Here's a question: Would you rather the team not use the amnesty on Ben Gordon or sign Stuckey to a bad extension? It's probably one or the other.

I vote we all shave our pubes and glue them to Charlie Villanueva's head.

I vote we all shave our pubes and glue them to Charlie Villanueva's head.

If bad hair is a recipe to defense, I'm for it. Of course, if bad hair is a recipe for defense, we might as well trade for Sideshow Bob.

Here's a question: Would you rather the team not use the amnesty on Ben Gordon or sign Stuckey to a bad extension? It's probably one or the other.
Have to opt with signing Stuckey... go ahead and amnesty BG... Stuckey has youth and defense on his side... he shouldn't cost BG type $'s

Looks like Singler is out of the picture.

amnesty Charlie, trade RIP, resign Stuckey 6 mil a year, let the young guys play Monroe,Jerebko,Daye,Stuckey,Knight...dont waste any $$$ on this weak free agent class, this team cant afford another mediocre season, we need to stink and get a franchiseplayer in the draft.

oh yeah and i am waiting for the first Pistons trade since July 2009, where we gave away Afflalo for nothing.

^ This (or BG am-nasty)... Stuckey for just over 5M.

Geeked about the next month of FA/trade/am-nasty shit flying... stockin up on popcorn

all reports indicate we won't use the amnesty thing this year. we'll play things out with who we have and then decide. basically means it'll be either BG or charlie...but next season. they all get another year to prove their worth i guess.

i think singler staying overseas is a great thing. he'll come back a much more polished, confident player even more ready to contribute in garbage time! lol- seriously though, i think it's a positive thing for him. he'd struggle to get minutes and playing 30 minutes a night in the spanish league will be good. as one writer said, it's a step or 2 up from the NCAAs but obviously not the nba. so it'll be a good transitional year for him and i expect him back next year, in top form.

all reports indicate we won't use the amnesty thing this year. we'll play things out with who we have and then decide. basically means it'll be either BG or charlie...but next season. they all get another year to prove their worth i guess.

i think singler staying overseas is a great thing. he'll come back a much more polished, confident player even more ready to contribute in garbage time! lol- seriously though, i think it's a positive thing for him. he'd struggle to get minutes and playing 30 minutes a night in the spanish league will be good. as one writer said, it's a step or 2 up from the NCAAs but obviously not the nba. so it'll be a good transitional year for him and i expect him back next year, in top form.
Right... This gives Daye every chance to prove his worth... the am-nasty can be used at anytime... no hurry... for example what if Stuckey or JJ decides to move on?... Let's see what the chess pieces are b4 pulling the trigger.

TMac's setting himself up for another first-round exit, I see:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7327741/tracy-mcgrady-agrees-atlanta-hawks-one-year-veteran-minimum-deal-source-says

How are we not even considering using the Amnesty clause? We better use it next summer. I guess it makes some sense as our 3 worst assets (Rip, CV, BG) can't get any "less" valuable but still....makes it difficult to make a decision on Stuckey.

So if we bring Stuckey back our guard rotation will be Rip-Stuck-BG-Bynum-Knight? 20 minutes each? Yeah right. It's just going to lead to more angry players....

I agree with Vinny - we need to use that clause on BG and just be fucking thankful we were able to cut him loose.

Rip, Stuckey, Knight, Bynum is easier to manage... especially since I expect us to put Rip on the block from opening day.

I confess, I am feeling some moderate excitement about basketball. It's tempered, but I didn't think it would even exist at all.

It sounds like there's only a 7 day window to am-nasty a player... then wait for a year... so if it doesn't happen within a week we're stuck with all of these SGs.

Looks like we have one less SG to worry about -- Terrico White is gone.

The Pistons signed rookies Brandon Knight and Vernon Macklin to rookie-scale contracts. They also invited Jake Voskuhl, Kareem Rush, Walker Russell Jr. and Brian Hamilton to training camp.


I used to joke around about the Pistons signing Jake Voskuhl all of the time because it was so bad that it seemed likely.

