What are the Pistons doin with Arroya Doesn't make sense to me. Aren't Billups and Hunter giving them everything they need at the 1? How is he going to get substantial minutes on that team? Doesn't make sense to pay a guy like him $4 mill + for 10 garbage minutes a night. What's the deal?
The Pistons were hurting with their bench production. Last year their bench included Mike James, Corliss Williamson and Okur. Those guys are gone and their bench consists of McDyess and that's it. Arroyo will take the place of Mike James for them. He will get solid minutes off their bench. Brown has also said you could see a 3 guard look of Arroyo, Billups and Hamilton at times. Getting Arroyo just deepens the Pistons bench where they not have two guys in Arroyo and McDyess they can count on. Lindsey Hunter has had a very subpar year and really hasnt done much. They are happy to have Arroyo in the fold.
OK, first of all....... Ask any member on the Pistons who has improved the most, they'll say Lindsey Hunter. Hunter has been OUTSTANDING off the bench. To say he's had sub-par year is beyond innacurate. He's dropped 15 lbs since last year, he's stronger and quicker than he's ever been. As for why the Pistons aquired Arroyo: Hunter isn't a PG. He's a SG in a PG's body. He's an outstanding defensive player and a decent shooter, but as a ballhandler and a passer, he sucks. The Pistons aquired Arroyo to be Billups's primary backup. Their main problem off the bench by far is turnovers, and arroyo can run an offense. For now, Hunter will get spot minutes at PG while Arroyo adjusts, but eventually, Larry Brown will run Hunter out there with Arroyo, and just let him do what he does best: disrupt the other team's PG and stand in the corner and shoot threes. And when Delfino comes back next month, I suspect Hunter's old legs will be saved for the playoffs.
Regardless, Hunter wasnt getting it done as the "PG" off the bench. He wasnt able to bring to the table the things Mike James did and that's why they jumped at the chance to make the move to bring in another PG. And when I said Hunter has been subpar, I was talking more in terms of his role as the backup PG taking the place of Mike James. If Hunter had been "outstanding" off the bench, they wouldnt have felt like they needed to make the move.
Hunter is Hunter. Hunter never WAS the point guard of the team. Oh, he brought the ball up, but he never ran anything. Hunter is a guy that creates a lot of turnovers and hits the occasional three. He has been excellent at BOTH this year. Playing the point was never Hunter's role, which is why I said he's been outstanding this season. Arroyo and Hunter are completely different players. They didnt trade for him because they suddenly realized Hunter can't run an offense. I could have told you that 10 years ago. For that matter, neither could Mike james. James did the majority of the ballhandling lats year, yeah, but again, he never really did anything different than Hunter. James was never an assist guy either. That showed in the playoffs, when Billups had to loge 45 minutes per game because the Pistons DIDNT HAVE any backup floor leaders.
