HoopsHype.com Columns

Wide collar versus blue collar
by Tim O'Sullivan / September 13, 2002

The deal looks one-sided on paper because, plain and simple, Stackhouse is the better player. Both are basically scorers, and Stack is the more prolific and versatile of the two. The 27-year-old Carolina man can shoot the three, post up and penetrate. He does it so well that he averaged 29.8 points in 2000-01. Rip can fill it up too, no doubt, but his points come almost exclusively from the mid-range jumper and the fast break. Stack can create his own shot, Rip, not so good.

While Stackhouse is not a quintessential leader, he doesn't inspire and is still prone to locker room melt downs, his reduced shot total and obvious effort towards unselfish, team play was one of the feel-good stories of the 01-02 NBA season. Every basketball critic in America talked about how Stack was finally "getting it," sacrificing his own gaudy scoring stats for the one that stat that matters, wins. Detroit went from 32 wins two years ago to 50 wins last year. Sure, Rick Carlisle did a great job coaching, Clifford Robinson played like a fine wine getting better with age and the role players all deserved supporting actor Oscars, but it was Stack's discovery of a passing game and the defensive end of the floor that was the true catalyst for Detroit's turnaround.

Those are the reasons why Michael Jordan and Wes Unseld should look like the coach on the Nike p-funk ad. You know, the bald guy in the plaid suit who is asked at a press conference, "Coach, you were 3-79 last year, why the playoff talk?" The coach, with one of the greatest hand-in the-cookie-jar smirks you'll ever see, replies "We made a few trades, and" very dramatic pause, wider smirk, "we got the funk." "The funk" is Stack and Jermaine O'Neal and Vince Carter wearing the wardrobe from "Shaft" and parading around a 70's basketball league dunking on everyone in sight.

Stack is the funk and his acquisition completes Jordan's total roster makeover of the Wizards. When MJ arrived in D.C., the team was full of tottering old sorcerers like Mitch Richmond and Rod Strickland who would have been out-dueled by a 10-year-old Harry Potter. Now, the Wizards have young, albeit tentative, talent (Kwame Brown, Larry Hughes, Brendan Haywood, Juan Dixon, Jared Jeffries), veteran leaders (not anchors) in MJ, Bryon Russell and Stack, and, perhaps most importantly, plenty of salary cap room for the heralded class of 2003 free agents, led by Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd.

The talk of cap space brings us below the surface of the trade. Stack was going to opt out of his contract at the end of next season and wanted a max contract from Detroit. Pistons general manager Joe Dumars (who has proven to be a very astute administrator) and owner Bill Davidson were not going to give it to him. Stack may be the funk, but when the Pistons were facing elimination in the playoffs, he fizzled, going 0-for-10 against Toronto in Game 5, a contest and series the Pistons won nonetheless, and 3-for-18 against Boston in another Game 5, a contest and series that the Pistons looked out of place in.

If Stack had stayed in Detroit and led the Pistons to another Central Division title, if he had led them to at least the Eastern Conference finals and if his unselfish, make-the-players-around-you-better game had continued to flourish, than yes, he would have deserved a the max deal. But if he reverted to his old shoot, shoot, shoot ways, a max deal would have been devastating for Detroit (see Allan Houston and the Knicks). Dumars and
Davidson weren't willing to gamble and possibly let Stack walk away while getting nothing in return.

And while we're swimming here beneath the surface, take a better look at Rip in this underwater light. He seems to be a perfect fit for the Pistons, blue collar team concept. His points comes from within the offense. He will pass. He will run, run and run some more. He may not be much of a defender, but the rest of the nail-chewing Pistons should be able to watch his back. Also, newly acquired point guard Chauncey Billups is strong enough and big enough to defend shooting guards in case Rip really needs help.

The Wizards got the funk and an end-game option to compliment MJ, but the Pistons got a talented cog that fits better on their wheel.

It all seemed so simple at first, a deal you could actually judge right away. Clearly, the Wizards got the better of it. But the more you looked and examined, you thought, no, Detroit and Dumars actually did OK. But Stack is the funk, but Rip is looking good, but, but, but... awwww, shucks, this trade is like all the other NBA trades. Only time will tell who bamboozled who.

Tim O'Sullivan is a staff writer at the Concord (NH) Monitor and a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

Tell us what you think about this column. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com