Ben Wallace was the most highly regarded on the 2004 Pistons - and was probably the 3rd best center in the league.
Billups & Sheed did not make the all star team that year.
You're probably right on Billups (he was on his way up), but with guys like Iverson & Francis listed as PG's who knows.

I remember one of the ESPN analysts say after they won, that none of their starters was a top 25 player in the NBA, but all 5 were in the top 50.
It really was a team void of a "superstar"

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“Mmmm. Move over, eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend - fudge.”

Apologies for quoting myself, but the more I think about what I wrote earlier, the more I'm leaning towards Reinsdorf possibly putting up the stop sign on that type of maneuver. There's no way in hell that Pax wasn't seriously considering it as an emergency parachute plan. Of course he knew that if he couldn't move PJ, his ammunition for a big offseason move would be seriously weakened. And since PJ pretty much sucks the big one (fewer than 6ppg, fewer than 5rpg, and under 40% fg%), it's not as though we couldn't afford to move him for financial purposes. I have no proof, just a hunch, but I have to wonder if it was in fact Uncle Jerry that refused to carry a dead weight contract for one last hurrah. And that's really too bad, because there's a good chance Garnett could be had this summer, and for a much better price than in previous offseasons. Hopefully, one of the Bulls beatwriters will probe this issue a bit and find out just what the hell happened. Doubtfully Sam Smith, though, since he recently wrote about Kurt Thomas' having one year left on his deal as being disadvantageous to the Bulls.

What's the source of this information? I had read that the Blazers feel they're improving and really don't/didn't want to trade Randolph.

I've also heard similar things about Garnett--the Timberwolves are planning to rebuild around him rather than prepare for a future without him.

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I agree with this and with what Bucket was saying. Losing PJ's contract and clearing cap room doesn't really help the Bulls at all in the offseason, since they'll just spend the money extending their own guys. Sure, they'll be a little bit better next year because their core guys will each improve a little, but you won't see a marked improvement (unless Tyrus and Thabo make a huge leap). If they would have traded for a guy with another year on his deal, they could have used that contract to lure a star away from another team. Now they have very few chips to use.

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"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

That's a pretty good team, actually. Marbury and Spreewell are low-character guys, IMO, but both are pretty good players. One of the reasons I'm not as all-out a Garnett fan as many is his inability to win, even when he did have pretty good talent around him.

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You can't see me because of internet.

The landowner effectively owns part shares in millions of part-time slaves called, "taxpayers." -Roy L
A Personal Relationship with Jesus?

Tom Smykowski: It was a "Jump to Conclusions" mat. You see, it would be this mat that you would put on the floor... and would have different conclusions written on it that you could jump to.

Michael Bolton: That's the worst idea I've ever heard in my life, Tom.

Samir: Yes, this is horrible, this idea.