ESPN

Alan Ostfield

  (2:59 PM)

Thanks for attending today's chat. I'll start taking questions now.

ryan amherstburg

Is R.Wallace staying?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:00 PM)

We certainly hope so. We are doing everything we can to make that happen.

Frank (Bad Axe):

Will Detroit look to sign another backup point guard besides Lindsey Hunter?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:02 PM)

Larry likes to have a lot of guards in the rotation, so signing a guard is always a possibility. We saw how much of a contribution Lindsey and Mike James made last year.

Andy (Saginaw)

What do the Pistons need that they didn't have last season? What are they losing? What are they gaining?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:04 PM)

As you can tell from the results from last season, we were a pretty solid team. Joe does not want to tinker much with a good thing. Therefore you will probably see similar rotations and players, many of whon are obviously getting better as they continue to develop.

Louis, Troy

What do you think about Darko Milicic? How much play time can we expect from him next year? How much will he have improved by next season?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:06 PM)

Joe and John continue to be extremely high on Darko and expect him to contribute next season as he matures. He was a 7 foot kid last season who needed time to get acclimated to life in the NBA which is no easy transition.

Mat McGee, Sterling Heights, MI

What is the status on ticket prices for the upcoming season? I would hope that the organization would pledge a continuous effort to keep games affordable for such a loyal fanbase. :)

Alan Ostfield

  (3:09 PM)

We could not agree more that the games need to be accessible to families. As a result, a few years ago we lowered our ticket prices to what at that point were the 2nd lowest in the league. While there have been modest increases on certain tickets in the past couple of years, our ticket prices continue to be among the lowest in the league.

Groose Pointe

What is status of Rickey Paulding, will the Pistons sign him.

Alan Ostfield

  (3:10 PM)

We were happy to draft Rickey in the 2nd round and he certainly had a good summer league. We look forward to seeing Rickey in camp and becoming a Piston.

Paula (Warren):

Did you anticipate that the salary cap and the luxury tax would be this low? I see the Pistons are just over the luxury tax.

Alan Ostfield

  (3:13 PM)

While you never know for sure until after the season, the smart money was on modest increases, if any, in these amounts, as revenues across the league have stabilized.

Campbellsville

Prince is starting his 3rd year. Can and will he sign an extension?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:15 PM)

Tayshaun has turned into one heck of a player in his 2 years here. He will be eligible for an extension after the season and we certainly hope he will remain a Piston for a long time.

detroit

Why did Joe Dumars give up Mike Woodson?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:18 PM)

MIke had an opportunity to become a Head Coach in the NBA which is what he wanted. Joe would never stand in the way of that. We wish Mike well.

Susan (Warren):

What is the status on Carlos Delfino being a Piston next year?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:21 PM)

Carlos signed a contract with us yesterday and is very excited to play for the Pistons next year. We look forward to having him.

Timothy ( Martinsville,VA)

Okur has been with the team for only 2 years so The rumor page says you could sign him for any amount of money is that true: it says Okur would be exempt from the Salary Cap.so you could sign him for more money and it would not go against the Salary Cap.?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:24 PM)

Since Okur has been with us for 2 years, we can pay him the greater of the amount of room we have or the mid-level exceptoin amount. This is not as great of an exception as for a player who has been with us for 3 years.

Amanda (Rochester):

Do you visit fan internet sites and message boards?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:26 PM)

I don't visit many fan sites, but I do spend some time on ESPN.com.

Dave (Royal Oak)

If the Pistons stay healthy through next years playoffs, shouldn't they be the favorites to repeat?

Alan Ostfield

  (3:29 PM)

We certainly hope so. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for attending the chat and supporting the Pistons. Have a good day.