BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
Last year, coach Flip Saunders tried not to tinker too much with a
winning equation. This season, he plans to speak up a bit more.
That means more plays, more zone defense and more direction.
Saunders said he still has half of his mammoth playbook to introduce to
his team, and new center Nazr Mohammed and guard Flip Murray will allow
him to do that.
"There's another half we'll be able to utilize," Saunders said, "because
of the players we have and being able to play more of a
multi-dimensional offense."
Saunders also said he expects to play more zone defense next year, a
concept that met resistance in the locker room last season.
"When we played Miami, our guys (complained) about the zone. But when we
played zone, that's the one time we had the ability to stop them."
Saunders said. "But you have to buy into what you're doing. I have a
picture that has a dinosaur that says, 'Adapt or Die.' We've got to
adapt."
Team president Joe Dumars and Saunders both said that the team's early
success last season led to big expectations and more pressure. By the
end of the season, the players were exhausted.
But those players must become more willing to rest this time around,
Saunders said.
"Try taking Chauncey (Billups) out at the end of a close game," Saunders
said. "He'll play 42 minutes. He'll say, 'No, I'm going to play the
entire fourth quarter.' " We'll address that from the beginning. Say,
'We've got to sit back sometimes.' "
HUNTER, DUPE SIGN: Away from the flashbulbs of the Mohammed/Murray news
conference, two more familiar faces quietly rejoined the Pistons' family
Tuesday. The team officially announced that it re-signed guard Lindsey
Hunter and forward Ronald Dupree, for two seasons apiece.
With the four signings, the Pistons' major work this off-season is done.
Dumars said that unless someone calls and offers him something he can't
refuse, he's happy with the team he has.
DELFINO DRAMA: Forward Carlos Delfino made comments in a
Spanish-language publication last week that carried unhappy undertones,
although exact translations can be spotty.
But Dumars said Delfino indicated at the end of the season that he wants
to be in Detroit.
"If he thinks he should be somewhere else," Dumars said, "I'll call you
guys and say, 'We made a trade.' It's simple. There's no gray area for
me."
DARKO REDUX: Even though the Pistons couldn't convince Ben Wallace to
stay, they're still glad they said good-bye to Darko Milicic.
"Absolutely," said Dumars when asked if he would still make the deal.
"When we made the Darko trade, we said, 'Look, it's not happening here
in Detroit for him.' He wasn't fitting. And it's all about fit. It had
gotten to the point where it was just a bad fit for Darko here, so we
moved the kid. ... He had gotten to a point where he needed new
scenery."

rdjio@webtv.net wrote:

i never thought of nazr as a great playbook guy. i think he's a
good-to-be-there-when-the-play's-shot-misses guy.

dave