Joe Dumars: Pistons still can win with Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince on roster

Richard Hamilton Tayshaun PrinceDetroit's Richard Hamilton, left, and Tayshaun Prince have been involved in numerous trade rumors over the past season.
AUBURN HILLS -- Joe Dumars sounds like a guy ready to make some roster changes.

The Pistons president of basketball operations said his team played without the necessary grit and toughness last season and that it must return to that style of play to get headed in the right direction. He said he will look to the draft, free agency and trades to make changes to the team.

Dumars answered several questions on the roster as a whole as well as about individual players Tuesday morning during his news conference.

Here is what he had to say on the subject:

Q: Can you move forward and do what you want to do with Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince still on the team?

A: "If you look at the four teams that are left (in the playoffs) right now, all of them I think have some older veterans who have been there for a while, and they've kind of rebuilt their teams around and kept some of those veterans. So to answer your question, yes you can. Yes you can move forward with those guys here. You've just got to put the right players around those guys.

"There's not a magic answer of, 'OK, we'll just get rid of those guys and everything will be OK.' It's either bring in the right guys or put the right guys around those guys. Like I said, if you look at some of the teams now, they have some guys who have been there for a long time. Steve Nash has been there for a long time. Paul Pierce has been there for a long time. Kobe (Bryant) obviously has been there for a long time, (although) he's a different story. I don't know who else. Orlando. They've got some guys who have been there for a while. So, yeah, you can do it."

Q: How big of a hurdle is it having so much youth instead of more veteran players when you want your team to play with toughness?

A: "Young guys have to grow into that. Realistically, you have to allow them to grow into it. But what I'm saying is, you always keep the pressure on them that it's immediate and it's right now. That's how you accelerate that growth. I'm saying, don't allow the cushion of, 'OK, you've got three to five years to grow into being a tough, hard-nosed (player).' No, you preach that every day.

"You see some young guys right now in the playoffs that have that toughness, that edge that they play with right now. They're very young guys. I'm not one that believes it takes years and years to do that. I just think you have to create the right environment, and then it's easy for guys to grow into it. It's on us to create that environment for those young guys."

Q: Are you looking for more out of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva going forward?

A: "I wish we could have gotten more out of them this year. They were two guys that got hurt and were out for a little bit, coming to a new team, trying to learn a new system. I think that both of them will be better this year. I really do. I think they both went through an experience this year, coming into a new situation, trying to fit in and fighting injuries and everything else that went on. I expect both of them to be better this year."

Q: How do you evaluate Rodney Stuckey this season?

A: 'Not only has he gone from a combo guard to primarily a point guard for a most part this season -- but also, and this is obviously a part of myself and the organization's doing -- but the kid's had three head coaches in three years. The kid has changed positions, played behind Chauncey (Billups), started at some two guard as well as one and has held up really good.

"I know that he has a lot of expectations placed on him, as he should. But I think Stuckey has held up pretty good. It's not like he's come in, been slotted in one position, had one coach, one system for three straight years and hasn't flourished. He's done a pretty good job with all the changes that have gone on around him."

Q: When do you expect to hear from Ben Wallace on his plans?

A: "Ben and I have a great relationship so I know. I spoke with Ben before the season was over with and we've talked about that. He knows my feelings and I know his on that."