There was a post today at Detroit Bad Boys, mentioning that the Pistons will be looking for a "starting-caliber point guard this summer." I'm not sure if this means the team is looking to trade Rodney Stuckey, or if they have just decided his future is at shooting guard. Either way, it got my wheels spinning. The post starts with a discussion of the Piston's backcourt situation and then analyzes some of the potential point guards they could chase (some PG-13 language, but worth the read if only to inform our own point guard search). I noticed a rather large omission from this list: T.J. Ford.
Now, I am not sure if he actually qualifies as a "starting-caliber point guard,' but Jamal Tinsley was on the list so I'm guessing they have a fairly loose list of criteria. There are some very unattractive trade options from the Pacers point of view, as the Pistons would probably want to unload Richard Hamilton (3 more years at $12.5 million) or Charlie Villanueva (4 more years at roughly $8 million) in exchange for taking back Ford.
There are a few things exciting scenarios though. One is the possibility of acquiring Tayshaun Prince. I know he doesn't fit a real need, and hasn't been healthy lately, but he could back-up Granger provide some defense, shooting and leadership off the bench. Also, his $11 million dollar contract expires next summer so we could maintain some flexibility. I am not sure if this is realistic but I know there was some talk about the Pistons moving him around the trade deadline. It's a lot more difficult to make the contracts match up with Stuckey involved, but he could be a big upgrade at either guard spot for the Pacers. The other option might be some sort of 1st Round draft pick swap this year. It all depends on how the lottery shakes out.
So Joe Dumars, are you interested? Give your old friend Larry a call . . .