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Worst Case Scenario

Worst case scenario?

For a franchise that has already made three of the worst free agent signings this decade, routinely been unable to develop young (and more importantly, cheap) talent only to see it flourish elsewhere, hired and fired Hall of Fame head coaches and hilariously inept ones like it can’t tell the difference and just this offseason had a still-improving, potential All-Star big man decide he’d rather risk playing this year on a one-year deal than commit to the organization that can pay him the most money long-term?

I think we’re at a point with the Pistons where “worst case scenario” isn’t all that intimidating anymore.

But what the heck, let’s give it a try:

• Josh Smith, even with a move back to his natural power forward position and the starting spot there, continues to play poorly in extended minutes as the Pistons look to rebuild his value to hopefully trade him. Not only does Smith play poorly in those extended minutes, it forces their more promising power forward, Greg Monroe, to come off the bench in a contract year, deepening his frustration with the organization and hastening his desire to leave. So the Pistons end up with two power forwards they don’t really want who are both untradeable for any value — Smith because his contract is outrageous based on his production and Monroe because no team would want to give up assets for a player they could just pursue signing outright in the offseason.
• Brandon Jennings continues his maddeningly erratic point guard play, and Stan Van Gundy’s options to sit Jennings when his defense or shot selection lags become limited because the veteran he picked to push Jennings, D.J. Augustin, turns back into a pumpkin and can’t replicate the success he had after joining the Bulls mid-season last year.
• Nev Schulman shows up at the Palace with a surprise for Andre Drummond.
• The Pistons cut Tony Mitchell, he goes to Philadelphia, averages 15 points, nine rebounds and ALL the dunks per game and NBA bloggers around the league ask how Charlie Villanueva received double the minutes Mitchell did last season.
• Trey Burke morphs into a poor man’s Chris Paul. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope morphs into a poor man’s Damien Wilkins.
• With attendance and interest waning, the Pistons decide to retire a number to remind fans of the glory days and go with Ben Wallace’s No. 3. On the night of the ceremony, Rodney Stuckey shows up too. It … gets awkward.
• Will Bynum out-produces every point guard on the roster (Note: I won’t lie, that would be best case scenario for me, but probably worse for everyone else)

-Patrick Hayes