AUBURN HILLS -- Decisions, decisions, decisions.
The Detroit Pistons have the 15th pick in Thursday's NBA draft, and can keep it. They also can try to trade it along with a current player, for a higher selection. Moving down in the first round to acquire additional picks is not out of the question, either. "There's a variety of directions you can go," said George David, Detroit's director of player personnel. "From now until June 25, it's about exploring those options and going from there and see what's best for us."
In past drafts, there was guarded optimism surrounding the player Detroit selected in the first round because of its already established core.
But the core group that carried Detroit to elite status for many years no longer exists.
Team captain and 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups was traded to Denver in November. Starters Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess are free agents this summer, and are likely to play elsewhere next season.
Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince are back, but for how long?
Both sit on the trading block this summer, as Detroit looks to add a low post threat to help it rebound from its first losing season since 2001.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding Detroit's roster, it makes it even more tough to determine what it needs.
In recent weeks, the Pistons have hosted players of varying sizes, strengths and skill sets at the team's practice facility. All have the goal of proving themselves worthy of consideration for one of Detroit's four draft picks.
In addition to their first-round pick (No. 15), the Pistons have three second round picks (Nos. 35, 39 and 44).
"We've had all the workouts," David said. "Now it's time to sit down and look and see which players will be the best fits for us."
How players perform during workouts is important, but David said there are other factors involved as the team spends the next few days developing a short list of prospects.
"The visits really help us narrow the pool in general; not just for the 15th pick," David said. "You get a better idea of how a certain player will fit in with your culture."
The Pistons brought dozens of players in for workouts, but only a few are expected to be drafted in the middle of the first round.
Some of the more notable players include Louisville's Earl Clark and Terrence Will iams, North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson, Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor, Gonzaga's Austin Daye, Pittsburgh's Dejuan Blair and Ohio State's B.J. Mullens.
