Pistons thrilled by draft results Delfino wants out if lb is back

[ducks]

Pistons thrilled by draft results

BY PERRY A. FARRELL
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

June 30, 2005

It's important to Joe Dumars, the man in charge of keeping the Pistons a championship contender, that new fresh legs continue to bolster the roster while the core remains intact.

MEET THE NEW PISTONS
F JASON MAXIELL

Ht/Wt: 6-7, 260.

Age: 22

Pick: 1st round, 26th overall.

School: Cincinnati.

Notable: Nicknamed J-Max. Earned a psychology degree. Averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots last season.

F AMIR JOHNSON

Ht/Wt: 6-9, 210.

Age: 18

Pick: 2nd round, 56th overall.

School: Westchester H.S. (Calif.)

Notable: California Mr. Basketball has "tremendous upside," Joe Dumars says. Ineligible during freshman and junior seasons and enrolled in three different high schools. Had signed to play at Louisville. Averaged 21 points, 15 rebounds last season.

G ALEX ACKER

Ht/Wt: 6-5, 185.

Age: 22.

Pick: 2nd round, 60th overall.

School: Pepperdine.

Notable: Can play point or off guard. Struggled at Chicago draft camp. Averaged 16.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists as a junior.

That's why he's excited about the possibility that all three of Tuesday's draft choices will make the roster come opening night.

Jason Maxiell, 22, a first-round pick at No. 26, is a tough guy whose size, at 6-feet-7, may have been a question to other teams, but his heart captured Dumars' attention throughout the season.

"This guy here is a beast," Dumars said. "It doesn't matter how tall he is. When he gets out there, you'll see. He's cut out of that same mold" as Ben Wallace.

Maxiell was introduced to the media on Wednesday at the Palace Atrium, and Dumars said he expects him to make the Pistons' roster for next season.

But the surprise of the post-draft analysis was the visible glee and excitement John Hammond, vice president of basketball operations, and Scott Perry, director of player personnel, had when discussing the second-round picks, Amir Johnson and Alex Acker.

"These guys weren't throw-ins," Dumars said.

Johnson, 18, is 6-feet-10 and California's prep player of the year, from battle-tested Westchester High. Acker, a 6-5 combo guard, left Pepperdine a year early.

Perry said Dumars probably watched more film of Acker than he did of Maxiell, whom the organization tabbed early in the year as a possible Piston.

"I was telling Jason over at the practice facility, the other two kids we drafted, Amir Johnson at 56 and Alex Acker at 60, we're very excited about both of those kids as well," Dumars said. "You have to add youth and new energy and new blood into the system, or it runs the risk of getting stale. You have to continue to do that with the way we play and the level we're playing at.

"Amir is a high school kid that's 6-10 and has a tremendous upside. Alex Acker is a guy that I've been watching all season long. ...

"I just want to say we're very, very excited about both of those kids as well. Those weren't just guys we picked just because we had to pick at 56 and 60. Those were guys we liked an awful lot. There's a very good chance you could see those guys here next year as well."

Acker and Johnson were still in California and couldn't get to Detroit in time for the news conference.

Acker probably was near and dear to Dumars' heart because the Pistons' president of basketball operations played both guard positions in his franchise-record 14 years as a Piston.

"I'm really excited about him," Dumars said. "I think he can really play."

Perry said Johnson was a slimmer, less experienced version of Antonio McDyess, the team's backup power forward.

One Johnson stat that stands out was his eight blocked shots a game in a high school program that played across the country.

"When you see him play you'll see why we're excited," Perry said. "Westchester has had one of the top high school programs the last 10 years. Antoine Wright, who was drafted by New Jersey, went there. Both of those kids are very athletic."

Maxiell, who averaged 15.3 points and had 91 blocks as a senior at Cincinnati, listed himself at 6-5, although the organization lists him at 6-7.

A man of few words, Maxiell has long arms and a barrel chest and should fit in well with the likes of Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and McDyess.

"I have a work ethic, and I'm not going to take a play off," Maxiell said. "I have a wingspan of 7-3, but also I'm strong, and I'm not going to take a day off. Of course I kind of patterned myself after Ben Wallace. I'm a Malik Rose-type player. At one point it was Kevin Garnett, but Kevin Garnett's a little too tall for me. Besides those three, the old Charles Barkley somewhat -- undersized but works hard."

Ben Wallace and Maxiell have something else in common: both are model car fanatics.

