ESPN is reporting that Ben Gordon and Charlie Villenueva have come to terms with the Detroit Pistions and will theoretically be signing on or after July 8th.  Gordon is said to be signed to a 5 year, $55 million contract, which is consistent with the $11 million/year rumors being floated by Bull.com columnist Sam Smith.  Villanueva is said to be signed to for 5 years and $40 million.  That would put the Pistons’ current roster at:

C:  Kwame Brown; Fabricio Oberto
PF: Charlie Villanueva; Jason Maxiel; Austin Daye; Walter Sharpe
SF: Tayshaun Prince; DaJuan Summers; Jonas Jerebko
SG: Ben Gordon; Richard Hamilton; Arron Afflalo
PG: Rodney Stuckey; Will Bynum

And there are few caveats here.  Oberto is likely to be cut for cap room.  Antonio McDyess is a reported target for resigning (though he’ll have other suitors).  It seems likely that Richard Hamilton will at least be shopped.  Austin Daye, thin as he is, might be earmarked for SF, and Hamilton could potentially see minutes there if he isn’t traded.

Is this a play-off team?  Maybe, maybe not.  Certainly, adding McDyess would help.  What we see with these signings is a transition from what has traditionally been a defensive-oriented team into a scoring team.  Ben Gordon’s defense probably isn’t as bad as the Chicago hype machine decried it as during his acrimonious contract negotiations, but he’s not exactly Sidney Moncrief.  Charlie Villaneuva, likewise isn’t known as a tough-nosed defender.  He also doesn’t rebound as much as you’d like for a player of his size.  On the other hand, both of them can score.  Villanueva can post-up and shoot the 3.  Ben Gordon, as was demonstrated to the nation in the Boston play-off series, is a stone cold killer in the final minute and can manufacture his own shot.

Alas, even if McDyess resigned, this looks like a weak rebounding team.  Glaring needs as free agency and trading season continue would be a rebounding center.

Prognosis?  Pending more roster movement, looks like the 7 or 8 seed is the best case scenario.  An improvement over how last season ended, but more rebounding is needed as well as Stuckey proving to be more of a point guard than a ‘tweener.  Ironically, a lot of people have pegged Gordon as a ‘tweener over the years.