Stuckey, Jerebko Likely Top Free-Agent Targets

Stuckey, Jerebko Likely Top Free-Agent Targets
By Steve St-Pierre

We don’t know when the NBA lockout will end, but when it does, you can bet the Pistons will be talking quickly with restricted free agents Rodney Stuckey and Jonas Jerebko.

It’s easy to envision a long, bright future for Jerebko. Despite being injured and missing all of last season, he remains a fan favorite and heavily-marketed Piston. The people of Sweden adore him, and as a versatile combo-forward, Jerebko easily fits into the rotation.

Stuckey, on the other hand, is a different story. Though he’s still young and improving as a scorer and ball-handler, he’s failed to establish himself as the Pistons’ point guard. In fact, he’s struggled to prove he can even handle playing the position. It’s because of this that the team opted to draft point guard Brandon Knight this summer.

With Knight and Will Bynum both expected to earn minutes at the point, Stuckey’s future could be at shooting guard. Unfortunately, he has to prove he can handle playing that position as well. Stuckey’s outside shot still needs work, and he’ll need to improve defensively if he’s going to check the Kobe Bryants and Dwayne Wades of the NBA every night.

Most importantly, Stuckey finally needs to do what he’s said he would since the day Detroit traded Chauncey Billups – take control of the locker room. Instead, Stuckey has followed in the footsteps of disgruntled veteran teammate Rip Hamilton, publicly ignoring or cussing at coaches. Yet, he’s failed to take control of the team on the floor or in the huddle the way Pistons fans were used to seeing from Billups.

If the team decides that Knight is the franchise point guard, Stuckey will have to compete for minutes at shooting guard with Hamilton and Ben Gordon. If Detroit finds a way to trade Hamilton, that still leaves a four-guard rotation with Knight, Gordon and Bynum.

Joe Dumars, Pistons President, still says he plans on keeping both Stuckey and Jerebko around long-term. Because each player believes he’s about to sign a lucrative contract, neither of them are expected to play anywhere during the lockout and risk getting injured.

On the other hand, Detroit second-round pick Kyle Singler is set to play in Spain until the lockout ends, and former Piston DaJuan Summers signed a two-year deal to play in Italy earlier this summer. Current veterans Greg Monroe, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye and Bynum have all expressed interest in playing during the lockout but have yet to sign anywhere.

If Stuckey and Jerebko both return, they’ll be playing for Lawrence Frank, Pistons Head Coach. In all likelihood, Dumars believes that Frank will have an easier and more effective way of communicating with his players than Detroit’s last two coaches did. Frank could have what it takes to get the best out of them, particularly Stuckey. It’s likely that Frank is spending his days at the Palace practice facility studying tape and determining where each of his players best fits in the rotation.

With nine players currently under contract and three rookies set to join them, the Pistons roster would be at 14 out of a possible 15 after adding Stuckey and Jerebko back. If Frank assumes both free agents will return, he can already begin planning his lineups based around those 14 players. Dumars wouldn’t be able to make many other additions unless it was via trade.

Should the Pistons bring Stuckey and Jerebko back, they’ll need to clearly define each of their roles. Both Dumars and Frank will be required to work closely and carefully to balance out the rotation and put each player in the best positions for them to be successful on the floor.

DENNIS MANNION NAMED PRESIDENT OF THE DETROIT PISTONS AND PALACE SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

In Play Magazine
       

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment announced today that Dennis Mannion has been appointed President, effective immediately.

Mannion, 52, will oversee all Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment business operations, including sales, marketing, finance and administration.  Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars will continue to oversee all basketball operations.

Mannion brings a broad and unique perspective, having spent 29 seasons working in four major professional sports, including two years managing business operations for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche from 1998 to 1999. Mannion most recently served as President of the Los Angeles Dodgers where he worked from 2007 to 2010. He also previously worked for the Baltimore Ravens from 1999 to 2007, and for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1982 to 1997.

“Dennis is very well qualified and will bring a fresh perspective to the organization,” said Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment owner Tom Gores.  “He is an innovative guy and he shares our vision of creating the best possible experience for our fans.   He also shares our core values of hard work and commitment to the community.  Dennis knows what it takes to succeed at a high level and we are excited to have him on board.”

Throughout his career Mannion has led operations during 12 post-season runs, including two World Series, an NHL conference championship and a Super Bowl.

“Detroit is an incredible sports and entertainment town and I am honored by this opportunity,” said Mannion.  “I look forward to working with the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment team, our corporate partners and the community to build on the legacy of this great organization.  We will do everything we can to provide the best, most exciting experience possible for everyone that comes out to see a game or a show.”

