National Basketball Association

Several Pistons miss pregame shootaround

Published Feb. 26, 2011 3:16 a.m. ET

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Several Detroit Pistons skipped at least part of the team's shootaround and sat out a 110-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, the latest blemish in a difficult season for the fallen franchise.

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said Richard Hamilton, Chris Wilcox, Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye missed the bus, with Stuckey and Daye able to arrive late.

Tayshaun Prince, Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace also missed the shootaround. Lewis said Prince had an upset stomach, McGrady had a headache and Wallace was tending to an unspecified family matter.

The Pistons used six players: DeJuan Summers, Charlie Villanueva, Greg Monroe, Ben Gordon and Will Bynum started, and Jason Maxiell came off the bench.

McGrady, Prince, Wallace and Stuckey did not start.

Coach John Kuester wasn't around for the finish - he was ejected in the second quarter after he was whistled for two quick technical fouls arguing a non-call.

Kuester called the personnel situation ''an internal matter.'' The Pistons are home Saturday against Utah and there was no word if the missing players would be available.

''I feel badly for John Kuester,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. ''I think it's a black eye for the league. I know Detroit is in disarray right now at some level. You worry about a coach and, you know, his psyche after something like that happens.''

Detroit dropped to 21-39 and is almost certainly headed to its third straight losing season. There have been signs of disharmony almost from the beginning. Kuester benched Stuckey barely a week into the season, although that was only temporary.

Kuester then benched Hamilton on Jan. 12, and he didn't play again until Feb. 5 at Milwaukee. Hamilton has missed every game since with what the team called a groin injury.

The team was unable to trade Hamilton before Thursday's deadline. He's guaranteed $20 million over the next two seasons.

Wallace missed eight games in January. He's battled ankle problems and also left the team to tend to a family matter.

Kuester has juggled the lineup quite a bit this season, trying to find combinations that might help propel the Pistons to a playoff spot, but so far it's been no use. McGrady has been a bright spot, staying healthy and settling in as a point guard, and rookie big man Monroe is showing promise - but Detroit has clearly fallen a long way since Hamilton, Prince and Wallace led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

Owner Karen Davidson has been trying to sell the team, and that turned into a drawn-out saga after she said she hoped it would be done by the start of the season. On Feb. 11, Davidson confirmed she and investor Tom Gores had a two-week ''exclusivity'' period for negotiations.

On Friday - exactly two weeks later - there was no update from the owner.

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AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this report.