he’s just enjoying his court see that he can get up and move around that oh my God he’s just enjoying the time I swear some of the stuff that I I

It just you see out there just like wow that’s that’s a $13 million coach yeah I mean I will say kade’s mistake today felt like a rookie mistake but yeah Monty lack of timeouts and challenges and just when he does challenge something you know that it’s not gonna get

Overturned that’s the funniest part it’s just like what are you doing every time he challenges I’m like this is what you’re challenging like you let the other stuff go by but like this this is what you’re challenging okay noted oh man um I don’t know if we talked about

This guy last time we were on it was Brandon Ingram um so Ryan asked is Brandon Ingram a pipe dream at this point absolutely would love him on the Pistons uh one I think it was this past summer there was all the drama with Zion and Ingram and the Pelicans like might

Be willing to move one of them I was so far in on the Ingram train it’s crazy but I mean they’re playing really well this year I think so now we start to shift attention to the teams who are going to be in the playoffs and underachieve yeah and if that happens

Like let’s say the Pelicans get swept in the first round or something then they might have a conversation about okay like do we have too many wings with Jones and Murphy and Ingram and granted you can never have too many wings but maybe they need to cash in on something

Else um but I think he’s probably a pipe dream but if they were to go after him you’re looking at Ivy for sure I think I think Ivy’s probably the guy who would be the centerpiece of any trade where the Pistons are getting someone like Ingram back or Markin in who’s

Probably never going to move from Utah but I think that’s sort of yeah but I I’ve been heavy on the herb train or herb Jones train too train Murphy but I think they’re higher on Murphy yeah just give me one of the Pelicans wings and I’m

Happy it’s funny so I I pulled up the like at the playoff start of the day they got to vers the Clippers in the first round and clips have been hot what like if Kawai and PG are healthy that that could definitely be a first round exit

Yeah um I think a lot of people love Trey Murphy but to your point I I think the Pelicans are extremely high on Trey Murphy um to answer Ryan’s question I mean Brandon Ingram is a free agent in 2025 next year so he’s only under

Contract for one more year um I if you know the negotiations you know don’t happen with the Pelicans and he doesn’t get another Max with the Pelicans um to your point I think Ivy Andor possibly assar would probably be on the table if you really want to go out and

Get Brandon Ingram you’re probably you know throwing in Ivy assar and maybe that 2028 first Dr pick because your pick will be free by then because I don’t am I crazy to think that that that first round pick protections with the Isaiah Stewart trait will never

Convert uh no you’re not crazy to think that which is a bummer for us who want to be in the playoffs in the next few years but I I’m not I don’t know I also think that was just one of the dumbest moves in the first place I mean like if

You weren’t G to resign Christian Wood that that’s alling good but doing a sign and trade with the rockets for Isaiah Stewart which I’m not entirely sure Isaiah Stewart would have gone 16 in this draft I I I think a lot of people were pretty

Low on him like he was a first- round talent but I I always thought he would be like a first round like in the 20s not like the teens I mean even still it’s like I don’t well look I love Isaiah Stewart I feel like whenever I’m saying he shouldn’t be starting people

Are like oh so you hate him it’s like no I think he I would love him to be on this team forever like he you know he is Detroit basketball it’s just he’s in my opinion not a starter um but to to get rid of your cap or your your firstr pick

Trade flexibility basically indefinitely at the beginning of a rebuild is kind of crazy and it’s kind of I mean who knows what moves could have been on the table you know if you can give up two first round picks over the last few years but it’s just it’s just crazy that

Like we just haven’t been able to trade bicks since the start of this rebuild and I know people are probably like oh you shouldn’t be trading first round picks you’re rebuilding but the only way maybe not the only only way but like the best way to get a star player back or an

Allstar player back you got to be able to trade multiple first round picks on top of whatever young player or players you’re giving up and we just haven’t been able to I mean I was hoping the Knicks were going to relinquish our first round pick

When we traded Bo on and Burks I was just like please this this just give us our pick back but that didn’t happen I mean shoot the Pistons when they drafted Ivy like they almost didn’t keep Ivy they they had trade offers for him immediately when they they drafted him

But they rejected him like organization wasn’t really too sure if he was a player that they wanted to keep but right you know you got three Cooks in the kitchen arguing with each other yeah I mean I I still like the iy pick I’m still glad we got Ivy um yeah

Same here it’s just it’s crazy just make it stop just the the endless horrible uh one more question and we can wrap it up um this another Kade question I feel like I don’t know why people have this like question but guess we’ll answer it this comes from Kenny he asked

Does Kate have Anthony Edwards potential or what if not we will not be winning much we need a two-way Elite guard like ant every team needs a two-way Elite guard like ant um I think to answer your first part I think ant’s athleticism honestly keeps him a level above Cade

Potential wise but I don’t think that means that we we won’t be winning much I think Kate is still going to be an All-Star gonna be a really good player um but I think the athleticism is a little limiting but not that he’s like not athletic at all like you said he’s been