In Los Angeles, Mannion’s marketing initiatives and efforts to improve the game day experience helped the Dodgers lead Major League Baseball in paid attendance in 2009 for the first time since 1986.  He also created the Dodgers Sports Lab, an in-house production facility and staff that generates content for all of the team’s game broadcasts, motion graphics and video, online content and printed materials.

Mannion joined the Dodgers in 2007 following eight seasons with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens where he was Senior Vice President of Business Ventures. In that role, Mannion oversaw all revenue streams, image, and brand-generating properties. He led and coordinated the development of more than 60 Ravens sub-brands, 12 season-long Ravens television and radio shows, and annual events such as Spring Football Festival, Ravens Kickoff Week, State of the Ravens, and the Ravens All Community Team.

Prior to joining the Ravens in 1999, Mannion spent three years as Senior Vice President at Ascent Sports, owner of the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and the Pepsi Center. Mannion managed all business operations for both teams and the arena.

Mannion spent 16 years with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1982-1997, serving as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for his last eight seasons. He was noted for enhancing the fan experience at Veterans Stadium during his tenure and was instrumental in securing and the staging the 1996 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

Mannion is a native of New York and graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in business and sports management.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

2011 DETROIT PISTONS PRESEASON SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

In Play Magazine

First Home Preseason Game Scheduled For October 9 At The Palace

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The National Basketball Association announced today that the Detroit Pistons will open their eight-game 2011 preseason schedule at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, October 9 (6:00 p.m.).

Three of the team’s eight games will be played at The Palace, featuring contests against the Minnesota Timberwolves (October 9), Charlotte Bobcats (October 23) and Miami HEAT (October 26). 

The Pistons are scheduled to make their ninth consecutive trip to Grand Rapids to play in The Meijer Basketball Classic at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, October 12 against the Toronto Raptors (7:00 p.m.).

Following is the Pistons 2011 preseason schedule (all times are Eastern Standard Time):

PISTONS 2011 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

        DATE    OPPONENT        LOCATION        TIME
        October 9       Minnesota       The Palace of Auburn Hills      6:00 p.m.
        October 10      at Atlanta      Philips Arena   7:30 p.m.
        October 12      Toronto         Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI       7:00 p.m.
        October 14      at Toronto      Air Canada Centre       7:00 p.m.
        October 21      at Milwaukee    Resch Center, Green Bay, WI     7:30 p.m.
        October 23      Charlotte       The Palace of Auburn Hills      6:00 p.m.
        October 26      Miami   The Palace of Auburn Hills      7:30 p.m.
        October 27      at Orlando      Amway Center    7:00 p.m.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Pistons Starting Over With Frank

Pistons Starting Over With Frank
By Steve St-Pierre

Nobody knows when Lawrence Frank will actually get to begin coaching his new team, but when he does, he intends to start from scratch.

Frank has been introduced as the new head coach of the Pistons, who want to get back to being a blue-collar organization that can ultimately compete for a fourth NBA Championship.

“We need to reclaim the Pistons culture, and that’s about hard work,” Frank says. “The slates are clean. They have to be, because your scrapbooks don’t matter in this game.”

With the current NBA lockout, teams are not allowed to have any contact with players or player representatives. Coaches and other team personnel are not even able to mention players in public conversations.

“This is going to be a little difficult because of the situation we are in,” Frank says about the lockout. “I can’t talk in specifics or about the players.”

“Right now, our first job is to get this franchise back on track,” adds Joe Dumars, Pistons President. “We went through a very lengthy process with this hire – we started talking to Lawrence in June, and it is now August – and I’m very confident that he’s the right person to get us going in the right direction.”

Assisting Dumars with the hire were Tom Gores, Pistons Owner, and his business partners Bob Wentworth and Phil Norment.

“Working with Tom and his people was different because they have a system in place that they use for a big hire, and this was definitely a big hire,” Dumars says. “It was a very thorough search process, and that’s what we needed because we are desperate to find a long-term coach.”

Reports surfaced that Dumars actually preferred Mike Woodson, former head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and an assistant coach on the Pistons’ 2004 Championship team. Though such rumors have yet to be addressed, Frank acknowledges his flaws while maintaining confidence in working around those imperfections.

“I was like a bad Hollywood actor,” Frank says about his days in high school as a wanna-be basketball player. “All I ever heard was ‘cut, cut, cut, cut.’ My senior season, the coach put his arm around me and told me I had a ton of courage, but I was still cut.”

