Just when you thought things could only get better…we have this.
“A day after the trade deadline passed, half the Pistons players missed Friday morning’s shootaround in what a team source called a “player protest.”
Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox did not show up to Friday’s morning shootaround. Ben Wallace also wasn’t present, but has been dealing with an ongoing family matter for the past several weeks.
Austin Daye and Rodney Stuckey showed up as shootaround ended, after the media was let in. They missed the team bus from the hotel to shootaround.
Various Pistons players have had their share of issues with coach John Kuester this season, and many have been vocal — privately and publicly — in their criticism of the second-year coach.
According to team spokesman Cletus Lewis, McGrady was out with a headache, Prince had the stomach flu, while Wilcox and Hamilton apparently missed the bus without a reason. A team source confirmed Prince’s and McGrady’s illnesses, adding Wilcox overslept.
Kuester was unsure about how he might proceed for the team’s 7 p.m. game Friday night against the 76ers.
“We have some things … some excuses, not excuses, absences because of headaches and stuff like that,” Kuester said. “We’ll go with this group right now.”
Only Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, Greg Monroe and DaJuan Summers were present and fully participated. Jonas Jerebko also was there, doing his usual rehab workouts.
The players have not been happy with their coach, seemingly all season, for the way he communicates, among other reasons they’ve given.
Kuester said the lineups will be evaluated before gametime Friday night. Kuester deflected direct questions about what was going on with his team.
“We’ll go with the group that was here. We have a number of guys who have that bug,” Kuester said. “These guys went through shootaround the way they were supposed to.”
Via Vincent Goodwill at The Detroit News
I heard rumblings of things, but I really never thought it would come to this. Thankfully Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, Greg Monroe, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko thought better than to “get sick”.
I’m putting on my teal jersey…I’m at a loss for words.
Big surprise there…. well not really, teams been horrible inside and out all year. To many inconsistent lineup changes, and just not enough leadership starting from the front office down.
Sorry no can do… until we get more info. about what really happened take what “piston haters” write about the pistons with a lot of skepticism.
Coach Q has to go granted… but to say this was a revolt with so little info. is a little crazy isnt it? Call a revolt a revolt when you get all the facts. :/
More info ????? I don’t think it would go completely public this fast if it wasn’t a big deal. This has been building for a while , and there were already reports of things getting bad with the coach…….skepticism huh………your not going to find out all the facts behind a closed door idiot.
NJ that what wrong with when info is not totally confirmed people like “YOU” go on a moron-a-thon of post so-called “confirming” the un-confirmed wait until everything comes out and you might find out thee “revolt” may be smaller (which we all ready know some of the players dont like the coach) or a non issue that just happened “idiot”.
Do not dishonor the teal jersey over these clowns. At least we had a few good years under Doug Collins with the teal AND we had Grant Hill to watch.
These clowns do not deserve even the teal. They deserve to be greeted by a fan “protest” the rest of the season. This is a disgusting slap in the face to the fan base and all those who worked hard to make the Piston jersey mean something.
My frustration is why has Joe not stepped in and tried to put a stop to this buffoonery? Not by trade, I understand his hands are tied. But this player-coach feud has been brewing since the start of the season. Joe should have stepped in and tried to calm this down a long time ago. Now it has boiled over to completely embarrass the Piston organization and fan base. What is that Ben said earlier this year? “Busted and disgusted.’
Fuck it. I literally have given up caring about this team this year.
If we get rid of Kuester, bring in Laimbeer and Mahorn and send a message. Im sick of these soft, whining, no heart, no defense, no account jackasses shanghaiing the team
Bring in the Old School, and show these puppies how to be men. pampered ass whiners can quit….like they already have done
Now this I agree with! And then maybe we can sign Kevin Love a few years later!
I agree… get rid of these soft coaches.. bring in some hard guys with reputations. Bring in Laimbeer, Mahorn.. shoot grab Charles Oakley… even but please for the love of God stop this maddness.
let’s get anthony mason for the crazy
I still think Bynum should start at PG.
Bynum PG
McGrady SG
Daye SF
Max PF
Monroe C
aaaand, go.
and it could be worse… we could have iverson still.
I agree man, Q has to go and now!!
We need a perfectionist and experienced coach right now to get this group and this PISTONS PRIDE together…
Joe has tried 2 step in, and it has worked @ times. But this is out of control. Cut/waive Rip
what captain queeg has most feared has finally come to pass. rip hamilton has instigated the mutiny of the bounty.