NOTEBOOK: Dumars said he had a long talk with swingman Carlos Delfino in San Antonio about his future. Delfino has told the Argentine press that if Larry Brown returned as coach, he'd like to play somewhere else. "I tend to get right to the point; I don't beat around the bush," Dumars said. "I said if you want to be here, let me know. If you don't, let me know. He said, 'I don't want to go anywhere, and I want to be here.' It's that simple. I said if you don't, give me a holler." ...

Delfino, Darko Milicic, Rickey Paulding, Andreas Glyniadakis and the latest draft picks are expected to play in the Las Vegas summer league, which starts next week.

Contact PERRY A. FARRELL at 313-222-2555 or [email protected].

http://www.freep.com/cgi-bin/forms/printerfriendly.pl

[Kori Ellis]

Dumars said he had a long talk with swingman Carlos Delfino in San Antonio about his future. Delfino has told the Argentine press that if Larry Brown returned as coach, he'd like to play somewhere else. "I tend to get right to the point; I don't beat around the bush," Dumars said. "I said if you want to be here, let me know. If you don't, let me know. He said, 'I don't want to go anywhere, and I want to be here.' It's that simple. I said if you don't, give me a holler." ...

I don't see in Dumars' quote anything that indicates he doesn't want to come back if Larry Brown is there. It seems like just something that was mentioned in the Argentine media.

[timvp]

"I have a work ethic, and I'm not going to take a play off," Maxiell said. "I have a wingspan of 7-3, but also I'm strong, and I'm not going to take a day off. Of course I kind of patterned myself after Ben Wallace. I'm a Malik Rose-type player. At one point it was Kevin Garnett, but Kevin Garnett's a little too tall for me. Besides those three, the old Charles Barkley somewhat -- undersized but works hard."

He must suck.

Sincerely,

AHF

[Pistons < Spurs]

Delfino has gone off before to the foreign newspapers about not liking LB. He said that he and LB have NO relationship. They don't even say o to each other. I know he want minutes....and naturally, LB does not easily give them out...But I truly believe the personality conflict is going to be too much to overcome, and we will have to get rid of him at some point.

At first I was blaming him for being a little .....but I can understand how he feels. LB does not play anybody on the bench....no one gets any minutes...it pisses me off. Dupree,Darko,Delfino.....we're gonna lose all of them because of LB.

[AI-square]

How about Willie Green and/or Rodney Rogers for Carlos Delfino? What say Pistons?

[picnroll]

Delfino seems y. He always seems to be on the outside on the Argentine national team. I recall Manu having some reservations about Delfino when Brown asked about him.

[timvp]

I also remember Delfino saying before the season last year that he was better than Manu.

[Kori Ellis]

I also remember Delfino saying before the season last year that he was better than Manu.

Yeah I think he said that he was as good as Manu but a little better better in most areas

[AI-square]

I also remember Delfino saying before the season last year that he was better than Manu.

I'd like to know where that came from. The only thing I've read from Delfino was this:


Last question... You are often compared to Emanuel Ginobili. Is that a good comparison?

CD: No! No way. We are totally different players. We don't even have similar looks (laughs). I'm more of an all-around player. I have been playing the one, two and three spots here. And I was playing power forward here the other day. Manu plays great, but only at a certain position. He is a great player, but I can do more things. He does several things and he does those things exceptionally well. I can do more things. I'm not incredibly good at anything, but I'm pretty good doing a lot of things.

http://www.hoopshype.com/interviews/delfino_sierra.htm

[picnroll]

What "more things" can Delfino do exactly? Piss off coaches? I know he's pissed off Brown and the Argentine national coach.

[Kori Ellis]

I'd like to know where that came from.

I'll see if I can find it for you. It's somewhere on the forum. He did say that he thought he was better than Manu at most things.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Delfino seems y.

YEP!!!!!!!


Which I don't mind toooo mcuh....the problem is that he ain't shown us yet. Perhaps he will get an opportunity in the summer league...who knows.

I really think this guy can ball....But he has to mature. More than likely, we'll be seeing him play on another team soon.......

Another part of the puzzle is Darko. Does Joe really want a so called "bad at ude" about our Coach around Darko...who I'm sure has to have some of the exact same feelings about LB. Personally I want him as far away from Darko as possible......I don't want that cancer to spread. I've heard that they are boys though..Supposedly they're spotted all over the place together.

[picnroll]

Brown seems to be really bad with young players I remember Sean Elliott nearly went Spree on his neck his rookie season. I think he yells like Pop without compensating with the love and humor. That said Delfino may be a sinc his at ude goes from place to place, always thinking as a newbie he deserved to be a man on the Argentine national team.