Despite never playing basketball, Frank has managed to be successful in the sport enough to warrant his second job as an NBA head coach. He previously spent seven seasons coaching the New Jersey Nets before joining the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach last season.

“It comes down to your actions as a coach and whether or not you back up what you say,” Frank says. “If you don’t back up what you say, no one trusts what you say.”

It also helps that Frank is known around the league for his hard work and dedication to his profession and the game of basketball.

“Lawrence won’t want me to say this, but he started on Monday, and he was here at 5:30 in the morning,” Dumars says. “We might be in an odd situation with the lockout, but he’s still here working.”

The next step for Frank will be hiring assistant coaches. He says he is already considering both Brian Hill and Pat Sullivan. Both previously coached under former Pistons head coach John Kuester.

“The qualities we’re looking for, one is high character; two is great work ethic; three is a passion and energy you can bring every day; four is an excellent teacher; and five is a lifelong learner,” Frank says. “Everyone we hire, regardless of names, they’re going to buy that because we have to be about what we talk about.”

Whenever the lockout ends, Frank will be expected to begin rebuilding the Pistons around a new core of younger players including center Greg Monroe and rookie point guard Brandon Knight. Dumars anticipates re-signing restricted free agent forward Jonas Jerebko, who would also be considered a centerpiece to the team’s future.

Meanwhile, the organization will have to address several other questions involving its current roster. It’s been well-documented that the team has been trying to trade disgruntled veteran Rip Hamilton, who along with Ben Wallace are the only holdovers from the ’04 title team. If Hamilton cannot be moved before the season begins, Frank will be stuck in the same position as Detroit’s two previous coaches, having to balance playing time between Hamilton and the rest of the Pistons’ crowded backcourt.

Guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva, Dumars’ prized free-agent additions in 2009, struggled immensely under Kuester. Frank must find a way to get both players consistent minutes on the court. Because both players signed for a combined $90 million, the team has limited ability to sign additional free agents. For Gordon, the opportunity for set playing time might only come if Hamilton is moved.

If Jerebko is re-signed, he could start at either forward spot alongside either Villanueva or Austin Daye. Tayshaun Prince, the Pistons’ starting small forward for nearly the last decade, is a free agent and isn’t expected back. Likewise, restricted free agent guard Rodney Stuckey could also be done in Detroit considering the team has Knight and veteran Will Bynum already set at point guard, with Gordon and Hamilton manning the shooting guard position.

Though Frank is currently unable to publicly address any of these decisions, he does accept the expectations being placed on him as coach of the Pistons.

“You look at the numbers – six straight years in the conference finals, playoffs in eight of the last 10 seasons and those three titles (in 1989, 1990 and 2004, respectively),” Frank says. “There are only five teams in the NBA with three of those, and this is one of them. That’s an honor.”

Pistons Set To Hire Frank

Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com

According to reports, the Pistons have decided to hire ex-New Jersey Nets head coach Lawrence Frank. He has beat out candidates Mike Woodson, Bill Laimbeer, Kelvin Sampson and Patrick Ewing.

Frank coached the Nets for parts of seven seasons before joining the Boston Celtics' staff as an assistant last season. It remains to be seen who will serve as assistants to Frank in Detroit, but Laimbeer could be considered for such a position after serving that role the past two years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who coincidentally are the only team currently looking for a new head coach.

GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS - Pistons Automotion Dance Team To Hold Pre-Audition Clinic On July 18th

In Play Magazine

DANCE FOR THE DETROIT PISTONS IN 2011-12

Automotion Auditions Set To Begin August 1

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons dance team Automotion will host a pre-audition dance clinic for dancers interested in auditioning for the 2011-12 dance team on Monday, July 18th at 6:00 p.m. at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The clinic will serve as a precursor to the Automotion auditions which begin August 1.  All prospective candidates interested in trying out for the team are encouraged to sign up for pre-audition clinic.  Registration for the pre-audition clinic can be found on-line at http://www.nba.com/pistons/automotion_tryouts.html.

Female candidates must be 19 or older by October 1, 2011 and are required to show proof of ID along with their registration.  Choreography will be provided at the pre-audition clinic by the audition staff and dancers are encouraged to wear dance tops, shorts and tights – dress to impress.  See the Pistons website (www.pistons.com) for more details.

Read In Play! Magazine Here

Lockout Cools Pistons’ Draft Fire

Lockout Cools Pistons’ Draft Fire
By Steve St-Pierre

When its collective bargaining agreement expired July 1, the NBA locked out its players after failing to reach a new deal with owners. The timing’s unfortunate for anybody associated with the league but especially teams anxious to begin developing their new rookies.

