Pistons Expecting To Contend Again

AUBURN HILLS -- Despite having a bevy of just-out-of-school youngsters on the roster, the Detroit Pistons enter training camp next week with an all too familiar mindset.

"Winning a championship, that's always the goal," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "But there's always a process to doing that."

That process begins Monday when players return for physicals, with the first full practice to follow Tuesday.

In addition to the physicals, Saunders said he also will talk with players about both team and individual goals for this season. As for whether that will include talk of an NBA title, Saunders knows he doesn't have to say much.

"Players here understand," Saunders said. "The last couple of years, we've had good seasons. But we didn't have great seasons. Only one team has a great season, and that's the one that wins it all."

Detroit's chances of winning another NBA title rest heavily on the play of veterans such as Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace. But the development of younger players such as Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson also is important.

Finding an ideal balance between the two will be among the tasks Saunders will have to tackle.

"We kept this roster together because we think it's a team capable of competing and winning a championship," said John Hammond, Detroit's vice president for basketball operations. "Yet we know we have to instill some youth into the group. We don't want to wake up one day and say, 'because of age, we're not as competitive.'

"We're not looking at the young guys as guys who can come in and replace our starters right this minute, but we do want them to be able to go into games and keep things afloat when they spell our veterans."

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source : mlive.com