21-year old Greg Monroe got into the starting lineup in the second half of the 2010-11 season as a rookie and he played very well for the Pistons. They are hoping for big things out of Monroe starting this year. He played in 80 games (48 starts) for the Pistons as a rookie last year and he averaged 27.8 minutes, 9.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. 37-year old Ben Wallace will backup Monroe this year. Wallace played in 54 games (49 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 22.9 minutes, 2.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 blocked shot per game. He has now played in 1,026 games (901 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.3 minutes, 6.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocked shots per game. This is likely the year that the Pistons start cutting Wallace’s minutes to start to phase him out.

The Pistons didn’t get much out of the power forwards last year. 27-year old Charlie Villanueva played in 76 games (11 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 21.9 minutes, 11.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He has now played in 428 games (158 starts) in his career so far with the Pistons and he is averaging 25.2 minutes, 12.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. Villanueva has been a huge disappointment to this point for the Pistons and it’s time for him to either step up or ride the bench. 28-year old Jason Maxiell played in 57 games (14 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 16.3 minutes, 4.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has now played in 386 games (62 starts) in his career with the Pistons and he is averaging 17.5 minutes, 5.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. 24-year old Vernon Macklin came to the Pistons in the second round of the NBA Draft last June and he’s going to be a project.

The Detroit Pistons might finally give 23-year old small forward Austin Daye a chance to start in 2011-12. Daye played in 72 games (16 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 20.1 minutes, 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He has now played in 141 games (20 starts) in his first two years with the Pistons and he is averaging 16.7 minutes, 6.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. 23-year old Kyle Singler is the only other small forward currently on the Pistons’ roster. He was a second round pick out of Duke. The Pistons might elect to sign a free agent or deal for a small forward before the season starts, but if they don’t, Austin Daye will likely be his big shot to show what he can do in 2011-12.

UPDATE: (11/29/2011) - Kyle Singler has decided to stay with Real Madrid the rest of the year. The Pistons will retain his rights.

The Pistons hope that 33-year old Richard Hamilton and 28-year old Ben Gordon step up in 2011-12. Hamilton played in 55 games (39 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 27.2 minutes, 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He has now played in 843 games (710 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 32.9 minutes, 17.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Hamilton will be the starting shooting guard for the Pistons in 2011-12, unless he gets dealt before the season starts as they tried to move him last year. 28-year old Ben Gordon played in 82 games (27 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 26.0 minutes, 11.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He has now played in 542 games (248 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.1 minutes, 16.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. 21-year old Terrico White will be #3 in line for the Pistons. He missed last year (it would have been his rookie season) due to a foot injury.

The Pistons might decide to move on from restricted free agent point guard Rodney Stuckey. Why else would they draft 20-year old point guard Brandon Knight in the first round of the NBA Draft last June? Knight very well could be the opening day starter at point guard when the Pistons open up the 2011-12 season. 28-year old Will Bynum will be either the #2 or #3 point guard for the Pistons in 2011-12. He played in 61 games (5 starts) for the Pistons last year and he averaged 18.4 minutes, 7.9 points, 1.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Bynum has now played in 196 games (26 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 19.2 minutes, 8.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.