SB Nation Detroit - Jonny Flynn Reportedly Invited To Pistons Training Camp

Detroit Pistons to hold open practice at Oakland University on October 6

2012-09-26T21:35:30Z

The Detroit Pistons are welcoming fans from across the state to attend a free open practice at Oakland University Athletic Center Arena from noon to 1 p.m. on Oct. 6.

Head Coach Lawrence Frank will address and interact with fans before the practice, according to Brendan Savage of Mlive.com.

The 2012-13 Detroit Pistons will attempt to incorporate ninth-overall pick Andre Drummond from the University of Connecticut on both the offensive and defensive ends, alongside third-year standout Greg Monroe. The practice will also feature the first glimpse of veteran Corey Maggette, who was acquired by the Pistons in an off-season trade with the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Pistons open the regular season against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at the Palace of Auburn Hills before heading to the west coast for six straight road games.

Jonny Flynn Reportedly Invited To Pistons Training Camp

2012-09-24T16:43:04Z

The Detroit Pistons are looking to improve in any way they can, and that includes bringing in players who had a lot of potential, but couldn't make the transition to the next level. For the Pistons, that means bringing in point guard Jonny Flynn, according to The Detroit News. Flynn has been invited to the Pistons' training camp in October, according to the piece.

Flynn has decent career averages, with 9.2 points and 3.9 assists per game, but injuries have plagued his career to this point. SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys had a lot to say about Flynn's career and his skills thus far:

For Flynn its been nothing but struggles, however. He was traded out of Minnesota and struggled with injuries and sparse playing time in Houston and Portland. The Pistons are thin at point guard with only Will Bynumbacking up Brandon Knight. Flynn has zero offensive game to speak of, but in the 18-game stint he had with the Blazers he showed that he could be a capable ball distributor off the bench, averaging 3.8 assists in only 15.6 minutes per game.

They go on to note that the odds of Flynn making the roster are not in his favor, as it would need to result in Detroit trading somebody away or releasing someone else. Still, he's just 23 years old and if he manages to get over his injury troubles, he could prove himself worth a roster spot, though it's hard to imagine him showing he's worth the high draft status initially invested in him.

This story originally appeared at SBNation.com. For more on the Detroit Pistons, go to Detroit Bad Boys. Also, be sure to keep updated on news and analysis from around the league at SB Nation's main NBA hub.

Former No. 11 Pick Terrence Williams Reportedly Agrees To Training Camp Deal With Pistons

2012-09-20T23:17:36Z

Hoping to bolster their backcourt heading into the new season, the Detroit Pistons reportedly added former first-round pick Terrence Williams on a training camp contract on Thursday, according to Adrian Wojnarwoski of Yahoo! Sports.

The 6'6 Williams is known as one of the most athletically-gifted players in the league, but has struggled to find a home in the NBA after being selected with the 11th overall pick by the Nets franchise in 2009. After being traded a mere months into his second season, then cut by Houston and then finally allowed to hit the free-agent market by Sacramento this summer, Williams appears to be the epitome of a budding journeyman at only 25 years of age.

With the Pistons currently lacking a true pass-first option in their backcourt right now, however, a versatile player like Williams could prove to be a huge addition in head coach Lawrence Frank's offense. The former Louisville standout won over both Frank and the Nets' entire organization with his blend of raw skills back in 2009, and could be poised to resurrect his career now that he's back under Frank's watchful eye.

Be sure to check out Detroit Bad Boys for more Pistons coverage, and head over to SB Nation's NBA hub for more news from around the league.

Detroit Pistons Still Seeking Backcourt Depth

2012-08-22T14:16:03Z

The Detroit Pistons are seeking backcourt depth for their roster heading into this season wherever they can find it -- even if it takes general manager Joe Dumars across the pond to make sure his team isn't missing any hidden gems.

Dumars' backcourt is quite young with second-year pro Brandon Knight slated to start at point guard with Rodney Stuckey as the shooting guard. The roster is a bit light behind them, too, with Will Bynum and second-round pick Kim English being the only other guards on the roster -- provided Corey Maggette and Co. play on the wing as they have in the past, anyway.

Nevertheless, Dumars recently took a scouting trip to Europe just in case he can find a necessary piece for the roster. He told Pistons.com writer Keith Langlois that he's OK with the roster as is, but acknowledged it isn't perfect as far as the backcourt is concerned.

"I would feel comfortable (with the status quo), but it's something we're trying to address, as well," Dumars said. "We continue to look to shuffle one or two spots on our roster to give it more balance."