Duncan more this season than he has been because he’s probably felt healthier most of the year but I think yeah ant’s just like a freak athletically so I think that just allows you to unlock a level that people who aren’t athletic freaks can’t unlock yeah I I don’t I don’t really

Know how I guess from uh you know Timberwolves for a one seat perspective maybe this is where this is coming from sure um but I think if you were to compare the two think to your point Anthony Edward is an athletic freak yeah uh seems like every other week I’m

Seeing a highlight of him just putting someone on a poster like y the amount of bounce that guy has is insane I don’t think Anthony Edwards and Kate uh you could have those conversations about potential I think Kate is a player that you can build around I think he’s a

Player that’s kind of easy to build around and I know that might come off you’re like how is he easy to build around the Pistons have 12 wins well the roster management and the team construction is absolute dog [ __ ] he’s easy to build around and they didn’t

Even try no uh you you need three and D Wings you need perimeter Shooters around Kade you need a lot threat and those really aren’t that hard to get like they’re really not like you got fonio for a second round pick that’s going to be in the 30s this year I don’t really

Think that’s that’s too crazy given the player he is yeah um you get a lob threat like Kate Cunningham I love playing with Marvin badley when they first got traded he was throwing them lobs left and right you give it you give him a lob threat easy buckets easy

Assist yeah getting some three and day Wings well we haven’t gotten that yet I mean we had Troy Brown Jr but I don’t know he’s not playing I mean Stanley and Moody is playing more than Troy Brown Jr and I think that’s kind of telling yeah maybe he doesn’t practice that hard I

Don’t know but he’s on the bench celebrating so maybe he’s just uh one of those vets it’s just you know helping people yeah um I think when you look at the roster construction it’s just been piss poor but I think kade’s potential is an All-Star I think at the

Very least he’s an All-Star type player I think agre could easily average you know I always say 237 and seven I think that’s his floor I think if you need him to average 30 points a game he could yeah he he very well could I mean um I’m

Very high on gate Cunningham I know some some Pistons fans are’t because because we haven’t won a whole lot with him yet but I I think once you actually get NBA players around him like the sky the limit for this team but so far we have a

Front office and a GM that decides that he wants to send Kevin Knox for a second year in a row um you know tra Hey Kevin Knox been a legendary trade asset I know got his James wisman and Fant can’t wait to see what he gets us this year H next

Year um but to finish up what I was saying I I I think that you know once you get more competent NBA players more veterans more adults in the room as Monty Williams always says um I I think you’ll see a team that can be built for onade

Cunningham we just have an organization that uh thinks it’s hard to build around him you know starting a guard that can’t shoot a three-point shot as a shooting guard next to him makes a whole lot of sense it doesn’t but yeah I top to bottom there’s a lot

Of issues but Kate Kate is not one of them no Kate Kate is Kate is not the issue I think it’s the organization and you know seeing AR tellum this summer talk about we didn’t feel like there were a there’s players out there excuse me to um build WR Cade

When you had cam Johnson Kyle kma Grant Williams all having good Seasons this year all could have been acquired this summer this past summer but hey we got we got Joe Harris man yeah yeah we did get Joe Harris I just I’m like I know you probably talked

About it more closer to the trader deadline but it’s like I’m still like baffled about how many players we just bought out like I know that happens every year like during the summer and all that but it’s like to buy out half your team after the trade deadline like I haven’t

Looked into this but like that’s got to be a record they’re close to a record oh 100% I mean like the galinari stuff like I thought he would possibly stay but like I get it like he’s probably in his last year right um I was like okay that’s that’s fine like whatever um

Shake Milton I was kind of confused by because I thought that you know given the five games he played he was serviceable I mean he was better than kilan Hayes he was getting playing time and you know he was fine with being here then might gives him dmps and he’s like

Buy me out like what are we doing goes to the Knicks um the muscala one I’m still like I don’t I don’t get it um again he he was a guy that they traded for for Bagley and he was serviceable we saw what floor Spa a floor spacing Center uh with Kate

Cunningham looks like and I think most most fans were pretty on board with mascala he was just a good vet but I don’t know man it’s it this organization in front office is so weird like to give these guys contract buyouts and to give up you know assets

Like second round picks to the Wizards just to take on bagley’s contract this is absolutely wild to me when you already were GNA have a bunch of money this this summer and Bagley would only have one year left this summer easier to move I just I’ll never understand it

I I I don’t I don’t know someone said this is like the uh the old Detroit Lions when they would just make dumbass moves after dumbass moves it made no sense no it’s just like well the you know the Pistons do have a Bobby Lane curse it’s probably the ghost of johy

Bops or the Ghost of joj Mars I don’t know yeah it’s just CRA it’s like not every single move they’ve made has been bad like don’t get me wrong but it’s just like there have been so many mistakes that in I’m not pretending I know more than these people who have

Like been in these basketball circles and careers for their entire lives and whatnot you know the front office and coaching but like it’s so damning that like someone like me who I literally just watch the Pistons like I have no like I have no involvement in basketball

