Looking Back: This was one of the most disappointing seasons in Rip Hamilton’s career. He dealt with injuries, sickness, and feuded with his coach. He was relegated to riding the pine for much of the season. When he did get into the game, he was effective but at times didn’t give it his all. The fracture in the locker room created a horrible atmosphere and mired Detroit into mediocrity. It wasn’t the way his storied career should’ve ended and left a bad taste in most Pistons’ fans.
The Good: Hamilton still has skills that teams can use. He is a master of the lost art of the mid-ranged shot, plays great defense, is automatic at the line, and can knock down the outside shot. He still has the motor to keep going and is a savvy veteran and born scorer.
The Bad: This whole episode in Detroit has tarnished an otherwise stellar career. It is never a good sign to be a labeled as not giving it their all or a troublemaker. He will need to do a lot to regain some of his esteem from around the league. He is also at the tail end of his career and will be on a new team with a more relegated role. While he still can shoot the ball, it is unclear how many minutes he can handle at this stage of his career.
Looking Ahead: There is still a lot of basketball left for Hamilton but he will need to find a team that fits his half court style. He’ll find a home that’s a give in, but what his role will be is unknown. He’d be a great sixth man on an established team. There are just too many questions and not many answers for Rip’s upcoming season. The Bulls have shown interest in Rip and he’d make a good fit in that system with a stellar point guard in Rose. Hopefully he can have a resurgence to his career.
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