Hello Early Summer

Call me pessimistic, but with the Pistons getting ready to wrap it up this season, I'm actually optimistic looking what the summer of 09 brings upon the Pistonland.

• The Pistons may have their worst season this year for the past six season, but the Cavs are just different this year. With the chemistry and a sense of urgency throughout their organization, they are just simply on a mission. Lebron may be the driving force of the team, but its that whole that holds them all as one, with one mission.
• Many believed that the Iverson/Billups trade gave Denver the most out of it. Not so true. with the huge cap salary that Pistons have, there will be a big sign on Joe Dumars office "Wanted, Superstar!" With the economy still on its heel, it would be weird for an organization to offer a multi-million dollar job offer. So it's still pre-mature to put a judgement on who won the Billups/Iverson trade, unless the Denver wins the title this year, because if they don't, they have a big tab to pay next year, while the Pistons are enjoying shopping for a superstar in an economy known as "The Buyer's Market"
• When the Pistons sealed a playoff spot, I was very thankful and satisfied that I will be seeing them play at least 4 games in the playoffs. Expected but realistic. Pistons were the most inconsistent team in the league. Their whole regular season is very similar to summer camp. A team searching for its identity and setting the stone in the right spots.
• The Pistons are in a rebuilding phase. Pistons fans knows this. The idea of rebuilding a team in the middle of the season and still participate in the first round of the playoffs is too much to ask for, but because Pistons fans are so spoiled that Pistons have been to the ECF 6 straight years, this season is just too hard to be thankful for.
• For those who are not aware, yes Pistons really are in a rebuilding phase. This started when Billups was traded to Denver for Iverson. Two things have opened up for the team, the spot Billups left, which was given to Stuckey AND the cap salary that opened up since Denver picked up the long contract that Billups have. In addition to that, the Iverson experiment didn't work so his 1 year contract is off the books. Wallace' contract is up too.
• With the money that the Pistons have this summer, I'm more excited to see who will be the first new member of the Pistons than to see the Pistons made it to the Playoffs this year. Here's my one cent excluding all the teams that made it to the playoffs.

1. Chris Bosh - With the aging Frontline of Detroit Wallace and McDyess along with the young inexperience Maxiell, Kwame and Amir, Chris Bosh could be the leader of the pack of the front runners of the Pistons. Maybe even the leader of the team which is one of the things Pistons truly lack since Billups left.
2. Emeka Okafor - A true center is hard to find but is he good enough at the 5 spot since he's only 6'10 as suppose to Yao and Howard? Plus, he has a big chunk of contract. Though Detroit could afford to pick up his tab, Joe Dumars decision about this will be based on when pigs can fly.
3. Kevin Durant - Pistons couldn't ask Prince enough for the terrific job hes done for the organization, but his peak of potential may have reach the highest. One of the Pistons main problem is the lack of a scoring punch. Someone that can blend in with their top scorer Hamilton where the Iverson experiement failed. Durant covers two things if it becomes successful. An efficient scoring player at the 3 position and an endless scoring punch tagging along with Rip's efficiency. Dumars wouldn't disregard the idea of Durant.
4. Charlie Villanueva - Imagine another UConn star leader of the Milwaukee Bucks mix it with another Uconn star that whos considered the leader of the Pistons, Rip Hamilton? A match made in heaven. Villanueva's energy reminds me of Maxiell except he's also an offensive force, which is what the Pistons needed badly on the frontline. McDyess and Wallace's leg has aged. On top of that, Villanueva's price isn't that bad.

The rest of the possibility of other players that may want to get traded this summer will be based on how the post season will turn out. Who will get knocked out and how each player would feel of entertaining an equation Detroit Pistons + $$$$$$$ = 2010 Championship? As for me, similar to the Pistons, I'm off for the early summer...."Gone fishing"