New Pistons Impress in Vegas

Dave Dial of Mlive.com has posted grades of the newest Pistons performances this summer now that the summer league has come to a conclusion...

From Mlive.com


Now this recap is the last one for the summer and we are going to do it a little differently to wrap things up. Each Piston, that had enough participation, will get a grade after their game recap. Starting things off will be Will Bynum, the Pistons leading scorer against the Bobcats.

Will Bynum had another very good game as the Pistons starting point guard. His defense, running the offense and ability to drive to the basket and make something happen has to caught the eye of Joe Dumars and coach Curry. Bynum even showed he has leaping ability when he went up for a tomahawk slam that looked like his eyes were even with the rim. Too bad he was fouled on the play that prevented what would have been one of the best dunks of the summer. Bynum finished with 16 points, 3 assists and 2 steals in 28 minutes.

Grading Will Bynum: Expectations: B+ Performance: B Potential: C+ Overall: B

Cheikh Samb is starting to look like a larger, more athletic, better defensive version of Joe Smith. He is shooting from all around the court, running the fast break and his defensive rotations are excellent. The plan might have been to have Samb come over and spend a couple seasons playing D-League basketball, but Dumars and Curry may have no choice but to put him in the rotation next season. A 7'1 big man who can stroke 16-18 foot jump shots, run the break, finish with a dunk, block shots and play defense has to be able to help the Pistons next season. Samb even hit a 16 foot jump shot after being passed the ball with the shot clock running down, getting it off right at the buzzer. He finished the game with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocked shots in 30 minutes.

Grading Cheikh Samb: Expectations: B Performance: B Potential: B+ Overall: B

The surprise of the summer has been Walter Sharpe. Partially because not many people have seen him play before, and partially because of how NBA ready he has looked. With a smooth shot, range, a bevy of moves and the ability to handle the basketball like a PG, Sharpe has impressed fans, media and the coaches. The only complaints about Sharpe could be that he hasn't taken over a game with his offense and he didn't finish around the rim in his first two summer league games. Which has to far exceed expectations for a second round pick that only played in 18 games the past three seasons. Sharpe went to the basket hard two times, making one dunk and getting fouled on the other. He also hit a three-point shot and used his play making skills running the fast break, feeding Washington for a dunk from half court. Sharpe finished the game with 8 points, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot and 1 rebound in 24 minutes.

Grading Walter Sharpe: Expectations: A Performance: B+ Potential: B+ Overall: B+

Arron Afflalo played another solid game, giving his presence to the other Pistons on the court when they needed direction. On one play Afflalo fed Deron Washington a pass from foul-line to foul-line that led him right to the basket for a slam dunk. Arron had a tough time around the basket, drawing hard fouls multiple times. He shot 6-8 from the free throw line to make the Bobcats pay, but he hit the ground a couple times pretty hard. Afflalo finished with 10 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds in 32 minutes.
Grading Arron Afflalo: Expectations: B Performance: B Potential: B- Overall: B

Amir Johnson might find that one of his niches in the NBA will be running the trap and pressuring the ball in the full-court press. Johnson's quickness and long arms make him a perfect candidate for applying defensive pressure with the ball in the backcourt. Amir had a short jumper and a dunk, but was fouled going for a couple more dunk opportunities that would have resulted in thunder dunks. He also had a block that saved a basket with the Bobcats closing in on the Pistons lead. Amir finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 1 blocked shot in 30 minutes.

Grading Amir Johnson: Expectations: C Performance: B- Potential: B+ Overall: B-

Deron Washington had his best game of the summer, by far. Washington could be seen flying through the air for multiple dunk attempts, making a couple and getting fouled on a couple, while his defense was extraordinary and non-stop. He also had a nice baseline move to the basket and scored on an up and under flip shot. If he is going to Europe next season for a year of experience, and I think he is, then this was a very good impression to leave Joe Dumars and coach Curry. Washington finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 20 minutes of play.

Grading Deron Washington: Expectations: C Performance: C+ Potential: C+ Overall: C+

When taking notes for the summer league games there is not one game where there is not a note about Trent Plaisted's pick and roll defense, and this game was no different. On one occasion he was covering the pick and roll near the three-point line, got back to his man, boxed out, grabbed the rebound(or would have had he not been fouled), was fouled and went to the free-throw line making 1 of 2. You just cannot ask for much more than that. Maybe Keith Langlois' Ben Wallace comparison is off a bit, but one cannot help but be impressed with Trent's basketball IQ and defensive abilities. One can hope that Trent can be compared to Ben in the years to come, or at least Trent and Piston fans can. Plaisted finished the game with 3 points in 15 minutes of play.

Grading Trent Plaisted: Expectations: B+ Performance: B Potential: B+ Overall: B+

New Kid on the Block

From MLive.com and Pistons' Beat Writer A.Sherrod Blakely...


During a recent interview, Joe Dumars was discussing the Detroit Pistons' free agency goals as well as the potential look of his team next season, when, in mid-sentence, he just stopped talking.

Outside his office, 7-foot-1 center Cheikh Samb was making one long jumper after another. He had strung together at least seven in a row before Dumars gathered his thoughts and spoke of a conversation he had with Rasheed Wallace about Samb.

"We got a running joke with him (Samb) and Rasheed that when camp starts, who is the best shooter," Dumars said. "Rasheed already told me, he said 'Joe, I know I got something on my hands with Cheikh.'"

Impressive shooting range is only part of Samb's game that has blossomed at a rate the Pistons did not envision when they traded Mo Evans to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Samb, a second-round pick in 2006.

Detroit anticipated keeping Samb overseas for a couple seasons, and then maybe bring him to the United States for additional seasoning in the Development League.

However, Samb's learning curve has exceeded such modest expectations, creating a very real possibility that the 23-year-old might crack the Pistons' regular rotation next season.

In addition to playing well during his time in the D-League, Samb also has impressed team officials with his work ethic this summer.

"This kid just loves, I mean loves to be in the gym," Dumars said. "You don't really find that too much with big guys. He has room to get better, obviously. But we definitely like what we see in him now."

Apparently, so did some other teams who inquired about Samb's availability.

Dumars said he has no intentions of trading away the young big man who will get an opportunity to showcase his skills beginning Friday night as Detroit's summer league team plays the Los Angeles Lakers' summer-league entry.

The competition Samb will see this summer is similar to what he faced in the D-League last season when he averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and four blocked shots in 19 games.

But at the rate he's progressing, Samb's D-League stints may be less than they were as a rookie.

More opportunities may come his way this fall, especially being the only true center on the Pistons' roster.

Dumars said it's too soon to tell exactly what role Samb will play with the team this season.

"I know I got a 7-foot-1 kid that's coming, in a hurry," Dumars said.