“Maryk : All officers report to the bridge. I have just relieved the captain. From now on, I will give all orders. I take full responsibility.
Qeeg: You’ll hang for mutiny”
In this play by the pistons, the cowardly Lieutenant keefer who instigates everything and then backs out is being played by Rip Hamilton, while the executive officer Lieutenant Stephen Maryk is being played by T-Mac.
Like in the Caine Mutiny there is no winner, all the officers will be thrown to the winds.
This whole team is broken
When the team finally gets sold, new buyers need to clean house with these clowns. Top to bottom dumars,Q, prince, hamilton all need to go.
What was dumars wakiting for yesterday blow the whole thing up and regroup with monroe,daye,swede its not hard to figure that out
There isnt one element of the team without blame, from Joey D on down.
I dont blame Kuester for trying to get tough on the players – they have been trying to run the asylum for the past few coaches. Can you imagine Daly taking anyone’s crap like this? part of this is that it’s more a player’s league now, and i get that. and only coaches with a rep get the kind of respect that we need in Detroit
But it’s past time to clean house. Dumars has to just drop – TODAY – at least two players from the team, and take the hit. One of those has to be Rip. And to send a message, dont drop them from the roster, just bar him from the facilities. Dont give them the option of going somewhere else. There isnt one player in revolt that deserves that chance
Wouldn’t you say that “Going To Work” logo is officially over for the Pistons? I can see Ben Wallace in a commercial already, I’m not going to work anymore
If they were protesting, I support them 100%. It was STUPID not to trade Rip and Tayshaun. The players did the right thing by sending a message to the STUPID people in the front office.
bullshit. they tried to trade Rip, but ionstead of being a strter, he decided he wanted the money
That makes no sense. It’s not Rip’s decision to make… they could have traded him.
Nevermind, I was wrong… at least about the Cleveland trade. Rip killed that one.
But still, the Pistons should have tried harder and worked out a deal with another team.
Nah they didnt go the right the thing no matter how bad it is u have to turn in to work, gordon stuckey and the rest must be as pissed off n they still went.
what shud happen now is release players with no value anymore mcgrady, wilcox maybe ben and get some d leaguers in who will at least try, we aint making the the playoffs and to be honest i’d rather be really bad this year and get a higher pick than get swept off the top seed, also fire Q and give it temp to an assisant. If dumars wants to keep his job thats the best way of doing it
I honestly think Dumars will be def gone in the next couple of years being that there’s a new owner, obviously he ws getting help and advice from Daly and Davidson on doing things, and no that they are gone its showing……that he has noo idea what he’s doing. Just my opinion.
This is just down right disgusting…so wait you guys wanna blame Rip for this? You guys are totally off base… How is this Rip’s fault AGAIN? That makes no damn sense. There definitely should be a level of respect for the coach… All of this in fighting should be put to rest NOW! What the hell has happened to our Pistons… the one thing I know is that before it gets better, it’s gonna get a whole lot worse. But I’d like to know how is this Rip’s fault again.
You fans are so fair weather.. damn that’s how y’all do people that have brought championships here?? WTF?
Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown, Flip Saunders, Michael Curry, John Kuester,
Rip, Tay, Chauncy, Wallace & Wallace, have RUN OFF 5 coaches in 10 years. Saunders is coaching at the Wizards, Larry Brown is at Charlotte, Rick Carlisle is at the Mavericks, and Curry SUCKED.
Of those 5 coaches, only one deserved to be run off, Michael Curry.
Who’s fault is it that the patients are in charge of the asylum, Joe Dumars, for a being a permissive father of the team, or is it the players who with boundless ego think they know how the team should be run.
I hope Kuester finishes this season, the players can not be allowed to run the team. Unless Joe D just wants to get rid of the coach entire. Just let the players coach themselves.
I like Kuester, he’s been put in an impossible situation by Joe Dumars with unmanageable players, and everyone blames him.
Joe Dumars should have come down on the players hard and told them to shut up and behave, but he’s not that kind of guy, he’s the kind of guy that lets coach after coach get chewed up by the pistons.
“Championships” means multiple – there has only been 1 title. At this point the majority of the roster have not even sniffed playoff success.
We’re not fair weather fans.
Bring in Laimbeer, this is your second chance Joe.
Tmac is this team – keep him happy.
TMac isn’t this team – Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko are this team.
TMac can leave at the end of the season. Good riddance