Areas Of Strength:
The Pistons have some talent around which to rebuild. The brightest rising star is big man Greg Monroe, who grew into his game as his rookie season progressed (13.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 58 pct. shooting after the All-Star break). Austin Daye remains a hybrid, a player with length and 3-point range.

Needs Work:
Now here was a team that embarrassed itself, with more antics and unprofessional behavior than a couple of decades of Pistons basketball combined. Rip Hamilton and coach John Kuester's feud, the boycotted shootaround in Philadelphia, lousy body language and wasted timeout huddles ... shameful. Playing together and building as one is more important than any X's or O's.

Two Stats That Matter:
37.6 percent -- The Pistons improved their 3-point shooting to sixth-best in the NBA, up from 30 a year ago.

.262 -- Detroit's winning percentage in back-to-back games (11-31), includinga 4-17 mark in the first of those 21 sets that was worse than the 7-14 back end. The Pistons' back-to-back mark for their previous five seasons was 142-66 (.682).

The Way To Go:
The Pistons are said to like Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight and Knight apparently returns the sentiments. But for that to happen, Detroit might have to move up several spots from No. 8, since Knight has been popping up No. 3 in many mock drafts. The absence all season of Jonas Jerebko (Achilles surgery) had several draft sources guessing at some fresh foreign size for Detroit, from among Dontas Motiejunas, Jonas Valanciunas and Enes Kanter.

2010-11 Team Stats:
Offensive: 104.6 (15th)
Defensive: 109.0 (28th)

Under Contract:
G: Ben Gordon
G: Terrico White
G: Will Bynum
G/F: Richard Hamilton
F: Austin Daye
F/C: Jason Maxiell
F/C: Ben Wallace
F: Charlie Villanueva
C: Greg Monroe

Free Agents:
G: Rodney Stuckey (restricted)
G/F: Tracy McGrady
F: Jonas Jerebko
F: Tayshaun Prince
F: DaJuan Summers
F/C: Chris Wilcox

-- Steve Aschburner