ducks
10-20-2005, 09:29 AM
AUBURN HILLS -- You won't hear any noise out of Tayshaun Prince about getting a new contract. It's simply not his style.
He's a quiet man, so much so that sometimes you might even forget he's a key member of the championship-level Pistons. And it isn't because he doesn't contribute. It's because he does his job in a workmanlike fashion, without pomp and circumstance.
That's why the Pistons will ultimately strike a new deal with Prince. He's what this team is all about. Ben Wallace might be the face of the organization, but Prince is the engine. When he goes, so do the Pistons -- be it a slam on a fast break or a blocked shot after he has run down a would-be scorer.
Prince fits in perfectly. And on the flip side, this team is a perfect fit for Prince. That's what you look for in the NBA.
Pay him what he's worth
"Tay is very important to our team," guard Rip Hamilton said Tuesday night. "The fact that our team won a championship and went right back there last year says a lot.
"He's young, athletic and plays all types of positions. He fits right in on what we want to do here. So I definitely believe that we need him."
The Pistons are well aware of it. The sides aren't that far apart, apparently only $5 million.
"We understand Tayshaun's importance, and we're hopeful to get something done," team president Joe Dumars said.
Whatever the eventual price tag, Prince is worth it.
Though fans shouldn't fret, a deadline will make them a little antsy. The Pistons must re-sign Prince by Oct. 31. If they don't, he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. At that point, he would be free to shop his talent to any NBA team.
Could the Pistons get by without Prince? Sure. They are built of parts, not on the back of one player. That's why they're so tough to beat.
"Of course I expect it to get done," Prince said. "This is a business, so things could happen. But when you've been with something that's been special for three years, you couldn't imagine being in another situation."
Strong defender, too
Prince, 25, has come a long way since being the 23rd overall pick in the 2002 draft. He barely played in his first season. In the last two, he has appeared in all 82 regular-season games and become an all-round threat, especially on defense.
"With him out there, I know he's on both ends of the floor," Hamilton said. "That's the thing you love about him."
Prince, who averaged career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.0), has become a stopper, often having to face the opponent's best scorer. Last season, Prince was recognized for his hard work by being named second-team all-defense in the NBA. He should have been on the first team.
Though it's hard to point to one play as the reason a team wins a championship, Prince's block of Reggie Miller's potential game-tying basket in Game 2 of the 2004 Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis merits consideration. Instead of possibly losing in overtime, the Pistons won that game, the series in six games and eventually the title.
In the end, it will probably take something close to a king's ransom to keep Prince. Nonetheless, it would be worth every penny.
He's a quiet man, so much so that sometimes you might even forget he's a key member of the championship-level Pistons. And it isn't because he doesn't contribute. It's because he does his job in a workmanlike fashion, without pomp and circumstance.
That's why the Pistons will ultimately strike a new deal with Prince. He's what this team is all about. Ben Wallace might be the face of the organization, but Prince is the engine. When he goes, so do the Pistons -- be it a slam on a fast break or a blocked shot after he has run down a would-be scorer.
Prince fits in perfectly. And on the flip side, this team is a perfect fit for Prince. That's what you look for in the NBA.
Pay him what he's worth
"Tay is very important to our team," guard Rip Hamilton said Tuesday night. "The fact that our team won a championship and went right back there last year says a lot.
"He's young, athletic and plays all types of positions. He fits right in on what we want to do here. So I definitely believe that we need him."
The Pistons are well aware of it. The sides aren't that far apart, apparently only $5 million.
"We understand Tayshaun's importance, and we're hopeful to get something done," team president Joe Dumars said.
Whatever the eventual price tag, Prince is worth it.
Though fans shouldn't fret, a deadline will make them a little antsy. The Pistons must re-sign Prince by Oct. 31. If they don't, he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. At that point, he would be free to shop his talent to any NBA team.
Could the Pistons get by without Prince? Sure. They are built of parts, not on the back of one player. That's why they're so tough to beat.
"Of course I expect it to get done," Prince said. "This is a business, so things could happen. But when you've been with something that's been special for three years, you couldn't imagine being in another situation."
Strong defender, too
Prince, 25, has come a long way since being the 23rd overall pick in the 2002 draft. He barely played in his first season. In the last two, he has appeared in all 82 regular-season games and become an all-round threat, especially on defense.
"With him out there, I know he's on both ends of the floor," Hamilton said. "That's the thing you love about him."
Prince, who averaged career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.0), has become a stopper, often having to face the opponent's best scorer. Last season, Prince was recognized for his hard work by being named second-team all-defense in the NBA. He should have been on the first team.
Though it's hard to point to one play as the reason a team wins a championship, Prince's block of Reggie Miller's potential game-tying basket in Game 2 of the 2004 Eastern Conference finals in Indianapolis merits consideration. Instead of possibly losing in overtime, the Pistons won that game, the series in six games and eventually the title.
In the end, it will probably take something close to a king's ransom to keep Prince. Nonetheless, it would be worth every penny.