Charlie Villanueva
Charlie Villanueva
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Things took an interesting turn for the Detroit Pistons this past year. Gone are the days of the Eastern Conference supremacy, and gone are many of the familiar names we've been accustomed to seeing in a Pistons uniform over the years.
Chauncey Billups is now in Denver (and playing great basketball). Allen Iverson, who was acquired in this trade, has also left town to sign with the Bobcats (so much for winning that championship anytime soon). Then there's Rasheed Wallace, who opted to join the Celtics after the end of this season.
In are Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, two capable scorers. In is Ben Wallace, a familiar face from the past, though not nearly as effective as he used to be.
Say what you want about the Pistons. They're a different team than they once were, but they're clearly not throwing in the towel either. It was about 7 or 8 years ago that the Pistons were the joke of the NBA, and GM Joe Dumars has done a terrific job at rebuilding the team. It's apparent that the Chauncey Billups trade was a bad idea, but the Detroit Pistons are ready to accept their current state and move on.
There's some talented youth in Rodney Stuckey, and he'll finally have the opportunity to shine at the point guard position. Additionally, Jason Maxiell will continue to develop, and Chris Wilcox will provide the team with some solid minutes at the forward and center positions.
Meet the new Detroit Pistons. There's certainly some talent to go around here. Perhaps they'll surprise us all.
See what's going on in Pistons land at RootZoo's Detroit Pistons forum. Play some daily basketball pick 'em once the season starts.