...when does college ball start?

a. Kareem Rush is a stud acording to a like 2003 SI story so I'm just going to roll with that.

b Brian Hamilton? Is that like Rip's brother? Can we just abort that then?

b Brian Hamilton? Is that like Rip's brother? Can we just abort that then?

http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/hamilton_080930.html

Real excited about the Jake Voskuhl/Damien Wilkins era, you guys.

I'd save the amnesty for next year in case Ben Gordon and/or Villanueva can't get it together this season.

The longer they wait to use it, the less it makes sense, unless you are in the Langlois camp that thinks that these two are suddenly going to "get it" before the start of every year.

Next year, when these deals get closer to expiring, they'll start entering the territory of "almost tradable".

Cleveland was awarded a huge TPE today ($14m, IIRC), but they only have until Friday to use it.

I'd throw some sweetener at them to take Ben Gordon, almost anything besides Monroe, JJ, Knight or our soon to be lottery pick(s).

I'd give them Gordon & Daye in a heartbeat, for example.

I'd save the amnesty for next year in case Ben Gordon and/or Villanueva can't get it together this season.
After all the hype last year about CV working extra in the offseason... it's official "he can't get it together" .

Do the Cavs still have the hots for Nova? Or did that ship sail when Lebron bailed?

I'd give them BG and Daye for the TPE too... just so we can clear BG off the books. Then I'd use the amnesty on Nova!

Strip the team down to bones and rebuild...

As John Cena might say "The Time Is Now"

Every team needs a STRETCH FOUR.

I'd like to stretch him right outta town! LOL!

LOOOL>

Thabeet was amnestied so the Rockets could sign Marc Gasol to an offer sheet.

What re-building team wouldn't take a shot at "the next Mutombo"? Leegggoo!!



#Kstat

I'd sign Thabeet.
I'd also trade for Al Jefferson, however...Maxiell/Bynum and our 1st works. I don't think they can be too picky with the frontcourt logjam they have in Utah (Okur, Millsap, Kanter, Favors)

25 Stuckey/20 Knight
28 Gordon/25 Stuckey/23 Dayewith
31 Prince/24 Jerebko/23 Daye
26 Jefferson/27 Villanueva/24 Jerebko/24 Macklin
21 Monroe/26 Jefferson/37 Wallace/24 Thabeet

I think that team makes the playoff and is young to boot. We'd need to sign one more player to fill out the roster and I'd take in any PG.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-111213/detroit-pistons-roster-questions

An amusing "article" on ESPN.com where some dudes probably not getting paid by ESPN.com discuss a different article written by someone that is getting paid by ESPN.com. ESPN.com.

I'd sign Thabeet - just to see if he can develop into something reasonable.

Why not?

Working with Big Ben for a season might actually help him.

Grabbing a collection of cast off young players isn't a bad idea if it doesn't cost the Earth. Play the young guys and hope they develop on the job while we lose enough games to ensure a top 5 Lotto Pick in 2012

Agree. We're in the perfect position to take a chance on a guy like Thabeet. I'd even give him a 2 year deal, maybe $2m a year?

Yea that's a fair deal... if he sucks trade his expiring ass next year.... Joe can think of a lot worse ways to waste 2M.

No doubt. I'm in

someone got Hollinger's Pistons profiles?

Ye.

PROJECTED STARTERS

RODNEY STUCKEY, PG (FREE AGENT -- RESTRICTED)
Projection: 19.1 pts, 4.0 reb, 6.3 ast per 40 min; 17.47 PER | Player card

• Huge point guard who can overpower opponents on post-ups. Poor shooter.
• Lacks explosiveness; draws fouls but not a great finisher. Average distributor.
• Size allows him to cross-match and guard 2s, but struggles against quickness.

Stuckey quietly had a breakout season, finally figuring out how to use his size to convert post-ups and draw fouls; while his per-minute numbers didn't increase any, he was notably more efficient in true shooting percentage and his assist rate veered toward respectability.

He's also an and-1 machine. Stuckey draws a lot of fouls, ranking fourth among point guards in free throw attempts per field goal attempt, and he's also quite strong and goes to the basket a lot. So, while surprising at first, it shouldn't be a huge shock that he led all perimeter players in the percentage of shots turned into basket-and-1s (see chart) at 6 percent.

