Dumars says Stackhouse trade rumors aren't true

Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports that the rumors of a Jerry Stackhouse trade to Portland for a re-signed Bonzi Wells are unfounded. "I have not talked to Bob Whitsitt," Pistons president Joe Dumars said. "Not once." Whitsitt is the Trail Blazers president and general manager. If a trade between the two teams were going to happen, you would expect Dumars and Whitsitt to be in constant contact.

"Nope," Dumars said. "I read more about this in the papers than anywhere else. To do a sign-and-trade, you have to be talking to the team. We're having no conversation with them."

If the two teams aren’t talking, why does the media still discuss the possibility of a trade? Bill Strickland, one of the more savvy agents in the business, represents Wells and he desperately wants to get his client out of Portland.

Wells made a little more than $2 million in the last year of his rookie contract. He’s looking to sign for six years, starting at $5 million this year. The Blazers aren’t offering anything because they know that there are very few teams with the cap space or the desire to make that kind of offer. The only recourse then is to find a team willing to take Wells in a sign-and-trade. So Strickland has been busy calling teams and trying to broker a deal.

Complicating the rumored Pistons/Blazers deal is Wells’ “base-year compensation status” after he signs a new contract, and the opt-out in Stackhouse’s contract after this season.

"I've always said that if anybody calls and offers something, I will listen," Dumars said. "But listening to a deal and making a deal are two different things. I won't hang up on anybody who's making an offer, you know, but Bob Whitsitt has not called and made an offer. There is nothing on the table."

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Robinson's status is on hold

Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports that Cliff Robinson will have to wait for his contract situation to be settled. Pistons President Joe Dumars made it clear Wednesday that any discussion of the 13-year pro's future with the team beyond 2002-03 would occur after the season.

Robinson is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $8.4 million this coming season. That is the highest one-year salary of any player in Pistons history. Still, Robinson's agent, Brad Marshall, has been after the Pistons to negotiate a contract extension before the season.

"Cliff is an integral part of our team and we look forward to having him back," Dumars said. "He is a tremendous, tremendous plus for us. But part of our plan for moving forward was to play through this season and give ourselves some room to improve the team next summer. That hasn't changed. And to improve the team means creating cap space at the end of this season. So we wouldn't have done anything to put us in a position to do otherwise."

Marshall has insinuated that the Pistons had made certain promises to Robinson when they acquired him in a trade from Phoenix before last season. Dumars denied that, saying he and Robinson were clear that they would talk about his future in the summer of 2003.

"Nothing has changed at all," Dumars said. "We like Cliff and we are excited about having him back. Beyond that, we'll see where everything is after the season."

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Pistons to sign Okur

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Pistons will finally sign Mehmet Okur. The Pistons drafted the 6-11 Okur with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2001 draft. He spent the 2001-02 season playing in Turkey but participated in the Pistons' summer league games in Orlando last month.

The deal is reportedly worth $2.1 million over 2 years.

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