Boston has hope

Kevin Garnett is going to The Celtics for what seems to be their whole team. The Celtics will send Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, and two first-round picks to the Timberwolves for Garnett. Garnett gets the trade that he wants and Bostons trade their youth for a title run. Garnett, Peirce and Allen should do wonders for the Celtics, but I doubt they have enough on the bench to be true title contenders.

You can bet that they will become the new Eastern Conference darling, like the Bulls were last season after acquiring that other Wallace. I will tell you one thing, this is the first time since Larry Bird was in Boston that I am actually excited to see the Celtics play.

Photo/Slam Online

Around The Way

• Sheed put his Portland home on the market. The house was featured on MTV Cribs, and I have the clip for you right here.
• Chauncey and Piper Billups get ready for their Charity Golf outing and Tea Party for Children's Hospital.
• Bill Laimbeer HATES LA and that's putting it mildly.
  
• Tayshaun Prince returns to Kentucky to host Basketball camp.
• Prince and Greg Kelser also hosted a camp at Wayne State University.
• Tayshaun may be the odd man out on team USA. I am pulling for Prince, but I don't think he will make the final roster.
• Add the Orlando Magic to The Mavs and The Pistons as one of Chris Webber's choices.
• Ex Piston Smush Parker signs with The Heat.
• Masked robbers burglarize The Knicks Eddy Curry in his home.
• Afflalo.com is a little bare, but Arron won the EA NBA Live '08 Gaming Tournament. Afflalo shows off his prizes during the NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at the Hyatt Hotel July 26, 2007 in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• PistonsNation interviews Afflalo.
  

Picture/Getty Images

• Chris Webber interview at his Bada Bling Charity event. On a side not he refers to players past and present as "my teammates." We also get a SHEED cameo in the video.
  

More Chauncey Billups Video Highlights

Since Pistons news is scarce these days I am adding some more Chauncey Billups highlights for you to enjoy during the lull.

The video is high quality, so be patient when it's loading. Enjoy!

Mr. Big Shot Highlights

I know you are all missing The Pistons, so this set of Chauncey Billups highlights might help you get trough your day. Pay close attention to the nice assists Billups dishes out, especially the one to Nazr Mohammed, considering he will probably be back in The Pistons starting five come November.

The video is high quality, so be patient when it's loading. Enjoy!

Around The Way

• The Pistons sign second round pick Sammy Mejia to a one year, partially guaranteed contract.
• Authorities worried about Ref's safety.
• Some pictures form Chris Webber's Bada Bling Weekend.
• Great YouTube Rodney Stuckey video

• Video interview with Arron Afflalo at the Vegas Summer league.
• Chauncey Billups highlight video.
• Jones on The NBA talks about Kevin Durant's sneaker deal with Nike.
• How Big Al of The Wayne Font Experience take on the Betting scandal.
• Keith Langlois talks about the Pistons current roster and why this season's team is different from the ones in the recent past.

Pistons Sign McDyess to contract extension

The Pistons signed Antonio McDyess to an extension.

"I'm excited to have worked out a contract extension with the Pistons," McDyess said. "We have enjoyed a lot of success as a team since I came to Detroit three years ago and I look forward to the upcoming season and another run at a championship."

McDyess, 32, appeared in 82 games for the second straight season this past campaign, averaging 8.1 points and 6.0 rebounds. He led the Pistons' bench in scoring and rebounding and finished fourth in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that will keep Antonio McDyess here as an important veteran leader on this team," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said. "Antonio has been a major part of our success over the last three years and we look forward to his continued solid play in the future." Via Yahoo Sports

Thanks to Need4Sheed reader Nick Joseph for the tip.

Watch Chauncey, Prince and the rest of Team USA

Team USA, which includes The Pistons Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince, will be playing what I believe is a practice game Sunday July 22th. It will be broadcast at 7 P.M. on FSN from Las Vegas, so make sure you tune in for your basketball fix (not to be confused with a Tim Donaghy fix).

Photo/Getty Images

Somewhere Sheed is smiling

Justin Rogers reminds me that Tim Donaghy was the Ref that Rasheed got suspended for a week for threatening in the parking lot after the game when he was with Portland. I can remember it like it was yesterday, but I had totally forgotten that it was Donaghy. He was also one of the refs at The Palace the day of the infamous "Brawl."

Chris Sheridan also gives us some more on Donaghy.