Highest percentage of shots turned into And-1s, perimeter players, 2010-11
Player Team Pct. of FGAs as And-1s
Rodney Stuckey Det 6.0
Dwyane Wade Mia 5.9
Corey Maggette Mil 5.2
LeBron James Mia 5.2
Paul Pierce Bos 4.7
Source: Hoopdata.com. Min. 20 And-1s.
Stuckey is good at backing down small guards for short turnarounds, which is also where he drew a lot of his fouls, but it's not like he's Magic Johnson down there; although he drew a ton of fouls, Stuckey's 56.1 percent shooting in the basket area was actually below the league average for point guards.

That's still better than having him shoot from outside. Stuckey made 26 3-pointers the entire season and shot 36.6 percent on 2s beyond 10 feet. Opponents routinely conceded the shot to play him for the drive. The good news is his high free throw rate and solid stroke at the line (86.1 percent) still gave him a strong true shooting percentage. However, he'll be a difficult player to use off the ball until or unless his shooting improves.

Defensively, Stuckey theoretically has value because of his size, which allows him to cross-match with shooting guards. The problem is that he almost has to do that, because so many point guards can beat him off the dribble. As a result, his defensive stats, while adequate, were nothing to write home about. On a team that cross-matched less, he could be more of a liability.

TAYSHAUN PRINCE, SF
Projection: 14.3 pts, 6.0 reb, 3.5 ast per 40 min; 14.34 PER | Player card

• Long-armed, rail-thin wing. Quality defender who hardly ever fouls.
• Mostly shoots midrange jumpers but an outstanding finisher. Runs floor well.
• Has point forward's handle but lacks burst off dribble. Rarely turns it over.

Prince is one of the league's most unique players, with extreme stats in several areas despite fairly middling production overall. By far his best attribute is his defense, as he has the length of a center but is quick enough to play the perimeter.

Prince's Inspector Gadget arms allow him to play two steps off shooters and still bother their shots, and he never gambles his way out of that position -- among small forwards he had the second-lowest rate of steals and the lowest rate of fouls. In fact, Prince fouled less often than any player in basketball except Steve Nash (see chart); what makes this so amazing is that the other four players on the list didn't have a major defensive role, while Prince was his team's primary stopper.

Fewest personal fouls per 40 minutes, 2010-11
Player Team PF/40
Steve Nash Phx 1.39
Tayshaun Prince Det 1.41
Chris Duhon Orl 1.55
Peja Stojakovic Tor-Dal 1.56
Jamal Crawford Atl 1.69
Min. 500 minutes
He's still effective in that role, too, holding opposing small forwards to a 12.2 PER according to 82games.com and having some of the best Synergy Stats numbers at his position. While his defense unquestionably has dipped from his former All-Defense level as a result of back problems and age, last season he regained some of his mojo.

Offensively, Prince creates shots without mistakes. He had the second-lowest turnover ratio among small forwards and ranked fourth at the position in pure point rating. He has a very secure handle for a player of his size and sees the court well, but he struggles to break down defenders; his preferred M.O. is to use his length to shoot over the top of the defense. Prince wasn't particularly good in that function a season ago, however, making just 38.4 percent of his 2s beyond 10 feet; this was particularly troubling because he took nearly seven such shots a game.

Best at-rim shooting percentage, 2010-11
Player Team FG%
Tayshaun Prince Det 77.5
Kevin Durant OKC 77.2
Carl Landry Sac-NO 75.7
Dwight Howrd Orl 75.4
Hakim Warrick Phx 74.6
Source: Hoopdata.com. Min. 150 attempts
Where Prince excelled, however, is at the rim. Prince made 77.5 percent of his shots in the basket area (see chart) to lead the league, as his length and quick leaping allow him to finish most of his relatively infrequent opportunities at the cup. Because of that, one always wonders how he'd fare on a running team. Prince runs the floor as well as any small forward and is a devastating transition finisher, but the Pistons have been an extreme slow-pace team his entire tenure. As a free agent, Prince has a chance to find a more up-tempo environment.

AUSTIN DAYE, SF
Projection: 15.6 pts, 7.7 reb, 2.2 ast per 40 min; 13.92 PER | Player card

• Tall, thin combo forward with accurate long-range jump shot. B athlete.
• Has added muscle but still struggles defensively and fouls too much.
• Good shot-blocker. Solid rebounder. Lacks great handle. Makes free throws.

