Mean Mr. Mohammed

On the eve of what will hopefully be the Pistons finally taking the smaller and younger Bulls out, I thought I'd share some Nazr thoughts.
Outside of Darko (don't even get me started there) this is the worst move that Joe D has made during his time in the front office. Looking back, having lost Ben and unsure what Dale Davis/Dice/Maxiell could give them up front, he felt as though he had to make a move for a steady post player. Fair enough...but this is a guy who has NEVER averaged more than 26 minutes a game during his career.

Also, to be fair, the Pistons aren't the first team that Nazr has fooled into taking a chance on him. After his career-best 2003-04 season in which he averaged a whopping 9 points, 8 rebounds, and less than a block a game while shooting a sizzling 52% from the free throw line for the Knicks, he was traded to the Spurs for Malik Rose and 2 (two) first-round picks.

So Nazr, who puts up 6 points and 5 boards a game for the Spurs last year, manages to spin those gaudy numbers into a 5-year deal with the Pistons. His contract isn't a terrible one for a player of his nature, but look around the league--there are many extra-mediocre centers parked squarely on the bench with large price tags. Maybe the best example of a bad signing was prominently displayed during the past few weeks, when the Warriors were making noise with their "athleticism" on the floor, Adonal Foyle was right next to the towel boy for virtually every second. However, Foyle has the 3rd BIGGEST contract on the team (8.125 million this year). Again, Nazr's contract doesn't hamstring the Pistons' future moves a tremendous amount, especially with Rip, Sheed and Tey-Tey each signed for at least the next 3 seasons.

It wasn't that Nazr didn't fit in with what the Pistons wanted to do--it's that he doesn't fit in with the rest of the league. There were a number of games that he started that the Pistons were simply too slow to keep up with other teams. He only scored in double figures in just 2 wins against playoff teams--the Cavs and Nets. Detroit struggled MIGHTILY with him in games aginast the best of the West early in the season. He averaged 7 points and 6 boards during November, and 9 and 6 in December. He had only 2 double-doubles all season, against league powers Atlanta and the Knicks. I also won't take this time to tell you that the Pistons could have Memo for the combined contracts of Nazr and Darko's rookie deal.

What is the future of Nazr? The Pistons have SEVEN players in the last year of their contracts (Webber, Dice, Will Blalock, Amir Johnson, Ronald Dupree, Dale Davis, Flip-Mode) along with Chauncey having a player opt-out option in his. Nazr is still on the hook for another 4 years. With all those free agents, it's extremely likely that he'll be virtually untradeable this off-season as the Pistons make a number of decisions on other players. Nazr turns 30 in September. Here's hoping he can find a productive role on the team. Dice and Dale Davis are getting no younger, while Sheed and Cram Max need help up front. The Pistons will be under the cap with Davis and Dice's combined 9 million coming off, but they have a decision as to re-signing Dice and Flip Murray, and the Pistons have 2 first-round picks this year to occupy some of the cap as well.

As for tonight...hoping the Pistons wake up, start getting the ball to Webber and Tey-Tey on post ups early in the game, get easy baskets in transition, and STOP TALKING TO THE REFS!!!!