ESPN says the referee in question is Tim Donaghy

NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation by the FBI for allegations that he bet on games that he officiated over the past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in games, multiple sources told ESPN.

Donaghy, a 13-year veteran of the league, is aware of the investigation and resigned from the NBA recently. Via ESPN

Thanks to Need4Sheed reader Kentucky for the quick tip.

NBA Referee Is Under FBI Investigation for Betting on Games

July 20, 2007 -- THE FBI is investigating an NBA referee who allegedly was betting on basketball games - including ones he was officiating during the past two seasons - as part of an organized-crime probe in the Big Apple, The Post has learned.

The investigation, which began more than a year ago, is zeroing in on blockbuster allegations that the referee was making calls that affected the point spread to guarantee that he - and the hoods who had their hooks in him - cashed in on large bets.

Federal agents are set to arrest the referee and a cadre of mobsters and their associates who lined their pockets, sources said.

"These are dangerous people [the referee] was involved with," a source said.

One source close to the probe counted the number of games on which the ref and his wiseguy buddies scored windfalls in the "double digits."

NBA Commissioner David Stern is aware of the investigation and has a report about the referee on his desk, another source said.

The official, whose name was withheld, allegedly wagered on games during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 NBA seasons. Via The New York Post

This is big people, I know plenty of Pistons fans who probably aren't surprised. I personally have a couple of names that I think it may be.

Let's discuss this one in the comments.

Need4Sheed on Sports Talk 1050

Just a little heads up. I will be a guest on Sports Talk 1050 A.M. Friday morning around 8:10 AM to talk Pistons and of course Sheed. If you aren't in their listening area you can stream the show live from their website. Go Pistons!

A Little UNC Sheed

I almost forgot how much I enjoyed Sheed's game when he was with UNC until I was reminded by this video.

Around The Way

• Cheikh Samb signed a 2 year deal with the Pistons. Seems as though he will probably spend most of the year in the D league.
• The Houston Rockets are looking at The Pistons Tony Ronzone to be their GM.
• The Pistons were 4-and-1 in Summer league play and Keith Langlois is excited about the Pistons youth.
• The Carnival of The NBA #46 is up at With Malice.
• Jason Maxiell (#2) and Rodney Stuckey (#6) made the list of the Top Players in the NBA Summer League.
• Is Chris Webber resigning with The Pistons? Matt from Detroit Bad Boys thinks so.
• Looks like Sammy Mejia may get a spot on the roster.

Need a little Sheed?

Missing the Pistons, or for that matter Sheed? This little Sheed Video will definitely help.

If you ever see Dale Davis in a fight with a grizzly bear, throw some honey on him.

If you are not familiar with NBA reporter Elie Seckbach, you should be. Secbach has a way of questioning that gets NBA stars to give the most entertaining quotes I have ever heard. Seckbach, who has been reporting on the NBA since 1997, has an abundance of interviews on YouTube that will keep you entertained for hours.

I usually check out his videos on YouTube when I remember, but this one that a Need4Sheed reader sent me slipped past me. It's Elie asking questions in The Pistons locker room about their music choices.

Dale Davis "I know something....If you ever see me in a fight with a grizzly bear, throw honey on me."

Those are the kinds of quotes you get when Seckbach is asking the questions. Classic.

One quick note:
I would like to thank all of you, in fact I will call you TEAM NEED4SHEED, for always making sure you let me know of any Pistons happenings, videos or interviews just in case I happen to miss them. As you have come to to find that you can count on me for certain things, I know I can count on Team Need4Sheed too.

Amir Johnson agrees to a 3 year deal with The Pistons

Photo/Getty Images

Restricted free-agent forward Amir Johnson has agreed to re-sign with the Detroit Pistons for an estimated $12 million over three years, NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Thursday.

I am hoping Amir signs on the line ASAP so he can play the last of the Pistons summer league games. If you are itching to see some Amir highlights, like I am, watch this video of his D League highlights. Here's another video interview with Amir that is packed with some highlights when he put up his NBA career high.

UPDATE: Justin Rogers from MLive found a link form a San Antionio paper that claims Amir Johnson turned down more money from the Spurs to stay in Detroit.

I would have to agree with Justin that this seem quite odd because Amir was a restricted free agent, so whatever The Spurs would have offered, Detroit could match. I don't know if I buy this story, I guess we will have to wait and see.

