1998–99 Detroit Pistons season
NBA team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Pistons' 51st season in the National Basketball Association , and 42nd season in the city of Detroit .[ 1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement , seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout , which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game , which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern , and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[ 12] [ 13] [ 14] [ 15] [ 16]
The Pistons had the eleventh overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft , and selected Bonzi Wells out of Ball State University ,[ 17] [ 18] [ 19] [ 20] but later on traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers .[ 21] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24] In the off-season, the team acquired Christian Laettner from the Atlanta Hawks ,[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] [ 28] and signed free agents Loy Vaught ,[ 29] [ 30] [ 31] and Jud Buechler .[ 32] [ 33] [ 34] Laettner would reunite with former Duke University teammate Grant Hill , but only played just 16 games due to an Achilles injury and a broken rib.[ 35] [ 36] [ 37] After a solid year the previous season, Brian Williams changed his named to Bison Dele to honor his Cherokee heritage.[ 38] [ 39] [ 40] The Pistons won their first three games, but then lost five straight. However, they would play above .500 for the rest of the season, and bounce back from their disappointing season to finish third in the Central Division with a 29–21 record, and return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.[ 41]
Hill averaged 21.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and finished in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting,[ 42] while sixth man Jerry Stackhouse continued to provide scoring off the bench averaging 14.5 points per game. In addition, Lindsey Hunter provided the team with 11.9 points and 1.8 steals per game, while Joe Dumars contributed 11.3 points per game, and Dele averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Laettner averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while Jerome Williams provided the team with 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and starting power forward Don Reid contributed 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.[ 43]
However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs , the Pistons would lose to the Atlanta Hawks in five games.[ 44] [ 45] [ 46] [ 47] This season also marked an end of an era, as Dumars retired after a solid fourteen-year career with the Pistons, and would become the team's vice president next season.[ 48] [ 49] [ 50] [ 51] This was also Dele's final season of his career as he retired before the following season, turning down a $36 million contract.[ 52] [ 53] [ 39] [ 40]
Draft picks
Roster
1998–99 Detroit Pistons roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G/F
30
Buechler, Jud
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1968–06–19
Arizona
C
8
Dele, Bison
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
1969–04–06
Arizona
G
4
Dumars, Joe
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1963–05–24
McNeese State
F
33
Hill, Grant
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1972–10–05
Duke
G
1
Hunter, Lindsey
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1970–12–03
Jackson State
F/C
32
Laettner, Christian
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1969–08–17
Duke
C
00
Montross, Eric
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
270 lb (122 kg)
1971–09–23
North Carolina
G
5
O'Bannon, Charles
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
209 lb (95 kg)
1975–02–22
UCLA
G
20
Reeves, Khalid
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
199 lb (90 kg)
1972–07–15
Arizona
F/C
52
Reid, Don
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
1973–12–30
Georgetown
G
42
Stackhouse, Jerry
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
