Hart

I cannot believe how much the technique on Ivey's shot has improved since his days at Purdue. And even it seems like since the beginning of the season. I never thought it would get this far. I was always kind of hoping just for a Shawn Marion type deal where it looks ugly but can at least be somewhat effective at times. But it seems like it can be much more than that now. It's actually a decent looking stroke now.

If the Pistons can get Ivey to play hard on defense consistently next year, I think Weaver is going to survive. Ivey has shown enough now on offense that I do believe he will be a star. He's a safer bet to get there at this point than Cade.

I kind of question how the Tigers handled Boyd at the end of Spring Training. I am sure he got work in the background but he went a long time without facing live game action after the Tigers cancelled his last start.

It's amazing what good defense can do for you. We saw it with Tampa against us and then we saw it in that inning with Vierling and Maton having a huge effect in opposite directions.

Yeah. His control was lacking but he battled thru it with a tough lineup. It's hindsight at this point but Boyd at 70 something pitches vs our bullpen seems like an easy decision.

I thought he struggled with his control tonight but he was just getting into a groove right before the Tigers extended inning at the plate. I think that hurt him. I agree with you though...Boyd should have been kept in.

This bullpen is going to an issue. Yikes.

I would guess Bertuzzi's value is pretty low and the Red Wings will find they would rather keep him and make a push for playoff spot than take a low ball offer for him.

I am not worried one bit about Duren being able to guard out on the perimeter. He has shown the ability to do that already.

Much better defensive instincts too. Drummond had the physical tools but never was able to put it all together.

That's a given. Upgrading the power forward position is some really low hanging fruit for the Pistons to improve. I like Beef Stew but it's pretty clear at this point he is a better fit off the bench.

I was a good with the Isaiah Stewart three point experiment but it's looking like it needs to go away next year.

I doubt the Warriors want Wiseman back and are happy to save the money. Either way, I wouldn't be upset. I would prefer Bey to Wiseman but we are splitting hairs at this point and the Pistons clearly don't want to re-sign Bey long term.

It also is not your job to chose Haliburton over Hayes. It's Weaver's job and he should be judged on it. At the end of the day, I don't judge him too harshly on one bad first round pick in three years (out of 6 total). The jury is still very much out on Ivey, Cade, and Duren and time will tell. I am fairly confident Duren will turn out to be a really good pick-up at 13 overall. Results do matter though and the results the Pistons are getting are putrid. Which is why next year is crucial in evaluating his performance.

I don't think Weaver's drafting has been bad. Killian is a bust at #7 or whatever he was but that happens. The problem is the sum of the parts of this team right now is a bust and I doubt it would have changed much with Cade. And he also decided to hang onto Casey as long as he has so if Casey is the problem, that's on Weaver also. It could turn around quickly next year when Cade comes back and Ivey moves into his second year but if it doesn't, there is a little hope for this team.

Those guys didn't grow up shooting threes so it would definitely be a battle of contrasts. I'd love to see it. It's hard for me to say the reason most people over 40 enjoy 80's and 90's basketball more is because of the style but there may be some truth to it.

I am not saying fire Weaver but I am saying next year is a big deal in evaluating him. Regardless of who we draft, we need to see a good deal of progress from the current young guys that are already here.

I am glad we kept Bojan. He's a good player under contract for two more years. The offer would have to blow me away to deal him. I am not big in to acquiring assets anymore. At this point, management needs to prove they can build a winning team regardless of how many high draft picks they can stack on top of each other.

At least people are beginning to question Weaver now. When I brought it up early in the season, I got ridiculed for questioning the timeline of a rebuild. At some point, we have to stop being one of the three worst teams in basketball. Next year is crucial. We need to see some kind of progress next year.

Besides the three point shooting, he only had 1 turnover. Be nice to see him follow it up tonight with back to back strong games. You never know when things are going to start to click. I am growing more and more confident the Pistons were lucky he fell to #5.

It's somewhat enjoyable watching the Pistons again when Duren is on the court. For him to be as good as he is on defense at his age is extremely encouraging. He maybe can't have the impact he could've 20 years ago because the game is so three point orientated now but it still nice to have a rim protector again.

Unless Bey really wants out or somebody offers us a lottery pick, I hope we keep him. He'll be 26 when Bojan's contract is up. There is no guarantee he won't be better than Bojan sometime between now and then. He is strong enough to play the four in a limited role if we want to go small ball. He shoots well enough to play the two if we get desperate there because of injuries. And the Pistons really don't need to be in the business of trading their quality young players for picks when they are still improving.

I've actually been watching them a bit the last three games and they are making small improvements. Duren continues to make strides defensively. He does have some trouble with really big dudes but that is nitpicking. Ivey's stat lines might not be impressive but he flashes big time potential on offense with his combination of ball handling and explosiveness. Bey is a nice rotation player player at the very least, even if he doesn't make it as a starter. Same thing for Burks. On a good team, guys like Bey and Burks are really nice role players. With Cade back next year, having Ivey, Bogey, and Cade starting and Bey and Burks coming off the bench is a something to look forward too. I do agree Stewart needs to stay at power forward. I do think he has value there, especially off the bench. But the power forward position is where we really need to upgrade this offseason.

He's frustrating at times for sure. I think part of the problem is he is being too unselfish. He'll have a lane to drive or an open shot and he'll dish it to a guy who is more covered than he is. And he loves no look passes to the point he often makes them when they are not necessary, which leads to some turnovers. But I am not completely writing him off long term. Cade is a much better passer but has other issues. And it feels like it has to be one of those guys for now.

Duren is showing some really encouraging signs on defense. That block on Fernando tonight was impressive. There was a similar block against NJ where he was called for a bs foul. He's going strait up in a manner that you want you to see to avoid fouling. Averaging a block and steal per game in January.