Fansided

NBA Offseason: 5 biggest blunders

By Seth Partnow

Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love talks to the media at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 26, 2014; Independence, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers player Kevin Love talks to the media at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers small forward Caron Butler (5) controls the ball against the defense of Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Jodie Meeks (20) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 4, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers small forward Caron Butler (5) controls the ball against the defense of Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Jodie Meeks (20) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Pistons signing Jodie Meeks, D.J. Augustin and Caron Butler

New Pistons basketball czar Stan Van Gundy certainly had his work cut out when he took both the head coach and GM positions with Detroit. The mismatched parts assembled in the latter years of the Joe Dumars regime simply didn’t mesh. In particular the three-headed monster of Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe and Josh Smith couldn’t effectively share the floor. Combined with unimaginative offensive schemes, this ill-fitting trio contributed mightily to Smith putting up one of the uglier shooting seasons in recent NBA history.

The team obviously needed better floor spacing. So Van Gundy when out and got spacing, by buying at the top of an inflated market for shooting. This resulted in Detroit spending $13.5 million this coming season on a limited jump shooter (Meeks), an aging vet who’s rep vastly outstrips his current ability (Butler) and an undersized, poor-defending ball-dominant point guard (Augustin) to pair with the undersized, poor-defending, ball-dominant point guard already on the roster in Brandon Jennings.

Not only was this money poorly spent from a likely production standpoint, but don’t appear to be much of a long-term look. Why is a team which won 29 games last year making “win now” moves?

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