Rebuilt engine

Recent success doesn't stop Pistons from shuffling the deck

By John Hollinger, SI.com

Pistons at a Glance Head coach: Larry Brown 2002-03: 50-32 2002-03 Stats Key Additions PF Darko Milicic (draft) SG Bob Sura (Warriors) C Elden Campbell (Sonics) SF Darvin Ham (Hawks) PG Lindsey Hunter (Raptors) Key Losses PF Clifford Robinson (Warriors) SG Jon Barry (Nuggets) SF Michael Curry (Raptors) Projected Lineup Starters Reserves PG  C. Billups C. Atkins SG  R. Hamilton B. Sura SF  T. Prince C. Williamson PF  B. Wallace E. Campbell C  M. Okur Z. Rebraca

Joe Dumars speaks softly, but he carries a big stick. During his dramatic rebuilding of the Pistons from Central Division doormats into two-time division champs, the Pistons general manager hasn't been afraid to take chances. This past offseason featured his boldest one yet.

Dumars unceremoniously dismissed Rick Carlisle, who had won two straight division crowns and a Coach of the Year award, and went for a perceived upgrade on the bench when Larry Brown became available. The famously nomadic former 76ers coach has been a turnaround specialist throughout his career, but enters Detroit in an unusual position for him -- taking over a team that's already a winner, and trying to turn it into a champion.

Those weren't the only gambles. Dumars passed up the best college player in the draft (Carmelo Anthony) to take  Serbian teenager Darko Milicic. He signed Elden Campbell, coming off a disappointing half-season at the end of Seattle's bench, to a two-year free-agent deal. And he traded Clifford Robinson, a linchpin of last year's defensive effort, to Golden State for backcourt reserve Bob Sura. Those moves need to work out for the Pistons to stay on top of the Central Division, but everything he's done has been spectacularly successful thus far.

The Pistons also said goodbye to another starter when they traded Michael Curry to Toronto for Lindsey Hunter, opening the way for Tayshaun Prince to start at small forward. Sharpshooter Jon Barry departed as a free agent as well.

Frontcourt depth. The Pistons could afford to trade Robinson because they have so many other big guys. Their roster is so thick with post players that highly touted rookie Milicic has almost no chance of cracking the rotation. Five quality veterans are ahead of him in the queue.

It all starts with Ben Wallace, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Wallace is a human fly swatter who sent back more than three shots a game, and his 15 rebounds a game single-handedly made up for Detroit's other deficiencies on the glass (even with Wallace leading the league by a mile, Detroit was outrebounded as a team last year). Unlike many shot-blockers, Wallace has the bulk to defend big men on the blocks, and still is quick enough to switch onto guards against the pick-and-roll.

Wallace's Achilles' heel is scoring -- he can't shoot at all -- but the Pistons are dashboard-deep in scoring big men who can make up for it. The best of the bunch is Mehmet Okur, who impressed in his rookie season with his ability to score from both inside and outside. He'll be starting alongside Wallace this year. Those two are unconventional, but behind them are two traditional post players in Campbell and Zeljko Rebraca, both of whom struggled with injuries in 2002-03. Campbell nearly made the All-Star team two years ago and gives opponents fits with his ability to post up and put it on the floor. Rebraca, meanwhile, missed nearly all of last year with an irregular heartbeat and subsequent surgery after an impressive rookie season in 2001-02, but is back and ready to go.

In fact, the Pistons are so deep up front that one of the league's best reserves may hardly get a chance to play his natural position. Corliss Williamson is a bulldozer in the paint who won the Sixth Man award in 2001-02, but likely will see nearly all of his minutes at the small forward spot.

Passing. The Pistons have a lot of things going for them, but they see the floor about as well as Ray Charles sees a kaleidoscope. In fact, no Pistons averaged even four assists a game last season. The point guard, Chauncey Billups, is a heck of a scorer, but he's a shoot-first guy who gets most of his occasional assists on set plays rather than driving and dishing. At shooting guard, Richard Hamilton is worse. He's another guy who can put the ball in the basket -- leading Detroit at 19.7 points a game last season -- but he only managed 2.5 assists a game despite all the attention he got from opposing defenses.

The frontcourt won't help much, either. Prince took over the starting small forward spot in the postseason and did a lot of things well, but passing wasn't one of them -- he only handed out 1.5 assists a game in the playoffs. In fact, his career high is three. Okur, Rebraca and Campbell are a fearsome center tandem, but none of them is known for sharing the rock. Wallace, meanwhile, is incredibly unselfish, but the fact that teams aren't exactly frightened of his shooting limits his ability to create chances for others.

Making matters worse, the Pistons lost their best passers in the offseason. Barry was the one Piston who could see things before they developed, frequently whipping passes off the dribble to guys standing under the basket with surprised looks on their faces, but he's in Denver now. Curry was the second-best passer, and he's gone, too. That's why there's so much pressure on Sura this season. For one, the Pistons traded their starting power forward in order to get him. But additionally, Sura will be asked to fill the role vacated by Barry. He's capable of doing it too, as he passes with flair and has great court vision, but he'll have to overcome preseason back problems and stay on the floor.

Can they get a ring without a superstar? In their quest to win a championship (and it's a tribute to how far the Pistons have come in the past two years that this can be talked about seriously), the Pistons are certainly deep and talented, but they're seriously lacking in the superstar department. The Lakers have Shaq and Kobe. The Spurs have Duncan, the Nets have Kidd, Dallas has Dirk, and the T'wolves have Garnett. Meanwhile, Detroit's best player averaged 6.9 points a game last year. No Pistons averaged 20 points a game, and only three that hit double figures.

Historically, this is a huge liability for a title contender. Four players -- Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon -- have accounted for both the last 13 NBA championships and the last 13 Finals MVP awards. It's no accident that it's happened that way; great teams almost always have a transcendent superstar leading the way. There have been exceptions that have come close -- the recent Kings teams, the 2000 Blazers, the 1999 Pacers -- but not since Detroit's own Bad Boys won two straight crowns has a team taken the crown without a phenomenal stud at the epicenter. (Side note: I hear you, Isiah fans, but not by then. The Pistons didn't have a 20-point scorer or an all-NBA player in either season).

Getting there. The Pistons are legitimate contenders for the Eastern Conference crown, with only New Jersey above them on the totem pole. As for their ultimate aspiration, however, they're still in the second tier behind the Western Conference powers. With Brown pulling the levers and a parade of big men wearing down their opponents, it's easy to imagine the Pistons making the Finals. But unless they can get more star power, it's all but impossible to see them winning once they get there.

John Hollinger covers basketball for SI.com and is the author of Pro Basketball Prospectus. Click here to send him a question or comment.