It'll be interesting to see if Dumars finds anything in Europe, as the majority of the European players are already under contract for the upcoming season, but maybe he'll find a free agent ready for an NBA opportunity -- especially if he's a veteran that is given a chance at minutes right away in the Pistons' young backcourt.

For more coverage of free agency, stay with this StoryStream. For more Pistons coverage, head over to Detroit Bad Boys. And for more NBA news and analysis this offseason, make sure to visit SB Nation's NBA hub.

NBA Free Agency: Former Pistons Center Vernon Macklin To Sign With Turkish Team, Per Report

2012-08-19T12:54:06Z

Former Detroit Pistons forward/center Vernon Macklin has signed with the Gaziantep club in Turkey, according to Hoopshype. Macklin's agent Greg Nunn spoke to Hoopshype about the decision:

"Vernon decided to turn down three NBA camp invites," Nunn said. "He feels he needs to play to showcase his talents and return to the NBA next year."

Macklin averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in 23 games as a rookie after Detroit picked him in the second round in 2011. He also had an impressive showing in the D-League. The Pistons reportedly liked Macklin. He played with the team in the Orlando Summer League despite not being under contract, but their roster situation made it difficult to keep him. The team currently has a full roster, including five rookies — Andre Drummond, Khris Middleton, Kim English, Kyle Singler and Slava Kravtsov. Plus, if Ben Wallace decides to play one more season, the Pistons will need to find a roster spot for him, as well.

Ben Wallace Could Play In Greece Next Season, According To Report

2012-08-17T15:15:55Z

Ben Wallace had originally planned to retire following last season with the Detroit Pistons. Things changed over the summer, however, and the defensive stalwart decided he had one more year left playing professional basketball -- he just wasn't sure where that season would see him end up.

The latest news indicated that he was "50-50" on returning to Detroit, but there didn't seem to be many other options available for him to choose from. News from across the pond indicates that Greek basketball club Panthinaikos is interested in his skills, however, according to the media outlet Gazetta (by way of Sportando).

The team, based in Athens, employed one player -- former Indiana Pacers guard Sarunas Jasikevicius -- with NBA experience last season.

NBA Free Agency: Ben Wallace Reportedly '50-50' On Return To Pistons

2012-07-19T03:55:18Z

After it initially appeared as though he was set to return for a farewell season with Detroit, free agent big man Ben Wallace continues to remain elusive about his plans for the fall.

Though a source indicated there was "a pretty good chance" of Wallace returning more than a week ago, Wallace told WTVR.com's Lane Casadonte that he's currently "50-50" about coming back at the moment, and will not rush into a decision on his future quite yet.

The former rebounding champ is back in his hometown right now taking part in his annual Tri-Cities Summer League, and will make the final call on his career based on how his body feels after league play wraps up. After 16 seasons of abuse in the paint as an undersized center who dominated opponents with positioning, athleticism and sheer tenacity, it can definitely be said that Wallace quite literally has nothing left to prove as a pro basketball player.

But for the Pistons, with a pair of potential All-Star big men set to roam the frontcourt this fall in Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, it could be a serious boost to have an experienced leader like Wallace around in the locker room, even for just a year. So while Wallace is noncommittal right now, it's hard to imagine that playing Summer League ball will somehow make him less likely to want to rejoin the Pistons for one final push.

Pistons Officially Sign Ukrainian Center Vyacheslav Kravtsov

2012-07-14T21:13:30Z

On Thursday, it was noted that the Detroit Pistons were likely to sign Ukrainian center Vyacheslav Kravtsov to a deal, and that the team had already verbally agreed to terms with him. The Detroit Free Press is now reporting that it's a done deal and that Kravtsov is signed to a multi-year contract with the team. Unfortunately, there are no official details on the number of years or contract dollars.

"We are pleased to add Vyacheslav Kravtsov to our roster and welcome him to the organization," said Joe Dumars, Pistons President of Basketball Operations, in a release. "He's a young player with good size, rebounding and shot-blocking ability. He will provide us with some quality depth at the center position."

There was some confusion about his contract with his Ukrainian team, which said that Kravtsov still had one year remaining on his deal, but apparently that's not an issue, as the signing has gone through. There wouldn't likely be a release from the team if they thought there was still potential for some kind of issues regarding the contract.

Kravtsov went undrafted in June, and teams were potentially scared away by the misinformation regarding his height. He measured in at 6-foot-8, while he was previously listed as a seven-footer. That being said, he's a very solid prospect in regards to his shot blocking ability, and if he is able to make the transition into the NBA, he could be a good get for the Pistons.

For more on the Detroit Pistons, check out Detroit Bad Boys. You can also check out professional basketball news from around the league over at SB Nation's NBA page.