DRAFT PICKS

Trent Plaisted, PF/C, 6-11, BYU -- Plaisted, a left-hander, has some effective low-post moves plus a decent mid-range jumper. He also runs the floor well for a man his size.

Deron Washington, F, 6-6, Virginia Tech -- Washington is a good defender and slasher who needs to work on his shooting. Like Plaisted, the Pistons have asked him to play overseas next season.

BIGGEST NEEDS
The Pistons need an inside scorer to balance their offense and a rebounder to help Antonio McDyess. Dumars is hoping he can find one big-time player who can do both.

They also need a backup small forward to Tayshaun Prince and hope that rookie Walter Sharpe can fill that role. They've gone through a handful of those since Prince became a starter and Jarvis Hayes, the last player to hold that position, flopped in the postseason.

FREE AGENT FOCUS
All of the Pistons starters are under contract at least through next season. A handful of their bench players became unrestricted free agents in July: C Theo Ratliff, Fs Walter Herrmann and Jarvis Hayes and Gs Juan Dixon and Lindsey Hunter. Hayes signed with New Jersey. Herrmann is exploring opportunities overseas. Ratliff and Hunter are contemplating retirement.

PLAYER NOTES

--F Walter Sharpe showed impressive athleticism and instincts in the summer league but he didn't ease concerns about the Pistons' need for perimeter help. Sharpe, the team's top draft pick, averaged just 8.8 points while starting all five games. He did display three-point range, something he wasn't asked to do in college. He made three of five attempts.

--G Rodney Stuckey missed three summer-league games as a precautionary measure. The team didn't want their prized possession to go full-tilt on a sore toe in meaningless games and risk a more serious injury.

--G Arron Afflalo was the team's leading scorer in the summer league, averaging 15 points, including a 25-point outing against the Los Angeles Clippers. Afflalo rarely looked for his shot when he played with the regulars as a rookie but he scored from 20 feet and in while also attacking the basket. He shot and made 15 more free throws than any of his summer-league teammates.

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