PISTONS TRAINING CAMP GUIDE
	Location Pistons practice facility; Auburn Hills, Mich. Preseason schedule (all times ET) Oct. 8: at Toronto, 7 p.m. ET Oct 10: Cleveland, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15: Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17: at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19: L.A. Clippers, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20: Miami, 6 p.m. Oct. 22: at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23: Washington, 7:30 p.m. Team roster | Depth chart | Offseason moves

Camp question
They came from out of left field to win 50 games last season and lasted two playoff rounds before bowing out against Boston. But the roster Joe Dumars put together hardly represented a blueprint for the future. So, the Pistons will go into the season with a new starting backcourt -- Richard Hamilton replacing Jerry Stackhouse in a trade, Chauncey Billups replacing Chucky Atkins in a free agent signing. They dumped Rodney White, the ninth pick of the 2001 draft, after one year. Now, it's a question of whether a crop of fresh faces -- more than half the squad -- will buy into the system that Rick Carlisle pushed so successfully in his first shot as a head coach. Yo, Richard, can you play a little D?

Camp project
Aggressive, tough defense was the key ingredient for the Pistons last season. They were sixth in the league in fewest points allowed at 92.2 a game. Maybe Billups can help -- he's as fast as Atkins and several inches taller, but working Hamilton in as an anything but a defensive liability is going to be a task. He showed no inclination to stop anyone in three years with the Wizards. Working on defense will be the project for October. Tough guys Ben Wallace, Corliss Williamson, Jon Barry and Michael Curry aren't going to abandon their principles. And certainly Carlisle isn't going to change his style of coaching. How well the new Pistons respond will determine how well they start with a five-game Western swing in early November.

	FANTASY GAMES KEY CAMPER
	Who to watch: Chauncey Billups has been asked to run teams before, and he has failed. Now the Pistons are in need of a true point guard, and Billups is the man. How he works with shooting guard Richard Hamilton, a pretty one-dimensional player but competent scorer, could determine whether Billups can give you 7 assists a night. — Eric Karabell

Camp comeback
A virtual throw-in, Hubert Davis could be a productive new ingredient for the Pistons, even as he comes off his second-least productive season since his rookie year. Averaging 24 minutes over 51 games, Davis averaged 7.2 points. But he was a 45 percent 3-point shooter after leading the league in 2001 at .491. At 6-foot-5, Davis can defend his position and score -- four double figures season. He gives Carlisle an option at shooting guard that should pay dividends.

Camp controversy
Chucky Atkins figured that his first full season as a starter was a rousing success. His team won the Central Division and played a tough second-round playoff series with the Celtics. By July, however, Atkins had been disposed. The Pistons signed free agent Billups to a five-year deal and then, adding insult, signed journeyman Pepe Sanchez after seeing him perform in the World Championships for Argentina. Atkins has vowed to compete for his old job, and that makes the most interesting -- actually the only -- battle in camp. Quick and tough, Atkins will get minutes again this season, but 12.1 points and only 3.3 assists per game don't provide the foundation to keep him No. 1.

Jeffrey Denberg, who covers the NBA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.