A. Sherrod Blakely on WGHN: Managing Pistons' Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton will be John Kuester's 'biggest challenge'
by James Schmehl | MLive.com
Thursday July 09, 2009, 1:09 PMPistons coach John Kuester wasn't responsible for handling Rip Hamilton and Allen Iverson's minutes last season, but he likely overheard the controversy it created.
If Kuester is looking to avoid last year's hullabaloo, Pistons Insider A. Sherrod Blakely said the newly-hired coach will have to find a solution that works best for Hamilton and recently-signed free-agent Ben Gordon.
"That's going to be the biggest challenge for John Kuester -- to figure out how to make those guys work well together," Blakely told Ryan Terpstra on
WGHN-AM Grand Haven.
Gordon, who signed a five-year deal worth at least $50 million on Wednesday, said he is OK with coming off the bench, but is still competing against Hamilton for a starting job.
"The difference is, Ben is used to playing both as a starter and as a reserve and still being productive, whereas, Allen knows no other way to score, but as a starter," Blakely said.
Listen to the entire interview as Blakely discusses potential free-agent pickups and the possible departure of Pistons guard Arron Afflalo.
"They may have to move (Afflalo) in order to create a little bit more salary space to sign a guy like Brandon Bass, who I know they really want to sign," Blakely said. "There are going to be a couple more moves made between now and the start of training camp."
"(Bass') numbers in the playoffs are better than they are in the regular season -- and everything the Pistons do, for the most part, is geared toward, 'How deep can we get in the postseason.'"
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