sports
Changes begin for the Detroit Pistons
By: Michael Niziolek
percent exactly) from the free Even though the two signings need to decide if Gordon and
throw line. ate up most of the Pistons’
Richard Hamilton, who play
Joe Dumars promised
changes this off season and
Villanueva will replace
salary cap room, Dumars isn’t
the same position, can be used
he wasn’t kidding.
Rasheed Wallace in the starting
done yet.
together.
line-up and Wallace has agreed He’ll need to decide whether
President of Basketball
Ben Gordon to a two-year deal with the to bring back free agent Antonio
The roster makeover has
Operations for the Detroit
Boston Celtics officially ending McDyess or find frontcourt help
certainly begun for the Pistons.
Pistons, Dumars fired head
his tenure as a Piston.. from someplace else. Plus, he’ll The question is: what’s next?
coach Michael Curry and
reached agreements with
free agents Ben Gordon and
Charlie Villanueva last week.
Curry was 39-43 in his
first season as coach of the
Pistons and while he did lead
the team into the playoffs,
the Cleveland Cavaliers
swept them in the first round.
Dumars, who as a Piston
played with Curry, said the
decision wasn’t an easy one.
“This was a difficult
decision to make,” Dumars
said in a statement. “I want
to thank Michael for his hard
work and dedication to the
organization. However, at this
time, I have decided to make
Gordon received a five-year contract
a change.”
for around $55 million and Villanueva’s
It will be the fifth head coach deal is worth $35 million over the same
Dumars hires in nine years after Curry, amount of years.
Flip Saunders, Larry Brown and Rick
The Pistons had around $20 million
Carlisle. Detroit is a team in transition
in cap space and by committing the
and Dumars expressed a desire for a
money to Gordon, 26, and Villanueva,
coach with more experience to lead the
24, Dumars signaled that Detroit is
team as it undergoes significant roster
serious about getting younger.
changes in the weeks to come.
Pistons fans should be very familiar
Two names coming to Detroit
with both players.
as part of the roster makeover are Join Us in Celebrating
former University of Connecticut
Gordon was drafted with the third
teammates Gordon and Villanueva.
pick in the 2004 NBA draft by the
Community Champions!
Chicago Bulls and the
shooting guard has been one
of the premier sharpshooters
in the league. During his
Detroiters are special!
time with the Bulls he led the
team in scoring the last four
Do you know someone making a difference where you live?
Charlie Villanueva
seasons, won the NBA Sixth Or an organization that goes the extra mile to improve your community?
Man of the Year Award as a
rookie, became the all-time
Nominate Now! Deadline is July 17, 2009.
leader in three-point field
goals for the franchise and
The 9th Annual Detroit Community Development Awards
missed only 12 games over
those five years.
is the premiere event honoring Detroit’s leaders and unsung heroes at work in our neighborhoods.
Villanueva was drafted by
To nominate, visit the Detroit LISC website
atwww.detroit-lisc.org to fill out a form!
the Toronto Raptors with the
seventh overall pick in the
Winners will be selected by community judges and announced at the Annual Awards Luncheon on
2005 draft, but was traded to Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12 Noon at the Roostertail.
the Milwaukee Bucks after
only one season.
Over his four seasons,
the 6’11” power forward has
a career average of 13.4
OUR ONLY BUSINESS SINCE 1990
points per game and 6.3
rebounds per game. He’s
Detroit LISC
athletic for a big man and
660 Woodward Ave., Suite 1111
has a nice shooting touch.
Detroit, MI 48226
For his career he’s shot 45
www.detroit-lisc.org
percent from the field and
close to 80 percent (78.9
The Michigan FrontPage • July 10, 2009 17
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