Around The Way

• Chauncey makes it official and signs with the Pistons for 5 years and 60 million dollars.
• Amir's deal is in the works, it looks like he will be getting 10 million for three years. Personally I think it's a great deal for Amir and The Pistons.
• C-Webb is deciding between The Pistons and The Mavs, but if Joe Dumars can't unload Nazr Mohammed it would be unlikely that he would re-sign Webber.
• Right now it looks like Lindsey Hunter is going to play next season.
• Detroit beat The Wizards 84-70 making it three in a row Wednesday in Summer League play thanks to Jason Maxiell's 15 fourth quarter points. Arron Afflalo and Maxiell led the team with 21 points each.
• It looks like Joe Dumars will not use the MLE this year to sign a small forward to back up Prince. He said he would be comfortable going into the season with Afflalo, Mejia and Ronald Dupree putting in time to cover Tayshaun.
• The NBA Salary Cap just went up to $55,630.00.
• Along with many other great Detroit sports bloggers I participated in a Detroit Tigers Roundtable at Mac Avenue Tigers.com.
• UPDATE - Darko is going to Memphis, the deal is reportedly for 3 years and $21 million dollars.
  

Sheed and Flip are working things out

It seems that Rasheed and Flip Saunders are squashing any kind of "beef" they had in the past. According to the Detroit News, Flip even went so far as to be a guest speaker at Rasheed's Basketball Camp.

"The thing about Rasheed when he reacts, whether it's at me or anybody else, it's out of competitiveness. It's not out of spite," Saunders said. "As I told him, as a coach, I am going to make decisions he might not agree with.

"But one thing I have never done, I have never done anything to disrespect him. The main thing is, he has to be the same way toward his teammates and to me.

That's good news for Pistons fans because we know that Flip is here to stay (at least for the time being).

One thing you might not know about Rasheed is that he does amazing work in the community. He doesn't like to make it known, but he does plenty to give back. Right now he's running his annual Basketball camp for underprivileged kids.

"I just want these kids to learn some basketball and have some fun," Wallace said as he ran the clock and scoreboard for one of the afternoon's full-court scrimmages.

"I want them to laugh and have fun; it's all cool with me."

And if you missed it (like I did) Pistons Forum.com has Rasheed's interview from the Stoney and Wojo show yesterday!

For more information on Rasheed's Foundation, you can visit their website Stand Tall With Sheed Foundation.

Around The Way

• The Pistons are close to getting the deal done with Amir Johnson.
• Pistons are looking at Mo Pete.
• Stuckey is the MVP of The Pistons second summer league game. The new Piston guard put up 27 points in the Detroit win.
  
• Christy from Behind the Jersey was kind enough to let me know that Sheed was Mojo in the Morning on 95.5 this morning. She also informed me that the Podcast of the show should be up later today. UPDATE Download the Interview here.
  
• What the hell is wrong with Stephon Marbury? Thanks to Junior for the link.
• Antoine Walker robbed at gunpoint.
• Iverson loses lawsuit, must pay 260 thousand dollars.
• The secret to Joe Dumars brilliance.
• Is Rodney Stuckey a modern day Dumars?
• Maxiell making it happen.
• The Detroit Pistons have a new D League affiliate, The Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

Pistons Summer League Game 1

The Pistons started off their Summer League with a 91-89 win in OT over the Sixers.

• Jason Maxiell, who shed about 30 pounds since we last saw him, led the Pistons with 22 points in 33 minutes. Maxi blocked two shots and went 8-for-11 from the charity stripe.
• Cheikh Samb played 21 minutes and was 3-for-4 from the floor for 6 points, with 7 rebounds and a blocked shot as the Pistons starting center.
• Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo both scored 14 for the Pistons. Each looked good in their first outing in red white and blue.
• Sammy Mejia, the Pistons second round pick, was impressive. He scored 12 and put up a clutch 3 in OT to seal the win.
• Stuckey drove to the hole in the closing seconds of the game and made both of his free throws to tie the game.

Photo/Getty Images

• Amir Johnson DNP.
• If you are wondering about Alex Acker, he's not on the Summer League Roster. Detroit Bad Boys informs us that he was released by his team in Greece and is currently out of a job. The Pistons still hold the rights to Acker.
• Bad Boy Summer Camp is reporting games first hand.

