promises not kept

At this point in the summer, I would have to grade Joe Dumars' off season an F. After the Pistons got bounced out of the playoffs, Joe Dumars gave the speech about how no one was untouchable and changes needed to be made. First he let go of Flip Saunders, and named Michael Curry head coach. I actually don't mind this move. I'm sick of the retread of NBA coaches this league continues to go through. Curry, a former player, should get the respect and energy out of this veteran team that Saunders could not do. Dumars started making questionable moves at the NBA draft when he traded away D.J. White, his 1st round pick, for the rights to Walter Sharpe in the 2nd round. Sharpe who is supposed to have untapped potential, was unnoticed in the NBA summer league. Next after obviously overvaluing his own players, and not making the blockbuster trade, he signed Will Bynum and Kwame Brown. These are not the moves he promised us. Basically he replaced Jarvis Hayes, Juan Dixon, and Theo Ratliff with Walter Sharpe, Will Bynum, and Kwame Brown. All this tells me is that the Pistons will go through the next year probably winning 48 to 52 games and struggle again in the playoffs. Lets look at what some of the other teams in the East did. The Celtics and Cavs stayed pat, but the Celtics trio and LeBron are good enough to carry those teams. The Raptors added Jermaine O'Neal and the Sixers added Elton Brand. Those two guys seriously upgrade their teams. Smaller moves like the Bucks adding Richard Jefferson and the Magic getting Mikael Pietrus and Courtney Lee will make their teams better. Even the Bulls and Heat who have some talent but underachieved last year, added the top two picks in the draft, Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley. The combination of these teams improving and the Pistons staying in their holding pattern will lead to another disappointing season.