The Pistons, who had the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, might have wound up with the biggest steal of the year in Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight. Detroit had every intention of taking a power forward at No. 8, anticipating Knight being off the board as early as No. 3. It just wound up working out that none of the teams drafting ahead of the Pistons had a dire need at point guard.

“We targeted big guys initially, but we said if those guys were gone, we would take the guy with the best value,” says Joe Dumars, Pistons President. “It was a talent we didn’t think we could pass up.”

“I’m definitely happy to be here in Detroit,” Knight says. “It’s a great feeling to be picked by Detroit. It’s a great city with a great tradition.”

When Knight was initially selected with the eighth pick, he wore an expression that screamed disappointment. Yet, he insists his only frustration stems from slipping in the first round.

“I think I reacted that way because I’m just a serious guy, and that’s always been my nature to be calm and collected,” Knight says. “Like I said, there’s a great tradition here. They have won three championships, and I’m hoping we can add to that.”

Detroit is also pleased with their second-round selections: Duke combo forward Kyle Singler at No. 33 and Florida power forward Vernon Macklin at No. 52.

“These are some good people,” Dumars says of his draft choices. “These guys have been raised the right way. Their families have done an incredible job with them, and we’re happy to have these guys represent us on a daily basis.”

Some argue Knight could wind up being better than the only point guard selected ahead of him, Kyrie Irving of Duke. The Cleveland Cavaliers took Irving with the No. 1 overall pick despite the fact he only played 11 games as a freshman due to a toe injury.

“(Knight) may have been the most impressive guy in terms of the interview process in Chicago,” Dumars says. “Just an off-the-charts guy…we spent a lot of time with him in Chicago. Everybody on the staff spent time with him.”

Though the Pistons were targeting a power forward in the beginning, it couldn’t have worked out better for them than to land a top point guard. It was Detroit’s most glaring need as the team has yet to find a replacement for former star Chauncey Billups. Rodney Stuckey, who the Pistons had hoped would settle into the role, is a restricted free agent and much more suited to play shooting guard.

Now, the Pistons can comfortably pencil in Knight as their starting point guard, splitting the minutes there with veteran reserve Will Bynum. If the team opts to re-sign Stuckey, he’ll likely share minutes at shooting guard with veteran Ben Gordon. Disgruntled swingman Rip Hamilton remains on the roster, though he could be traded or bought out whenever the lockout ends.

“We’ll end up adding more talent to this team,” Dumars says. “(Knight) can play in the backcourt with the other guards we have, and we’ll allow him to grow.”

Local media has already begun comparing Knight to Billups.

“The comparison is because he can shoot so well,” Dumars says. “(Knight) can really shoot the ball so well. When you name the best-shooting point guards, he’ll be one of those guys.”

As for their frontcourt, the Pistons still have plenty of depth. Greg Monroe remains the team’s starting center, and they have every intention of re-signing restricted free agent Jonas Jerebko, who will likely start at one of the forward positions. The other starting spot could go to Austin Daye, who hopes to finally have an opportunity to play consistent minutes.

The NBA’s free agency period will resume as soon as the lockout ends. Besides Jerebko and Stuckey, the Pistons have four unrestricted free agents in forwards Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady, Chris Wilcox and DaJuan Summers, who has already signed a two-year contract to play in Italy.

Though the lockout forbids teams from any kind of player movement or contact, it doesn’t stop teams from being able to hire or fire coaches. The Pistons, since firing John Kuester, have interviewed five candidates for their head coaching vacancy: Mike Woodson, Bill Laimbeer, Lawrence Frank, Kelvin Sampson and Patrick Ewing. Since Detroit is the only team currently without a head coach, they haven’t felt rushed to make a decision.

Whoever becomes the Pistons’ next head coach knows it will be a prerequisite to play his new young players, particularly Knight.

“It’s not about years or anything like that,” Dumars says. “It’s just about trusting that this kid is going to get better. You draft a kid like this, the way they get better is you allow them to make mistakes. You’re not going to put them out there and put them in a position that they have to be perfect or else. You have to live with some mistakes with a young player.”

If there’s one thing to keep Pistons fans enthused during this lockout period, it’s knowing that the franchise is committed to adding talented players with the right mentality and commitment to winning.

“Brandon told me he’s tough, although he’s a little, slim guy,” Dumars jokes. “He told me he’s tough, so we believe that. There is no question about Kyle and Vernon’s toughness.

“But by and large what I’m saying is these guys epitomize what we’re about going forward.”