Daye established himself as a decent end-of-rotation player, but still needs to establish a position to get more regular run. At 6-11 with deep shooting ability he makes for a great pick-and-pop power forward, but at only 200 pounds he struggles mightily to defend the position.

Daye is long enough to block shots and rebound, so that isn't his issue; it's low-post defense that gives him fits. It's hard to divine how big an issue this is statistically because his numbers are scrambled in with his stats at small forward, especially since the Pistons took him off the court rather than send him up against a Zach Randolph or a Blake Griffin. Let's just say he's a long way from competence in his post defense. Ideally Detroit would have a 3 that could switch some of those pairings with him; instead, the Pistons had the only player in the league thinner than Daye at that position.

Offensively, Daye is a midrange jump shooter, but he can be a volume scorer because he's so tall he can shoot right over most defenders. He just needs to shoot more accurately. While he made 40.1 percent of his 3s -- no problem there -- he hit only 36 percent of his 2s beyond 10 feet. For a pick-and-pop guy, that won't get it done. One suspects he can do better given his length and historical shooting percentages, but it's another obstacle in his path to more playing time.

Daye still makes his share of mental mistakes too -- the worst coming in an early-season game against the Wizards when he decided to run in from the 3-point line and crashed the boards on a late Detroit shot in a tie game. Washington got the rebound and had a two-on-none break for the game winner.

GREG MONROE, C
Projection: 14.3 pts, 10.6 reb, 2.2 ast p/40 min, PER 18.72 | Player card

• Long lefty with great nose for rebounds. Below-rim finisher; gets shots blocked.
• Iffy outside shooter who can handle and pass. Doesn't block shots.
• Tweener defensively. Lacks muscle for 5 but slow for a 4. Struggles in help D.

My favorite "Monroe" since Jim J. Bullock was infuriating Ted Knight, Monroe quietly had an outstanding rookie season and was absolutely jobbed in the first-team All-Rookie voting. While his star potential appears limited, he looks to be a high-efficiency long-term starter in the frontcourt.

Monroe is a unique player because his athleticism doesn't jump off the page. Look closely, in fact, and you'll notice the word "Spalding" imprinted backwards on his forehead. He was third in the league in the percentage of his own shots blocked (see Emeka Okafor comment) and often struggled to get his shot off at the rim because of a lack of elevation and explosiveness. Monroe also rarely shoots with his right hand, even from the right side of the rim; Tim Duncan can get away with that, but Monroe can't.

However, he has a great nose for the ball and he's long. Monroe had an above-average rebound rate for a center and, despite the blocks at the rim, shot 55.1 percent from the floor. That would have been even better if he added a midrange game; Monroe was 32-for-136 from beyond three feet, an impossibly bad 23.5 percent.

But his best skill is probably his passing. Monroe made sweet bounce passes from the high post and rarely turned it over, ranking 13th among centers in pure point rating; that number could go higher if the Pistons run fewer isos for the guards this season and more pass-and-cut plays.

Finally, Monroe really struggled on defense. Opposing centers blistered him for a 20.5 PER according to 82games.com; while it's common for rookies to struggle on defense the carnage isn't normally this widespread. A big part of the problem is that his ideal position is power forward rather than center; he lacks great strength and isn't a leaper, and his ability to protect the rim in particular is suspect. Last season he blocked only 0.81 shots per 40 minutes, the sixth-worst rate among centers.

It wasn't just blocks, though; Monroe struggled in pick-and-roll defense, and when he moved to power forward he had great difficulty keeping 4s in front of him. He's going to need his great feel for the game to bail him out here; he had a high rate of steals and low rate of fouls, indicating he can anticipate and has some coordination, but he needs to learn more, compete harder and add muscle.

BEN GORDON, G
Projection: 19.2 pts, 2.9 reb, 3.8 ast per 40 min; 13.97 PER | Player card

• Combo guard with gorgeous, high-arcing jumper. Quick, compact release.
• Powerful, short-armed build. Average ball handler who usually goes right.
• B athlete. Bad defender who lacks size to stop 2s and quickness to play 1s.

