It wasn’t so long ago that power forward in the Eastern Conference was a wasteland, especially compared to the Western Conference, where the likes of Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Chris Webber, Karl Malone, Elton Brand and Zach Randolph punished opponents nightly.
But the East has closed the gap with a summer that saw Garnett and Randolph arrive via trade to augment a group that includes Chris Bosh, Jermaine O’Neal and Antawn Jamison.
The Pistons are well-equipped to combat the talent upgrade with a deep and versatile stable of power forwards that includes veterans Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess to go with two young players the front office has said will get opportunities for increased responsibility this season. In fact, the glut of four players at one position who are expected to factor into the rotation strongly suggests that at least one of them will gather the bulk of his minutes at another position – perhaps Antonio McDyess at center or Amir Johnson there or even at small forward in some lineups.
Here’s a look at the candidates for minutes at power forward for the 2007-08 Pistons:
Rasheed Wallace – Though the Pistons are committed to giving young power forwards Jason Maxiell and Johnson the chance to crack the rotation this season, the burden on Wallace might not be any less because they no longer have the same supply of big veteran bodies they’ve had in the past – players like Elden Campbell, Dale Davis and Chris Webber.
The Pistons would like to cut Wallace’s minutes from the 32-plus he averaged last season, though it probably won’t be a dramatic reduction – closer to 30, most likely.
Wallace, both Detroit’s best low-post scoring threat and best post defender, might be asked to spend more time playing inside this season to accommodate the kind of lineup flexibility that would present itself to Flip Saunders if Johnson, especially, proves productive.
That said, Wallace’s 3-point ability is a valuable component of Detroit’s offense. He didn’t take as many last season – down to 296 from the 434 of the previous season – but he made between 35 and 36 percent each year.
Antonio McDyess – Like Wallace, McDyess turned 33 in September. And while McDyess isn’t as consistently explosive as he was before a series of knee injuries robbed him of roughly 2½ seasons, he’s still an above-average athlete for his position.
When McDyess is stroking the 15- to 18-foot pet jumper he gets from the wings and the baseline, he’s proven as valuable a sixth man as there is this side of Manu Ginobili. But McDyess joining the starting lineup – which appears a distinct possibility as camp approaches – might ease the pressure on him to produce immediately when entering the game. McDyess often took bench production upon himself and would press if his first few shots didn’t go down.
Slow starts have plagued McDyess the past few seasons. He says it’s because he limits his conditioning work in the off-season, a concession to the ravaging knee injuries. If the Pistons can get him going before January this season, so much the better. Toward that end, McDyess began off-season workouts about a month ahead of schedule this summer.
In addition to his shot-making ability, McDyess is an asset both as a rebounder and defender, often providing momentum-changing shot blocks or tip dunks with spectacular play.
Jason Maxiell – Like last summer, Maxiell lost a lot of weight in a hurry once the season ended. This time, Pistons management is urging him to keep it off, believing it makes him a half-step quicker to the basketball.
And that’s intriguing – because Maxiell already has an incredible nose for the ball.
The keys to Maxiell’s development, in no particular order, are knocking down the open 12- to 15-footers in the lane and alone the baseline, making his free throws, and coming up with one or two trademark moves in the post.
Maxiell was roughly a 70 percent foul shooter during his college days at Cincinnati and the Pistons want to see him get back there – at least – after making just 53 percent last season. It’s an especially important consideration for Maxiell given his uncanny ability to draw fouls. When he was playing about half a game during the 2006 preseason, Maxiell got the line more than anyone in the NBA, nearly 10 times a game.
Amir Johnson – Along with gauging No. 1 pick Rodney Stuckey’s readiness, Johnson’s ability to demand minutes will be the most closely watched element of training camp.
His dominance of the Development League over two separate stints last winter created a stir among NBA personnel gurus, fueling some hope he could be pried away as an unrestricted free agent over the summer.
The Pistons never let it get to the point of having to match another team’s offer, locking up Johnson for three years with a deal that’s been widely reported as being worth $12 million – a pretty remarkable deal for a player with so little NBA experience, but one in line with the market for an athletic big man with shot-making ability.
Johnson runs like a gazelle and has a natural flair for offensive rebounding and shot blocking. He gets off the floor far quicker than most big men. Those who saw him play over the summer say he appeared a much more confident player, showing signs of developing perimeter skills. He needs to add strength, which should help him avoid the quick foul trouble that’s plagued him in the past. Beyond Johnson’s physical abilities, his desire to improve and his willingness to take instruction convinced the Pistons that his future is limitless.
source : NBA.com
