Mr.Bottomtooth
10-04-2006, 04:20 PM
Mohammed, Murray hope to find stability with Pistons
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- Chauncey Billups has come a long way since becoming a Detroit Piston four years ago. Now one of the NBA's top point guards, Billups was considered one of the league's more easily discarded players before arriving in Detroit.
Two of the Pistons' new additions, Ronald Murray and Nazr Mohammed, have the potential to follow a similar path as Billups and ex-Piston Ben Wallace. After bouncing around the league for years, Billups and Wallace each found success -- and stability -- in Detroit.
"We believe both of those guys (Murray and Mohammed) fit in perfectly with what we're about, and will do well here," said Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations. "We feel very, very fortunate to be going into this season with both of those guys in a Pistons uniform."
While Mohammed understands how NBA nomads have come to Detroit and thrived, he's not concerned about following in anyone's footsteps.
"I don't usually think that way, as far as what other guys have done," said Mohammed, who is playing for his fifth team in what will be his ninth NBA season. "My whole mindset has been on coming out here and do what I do."
Billups, who played for five franchises in his first five NBA seasons, understands how important feeling secure can be to a player's performance.
"When you're bouncing around, when you can finally feel that sense of stability, then you don't have to worry about none of that," said Billups, heading into his fifth season with the Pistons. "None of that's on your mind -- just the court. When you can do that, and you got talent, which both of those guys have a great deal of, then you can start making some strides with your career. I think that's what's going to happen for both of those guys."
Murray, heading into his fifth season with his fourth different team, would appreciate seeing trade rumors swirl that don't include his name.
"I'm trying to be the piece that comes in and help the team continue to win," Murray said.
Billups doesn't plan to spend much time thinking -- or talking -- about his free agency status, which won't become official until he opts-out of the final year of his current contract at the end of this season.
"When that time comes, I'll have conversations with y'all about it," Billups told reporters. "I'm just trying to duplicate what we did last year, and get better at the end. As far as that (free agency) goes, I'm not going to be talking about it all year. I don't want to talk about it a lot."
McDyess, who ran some drills with the first team on Tuesday -- Dale Davis also did -- is open to the idea of starting.
"At this point, if I do (start), I do. If I don't, I don't," said McDyess, who in the past has told the Pistons coaching staff he prefers to come off the bench. "But if it's best for the team, then I would."
Saunders said no decision has been made on who will start at center, adding that McDyess and Davis were with the first group because they're more familiar with the various sets than Mohammed.
The Pistons are expected to pick up the fourth-year option on Carlos Delfino's contract prior to the Oct. 31 deadline.
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at [email protected] or mlive.com/forums/pistons.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
By A. Sherrod Blakely
AUBURN HILLS -- Chauncey Billups has come a long way since becoming a Detroit Piston four years ago. Now one of the NBA's top point guards, Billups was considered one of the league's more easily discarded players before arriving in Detroit.
Two of the Pistons' new additions, Ronald Murray and Nazr Mohammed, have the potential to follow a similar path as Billups and ex-Piston Ben Wallace. After bouncing around the league for years, Billups and Wallace each found success -- and stability -- in Detroit.
"We believe both of those guys (Murray and Mohammed) fit in perfectly with what we're about, and will do well here," said Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations. "We feel very, very fortunate to be going into this season with both of those guys in a Pistons uniform."
While Mohammed understands how NBA nomads have come to Detroit and thrived, he's not concerned about following in anyone's footsteps.
"I don't usually think that way, as far as what other guys have done," said Mohammed, who is playing for his fifth team in what will be his ninth NBA season. "My whole mindset has been on coming out here and do what I do."
Billups, who played for five franchises in his first five NBA seasons, understands how important feeling secure can be to a player's performance.
"When you're bouncing around, when you can finally feel that sense of stability, then you don't have to worry about none of that," said Billups, heading into his fifth season with the Pistons. "None of that's on your mind -- just the court. When you can do that, and you got talent, which both of those guys have a great deal of, then you can start making some strides with your career. I think that's what's going to happen for both of those guys."
Murray, heading into his fifth season with his fourth different team, would appreciate seeing trade rumors swirl that don't include his name.
"I'm trying to be the piece that comes in and help the team continue to win," Murray said.
Billups doesn't plan to spend much time thinking -- or talking -- about his free agency status, which won't become official until he opts-out of the final year of his current contract at the end of this season.
"When that time comes, I'll have conversations with y'all about it," Billups told reporters. "I'm just trying to duplicate what we did last year, and get better at the end. As far as that (free agency) goes, I'm not going to be talking about it all year. I don't want to talk about it a lot."
McDyess, who ran some drills with the first team on Tuesday -- Dale Davis also did -- is open to the idea of starting.
"At this point, if I do (start), I do. If I don't, I don't," said McDyess, who in the past has told the Pistons coaching staff he prefers to come off the bench. "But if it's best for the team, then I would."
Saunders said no decision has been made on who will start at center, adding that McDyess and Davis were with the first group because they're more familiar with the various sets than Mohammed.
The Pistons are expected to pick up the fourth-year option on Carlos Delfino's contract prior to the Oct. 31 deadline.
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at [email protected] or mlive.com/forums/pistons.