A year ago, I blamed an ankle injury for Gordon's off season. As it turns out, he's just not very good anymore. Gordon forced wild shots, struggled to create offense and was ritually abused on the defensive end. Owed $37 million over the next three years, we should call a proposed amnesty provision in the new CBA "the Ben Gordon rule."

Gordon has never been a great ball handler, but he's lost a step and it's become very difficult for him to operate his bread-and-butter play, a hard dribble right off a screen for a jump shot. Because it's harder to clear himself, his turnover ratio has shot through the roof. Last season he had the sixth-worst mark among shooting guards, which is just pitiful for a jump shooter.

Gordon's shooting efficiency was nothing to crow about either. Although he converted 40.2 percent of his 3s and 43.5 percent of his long 2s, he got to the basket so rarely that he still had only an average TS%. For the season, he had 90 baskets inside 10 feet in 82 games. Combined with the turnovers, this made him an average offensive player.

Defensively, meanwhile, he struggled. Gordon is strong and fairly quick, but has short arms and is undersized to begin with at 6-3. Opponent matchup stats aren't very reliable in Detroit's case because of all the cross-matching, but it was a nightly juggling contest for the Pistons to find a place to hide him on defense and, subjectively, he still was burned fairly often. Synergy Stats gave him the worst grades of any Piston whose name doesn't mean "new house" in another language, while his regularized adjusted plus-minus also pegged him as one of the team's most pliable defenders.

CHARLIE VILLANUEVA, PF
Projection: 20.2 pts, 7.3 reb, 1.3 ast per 40 min; 15.77 PER | Player card

• Jump-shooting combo forward who can play over top of most defenses.
• Among league's worst defensive players. Lazy, lead-footed and a tweener.
• Mediocre athlete. Poor shot selection. Can post up on switches. Solid rebounder.

Villanueva is a shot-producing machine; he averaged better than a point every two minutes taking nearly all jump shots, and because of the low risk of that approach had the eighth-lowest turnover ratio among power forwards. That's what makes him a useful bench player: He can generate decent shots relatively easily. None of those shots will be for anyone else, however, as he had the sixth-worst assist ratio at his position.

In addition to his usual pick-and-pop and the occasional show-and-go to keep defenders honest, Villanueva added a left-block turnaround that's very effective when he catches small guards on him in switches. His jumper is the mainstay, though; he hit 38.7 percent of his 3s and 40.9 percent of his 2s beyond 10 feet, and between the two he took nearly seven jumpers a game. He rarely draws fouls -- it's basically just a make-or-miss proposition -- and because he hangs out on the perimeter his offensive rebound rate was near the bottom at his position.

Given his offensive skill, Villanueva would make a great DH. Alas, the rules require him to defend too, and he's bad enough on this end to offset all his scoring and then some. Synergy rated Villanueva as the worst-defending Piston and the league's seventh-worst power forward overall; most scouts would complain that's too optimistic. Opposing power forwards shredded him for a 20.8 PER, and that figure doesn't include all the jog-backs in transition and failed help situations that allowed other opponents to score.

BRANDON KNIGHT, PG
No projection | Player card

• High-scoring, very quick combo guard who can slash to hoop. Average shooter.
• Shoot-first guard prone to overpenetrating. May need to play off the ball.
• Good, long-armed defender. Low free throw rate for a slasher. Smart player.

Knight is an odd fit in Detroit, where the Pistons need another shoot-first point guard like they need a hole in the head, but on pure talent he was tough to pass up at No. 8. The big questions about Knight are whether he distributes well enough to play point guard full-time, and whether his outside shot is consistent enough to make defenses honor his stroke. He'll be able to defend most 1s without a problem because he's quick and long-armed, but at the 2 it's a much iffier proposition; that's why it's so important that he succeed at the point. Also, Knight had a low free throw rate in college for a star player who drives a lot. He'll have to learn to get himself to the stripe more often as a pro.

WILL BYNUM, PG
Projection: 16.3 pts, 2.8 reb, 6.6 ast per 40 min; 13.98 PER | Player card

• Small, powerfully built score-first guard with explosive leaping ability.
• Not a great outside shooter or distributor. Good burst but gets out of control.
• Major defensively liability due to lack of size. Tends to gamble and foul.

