Ann Arbor — Objectively, there’s not a lot that can be taken from the first day of training camp. In most cases, it’s going to be sloppy, with plenty of turnovers and mistakes and most players just getting their bearings and reacquainted to game speed and structure. Still, there’s a sense of excitement that goes with the first official practices and full-speed workouts with coaches and the full roster. Tuesday was Dwane Casey’s first day of training camp with the Pistons, which brought its own bit of anxiety and anticipation. “I was like the first day of school. I was excited and the players were excited. I love the energy that they had,” Casey said. “I understand it was the first day and everybody was bouncing off the walls, going 100 mph — probably too fast for offense. “Since it was a defensive day, I liked some of the turnovers that were forced.” More: Casey gives Drummond green light on 3-pointers Having camp in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan’s Crisler Center was a change of venue that made it a little different for everyone. Casey opted to have training camp away from the Pistons’ practice facility in Auburn Hills because they wanted to mix things up and not have the veterans feel too comfortable. In unfamiliar territory, they would be more apt to spend time with each other and get to know more of their teammates’ nuances. Having team dinners each night, they are spending more time with each other and have more one-on-one conversations. “It’s different; I’ve never done this in my entire career, seven years; we’ve never left the Palace once,” said center Andre Drummond, the longest-tenured Pistons player. “It’s different scenery and cool to be away from home and under the same room with the guys. We all agreed to do this and it’s pretty cool to be up here. “We’ve had three team dinners in the past week and that’s the most I’ve had in my career. We’re figuring out ways to come together and figure each other out and learn each other and what we like and don’t like and figuring out how weird we are. I’m having fun with it.” The changes extended to the court when camp started, as there were no discernable lineup groupings; they were mixed up, for a specific purpose. “I had them all mixed up and did it on purpose today. I had everybody alternating and it wasn’t any set lineup,” Casey said. “That may be the first couple days to make sure we keep everybody motivated and off-balance. There’s no rhyme or reason (to it). “I want to establish an atmosphere of equality and have everybody be ready, whether you’re on the second or first unit — it’s really who closes the game. We’ll get to that a little bit later.” The biggest emphasis was defense and communication, which was one of the Pistons’ strengths last season. The focus is on getting into transition quicker and not getting bogged down in half-court sets so often on offense. “He wants our offense to start on the defensive end and get stops. Our first option is to run in transition,” guard Luke Kennard said. “If we get stops, we can be dangerous in transition this year. He wants us to shoot 3s, quick shots, the right shots at the rim. It’s going to start on defense and give us motivation to get it and just go.” Getting healthy For their first practice, the Pistons had all of the roster available for the non-contact portions but were without Reggie Jackson and Jon Leuer for the 5-on-5 full-contact portions. Jackson, who had been limited in the summer because of ankle issues, was medically cleared to practice on Sunday but the medical team is being cautious and bringing him along slowly. “Reggie is fully healed. We did an MRI a couple weeks ago and it’s perfect. Now it’s just basketball shape and he hasn’t played all summer long,” Pistons senior advisor Ed Stefanski said on Monday. “It’s going to take him a while to get in basketball shape. If everything goes the way we hope, we would hope opening night he should be ready to go.” It’s one step at a time for Jackson, who could be limited in preseason games, but if he’s back to playing shape, that’s more important for the team. Leuer, who missed all but eight games last season because of foot injuries, is making strides and is expecting to be ready for the regular season as well. Kennard, who was slowed by knee issues since the start of Summer League practice, was back in full practice for the first time since July. “It’s great; I was able to do everything, able to move normally, full 100 percent,” Kennard said. “It felt good to be back out there.” Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com Twitter @detnewsRodBeard<doc-sep>As the Pistons enter a pivotal season with a new coach and several lingering questions, they will look to some of their role players to have breakout years and a couple of starters to have marked increases in production to help them turn things around. After a 39-43 season, the Pistons are poised to make it back to the playoffs, but will need improvement from their returning players, good health and some luck. Their most dependable players appear to be Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin, but beyond that duo, there's plenty of room for improvement. Here are four Pistons to watch this season: ► Reggie Jackson: He’s been limited in the summer, following a severe ankle sprain that caused him to miss 37 games last season. So far, he hasn’t done much in terms of full-contact workouts and it’s unclear whether he’ll be a full participant when training camp begins this week. The new training staff and medical team have established a conservative program for Jackson’s workouts, which could mean that he doesn’t get cleared for full contact until the regular season. That might be for the better. Regardless of fans’ opinions of Jackson and his contract, the Pistons play better with him in the lineup and the production falls off with the backup options of Ish Smith or Jose Calderon. There’s only a small sample size of eight games to judge the trio of Jackson, Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond together, but the Pistons’ fortunes are built on that group. More: Jackson: Fans will see ‘promise’ of Pistons in Casey’s system Jackson is a good 3-point shooter and when he has his full burst and strength, he has shown to be one of the best pick-and-roll options in the league when paired with Drummond. He’d be a difference maker if he can to get close to his 2015-16 production. ► Stanley Johnson: In his fourth season, it’s time for Johnson to answer his critics with the best season of his career or risk fading into relative anonymity. He’s been a good defender but his efficiency and production on the offensive end hasn’t caught up. His shooting (38 percent FG) and 3-point shooting (29 percent) leave plenty to be desired and he might end up in competition for a starting spot, with the acquisition of Glenn Robinson III. The enticement for Johnson is next summer, when he can become a restricted free agent. A payday could be looming if Johnson has a breakout season and emerges into a 3-and-D impresario. That’s still a lot of maybes and ifs, but Johnson needs first to find a comfort level and get those shots to fall. Without some drastic improvement, Johnson could become a trade chip by the February deadline. His production in the first part of the season will determine his value at that point, or beyond. More: Pistons story lines: More questions than answers ► Luke Kennard: He had a solid rookie season, but will be inextricably linked to Donovan Mitchell for the rest of his career. Kennard could be a prominent piece of the Pistons’ bench this season, but has to bounce back from a knee injury that kept him out of Summer League. The plan was for Kennard to play more with the ball in his hands during Summer League, and that opportunity may not be gone. It’ll be tougher to get those reps in the season, but that’s still a wrinkle the Pistons can show with their versatile reserve group. He’ll likely be the main option there, but in some hybrid lineups, he could initiate the offense. At 6-foot-6, Kennard brings the size to give the Pistons an advantage there, but he’ll have to show more of that, plus back up his 42 percent on 3-pointers, to get a better sense of how he’ll fit in the longer term. ► Jon Leuer: He’s been snake-bitten by injuries for the past couple of years, which has made him something of a forgotten entity. A foot injury sidelined Leuer for almost all of last season and he sustained a knee injury in the offseason that could linger into the start of the regular season. At 6-foot-10, he can play either power forward or backup center, but the best ability is availability, and Leuer played just eight games last season, after posting 75 games in 2016-17, when he was one of the surprises in the first half of the season. Behind Griffin, Leuer could provide a good 3-point presence — if he can get back to the court. Without Leuer, the Pistons likely will lean to Henry Ellenson, who has a similar skill set. rod.beard@detroitnews.com Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard<doc-sep>AUBURN HILLS, MI. - SEPTEMBER 26: Reggie Jackson #1 and Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons poses for a photo during the 2016-2017 Detroit Pistons media day on September 26, 2016 in Auburn Hills, MI. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Rick Osentoski/NBAE via Getty Images) Khyri Thomas has work cut out for him on Pistons’ depth chart Khyri Thomas has work cut out for him on Pistons’ depth chart by Nathan Umali Who should start at shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons? Who should start at shooting guard for the Detroit Pistons? by Jeffrey MacCowan Positivity and optimism have been two common themes from media day and the start of training camp for the Detroit Pistons. What are the reasons for this? The Detroit Pistons are just two days into training camp. They’re one week away from their first preseason game. The wheels are just starting to turn. Fans and media members have been exposed to a lot since media day and the start of training camp. It’s a lot to grasp when you’re following all of it. Nothing too serious has truly started yet. However, a lot of the players are very optimistic about the upcoming season. I know this might seem like a very common theme. No matter the situation, professional athletes come off as mostly positive about what is going on around their respective teams. There’s been something that just feels different. It’s been a collective message from some of the key players on this team as well as head coach Dwane Casey. He talked on media day about how pleased he with his team on coming together this summer. Blake Griffin recruited a lot of the players for the Pistons for workouts instead of having guys all over the country working on their skills separately. Some of the Pistons leaders talked about high goals that this team has this season. Blake Griffin wants home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Here are his comments regarding this topic in Vince Ellis’ article from the Detroit Free Press: “Our expectations should be high,” Griffin said. “In the East, with our roster, I don’t see why getting home court in the playoffs is not a reasonable expectation. “I’ve played in the playoffs and been fortunate enough to be on teams to know that once you get in the playoffs… Getting home court or not could be the deciding factor in a Game 7.” Andre Drummond also mentioned that the time is now for this team. Those are fantastic things to hear coming from those specific players. I think that part has to do with the presence of coach Casey. Many of the players have also talked about how Casey is taking them out of their individual boxes. What I get from this is that he’s having certain players expand upon what they’re doing. For example, Andre Drummond getting the nod to take three-point shots. The optimism could be completely over-played on my end. However, these are all great signs as we’re just out of the gates this season. It feels like they’re buying in right away and that the change in head coaching was the right move by owner Tom Gores. That positivity has translated over to the beginning of training camp. Here is what Casey had to say after their first day of camp with Keith Langlois: The Detroit Pistons could surprise some people in the 2018 season. Sometimes all you need is a breath of fresh air.<doc-sep>ANN ARBOR – A year after opening a new arena, this season the Pistons open a new era. Dwane Casey, reigning NBA Coach of the Year, is in after Stan Van Gundy’s four-year run ended with a 39-win season and a second straight trip to the lottery. Casey took questions at Monday’s media day at Little Caesars Arena, then accompanied the team here where the Pistons open training camp this morning at the University of Michigan’s Player Development Center, named for former Pistons owner and U of M graduate and benefactor William Davidson. They’ll practice twice apiece on Tuesday and Thursday, once apiece on Wednesday and Friday and break camp on Saturday with a noon scrimmage open to the public. Injuries to Reggie Jackson, costing him a total of 67 games, undermined the past two seasons and stalled the momentum the Pistons gained when they won 44 games and snapped a six-year playoff drought in 2015-16. Jackson was given a clean bill of health, confirmed by an MRI of last year’s severe right ankle sprain, over the weekend. Because he was limited in his off-season work and barred from on-court drills, the Pistons will be cautious in his return – though the expectation is that he’ll be ready for the regular-season opener. Luke Kennard also was limited over the summer after suffering a minor knee injury in early July. He, like Jackson, is cleared but likely will be held out of some training camp drills. Jon Leuer, who underwent knee surgery in early August after suffering a meniscus tear in his right knee, has been cleared to run but will be held out of contact drills. Leuer said he expects to be ready for the Oct. 17 opener. Ed Stefanski was hired in May by Pistons owner Tom Gores as senior adviser. He effectively replaced Van Gundy on the administrative side and saw the overhaul of the front office. Pat Garrity and Andrew Loomis are holdovers from Van Gundy’s front office, Garrity serving as one of three assistant general managers under Stefanski. Malik Rose comes over from Atlanta’s front office and Sachin Gupta, most recently a consultant with the Houston Rockets, are the two other assistant GMs. Gregg Polinsky, longtime NBA personnel executive, was hired to the other key front-office spot as director of player personnel overseeing pro, college and international scouting staffs. The Pistons also changed up their medical and training staffs. Longtime trainer and strength coach Arnie Kander is serving as a consultant and helped lead the search that resulted in bringing in Bernard Condeveaux as medical director and Jim Scholler as head trainer. The Pistons – for the second straight year and in keeping with the NBA’s move to shorten the preseason to allow for fewer back-to-back games during the regular season – will play only five preseason games, opening at Oklahoma City on Oct. 3 and at home on Oct. 8. The regular-season opener will be Oct. 17 at home against Brooklyn. Here’s a breakdown of the roster for training camp:<doc-sep>