The Pistons Summer League Roster

1. Arron Afflalo G 6-5
2. Olimpio Cipriano G 6-4
3. Eddy Fobbs C 6-11
4. Ibrahim Jaaber G 6-2
5. Amir Johnson F 6-9
6. Jason Maxiell F 6-7
7. Sammy Mejia G 6-6
8. Laron Profit F 6-5
9. Walker Russell G 6-0
10. Cheikh Samb C 7-1
11. Rodney Stuckey G 6-5
12. Ali Traore F 6-9
13. Joah Tucker G 6-5

The next game is Monday the 9th, you can watch live on NBA TV or Free online at NBA.com.

Chauncey's Deal is Done

Sources say that The Pistons and Chauncey Billups have agreed to a muli year deal. MLive's A. Sherrod Blakley spoke to Chauncey's agent Andy Miller, who had this to say,

"Re-signing with Detroit was what Chauncey has said he wanted to do all along, We're happy that we were able to reach an agreement today."

ESPN is also saying the deal is done.

Krista Jahnke of the Free Press reports the structure of the deal.

"The Pistons and point guard Chauncey Billups came to an agreement on a five-year $60.5 million deal - with the fifth year a team option - Friday evening, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations."

Chauncey is taken care of, now Dumars has time to work on the other holes in the roster.

Stuckey and Afflalo sign on the dotted line

Photo/Getty Images

Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo officially signed their Pistons contracts. According to Chris McCosky Stuckey will have the first two years of his contract guaranteed at roughly $3 million, and The Pistons hold options for a third and fourth year. Afflalo signed for $1.5 million the next two seasons, with The Pistons holding options for the next two years.

Both Teams Played Hard

Since there is a bit of a lull in Pistons news right now and I am feeling a little Need4Sheed, I thought I would give you a little taste of classic Sheed.

You can forget about Grant Hill retiring as a Piston

It looks like Grant Hill chose The Phoenix Suns.
"Free agent forward Grant Hill has agreed a deal to sign with the Phoenix Suns, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday.

The deal cannot be confirmed until the end of the NBA's moratorium on free agents on July 11.

Hill, 34, has spent seven seasons with the Orlando Magic but battled injuries and never fulfilled his promise."

I am sure the Pistons will look to secure Mo Peterson's services, but they are going to have to fight for him too. The King, Knicks, Jazz and the Cavs are all looking to add him to their rosters.

Billups - Pistons, Not a done deal

Did he or didn't he sign? Pistons fans have been going back and forth to try to figure out just what happened with Chauncey Billups. We here told the deal from Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, but when Chauncey's agent Andy Miller got wind of it he was less than happy.

"This is a vicious rumor," Miller said. "It's entirely untrue. We have not reached an agreement. I don't know what stage we're at. We're having ongoing discussions, and I don't believe that we're on the verge of signing an agreement anytime today by any stretch of the imagination."

McCosky then said this in his blog..

"At about 4 p.m. today, I reported on Detnews.com and WDFN that the Pistons and Chauncey Billups had agreed structurally to a five-year, $60 million offer. That has not changed, despite a lot of other media outlets' attempts to discredit that report. That's how this sickening business works sometimes.

I never said the deal was done. No deal can be officially done until Billups signs, and he can't do that until July 11. Andy Miller, Billups' agent, is furious with me and that bothers me. I have had a great working relationship with Andy and Chauncey and I want that to continue. I wasn't trying to do harm to anybody. Announcing the structure of a five-year, $60 million deal didn't sound to me like bad news for either one of them. It's a great offer -- by average annual salary the richest in Pistons' history.

But Andy feels like the Pistons were trying to pressure him into a deal. That's not remotely the case, but that's how he feels. He was also angry that the news got out before he could talk to Chauncey. He tore into me and then categorically denied agreeing to any part of any kind of deal. That's fine. Except, the structure of the deal is still in place and Billups has no other offer even close to bid against it. Are there important details to clean up? Of course. Are any of those details potentially deal-breaking? Don't think so.

The Pistons are bidding against themselves for Billups. On Tuesday, they could have told Miller to go ahead and seek your best offer. The best he would have come back with, most likely, would have been a $9 million per year starting salary with the Bucks. But the Pistons didn't do that. They made an offer that reflects both what he has done for the franchise the past five years and for what he means to the team going forward. Nothing about a five-year, $60 million offer is insulting. Nothing. And at the end of the day, Chauncey will happily sign it.