Bynum fell out of favor despite decent offensive stats, as the Pistons already had more shoot-first guards than they knew what to do with and he was the worst defender of the bunch.

Offensively, it was a fairly typical Bynum season -- he averaged 17.1 points per 40 minutes with middling efficiency, and his distribution numbers weren't anything to write home about (33rd in pure point rating). The one item of note was that he had 10.6 percent of his shots blocked -- the most of any point guard. However, this didn't appear to affect him much. Bynum converted 59.2 percent of his shots in the basket area; part of the reason so many of his shots were blocked was how often he attacked the rim, and part of the reason he attacked the rim so much is because, despite the blocks, he's good at it.

Defensively, Bynum got lit. His lack of height, tendency to gamble and mediocre lateral movement left him vulnerable, even to the likes of Gilbert Arenas and Jonny Flynn. He allowed an 18.6 PER to opposing point guards according to 82games.com, and had the fifth-highest foul rate at his position.

Going forward, I'm conflicted about Bynum. Despite his defensive shortcomings he's one of the league's most underrated players, having put together three very solid seasons in near-total anonymity. (Consider: He's twice the player Nate Robinson is and about 1/100th as famous.) However, he's also at a dangerous time careerwise. Bynum is 28, undersized, and relies heavily on quickness and explosive leaping to generate his points. Lots of players of his ilk lose a step at this age and quickly crash and burn, so tread carefully.

JASON MAXIELL, PF
Projection: 10.3 pts, 7.8 reb, 0.8 ast per 40 min; 9.94 PER | Player card

• Undersized, strong, tough center with explosive two-footed leaping ability.
• Good finisher but no post game or ball skills. Mediocre midrange shooter.
• Looked heavy. Lack of size an impediment on defense. Poor rebounder.

Maxiell's declining athleticism and expanding waistline finally took their toll last season, as he played his way out of the rotation with a miserable season. Despite shooting decently, his activity at both ends was so low that he was unplayable, averaging just 10.2 points and 7.1 boards per 40 minutes while opponents preyed on him defensively.

Maxiell can still power up from a two-footed takeoff, but that's a less useful basketball skill because it takes so long. The quick hops this game requires aren't in his wheelhouse, and he has few ball skills to fall back upon. Maxiell has no handle, shoots bricks from the line and made 23 of 60 shots from beyond 10 feet, and he's finding it increasingly difficult to score around the basket. Basically, he never developed any skills that would carry him past the point when his leaping ability declined.

Maxiell's poor conditioning hurt him even more at the defensive end, where he once was pretty solid but was ripped to shreds last season. He's less bad at center, despite being undersized, because he doesn't move particularly well on the perimeter. He gave up a 25.2 PER to opposing power forwards -- that's not a typo -- and an 18.8 mark to centers, according to 82games.com. His deficiencies were less noticeable because Detroit had so many other bad frontcourt defenders, but he has a lot of work to do to regain his perch in the frontcourt mix.

JONAS JEREBKO, F (FREE AGENT -- RESTRICTED)
Projection: 13.3 pts, 8.6 reb, 1.0 ast p/40 min, PER 13.99 | Player card

• High-energy combo forward who can run floor and moves well without ball.
• Quality defender, especially against 3s. Good size and athleticism.
• Mediocre outside shooter with few ball skills. Needs to improve handle.

Jerebko missed the entire season with a torn Achilles, so as long as he comes back at full strength the scouting report hasn't changed. He played most of his 2009-10 season at the 3, but at 6-10, the 4 is his most likely long-term position, where he can be a pain with his off-the-ball activity and athleticism up and down the floor.

BEN WALLACE, C
Projection: 4.9 pts, 10.7 reb, 1.7 ast per 40 min; 10.10 PER | Player card

• Undersized, athletic center with speedy hands. Great leaper with good feet.
• Atrocious offensive player. Can't shoot at all and tends to lose grip on ball.
• Can run floor and rebound. Historically awful foul shooter. Won't give a foul.