Or the NBA or whatever and I’ve been right more than our front office and Coach this year like that’s that’s an issue I should every tweet I send where I’m like oh this is a good idea or a bad idea or disagreeing with the front office I should be wrong every

Time the people who are making millions and millions of dollars to do this for a living and who have been doing this for so long and have all the resources that their disposal and whole teams of front office people to to help bring them things and work through things and

Whatever I should be wrong every time if I disagree with you and the fact that like I’ve just I’m like I’m an idiot like I’m just a random person who watches basketball I shouldn’t be more right than our front office and head coach that’s a problem yeah I mean I I

Think I I’ve told people like because a lot of people didn’t know who arum was probably until like the last two or three years yeah and like he’s always wanted to be a GM but not really have that title the fact that he’s that they have to have debates whether or not who

Troy’s going to draft debates whether or not um who he can trade for who he can Target like dude that that’s like handcuffing your GM like I’d be interested to see who Troy wanted the draft I mean like there were conversations that he liked to have a

Moob more than Kate Cunningham like and Aron said no we’re picking Kade like AR was right there AR has actually probably saved him a lot in term terms of like and I know it’s it’s crazy to to like talk about and some people are probably like why

Would Troy won Evan Moy well Troy loves centers like there could be a alternate reality where you have like Evan Mobley and I don’t know Jade iy is your point guarden Center you don’t have Kate Cunningham on your basketball team Kate Cunningham could be in Houston yeah yeah it’s true or Jaylen

Green would be in Detroit yeah like you never know like um it it it’s it’s crazy to think about but I know we get so off topic on this stuff it’s going on a rabbit I that’s on me my bad I’ve been taking us down rabbit

Hol oh it’s usually I’m usually the one going on rabido but you take it one step further I love it I just I just I’m just mad I’m just mad at these the people in power here oh I I am too I am too like I I could clown

This organization but I doubt anyone wants to watch that I really really doubt it it could be like screaming at highlights like some people on Twitter yeah those are those always get me when I need energy I need someone else to take the energy I know it’s hard

Being positive 100% of the time but I do en enjoy you coming on uh talking Hoops with me I do always enjoy it but um I want to give you the chance to plug your Twitter plug anything you’re working on I don’t know if you’re getting back into

The podcast game or I can’t I I have so much respect for you and cou and everybody else who does who keeps up with the podcast I just like once they give me something nice to talk about I’ll start it back up but until then I’m

Just yeah just find me on Twitter at Pistons thoughts uh I see Marty’s suggestion to to do a show where you look over every draft pick trade free agent signing it’d be good for laugh I’m just saying I want to be here for that if you do it

Because I’ve been I have a long like note doc on my phone because I’ve been planning an episode like that for five years and I haven’t done it yet but I just have a long long list of things but you know you know what I

Might do that in the summer when I have more free time because that I maybe we’ll do like the L since Troy’s taking um the front office we’ll go we’ll go over every front office movies ever made amen amen I I will send you a link and

We can go over it because it’ll probably take me just a week to go through every every trade every Kyrie Thomas trade that he made yep I thought Kyrie was gonna be better than he was not gonna lie never got to play Marty honestly like that’s actually

Inspired me to do it because I looked at every TR Weaver move and Kos was like oh this this is how we got here because there’s a there’s a lot of players you traded for that got bought out that could be contributing right now which is

Wild to think about but um yeah I yeah no but I’ve had that dock in my phone it’s uh you could steal this title but the the wait what is it hold on hold on I got it it’s it’s a good title hold on you can keep talking and finish your

Thought because I just totally interrupted you it’s all good um no it’s it’s pretty crazy I mean I think we just got done paying Dwayne deadin who I think just recently stopped playing in the NBA which is kind of wild to think about yeah someone said Bruce Bruce

Brown yeah the Bruce Brown trade is wild like got off to a good start Troy walked in and was like let me do something that’s going to piss off the fan base and probably be a bad move I mean Zan mus is an MVP over in Europe but

He um misery Lane of pain that was the title that’s that’s is uhhuh that that’s that’s pretty good thank you thank you been sitting years call it the laughing stock yeah I mean someone call it the N we’re not calling it the um no you guys are wild but I do

Appreciate you coming on I think I put the link to your Twitter for people that are watching that want to follow you on Twitter um highly recommend do he’s probably the most positive piston fan out there and I don’t understand why um some of that’s been Zapped for me this

Year but I’ll bring it back when I can I mean like I’m scrolling the timeline and be be like Duncan be like oh you know Jordan’s miserable then we’re all [ __ ] it’s true it’s true but I appreciate you having me out again it’s always fun for sure man uh

We’ll see you guys uh next week hope you guys are having a great weekend and don’t drink too much on St Patty’s Day oh it is St Patty’s Day yeah forgot about that did you really no no I didn’t oh the amount of drug texts I’ve gotten

Today have been legendary but uh see you guys next week

This week on Pistons Talk Podcast, Anthony will be joined by Pistons Thoughts the two will talk about the recent Impact of Taj Gibson and the latest Detroit Pistons news and rumors.

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