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Pistons go to camp with deep rosterWith their eyes on a trip to the NBA Finals, the Pistons might open the season in four weeks with the 14 players now under contract. The team will begin training camp today with a 20-player roster, which includes plenty of big men and point guards, giving the Pistons one of the deepest benches in the league. Rookies, free agents and players with less than four years of experience will start workouts today at the practice gym with first-year coach Larry Brown. Other veterans will report Friday. Tayshaun Prince, Mehmet Okur and rookie Darko Milicic are expected to practice today, but not center Zeljko Rebraca. Rebraca is recovering from a procedure performed at the University of Michigan to relieve an irregular heartbeat. Brown has said that he may use a three-guard offense with Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups and newly acquired Bob Sura. That would leave Chucky Atkins and Lindsey Hunter on the bench, but that doesn't mean the team will get rid of either guard before the season opener. Orlando made inquiries about Atkins during the summer, and a potential trade to Dallas fell through. Unless there's an offer before the season starts Oct. 29, or before the trading deadline in February, there's no rush to move Atkins. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pistons start freshYou want to talk about history? You want to talk about the recent successes of the Pistons? About the back-to-back 50-victory seasons and Central Division titles? About getting to the Eastern Co.ference finals last season? OK, Larry Brown doesn't mind talking history. "I admire the heck out of what Rick Carlisle did here," said Brown, who replaced Carlisle as coach last spring. "But they lost 4-0 to New Jersey. Any way you look at it, they got swept out of the conference finals in the East and New Jersey got Alonzo Mourning this summer." With that, you get an idea about the sense of purpose Brown will bring to the table today as he opens his 27th professional training camp (34th overall) and first with the Pistons. Much has been made of the fact the Pistons represent the first time Brown has ever taken over a team with a winning record. But all Brown sees is a team that, though pretty good, has yet to reach its potential. "I look at this team and two starters are gone (Cliff Robinson and Michael Curry). Jon Barry, a key sub off the bench, is gone. I see some young guys and I see some veterans who weren't here last year (Elden Campbell, Bob Sura)," Brown said. "The fact that they won before doesn't mean a thing. This team is not the same." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Cleaves to join CelticsMateen Cleaves, the former Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings point guard whose early NBA career has been plagued by foot trouble, is expected to join the team for the beginning of workouts tomorrow, but he doesn't have a guaranteed contract. Players with three or fewer years of NBA experience are expected to report, with veterans scheduled to begin two-a-day workouts Friday. . . . Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Pistons Sep 2003 Archive
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