'Coach Tany' Offers Some Pointers for the Pistons Next Season

By Jack B. Tany
Review Sports Columnist

Now that the season is finally over for Dee-Troit Bas-ket-ball, it's time to reflect on what worked and what didn't work for the 2004-05 Motor City Roundballers.
 

The defending World Champions defeated the New Jersey Nets, Indianapolis Pacers and Miami Heat in the playoffs before meeting up with the San Antonio Spurs for the NBA championship.
Joe Dumars was a great player when he played on the Pistons' Bad Boys teams that won back-to-back championships. He is now president of the Detroit Pistons and the architect who built the defensive-minded Pistons into one of the most feared teams in the NBA. The foundation to Dumars' castle was built when he traded oft-injured Grant Hill for Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins. Atkins has long departed the scene, but Wallace - named the NBA's top defensive player - is the backbone of the Pistons.
 

Even though Dumars is doing well, I plan to help him next season by letting him know what needs to be done for the Pistons to return to glory:

… Get a coach who will stay. When Larry Brown was given a five-year contract by the Pistons, most knowledgeable cage fans knew he would stay only two or possibly three years. Brown had health problems much of the season and prior to the playoffs rumors were running wild about him exiting stage left for Cleveland. Sure, the players all responded by saying the rumors had absolutely no affect on them, but I think that was just lip service. The entire Brown saga has been too much of a distraction to the entire organization. Remember, not any one player - or coach - is bigger than the team. There's no candidates from the assistant coaching ranks, so what I propose is to give Dumars a fatter paycheck by allowing him to coach too.

…    Develop a bench. After outlasting New Jersey, Indianapolis and Miami, Detroit was just plain tuckered out when they finally got to the Spurs. You can't go through and entire regular season and playoffs relying on just seven players. The only bench players who made an impact were Lindsey Hunter and Antonio McDyess, and Hunter may give it one more year. Elden Campbell has seen better days and is expected to retire. There's been talk of picking up a free agent who can fill it up by coming off the bench. Options include Michael Finney, Jalen Rose and Allan Houston. Finney is the best bet. I like Rose but his defense is iffy. Houston? Been there, done that.

…   Provide playing time for your rookie. Jason Maxiell, the Pistons' No. 1 draft pick from Cincinnati, just signed a two-year deal worth $1.9 million. Let's not make it wasted money . . . get him some quality minutes so he can get into the flow of the game.

 

…       Ditch Darko. The Pistons need to admit they erred in drafting Darko Milicic and cut him loose. He constantly complains about a lack of playing time. When he does get in the game he dogs it. Oh yeah, make him buy his own plane ticket home.

… Sign Tayshaun Prince. He's a restricted free agent and his stock has clearly risen the past couple of seasons. He's one of Detroit's top defenders and a capable scorer, too. A lot of NBA teams would love to pry Prince away from the Pistons.

…       Have Chauncey Billups teach Ben Wallace how to shoot free throws. Billups, who is money-in-the-bank when he's at the charity stripe (especially in pressure situations), isn't called Mr. Big Shot for nothing.

…        Fine Rasheed Wallace $100,000 for every technical foul he receives. I'm all for keeping the referee's honest, but he seems to get a "T" at the most inopportune time.

…  Trade Carlos Delfino. His first year with the Pistons was horrible because he defied management and didn't want to have surgery on his knee. When he finally did go under the knife, he babied it for several months and never did get into shape.

…       Get rid of Mason, the Pistons' public address announcer. His buggy-eyes scare me.
 

…       The Eva Longoria Factor. No team can beat the San Antonio Spurs as long as Tony Parker is dating Longoria, the star of ABC's "Desperate Housewives." Either Parker and Longoria have to split up (a la Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston), or Carlos Arroyo has to start hitting on Terri Hatcher.