The current Detroit Pistons sit 4-20 on the season, and are likely headed to their worst season since the 1970's. Even in a shortened season this current group is on a run to set an all time team futility record. One has to wonder is this the fault of General Manger Joe Dumars, or has he done the best he could under a set of very bad circumstances.
Brendan Savage of Mlive.com points out hat Dumars has not had the best track record in the NBA draft, and fans seem unwilling to forgive him for the 2008 trade of Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess that brought Allen Iverson to town. Then there was the free agent spending spree of 2009 where Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva where brought in. On top of that the recent resigning of Tayshaun Prince to a multi year deal. All of these moves were terribly unpopular with the fans, and have left the 2012 Pistons with a winning percentage of just .167.
Savage also points out that the 1979-1980 Pistons went 16-66 and had the worst winning percentage in team history at .195. There seems to be little reason to think that the current Pistons can do any better than that.
Currently they rank second worst in point per game, worst in rebounds per game, fifth worst in assists per game, and ninth worst in points allowed per game. The only real bright spot right now is Greg Monroe who is averaging 15.9 points, 9-6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
To be fair the compressed nature of this season has not done new Head Coach Lawrence Frank or his players any good. There was the long delay by former owner Karen Davidson that also set this team back and made it impossible to make deals at least year's trade deadline.
However, Dumars has made a number of questionable decisions that have hurt this team, and set it back financially. In 2008 the need was to clear trade away the pieces of team that went to six straight Eastern Conference championship series to start the rebuilding process, but we now know Dumars traded away the wrong pieces and got little return for them.
In the end the blame (for he most part) has to rest with Dumars. It is his job to manage this team despite whatever adversity they may be up against.
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