RSS
Home
Q&A on Sheed signing with Boston: Detroit's perspective
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
In order to get an even better idea of how Sheed's signing will impact the C's, I had a quick Q&A with Detroit Sports Examiner and Detroit Pistons Examiner Dave Ryan.
MR: Sheed played both PF and C for the Pistons last year. How was he in the middle? Did he handle the position well, both on and off the court?
JS: Sheed in the middle has become more and more of a running joke here in Detroit. Offensively he is unguardable in my mind when he wants to play. He is so long and releases the ball at such a high point that his low-post fade-away, baby hook and face-up jumper is impossible to block. If he would go down low every time down the floor, I think he could score probably 45 points every game, and I'm not exaggerating. The problem is he loves the fact that he is 6'11" and can shoot the three. He gets lost around the arc for extensive periods of the game. He will shoot three after three, make or miss. I've never been more frustrated with a player because you'll watch games where he may only take 4 or 5 shots the entire time, and they are all from the outside. The fact that he gets lost outside also takes away his ability to get offensive rebounds. You will see, there will be moments where he is the best player on the floor, which makes the stretches of the game where he is nowhere to be found all the more frustrating.
He is a very good defender in the block. Because of his length and his unique athletic ability for a man his size, he can guard both centers/power forwards who like to play with their back to the basket or the type that like to penetrate from the outside one-on-one. He is a great help defender, and can rebound with the best of them and block any shot.
DR: Even though Rasheed can play center, he's not really a guy you want to start in the middle. He's more effective with a physical big man next to him taking the pressure off. That allows him to roam out to the perimeter for the three ball, which is a part of his game that many fans will either love or hate because he's pretty inconsistent. Most teams would have no qualms about starting him on the inside for 82 games, but I'm not sure that's how you maximize his ability on a basketball court. He's also not really that great of a rebounder, so that's another minor drawback. As far as handling the position, Sheed doesn't really care where he plays. He just wants to play, hit some big shots and win basketball games. That's really all you can ask for out of a player. Off the court he's a very relaxed guy, so his position really won't matter too much as far as he's concerned.
Is Sheed's temper blown out of proportion? How is he as a teammate?
DR: Big time. Tons of NBA players complain about things during a game. Sheed just does it with a bit more flair, and that's why he gets called for technicals pretty often. When things are going well, Rasheed is a fun-loving guy who is a wonderful teammate. It's when things start to turn sour that he can become a slight issue. He isn't going to blatantly disrupt a locker room or anything, but when he's frustrated about something, everybody is going to know about it because of his body language. For the most part though I think Rasheed is a guy who needs another teammate to push him and keep him motivated, and that's exactly what Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will do.
JS: Sheed's temper is blown out of proportion. He will actually not do anything that just about any other player doesn't do; he just gets called for it. Of course, Sheed never thinks he's committed a foul, so he does chirp to the ref more than most, which makes the times when he actually has a case fall on deaf ears. His favorite line to shout after an opponent misses a free-throw is "Ball don't lie!" You will hear that one each and every game. However, Sheed plays his best after receiving a tech. I don't what it is, but when he gets slapped with a tech, something goes off and he will demand the ball and play harder than any player on the court. It's really fun to watch actually, because he almost takes it personally and goes right after the opposing team. And that also usually pumps up his teammates and the fans as well.
As a teammate, there is actually no one better. Honestly, he is a tremendous guy to have on your side. He is too unselfish, as he will pass on shots or give up the ball to get other guys involved when he is the one who should be taking over. Every Pistons player, along with every fan, always said that Sheed needed to be more assertive and shoot more, but that's just his nature, he loves blending in and being part of the team. Nobody talks more on the court, and I don't mean trash talk, well I do, but I also mean shouting out assignments. On the defensive end he will be the loudest guy on the team, pointing out picks, calling out needs for weak-side help, calling for doubles. He is constantly in the game in that respect. Chauncey Billups always said that Sheed was the only guy on the team who knew what every position's assignment was for every play they ran. He is one of the smartest players there is.
