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The Detroit Pistons announced Thursday that guard Rodney Stuckey has suffered a fracture of the distal phalanx on his right thumb. The injury occurred on Wednesday afternoon as a result of the thumb becoming caught inside the door jamb of Stuckey’s vehicle while the door was closing.
Pistons medical staff confirmed the injury this morning following an x-ray. He is scheduled to have surgery on Friday, October 11 and a timeline for his return will be determined following that procedure.
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As the Oct. 30 opener against the Washington Wizards inches closer, Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks is revealing more of his thoughts about the playing rotation.
After Wednesday’s practice, he was asked if he could play five guards as part of the rotation, and he was pretty definitive.
“You can’t,” Cheeks said. “How can you do it? I don’t think you can do it. It wouldn’t be fair to the guys that are playing.
“You’ve got to say somebody’s going to play and somebody’s not going to play.”
So that means someone among the group of Brandon Jennings, Chauncey Billups, Rodney Stuckey, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Will Bynum will be on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time.
Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press
Josh Smith isn’t the first player you think of when the phrase “veteran leader” comes to mind. But, well, he is a veteran. And he is versatile. And when being smart with his shot selection, he’s very good.
Smith has seen it all, and the Pistons hope his experience can help provide leadership to a young team.
Some might be surprised to hear that considering Smith’s reputation as being difficult to coach, Smith can put himself in the shoes of others.
“It’s just showing them things that I’ve went through,” Smith said. “This is my 10th year. I’ve seen and done a lot of things, and all I can do is help and mentor the young guys and get them through situations that, you know, it was rough patches for me at their ages.”
Smith added that the scene after practice wasn’t unusual. He said coach Maurice Cheeks has made a habit of asking players to speak at the conclusion of practices — if they have something to get off their chests.
Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press
The Pistons spent big money on some talented yet flawed players this summer, but should still make a nice leap up the East standings.
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The Palace crowd at the open practice saw Cheeks unleash a quiet wrath early on Saturday, when the players didn’t seem to take a drill too seriously and he made them run wind sprints to get them refocused.
But running as a whole is something Pistons players have privately bemoaned and sometimes publicly hinted at in recent seasons — which Cheeks agrees with in theory, not necessarily in application when having a bigger frontline.
“All players say they want to play fast and want to run, but it’s not that easy to do,” Cheeks said. “Particularly when you have a couple big guys. If you play fast, you have to wait for them.”
Andre Drummond and Josh Smith can fly up and down a floor on a quick turnaround or turnover, and while Greg Monroe isn’t the fastest big man, he’s still mobile enough to beat opposing bigs down the floor for positioning.
Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News
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The scene, featuring a boisterous, wise-cracking bunch of players, was a glimpse into how things are going under Cheeks, who completed his first training camp as Pistons coach Saturday with an open scrimmage at the Palace.
The work is getting done, but it’s being done with an energy and sense of fun that has been lacking in Pistons territory for quite some time. And the players who have been around for a while say it’s attributable to the presence of Cheeks, the fourth coach in six seasons.
Cheeks scoffed at his impact and said all 30 teams are probably having fun this time of year.
“It’s zero-zero so it’s a lot of fun for everybody right now,” Cheeks said. “I don’t know if it’s something I’ve done or not.
Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press
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Enter a new coach — the Pistons’ fourth in six seasons. It means proving time again for Singler — especially when considering the addition of Smith, Caldwell-Pope and even Chauncey Billups.
“Every year you kind of have to prove yourself again,” Singler said. “Last year was last year for a lot of players and, for me personally, I thought I had a decent year. But this year I have to prove that I belong out on the floor.”
Singler, 25, doesn’t mind the competition.
“It just makes us more dangerous as a team,” Singler said. “I still view myself as a very good player and an asset to the team.”
Singler spent most of the off-season relaxing in the outdoors before beginning preparations for the season. He struggled against the elite small forwards last season, but maybe he can match up better against second-teamers. He can finish in traffic better, and he can probably improve his deep stroke as well.
“I just want to be a guy that can move, create havoc on both sides,” Singler said. “That’s basically the vision that I have for myself and that they have for me.”
Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press
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The Detroit Pistons conduct an open-to-public workout annually, but this year decided to bring it back into their own home arena because getting people back to The Palace of Auburn Hills is one of their chief priorities.
“I think that the number-one priority objective is to get them back in that seating bowl and see the product,” said Dennis Mannion, president of Palace Sports and Entertainment and the Pistons.
The 11 a.m. Saturday practice is free.
Doors open 10 a.m.
Reported by David Mayo of Michigan Live
“Kentavious as a rookie doesn’t get wide-eyed,” said [Pistons coach Maurice] Cheeks, trying to resist a smile. “He has a poise about him when he plays. He doesn’t get stressed out, doesn’t get nervous. Today he had an excellent day. (Rodney) Stuckey had an excellent day.”
Caldwell-Pope and Stuckey went head-to-head in the team scrimmages Thursday, in the part the media was allowed to watch. While Stuckey beat him on a cut to the rim, he lost the rookie in the set offense, where Caldwell-Pope was able to probe the perimeter and make himself available for open threes, which he made with ease.
On a three that came up short, he timed the rebound and beat everyone to it for a layup, impressing his coach with the simplicity of the play.
“The thing about him — he plays defense and plays hard,” Cheeks said. “He runs the floor and does a lot of things well.”
Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News
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Milwaukee center Larry Sanders raised eyebrows during Bucks media day when asked about former teammate Brandon Jennings, who is now with the Detroit Pistons.
He was asked by Fox Sports Wisconsin’s Andrew Gruman to comment on Jennings saying he was going to play with better bigs in Detroit.
Sanders said: “He has to pass it to them first.”
Ouch!
Jennings, acquired in a trade that sent Brandon Knight and Khris Middletonto the Bucks, has a shoot-first reputation.
Reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press
It is the Detroit Pistons’ only apparent open position in the starting lineup, largely because many of the potential shooting guards don’t fit the spot.
Chauncey Billups really doesn’t want the job.
Rodney Stuckey professed indifference, which he proved last year.
Kyle Singler started most of last season at the position. But he’s probably in a competition for backup small forward moreso than starting shooting guard.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope wants the job. But the rookie first-round draft pick has some proving to do first.
Of the several points of intrigue as the Pistons open training camp this morning, only one involves a starting role, with as many varied styles as candidates.
Reported by David Mayo of Michigan Live