[WayDowntownBang]

I can't stand this kid's mouth. If he can play half as good as he talks, he'll be a Hall of Fame lock.

I don't get it. Manu, Tony.. and all the other European players to come out, and we get the loud, obnoxious one.

[theMUHMEshow]

How about Willie Green and/or Rodney Rogers for Carlos Delfino? What say Pistons?

I would love Willie Green to come back to the D! He is a great scorer and a lot better then dip ass Delfino!

I hate the MAXIELL pick...

Why couldnt we have taken Simeion

[WayDowntownBang]

Why couldnt we have taken Simeion

Because Joe Dumars knows more about the draft than you or I. Trust the man.

[ObiwanGinobili]

I had no idea that Delfino was such a y big mouthed twit.

damn. poor Manu..... with so few argentines inthe NBA they are usually all grouped together in people's minds. IE. what ever you do affects the whole group.

[Sense]

Because Joe Dumars knows more about the draft than you or I. Trust the man.

Wouldn't you have loved a European player though?

[vanvannen]

Yeah I think he said that he was as good as Manu but a little better better in most areas

That was a bad translation I think. He never said he was better than Manu. He ment to say he could do things Manu couldn't (I think he was talking about the 2003/04 Manu when Pop had his reigns tight) but not sure what things he was refering to.
Delfino is a skilled young player, but his mouth is a little big. He also had a problem with his injury when he said he was given all kinds of medication in Detroit and people thought he implied everybody was taking drugs in the NBA. He said that because in Europe and Argentina doctors use all kind of equipment but no drugs, as there are many more forbiden.
He also said recently that Manu was kind of a hero to him, and that he knew he should be the only argentinean wanting Detroit to win.

[WayDowntownBang]

Wouldn't you have loved a European player though?

Depends on the guy. You don't just pick a guy based on where he's from, although that seems to be the 'in-thing' to do. The league goes through this phase, and people buy into it. One day it's "European players are the way to go!" and the next day it's "get the High School player.. the 'next big thing'.

I like the Pistons #26 pick. I didn't know anything about him, but after the fact, I did some research. The guy takes pride in his defense, he's quick, and he seems to be a geniune 'nice guy'. He fits the mold of a Detroit Piston perfectly. I think it was a good pick, but only time will tell. It's too easy to be a Monday Morning Draft Quarterback.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Delfino has gone off before to the foreign newspapers about not liking LB.

This is part of a piece he did in an Argentinian newspaper just after being told he would not be on the playoff roster:

UNHAPPY PISTON Carlos Delfino didn't take being left off the Pistons' playoff roster well. He told an Argentine newspaper: "They used me, they treated me like trash. They should transfer me or cut me. From this place, I have the worst memories of my career and I want to go back home. Obviously, (Larry) Brown did this on purpose. This is the worst year in my career. I fulfilled my dream. I played in the NBA and I proved to myself that I can play here. That's the only positive thing. For this guy (Brown), I will not play anymore." Few expect Brown to return to the Pistons after this season, so Delfino should be OK.

[WalterBenitez]

I have a question?

With Larry Brown as a Coach, Would Lebron or Carmelo played more than Darko?

Why a team (like Pistons) draft and keep young players and dont send them to develop overseas, like Spurs and many others team did and do?

I have a confession!

Delfino could be a good player, but sometimes acts like a stupid

[picnroll]

To paraphrase Pop, Delfino hasn't gotten over himself.

[gus]

Yep,

IT is all a misunderstood. Delfino said thousand of times that he will be honored to be half as manu. After the match vs. Phoenix (the 48 points match), he talked very proud about Manu.

He is a big mouth but he worked double to get in shape and Larry Brown let him out of the roster for ... Dervin Ham.

Gus

[Pistons < Spurs]

I have a question?

With Larry Brown as a Coach, Would Lebron or Carmelo played more than Darko?

Yes, they would have played more than Darko. They were/are both more ready for the NBA

Why a team (like Pistons) draft and keep young players and dont send them to develop overseas, like Spurs and many others team did and do?

We currently have a player in Greece...forget his name. He's a 7ft center If I remember correctly
We have Ricky Paulding overseas.
And I beleive that Delfino stayed overseas for a year after we took him.

I have a confession!

Delfino could be a good player, but sometimes acts like a stupid

I agree. There is alot of talent there. He just needs time to adjust, mature and develop.