218 lb (99 kg)
1974–11–05
North Carolina
F/C
35
Vaught, Loy
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1968–02–27
Michigan
F
13
Williams, Jerome
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
206 lb (93 kg)
1973–05–10
Georgetown
F
45
Young, Korleone
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
213 lb (97 kg)
1978–12–31
Hargrave Military Academy (VA)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster Last transaction: April 3, 1999
Regular season
Season standings
c - clinched homecourt advantage
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1998-99 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
TOR
UTA
VAN
WAS
Atlanta
—
3–0
3–0
3–1
2–1
0–1
0–0
1–2
0–0
1–0
3–1
1–0
0–0
0–3
1–2
0–0
1–2
2–1
2–2
2–1
1–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
2–1
0–0
1–0
2–1
Boston
0–3
—
1–2
2–1
2–2
0–0
1–0
0–3
0–0
0–0
0–3
1–0
0–0
3–0
0–3
0–1
1–2
1–2
1–2
1–2
0–0
0–1
0–1
0–0
0–0
1–2
0–0
1–0
3–1
Charlotte
0–3
2–1
—
2–1
2–1
0–0
0–0
3–0
0–1
0–0
1–2
0–0
0–1
1–2
2–2
0–0
3–0
1–3
1–2
1–2
1–0
1–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
2–1
1–0
0–0
2–1
Chicago
1–3
1–2
1–2
—
0–3
0–1
0–0
0–3
0–0
0–0
0–3
1–0
0–0
1–2
1–3
0–0
2–1
1–2
0–3
1–2
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–1
0–1
1–2
0–1
1–0
1–2
Cleveland
1–2
2–2
1–2
3–0
—
0–0
0–0
1–2
1–0
0–1
0–3
0–0
1–0
0–3
1–2
0–0
3–0
1–2
1–2
1–2
1–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
2–2
0–1
0–0
1–2
Dallas
1–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
—
2–1
0–1
2–2
2–2
0–0
3–0
0–3
0–1
0–0
1–2
0–1
0–0
1–0
0–0
1–3
0–3
2–2
1–3
0–3
0–0
0–3
2–1
0–0
Denver
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–2
—
0–0
1–3
0–4
0–1
3–0
1–2
0–1
1–0
0–3
1–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–3
0–3
0–3
0–4
2–2
0–0
1–2
3–1
0–1
Detroit
2–1
3–0
0–3
3–0
2–1
1–0
0–0
—
0–0
0–0
2–1
0–0
0–0
2–1
2–1
0–1
2–1
2–1
0–4
1–3
1–0
0–0
0–0
0–1
1–0
2–1
1–0
0–0
2–1
Golden State
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
0–1
2–2
3–1
0–0
—
0–3
1–0
2–1
1–2
0–0
0–1
2–2
0–0
0–0
0–1
0–0
1–2
2–2
1–2
0–3
1–2
0–0
0–4
4–0
0–0
Houston
0–1
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
2–2
4–0
0–0
3–0
—
0–0
3–1
1–2
0–1
0–0
2–1
1–0
0–0
0–1
0–0
2–2
2–1
3–0
0–3
2–1
1–0
0–3
4–0
0–0
Indiana
1–2
3–0
2–1
3–0
3–0
0–0
1–0
1–2
0–1
0–0
—
0–0
1–0
2–2
3–0
0–0
3–1
2–1
1–2
1–2
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
0–0
2–1
0–0
1–0
3–0
L.A. Clippers
0–1
0–1
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–3
0–3
0–0
1–2
1–3
0–0
—
0–4
0–0
0–0
2–2
1–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
0–3
1–2
1–2
0–3
0–3
0–1
1–3
1–3
0–0
L.A. Lakers
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
0–1
3–0
2–1
0–0
2–1
2–1
0–1
4–0
—
0–0
0–0
2–1
0–0
1–0
1–0
0–1
3–1
2–2
1–2
2–1
2–2
0–0
1–3
2–1
0–0
Miami
3–0
0–3
2–1
2–1
3–0
1–0
1–0
1–2
0–0
1–0
2–2
0–0
0–0
—
2–1
0–1
3–1
2–2
2–1
2–1
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
3–0
0–1
0–0
3–0
Milwaukee
2–1
3–0
2–2
3–1
2–1
0–0
0–1
1–2
1–0
0–0
0–3
0–0
0–0
1–2
—
1–0
2–1
2–1
1–2
1–2
0–1
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
3–1
0–0
0–0
2–1
Minnesota
0–0
1–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
2–1
3–0
1–0
2–2
1–2
0–0
2–2
1–2
1–0
0–1
—
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
1–2
0–3
3–1
2–2
2–1
0–1
0–3
3–1
0–0
New Jersey
2–1
2–1
0–3
1–2
0–3
1–0
0–1
1–2
0–0
0–1
1–3
0–1
0–0
1–3
1–2
0–0
—
0–3
0–3
1–2
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
1–0
2–1
0–0
0–0
2–1
New York
1–2
2–1
3–1
2–1
2–1
0–0
0–0
1–2
0–0
0–0
1–2
1–0
0–1
2–2
1–2
1–0
3–0
—
0–3
3–1
1–0
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
1–2
0–0
0–0
2–1
Orlando
2–2
2–1
2–1
3–0
2–1
0–1
0–0
4–0
1–0
1–0
2–1
0–0
0–1
1–2
2–1
0–0
3–0
3–0
—
1–2
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–1
0–0
1–2
0–0
0–0
2–1
Philadelphia
1–2
2–1
2–1
2–1
2–1
0–0
0–0
3–1
0–0
0–0
2–1
0–0
1–0
1–2
2–1
0–0
2–1
1–3
2–1
—
0–0
0–1
1–0
0–1
0–1
2–1
0–0
1–0
1–2
Phoenix
0–1
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–1
3–1
3–0
0–1
2–1
2–2
0–0
3–0
1–3
0–0
1–0
2–1
