--President of basketball operations Joe Dumars has been taking some heat in the media for his inability or unwillingness to pull the trigger on a major deal, as he vowed to do just after the offseason. Dumars has been the target of local talk-radio hosts, particularly when compared to champion Detroit Red Wings, who have made several high-profile moves since winning the Stanley Cup.
The biggest offseason trade made by the Pistons since Dumars took over in 2000 was a September 2002 deal that sent leading scorer Jerry Stackhouse to Washington for a less-heralded, younger shooting guard, Richard Hamilton. Hamilton has been the team's leading scorer every year since that trade. --The Pistons were hoping to take a long look at 2005 second-round draft pick Alex Acker, a 6-5 shooting guard, during the summer league.
They never got the chance because Acker was sidelined with a knee injury. Acker was on their roster as a rookie when they tried to convert him into a point guard. They still hold his rights, though he played in Europe the past two seasons. He could still receive a training-camp invite, depending on what personnel moves are made by October.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We want guys to show up every single day. You don't take days off. You don't turn the switch off, then turn the switch on." -- President of basketball operations Joe Dumars, on his determination to wipe out his team's reputation for not playing hard all the time.
