2009-2010 Detroit Pistons Preview

2008 Record: 39-43, 3rd in Eastern Conf. Central Division, lost in First Round
Head Coach: John Kuester, 1st season
Key Additions: G Ben Gordon, F Charlie Villanueva, C Ben Wallace
Key Losses: F-C Antonio McDyess, F Walter Sharpe, C-F Rasheed Wallace
1st Round Draft Picks: F Austin Daye
2nd Round Draft Picks: F Jonas Jerebko, F DaJuan Summers

2008-'09 Pistons Review:

Here's a course in Pistons 101: Chauncey Billups was traded to Denver, and Allen Iverson came to Motown in return. Coach Michael Curry never won the confidence of his players, especially Iverson. A proud franchise that had reached six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals got swept out of the first round by Cleveland, with Cavs fans taking over the Palace of Auburn Hills. Other than that, nothing went wrong for General Manager Joe Dumars' operation last season.

2009-'10 Pistons Preview:

These are not your father's Pistons. Heck, they're not even your older brother's Pistons. Defense is no longer the calling card in Detroit. A new era has begun, and it's built around scoring and shooting. Ben Gordon (from Chicago) and Charlie Villanueva (Milwaukee) give new coach John Kuester a lot of potency at the offensive end, but how will this team defend, particularly near the basket? All-time big-man bust Kwame Brown is on this roster, as is long-in-the-tooth returnee Ben Wallace, back from an ill-fated series of stops in Chicago, Cleveland and Phoenix. Rasheed Wallace won't be missed--not after the headcase's indifferent performances in recent years--but hard-working forward Antonio McDyess, who cared more about basketball than any Piston not named Richard Hamilton, will leave a large void in the locker room. The days of Eastern Conference Finals appearances are over in Detroit; the Pistons will be more fun to watch this year than they've been in the past, but they'll have a hard time winning the way they did under Larry Brown and Flip Saunders. Mr. Kuester has a difficult job on his hands.

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By Matthew Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer

> View the entire 2009-2010 NBA preview here at ProBasketball-fans.com