0–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
—
0–3
0–3
2–2
3–0
0–0
2–2
3–0
0–0
Portland
0–0
1–0
0–1
0–0
0–0
3–0
3–0
0–0
2–2
1–2
1–0
2–1
2–2
0–0
0–0
3–0
1–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
3–0
—
4–0
1–3
2–2
0–0
1–2
4–0
0–0
Sacramento
0–0
1–0
1–0
0–0
0–0
2–2
3–0
0–0
2–1
0–3
0–0
2–1
2–1
0–0
0–0
1–3
0–0
1–0
0–1
0–1
3–0
0–4
—
1–2
2–2
0–0
1–2
4–0
1–0
San Antonio
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–1
3–1
4–0
1–0
3–0
3–0
0–0
3–0
1–2
0–0
0–0
2–2
0–0
0–0
1–0
1–0
2–2
3–1
2–1
—
2–1
0–1
2–1
3–0
0–0
Seattle
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
3–0
2–2
0–1
2–1
1–2
0–0
3–0
2–2
0–0
0–1
1–2
0–1
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–3
2–2
2–2
1–2
—
0–0
2–2
2–1
0–1
Toronto
1–2
2–1
1–2
2–1
2–2
0–0
0–0
1–2
0–0
0–1
1–2
1–0
0–0
0–3
1–3
1–0
1–2
2–1
2–1
1–2
0–0
0–0
0–0
1–0
0–0
—
0–0
1–0
2–2
Utah
0–0
0–0
0–1
1–0
1–0
3–0
2–1
0–1
4–0
3–0
0–0
3–1
3–1
1–0
0–0
3–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–0
2–2
2–1
2–1
1–2
2–2
0–0
—
3–0
1–0
Vancouver
0–1
0–1
0–0
0–1
0–0
1–2
1–3
0–0
0–3
0–4
0–1
3–1
1–2
0–0
0–0
1–3
0–0
0–0
0–0
0–1
0–3
0–3
0–4
0–3
1–2
0–1
0–3
—
0–0
Washington
1–2
1–3
1–2
2–1
2–1
0–0
1–0
1–2
0–1
0–0
0–3
0–0
0–0
0–3
1–2
0–0
1–2
1–2
1–2
2–1
0–0
0–1
0–1
0–0
1–0
2–2
0–1
0–0
—
Game log
This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it .
(January 2011 )
Playoffs
1999 playoff game log
First Round: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)
1999 schedule
Player statistics
Regular season
Playoffs
Player Statistics Citation:[ 43]
Awards and records
Transactions
This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it .
(January 2011 )
References
^ 1998-99 Detroit Pistons
^ Wise, Mike (June 30, 1998). "BASKETBALL; It's Their Ball, and N.B.A. Owners Call for Lockout" . The New York Times . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Heisler, Mark (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ "NBA Lockout Begins" . CBS News . CBS News.com Staff. June 30, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Bembry, Jerry (June 30, 1998). "Billion-Dollar Question: NBA Facing Long Timeout? Rising Salaries Spur Basketball Owners to Lock Out Players" . The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved May 17, 2023 .
^ Steele, David (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout Now a Certainty" . SFGate . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ "NBA Cancels All-Star Game" . CBS News . CBS News.com Staff. December 8, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Wise, Mike (December 9, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; It's Official: N.B.A. Cancels Its All-Star Game" . The New York Times . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Heisler, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Dunks All-Star Game" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved May 17, 2023 .
^ Asher, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Cancels All-Star Game" . The Washington Post . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Steele, David (December 9, 1998). "NBA Drops All-Stars -- What's Left?; February Game in Philly Latest Casualty of Lockout" . SFGate . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ "NBA: Let The Games Begin!" . CBS News . CBS News.com Staff. January 6, 1999. Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Wise, Mike (January 7, 1999). "With Little Time on Clock, NBA and Players Settle" . The New York Times . Retrieved May 17, 2023 .
^ Heisler, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA, Players Union Agree to End Lockout" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Justice, Richard; Asher, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA Labor Dispute Ends After 6 Months" . The Washington Post . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ Bembry, Jerry (January 7, 1999). "Just Beating Buzzer, NBA Unlocks Season; With Only Day Left to Make Deal, Owners, Players Union Agree" . The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved December 15, 2022 .