Were the Pistons looking to bring him back? If so, was it as a reserve or starter; and if not, why not? Did you want him back?
JS: Detroit was not looking to bring him back. The reason is he's getting up there in age, and the run the Pistons had since '04 had ended. Billups was gone, and it was time to go a different route. They needed to completely blow up the team and start over. They wanted to get younger, hence the signing of Gordon and Villanueva, and had they hung on to Sheed, it would have delayed that process. Plus, with his contract up, along with Iverson's contract gone, it gave Joe Dumars more money than any other GM in the league to spend on free agents. It landed those two young guys, and still gives them more to try to either sign another guy this season, or go after one of the studs in next season’s free-agent sweepstakes. That was the reason for the Billups/Ivo trade in the first place. Everyone loves to beat up Joe for that deal, but the Pistons weren't going to win with Billups, and now the Pistons can begin their rebuilding process during the biggest two free-agent offseasons the league has seen in a while. Don't be surprised to see another one of the Pistons' core traded before the season starts. Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince are likely gone pretty soon.
DR: Both parties wanted to go in a different direction. Although Detroit still needs size pretty badly and Sheed would have still been a starter, he simply wanted to move on, and the Pistons had no problem with him going elsewhere. His time in Detroit had simply come to an end, and it seemed like everybody knew it. Personally, I would have loved to see Sheed come back for another season or two, but I knew it wasn't very likely. The guy is about as entertaining as it gets, and he has a hilarious personality. I literally crack up at some of the subtle things he does, and he was easily one of my favorite players during his tenure with the Pistons.
How has his play declined over the last few seasons?
DR: The funny thing about Wallace is that he's one of the most talented big men in the league; he just doesn't show it very often. I think the most noticeable part of his game that has declined is on the defensive end of the floor. He really isn't the shot blocking presence that he used to be when he played next to Ben Wallace. He also isn't nearly as quick laterally as he used to be, and there are plenty of power forwards right now that can give him trouble with their athleticism. Offensively, Sheed is starting to take more and more three pointers as his career moves on. He's a very, very dangerous three point option, but he's still going to be inconsistent from behind the arc, and that can sometimes be a painful thing to watch in close games. It's just odd that he is infatuated with the three point line when you consider how great his baseline back-to-basket game is. Part of that can be attributed to Detroit's lack of direction over the past couple of seasons, and a good player-coach like Doc Rivers should be able to pick up on this and get Sheed to take better shots.
JS: Sheed's play has declined only because he allows it to. Like I've said before, even at his age, if Sheed played as hard as he possibly could each and every minute he is on the floor he could still put up huge numbers. He is that talented and that tough of a matchup. He obviously has lost a little bit of his speed and doesn't quite get up as high as he used to, but he can still rebound and block shots, and has as many low post moves as anyone in the league not named Tim Duncan.
What will you get with Sheed? I honestly can't tell you. Some nights he will be the best player on the court and the entire crowd will be chanting his name, other nights he will be unrecognizable while the only thing on the stat sheet he fills is fouls. He will probably be re-energized playing for Boston, and should actually feed off the rest of your squad very well. He has a ton of playoff experience and loves playing in big games. With all the talent the Celtics have on their roster, Sheed should be able to do what he loves best, blend in and take over when he's needed. Nobody was more important to the '04 Pistons championship than Sheed. Billups was the MVP and Ben Wallace was the personality of the team, but Sheed completely changed the lineup. He has the ability to carry a team and dominate a game.
He will be a fan favorite with his talk and act, but he will always leave the crowd wanting more, and that's also what makes him so frustrating.
Like I wrote in my article yesterday, Danny made a wise choice in bringing Sheed on board, and Jeff and Dave's comments validate that position. Hopefully, Sheed can stay healthy and play more within the arc than he did over his final chapter with the Pistons. Thanks, guys.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
