The NBA has several “What If?” situations in which something almost happened but didn’t.
Tim Duncan, for example, came close to signing with the Orlando Magic in 2000.
That alone is enough to make you ponder, but what happens when you combine a moment with a few more nearly-made decisions?
The Magic could have maintained Hall-of-Famer Chauncey Billups instead of trading Ben Wallace in the sign-and-trade that won them Grant Hill during the same offseason they got Tracy McGrady.
This is a lineup of five Hall of Famers.
The following looks at what could have transpired with the Detroit Pistons’ lineup, which included Billups, Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Kobe Bryant, and Carmelo Anthony.
Detroit Pistons’ Potential 2007-08 Starting Five
Players
PPG
RPG
APG
Ben Wallace
4.8
8.4
1.5
Rasheed Wallace
12.7
6.6
1.8
Carmelo Anthony
25.7
7.4
3.4
Kobe Bryant
28.3
6.3
5.4
Chauncey Billups
17.0
2.7
6.8
What if the Detroit Pistons had picked Carmelo Anthony in 2003?
Darko Milicic became one of the most significant busts in NBA history.
Carmelo Anthony
In 2003, the Pistons were coming off an Eastern Conference Finals loss to the then-New Jersey Nets and had the second pick in the upcoming draft. Everything seemed to be going well for the squad, both now and in the future.
However, the draft does not always go the way a team expects.
The 2003 NBA Draft ranks among the best in league history, particularly at the top. Four of the first five draft picks became Hall of Famers: LeBron James, Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Darko Milicic was squeezed in the middle.
Which of those players is unlike the others? Billups recently spoke with ‘7PM in Brooklyn’ about the Pistons missing out on Anthony.
“We had already celebrated. Bro, it would have been perfect. Most people question, “Would he have started?” Or would Melo have started? Or, Tay [Tayshaun Prince]? Most people forget that at the time of the draft, we did not have Sheed [Rasheed Wallace]. We acquired Sheed at the trade deadline, so Melo would have started from the top.”
Anthony’s Hall-of-Fame career lacked one thing: postseason success. The Pistons’ run of six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances lacked one thing: one more star.
The two appear to have been an ideal combination.
Tayshaun Prince was used as an excuse for not picking Anthony. Prince had ended his debut season with a strong postseason performance. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
The stats do not tell the complete story. Prince drew McGrady in the first round after the Pistons fell behind the Magic 3-1. Following Billups’ injury, he played some point guard in the second round.
In retrospect, that argument falls short.
Tayshaun Prince and Carmelo Anthony’s Career Statistics
Players
Games
PPG
RPG
APG
Tayshaun Prince
1017
11.1
4.3
2.4
Carmelo Anthony
1260
22.5
6.2
2.7
The Pistons were always a great defensive club. Perhaps if Anthony had joined this club as a rookie, he would have accepted “playing the right way,” as coach Larry Brown would say.
Other doubts include whether the Pistons would have won the championship in 2004 if Anthony had been available, as well as whether they would have moved for Rasheed Wallace at the deadline.
Regardless, the Pistons had the opportunity to enhance a contender and instead chose Milicic.
What if Ben Wallace re-signed in 2006?
Wallace left the franchise just before this opportunity.
Ben Wallace Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons
Ben Wallace, one of the best defensive players in NBA history, was dissatisfied with the way the Pistons employed him during the 2006 playoffs. Flip Saunders, the head coach, benched him in the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Chicago Bulls offered more money, so Wallace departed Detroit, where he had grown as a star thanks to Saunders.
Wallace discussed the issue in an ESPN report as the 2006–07 season began.
“We weren’t working as hard as we could on defense. We had to grind it out when we could have been up and relaxed, allowing other guys to get some reps. However, we were mostly forced to battle. I merely informed him that the way we were playing defense back then, we didn’t have many defensive concepts. We were just out there playing on our natural abilities, and we needed to put in place a structure that we would utilize every night rather than trying to wing it. He said, ‘OK, I get what you said.’ But he’s never altered.”
Losing their heart and soul, the Pistons struggled with rebounding and defense. They were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, followed by the Boston Celtics in 2008.
The Pistons may have benefited from Wallace’s rebounding ability. Wallace did return to Detroit to conclude his career, but would he have had an impact in the playoffs if he had stayed?
Perhaps Wallace was correct, and the squad had lost its identity. They replaced him with Nazr Mohammed.
Ben Wallace and Nazr Mohammed’s Career Statistics
Players
Games
PPG
RPG
BPG
Ben Wallace
1088
5.7
9.6
2.0
Nazr Mohammed
1005
5.8
4.7
0.6
What if Kobe Bryant had not blocked a trade to Detroit?
Kobe nearly joined the Pistons in 2007.
Kobe Bryant LA Lakers
Bryant is considered one of the NBA’s greatest players. In 2007, he wanted to quit the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Pistons agreed to deal Richard Hamilton, Prince, and a first-round selection for Bryant.
The Pistons could have kept up with the Celtics’ offseason, which had recently ended. In 2007, Boston added Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to form a formidable trio alongside Paul Pierce.
The Pistons lost to that club in the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals. Bryant may have given the Pistons an advantage.
According to Wojnarowski, the two teams had agreed on the move. But Kobe had to be willing to do it.”
Comparing the players involved
Players
Games
PPG
RPG
APG
Kobe Bryant
1346
25.0
5.2
4.7
Richard Hamilton
921
17.1
3.1
3.4
Tayshaun Prince
1017
11.1
4.3
2.4
The Pistons always needed another component to elevate them from one-time champions to dynasties. They had various opportunities, but none of them came to fruition.
Bryant would likely have made them title contenders for several seasons. In 2004, the Miami Heat acquired Shaquille O’Neal. The Cavaliers had James. The Celtics then formed their Big Three.
If the Pistons had landed Bryant, they would have had a counter for these players. They might have lost some defense by dealing Prince, but Bryant would have been a fantastic match.
Mamba Mentality is the Los Angeles equivalent of Detroit’s “Goin’ to Work.”
What if it all happened?
What if the Pistons had acquired Anthony and Bryant?
Kobe Bryant & Carmelo Anthony
Between 2001-02 and 2007-08, the Pistons were one of the top NBA teams. They won one championship, but if they had kept Wallace, drafted Anthony, and traded for Bryant, they would surely be regarded as one of the best teams in history.
Wallace, a four-time defensive player of the year, and Rasheed Wallace, a consistent performer, formed the core. Billups, the team’s point guard, is a Hall-of-Fame player. Each of the three appeared on numerous NBA All-Defense teams.
Anthony and Bryant’s offensive punch may have made them untouchable.
Pistons’ Records During the 2000s Run
Year
Record
Result
2001-02
50-32
Second-round loss.
2002-03
50-32
Conference Finals Loss
2003-04
54-32
NBA Champions
2004-05
54-32
Finals defeat.
2005-06
64-18
Conference Finals Loss
2006-07
53-33
Conference Finals Loss
2007-08
59-23
Conference Finals Loss
The bench may have had some troubles, but the Pistons had Antonio McDyess and Jason Maxiell. They would have needed a couple more cheap contracts to make it financially viable.
Nonetheless, the first unit’s effectiveness would have been sufficient to contend with any club in the Eastern Conference.
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