In the old days, before ESPN, the internet and blogs, a reporter didn't have to rush to print every step of a contract negotiation. You laid out the parameters for both sides, you reported whatever propaganda each side wanted to spew and you waited for the final deal. We can't do that any more. Any blip of information, however preliminary or non-binding, has to be put out there immediately. So, you are going to have days like this, when a normal step of a negotiation process gets diced and sliced by various media outlets until you can't remember what the original piece of news was. The news is this -- the basic structure of a deal is in place for Billups to return to the Pistons for the next five years."

Matt from Detroit Bad Boys took some offense to end of McCosky's statement.

A. Sherrod Blakley, who was the first to confirm the the deal wasn't done, answered some questions about the incident and the Amir Johnson situation.

In my eyes the deal is on it's way to being done. The Pistons will be getting Chauncey's services without breaking the bank, but still giving Billups what he deserves. Chauncey gets paid and the Pistons have some left over to keep Amir and sign a decent free agent (Hill or Mo Pete). I am sure we will hear more very soon but until this all gets hammered out. I am remaining confident that it's pretty much a done deal.

What we do have to contemplate is what exactly will happen with the remaining Pistons. I am sure Dumars will be working the phones trying to make some sort of deal.

Chauncey Agrees to stay in Detroit?

I just heard that Chauncey and the Pistons have agreed on a deal. I have no link or details yet but I heard the news on the Stoney and Wojo show on WDFN. I believe the contract will be around 12 to 13 million a year for 4 or 5 years. More details when I can find them.

UPDATE

"Free-agent guard Chauncey Billups agreed Tuesday in principle to a five-year, $60-million deal to remain with the Pistons.
Billups, who will be 31 next season, became a free agent Sunday. He will be the highest-paid Piston next season. There apparently were no other serious bidders for Billups." Via The Detroit News

Justin Rogers at Mlive says it's not a done deal just yet

"Chauncey Billups has agreed to a 5-year, $60-million contract according to Chris McCosky, reporting on WDFN-AM, but MLive.com's A. Sherrod Blakely just got off the phone with Billups' agent, Andy Miller, and Miller says the deal is still far from done." Via MLive

Seems as though A. Sherrod Blakely was the first one to negate the original reports of a done deal, and now the associated press and the Free Press have quotes from Chauncey's agent confirming the deal is not done.

Where will Chauncey go?

Photo/Getty Images

The Pistons/Billups negotiations have started. Officially Chauncey can't sign with anyone until July 11th, but thankfully for Detroit it looks like just about every team that was looking to sign Mr. Big Shot has filled their needs elsewhere. The Magic, who were looking at Billups, decided to sign Rashard Lewis, making it impossible to pay Billups what he has coming. Memphis picked up point guard Mike Conley Jr. in the draft. The Kings look like they may be interested in Chauncey but they need a sign and trade to get things done. The only team that has enough cap space is The Bucks, but I don't know if they are willing to pay Billups when they can resign Mo Williams for half the price.

The Pistons are looking at veteran point guard Brevin Knight to back up Chauncey the one spot, but my guess is a deal with Knight won't happen until Chauncey signs on the line. As we all know re-signing Chauncey is a must for the Pistons. If you have forgotten just how valuable Mr. Billups is to this team take a look at this video to jog your memory.

Chauncey Billups Video - Courtesy of myTV20 Detroit

Rip To Seattle Rumor

Rip to Seattle doesn't seem likely, but anything can happen in the NBA.

Around The Way

• McDyess is staying with The Pistons.
• The Bucks may not be looking to sign Billups.
• The Pistons could lose Amir Johnson if another team offers him the mid level exception.
• Dumars first choice for backup SF is Grant Hill.
• Michael Curry is back with the Pistons, but this time it's as a assistant coach.
• ESPN's Chad Ford gives Joe Dumars a A- in this years draft.
• Marty Burns of Sports Illustrated gave Joe D. a C.
• What Dumars thinks of Stuckey and Afflalo.
• If not Hill then Mo Pete?
  
• Detroit Tigers Ivan Rodriguez, Placido Polanco, and outfielder Magglio Ordonez were selected by fan voting as starters for the American League in the 78th All-Star game. Carlos Guillen and Justin Verlander were chosen in player voting. Vote for Jeremy Bonderman and he could be the 6th Tiger to be on this years All-Star game. Despite Curtis Granderson's numbers he didn't make it.
• Vote for the best basketball movie.

A Little Afflalo