^ "Clippers Pick Olowokandi No. 1" . CBS News . CBS News.com Staff. June 24, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "1998 NBA Draft Selections" . Deseret News . June 25, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "Draft First-Round Picks" . SFGate . June 25, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "1998 NBA Draft" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ Gardner, Kris (January 21, 1999). "Knicks Acquiring Sprewell Highlights Six-Deal Day" . The Houston Roundball Review . Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "Bucks: Signed F Robert Traylor to Three-Year..." The Baltimore Sun . January 22, 1999. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "Pistons Haunted by Wells" . Los Angeles Times . January 15, 2001. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ "Pistons' Growing Spurt Is Cut Short by Bonzi" . The Washington Post . November 12, 2001. Retrieved June 8, 2023 .
^ Pilcher, James (January 22, 1999). "Hawks Trade Laettner to Pistons" . Associated Press . Retrieved July 31, 2021 .
^ "Injured Laettner Goes to Detroit" . CBS News . Associated Press. January 22, 1999. Retrieved December 4, 2022 .
^ "N.B.A.: ROUNDUP -- ATLANTA; Laettner Is Signed, Then Sent to Detroit" . The New York Times . Associated Press. January 23, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2022 .
^ "Around the NBA" . Los Angeles Times . Staff and Wire Reports. January 23, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2023 .
^ "Pistons Sign Vaught, Laettner" . CBS News . CBS News.com Staff. January 20, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2023 .
^ Wise, Mike (January 21, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; The Business of Basketball Now Begins in Earnest" . The New York Times . Retrieved June 27, 2022 .
^ "Vaught to Sign Five-Year Piston Deal" . Los Angeles Times . Bloomberg News. January 21, 1999. Retrieved October 18, 2022 .
^ "League (and Rodman) Back Again" . Los Angeles Times . Times Wire Services. January 21, 1999. Retrieved November 16, 2022 .
^ "NBA DEALINGS: McDyess, Divac and Smith Sign" . Kitsap Sun . Associated Press. January 23, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2023 .
^ Wise, Mike (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title" . The New York Times . Retrieved June 28, 2022 .
^ "Pistons' Laettner Makes Debut" . Associated Press . March 17, 1999. Retrieved July 21, 2021 .
^ "Report: Laettner, Stackhouse Fight" . Associated Press . April 23, 1999. Retrieved July 21, 2021 .
^ "Pistons Activate Laettner from IL" . United Press International . April 27, 1999. Retrieved January 9, 2023 .
^ Florence, Mal (March 16, 1999). "This Bison Surely Has Seen Greener Pastures" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 3, 2022 .
^ a b Wise, Mike (September 22, 2002). "PRO BASKETBALL; Dele and Dabord: The Twisting Trail of Two Brothers" . The New York Times . Retrieved January 30, 2023 .
^ a b Nichols, Rachel (September 22, 2002). "Eccentric Life, Chilling Mystery" . The Washington Post . Retrieved June 19, 2021 .
^ "1998–99 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 26, 2021 .
^ "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 2, 2022 .
^ a b "1998–99 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 26, 2021 .
^ "N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; Hawks' Long Haunts His Former Teammates" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 17, 1999. Retrieved July 14, 2021 .
^ "An Unlikely Hawk Comes to Rescue" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. May 17, 1999. Retrieved November 25, 2022 .
^ Newberry, Paul (May 16, 1999). "The Other Grant Sends Pistons Out of Playoffs" . The Washington Post . Retrieved June 3, 2022 .
^ "1999 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Pistons vs. Hawks" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved February 9, 2023 .
^ Lawrence, Mitch (May 12, 1999). "Dumars Quits on Top, Piston to Retire After Stellar Run" . New York Daily News . Retrieved March 2, 2017 .
^ "Dumars Named Pistons VP" . CBS News . Associated Press. June 15, 1999. Retrieved January 30, 2023 .
^ "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- DETROIT; Dumars Joins Pistons' Front Office" . The New York Times . Associated Press. June 16, 1999. Retrieved September 30, 2022 .
^ Thompson, Jack (June 16, 1999). "Dumars Moves Up with Pistons" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved October 9, 2022 .
^ "Pistons' Dele Retires" . CBS News . Associated Press. October 22, 1999. Retrieved June 10, 2022 .
^ Wise, Mike (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best" . The New York Times . Retrieved July 17, 2022 .
See also
Founded in 1937
Formerly the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1937–1948) and the Fort Wayne Pistons (1948–1957)
Based in Detroit, Michigan
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s