March 2004 Detroit Pistons Wiretap

Piston?s Vigorously Pursuing Wallace

Jun 30, 2004 5:43 AM

The Pistons have made signing Rasheed Wallace their number one priority.  

This move comes as no surprise, as signing Wallace would leave the Pistons with virtually the same team that dominated the Lakers in the 2004 championship series, sans Okur.

Okur has expressed repeatedly that he would like to remain a Piston, however if Wallace stays, Okur would likely sign for a team that has extra cap room and would give him more playing time.  Phoenix and Utah being the frontrunners.

The Detroit News

Tags: Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Isiah Conceding No Rasheed?

Jun 23, 2004 10:53 AM

Speaking to the Newark Star-Ledger, Knicks president Isiah Thomas may have indicated that he will not be able to lure Rasheed Wallace away from Detroit.

?I would say we have maybe a 1 percent chance ? maybe,? Thomas said of signing Wallace. ?I?m sure Detroit is going to do everything it can to keep him. It?s a great situation for him.?

The Detroit News

Tags: Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, NBA

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Rip and Big Ben Pass Up Opportunity at a Double Championship

Jun 22, 2004 7:35 PM

World Champions Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace have declined an invitation of joining the USA Olympic squad.  Coach Larry Brown will not have these two stars of his own when he leads the team into Athens.

Michael Redd appears to be the leading canidate to be next offered a position on this team of replacements.

ESPN

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA

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Carter for AI? Nope; Hectic Pace in Toronto

Jun 22, 2004 11:26 AM

GM Rob Babcock is earning his new Raptors paycheck, and then some.  In the next few weeks, he may have earned the salary of his full contract term.

It?s madness up in Toronto these days with the swirl of trade rumors, the Draft rush and a head coaching search.

Meanwhile the Charlotte Babcots will decide whether to take Alvin Williams, Lamond Murray or Milt Palacio off Toronto's roster in the expansion draft.

Philadelphia sports talk radio said that Allen Iverson for Vince Carter was in the works but this speculation later turned out to be false.

With the AI rumor shoved aside, Babock worked out Draft prospects, then raced back to Toronto to interview Detroit Pistons assistant coach Mike Woodson.

As for the Draft, Peter John Ramos is on the target list.  He is a 19-year-old and possible long-term project who has spent the last four years playing in Puerto Rico's pro league.

Toronto Star

Tags: Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia Sixers, Toronto Raptors, NBA

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Finals Ratings Increase

Jun 21, 2004 1:27 AM

The Detroit Pistons' championship-clinching win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 was the second-highest rated NBA Finals game since 1998, and the series was the highest-rated since 2001.

The ABC Broadcast of the final game of the series received a 13.8 rating with a 23 share, 123 percent higher than Game 5 between the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets last season and 23 percent higher than Game 5 between the Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers in 2001.

ESPN

Tags: Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA

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Pistons on Wheaties Box

Jun 19, 2004 1:10 AM

For the first time in 15 years, the NBA title-winning Detroit Pistons will be back on the box of the breakfast of champions.

A Pistons team photo will appear on a special-edition commemorative box of Wheaties that will be sold in stores nationally.

ESPN

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA

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Come Back Larry

Jun 17, 2004 7:03 AM

Larry Brown has four remaining years on his contract.  He may not stay for the remainder but he should return at least next season, says this editorial.

Brown is well traveled and is now 63 years of age.  He will coach Team USA in Athens this summer.

But the Pistons can defend their title and have the young guns to be contenders for quite some time into the future.

Brown outcoached Phil Jackson to help the Pistons dominate the action. ?Larry, he deserves it,? Rasheed Wallace said about the championship. ?He deserves all the accolades. He deserves everything because I think he?s been looked over the last few years, but he finally done it, finally got over that hump.?

The Detroit News

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA

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Michigan Governor Wins Bet

Jun 17, 2004 4:51 AM

Remember that pre-Finals bet that everyone had the California Governor winning?

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who won her Finals bet with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzen-egger, shipped off a Pistons jersey and Michigan food items that Arnold has to eat while wearing the jersey. And she wants photographic proof.

Any chance she might share that proof?

Detroit Free Press

Tags: Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA

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Milicic Breaks Hand During Celebration

Jun 17, 2004 4:45 AM

The game clearly over, and the festivities to begin any moment, Joanne C. Gerstner reports that Milicic appeared to injure his hand while taking a jump shot, as a Lakers defender hit him.

He held the hand and begged to come out of the game, but Coach Larry Brown told Milicic to keep going.

Neither knew the hand was broken at that point.

The Pistons said Wednesday there was no update on Milicic?s injury or treatment.

DetNews.com

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA

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Knicks Still in 'Sheed Chase?

Jun 17, 2004 4:11 AM

Although it seems more unlikely now that Pistons star has his ring, Rasheed Wallace still maintains that nothing is final.

"I have to talk it over with my wife, talk it over with my kids and get their input," Wallace said. "If it's a situation or something here they don't like or they see shaky, I have to take all of that into consideration. I think my family has the biggest say of it all. But don't get me wrong. I think they are a great group of guys that I'm playing with, but my family, they are going to have that last decision."

Marc Berman writes that if it were up to Wallace, he'd stay. But he wants his wife, Fatima, to like the area. She and their four kids, including an infant daughter, have yet to live in Detroit. They stayed back in Portland.

NY Post

Tags: Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, NBA

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Guts over glitz

Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press

Detroit punches out

Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press

NBA Champion Detroit Pistons

nba.com

Green with Wallace Envy

Boston Herald

Guarantee or Not, Lakers Must Win Out

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Joe D is Pistons' MVP

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

PISTONS JOLT LAKERS AGAIN, LEAD 3-1

The Detroit News

Solid as an Oak

Magic Rips Lakers

Yahoo!

Video Tech in the NBA

The Detroit News

Detroit Motors, LA Runs on Fumes

L.A. Daily News

Police Looking Into Malone Poking

Yahoo!

Finals Ratings Up

ESPN

Lakers Ticket Fake

ESPN

Pistons Rip Lakers

Yahoo!

Woodson Interviews for Head Coaching Jobs

Philadelphia Daily News

Big Foul Up

The Detroit News

Brown Hits Back

The Detroit News

Bryant Lifts Lakers to Finals Tie

The Detroit News

Petulant Payton May Exemplify Laker Vulnerability

Detroit Free Press