It's harder to Fear the 'Fro when there are flecks of gray in it, but Wallace remains a quality defensive center. He's not the explosive leaper he once was, ranking just in the middle of the pack in shot-blocking among centers, but he was still second at his position in steals per minute and stayed in the top third of centers in rebound rate -- no easy feat when you're several inches shorter than most opponents and 37 years old. The one shortcoming is his unwillingness to give up his fouls; he had the second-lowest rate among centers, in part because he won't take a hack to stop a layup.

In spite of his defensive value, Wallace is such an offensive liability that it's getting increasingly difficult to justify his court time. He averaged only 5.0 points per 40 minutes last season and it wasn't even an efficient five points -- he had the second-worst true shooting percentage among centers. Wallace at least knew his role and has honed his passing skills; he was ninth among centers in pure point rating.

Wallace also can't be used in certain situations because he's so awful from the line. He shot 33.3 percent from the stripe last season, and has never made half his attempts in a season. For his career, he's the worst player in history with more than 1,000 free throw attempts, checking in at 41.5 percent. The next closest, Chris Dudley, made 45.8 percent.

TERRICO WHITE, SG
No projection | Player card

• Athletic wing who can really jump. Good ball handler for size, can play point.
• Mediocre outside shooter. Didn't score at high rate as collegian.
• Questionable motor. May need to add strength. Had low assist rates in college.

I wasn't a big fan of White entering the draft last year -- even in his year playing point guard in college he barely averaged two assists. He didn't help himself by breaking his foot before ever playing an NBA game, missing his entire rookie season and leaving him with an uphill battle to get his career started on a team already faced with a ridiculous glut of guards. I suspect any significant action he gets this year will come as a member of the Fort Wayne Mad Antz.

DaJUAN SUMMERS, F (FREE AGENT -- UNRESTRICTED)
No projection | Player card

• Jump-shooting combo forward who rarely attacks basket. Good leaper.
• Lazy defender and a shockingly bad rebounder.

Summers has so little energy that he makes Tracy McGrady look hyperactive. In 199 minutes he had one steal, two blocks and 12 rebounds. That's a bit less than you'd like from a 6-9 combo forward who can jump.

The signature moment of his season came in a midseason game against Washington, when an opponent caught a ball at the corner 3-point line, waited for Summers to rotate to him from just outside the block, and then realized Summers was content to stay where he was and watch. As the Wizards player counted to five and then sank an uncontested 3, Jon Kuester immediately called timeout and yanked Summers. He was rarely heard from again.

Summers signed a contract to play in Italy during the lockout. This was probably wise, as he has little chance of getting back in the NBA.

VERNON MACKLIN, F
No projection | Player card

• Long-armed 4 with NBA body. High-percentage finisher. Can run floor.
• Poor rebounder for size. No jump shot and limited offensive repertoire.
• He's 25.

That last bullet point is the most salient one for Macklin -- how seriously do you take his college stats when he was an Olympiad older than everybody he played against? This is particularly true given that he didn't even play that well; his rebounding numbers in particular are disappointing considering his size and physique. That's why he lasted until the 52nd pick, of course, and if he can provide a physical 12th man and score a few garbage baskets the Pistons will be satisfied.

KYLE SINGLER, F
No projection | Player card

• Tall wing with long arms and good handle. Rebounds well for a wing player.
• Has rep as a good shooter but didn't shoot well in college. Struggles to finish.
• B athlete who lacks lateral quickness and strength. May struggle on defense.

I was surprised Singler went as high as he did (No. 33); while highly touted out of high school he didn't produce particularly strong college numbers. In particular, his shooting skills appear to be overrated. Singler shot 32.1 percent on 3s in his final season at Duke and never got into the 40s in his career. He shot 80 percent from the line over his final two seasons, which is a bit more encouraging, but overall he shot in the low 40s from the field for one of the best teams in the country and didn't score at a particularly high rate.

Singler rebounds well for a perimeter player and his passing and ball skills will be helpful in a Mike Dunleavy Jr. kind of way. But he's not as athletic or as skillful with the ball as Dunleavy, and I suspect he's a worse shooter too.

Yes, he only projected four starters: Stuckey, Daye, Prince, Monroe.

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Detroit #Pistons have waived center Jake Voskuhl and guards Brian Hamilton and Walker D. Russell Jr.