Detroit Pistons’ season countdown: 30 days for #30
After enduring a long and mostly boring offseason, we are now just one month away from the start of the Detroit Pistons’ regular season schedule.
The offseason hasn’t quite gone to plan for Pistons fans who were hoping the team would make some splashier moves, but Detroit is counting on a healthy Cade Cunningham to be the biggest addition to the roster.
The Pistons are flying under the radar, but the return of Cunningham coupled with some sneaky-good additions (Monte Morris) could see them defy expectations next season and become competitive in the Eastern Conference.
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As much excitement as there is around the team, there are still big questions about the roster balance and how Monty Williams will use the various players at his disposal.
Luckily, we won’t have to wait much longer to answer them, as the season is just 30 days away. Today, we continue our season countdown series with a look at an All-Star #30 who was the final piece of a title team in Detroit.
Detroit Pistons: Rasheed Wallace brought a title to the Motor City
I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that if the Detroit Pistons had not traded for Rasheed Wallace, they would not have won the 2004 NBA Championship.
Wallace was the final piece that brought everything together, as he was a glue guy on defense and a weapon on offense who could score in the post or spread the floor, though we were usually happier when he stayed down low.
Sheed was one of the anchors of one of the best defenses in league history and a big reason the Pistons made some people’s predictions vs. the Lakers look silly in retrospect.
Wallace averaged 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 399 games for the Pistons, but those numbers don’t quantify his value to the team. He was the emotional spark plug (for better or worse), not to mention a savvy defender with a high IQ who often acted as the vocal leader on that end.
Even though he only played parts of six seasons in Detroit, his impact was as big as just about anyone who ever wore a Pistons’ uniform. He did wear #36 for part of his time in Detroit, but today we celebrate #30 and the great Rasheed Wallace, a controversial player who always entertained and helped bring the Pistons a title.
Next. The best Pistons to wear each uniform number. dark