Pistons face many questions heading into free agency

"If you need help finding your local unemployment office, maybe I can help you Mike..."

On the eve of the beginning of the NBA’s free agency period, the Detroit Pistons were the first ones to make some noise. But all the hoopla wasn’t about a player.

The Pistons fired first-year coach Michael Curry after a tumultous season that saw them end the regular season below .500 for the first time in nearly a decade and get swept in the first round of the playoffs. The knock on Curry, who spent a season as an assistant under also-pink slipped Flip Saunders, was that he could not garner the same respect that other head coaches around the league too. Curry really lost his squad after he benched Rip Hamilton for Allen Iverson, a move that not only alienated his players, but also the Detroit fanbase. The trade for AI was already heavily criticized, and the benching of Hamilton, who helped lead the Pistons to six straight conference championships, only made the whole deal worse.

So now, heading into the signing period, the Pistons not only need to find some talented free agents, but also someone that can lead the team. Former Detroit coach Doug Collins, who has been a studio analyst for some time now, seems to be a logical choice. Ex-Dallas coach Avery Johnson and Bill Laimbeer, who previously coached the Detroit Shock of the WNBA, are also names that are being thrown around. Either way, the Pistons would be well-served to find someone with a little more head coaching experience, someone that can harness the attention and respect of the players, but also make them feel comfortable.

And now with the free agents. Sources league-wide agree that Iverson and headcase Rasheed Wallace will be shown the door, and the chances of re-signing Antonio McDyess seems unlikely. The Pistons need to focus on signing a viable big man. Most pundits say that Ben Gordon is Dumars’ top target, but I’d rather see some frontcourt help. Gordon is a lights-out shooter and a scorer in the clutch, but will he be happy coming off the bench behind Hamilton? Or will Hamilton be benched again in favor of the new guy? We already know that will not go over well. Plus, Gordon lacks the defensive effort that goes with the Pistons’ blue-collar work ethic.

Another good candidate would be Hedo Turkoglu, who most likely helped put a big chunk of change in his pocket by showing off an array of skills during this season’s NBA playoffs. As a big man, Turk can stretch defenses with a solid outside shot and can also run some point-forward. Other options might be Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams, Portland forward Channing Frye and … Houston forward Ron Artest.

Ha…for those of you out there who feel that Dumars has lost his ‘midas touch’ constructing the Pistons team, signing Artest would be the feather in your cap, wouldn’t it? Can you imagine? The villain of the Malice at the Palace, one of the biggest headcases in league history?? I don’t think so.

Either way, this should be an interesting summer for the Pistons organization. I have always stood steadfast that Dumars has a plan for all this, even after a lackluster draft last week. Let’s hope I am right…