Here’s your reminder that it’s an important week for the Detroit Pistons. No, that doesn’t mean the franchise will work a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler. Media day is Monday at Little Caesars Arena with training camp starting the next day in Ann Arbor on the Michigan campus. The main new face is coach Dwane Casey, who was hired to replace Stan Van Gundy after the franchise failed to reach the playoffs the last two seasons. Casey spent the last seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, whom he led to a franchise-record 59 wins last season. He was fired after the Raptors were swept from the playoffs by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Glenn Robinson III, Zaza Pachulia and Jose Calderon (in his second stint) are the free-agent pickups. Khyri Thomas and Bruce Brown Jr. are the rookies. Anthony Tolliver is now with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the more things change, the more they stay to same. Just like last season, the health of point guard Reggie Jackson is the No. 1 issue going into camp. The problem last season was a sore left knee that limited offseason preparation. This season is the severe right ankle sprain suffered in December that limited offseason preparation. Jackson told reporters last week that he is still looking to test the ankle that forced him to miss 37 games before he returned to the lineup toward the end of the season. “Just trying to get my mobility back and really just making sure the body’s good,” Jackson said. “Rehab was done well. The ankle is just about making sure everything is prepped and ready to go.” Jackson’s health is the top reason the Pistons have failed to reach the postseason the last two seasons, likely causing Van Gundy’s job. It’s not clear if Jackson will be cleared to practice and that will be one of the top questions asked at media day. Here are four more issues to watch between now and the Oct. 17 home opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Casey up next With the Pistons roster likely set for the next two seasons, the franchise is hoping Casey's positive approach will pay dividends. “He’s definitely one of the most motivating coaches I’ve ever been around,” swingman Reggie Bullock said this week. “He’s all about winning, but he’s a motivator first. Obviously, he’s a coach, but I see him as a friend. “I see him as somebody that wants the best for his team, for his players." On the floor, the Pistons will likely move more toward the trend of more 3-point shooting and more lineup flexibility geared toward exploiting matchups, meaning players will asked to play at multiple spots. . The acclimation period begins in earnest Tuesday. Blake is No. 1 Griffin found a way to be effective with his new teammates when he arrived from Los Angeles Clippers in January. The hope is with an offseason in Casey’s program and more familiarity with teammates, the five-time All-Star can make analysts remember why he was once considered an MVP candidate. It’s also the first offseason in several years where Griffin was fully healthy, which allowed for him to work on his game and not spend time rehabbing an injury. “(I am) looking forward to going into the offseason healthy for the first time in two years,” Griffin said toward the end of last season. “That’s huge for me because the offseason is a big time for me to get work in, get better." Who starts at the wings? Griffin, Jackson (with health) and center Andre Drummond are locks to start. Who gets the other two wing spots? There are four candidates. Robinson, 24, who signed a two-year deal, is clear that he has reached the stage of his career where he is seeking a starting position. Bullock, 27, is coming off a season where he established himself as a starter in this league and he was one the league’s best shooters. He is one of the best bargains in the league at $2.5 million and he will be a free agent next summer. Luke Kennard, 22, had a solid rookie season – despite fan disgust that he was selected instead of Jazz star Donovan Mitchell in the 2017 NBA draft. More:Luke Kennard was groomed to be NBA player — by his dad Kennard shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range and has potential as a playmaker.