Pistons' Dumars on trades: 'Nothing imminent' by A. Sherrod Blakely Wednesday July 09, 2008, 12:05 AM If the Pistons can't pry Carmelo Anthony from Denver, they may look at Houston's Tracy McGrady.AUBURN HILLS -- Before free agency began, Pistons president Joe Dumars said he wanted to make a significant change to his core group. There's still plenty of time for that, but don't look for any kind of roster shake-up to occur Wednesday, the first day for trades and free-agent signings. It appears the Pistons will fail to land any of the three small forwards they targeted at the start of free agency. Portland's James Jones is expected to sign a five-year deal with Miami that will pay him close to $5 million per season. Golden State's Mickael Pietrus has reportedly agreed to a deal with Orlando. Utah's C.J. Miles remains a possibility, but him being a restricted free agent complicates matters. The Pistons are only going to sign him to an offer sheet if they feel that the Jazz won't match it, similar to what they did last summer with Jarvis Hayes who was a restricted free agent with Washington. Toronto guard/forward and former Piston Carlos Delfino is another possibility, but, like Miles, he is a restricted free agent. Boston's James Posey and the Los Angeles Clippers' Corey Maggette also were believed to be options, but Posey remains a longshot while Maggette has reportedly agreed to a deal with Golden State. For Dumars to make the kind of significant changes he seeks, it likely will have to come via trade, with Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince being Detroit players most likely to be included in a deal. Billups is a strong possibility to be traded due to the emergence of Rodney Stuckey this past season, while Prince could be dealt because the player Detroit acquires might play his position. Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace are other options, but Detroit doesn't seem interested in parting with its leading scorer since 2003 (Hamilton) or arguably its most talented player whose contract comes off the books next summer (Wallace). Both Billups and Prince were among the names mentioned frequently in connection with trade talks that would have brought Denver's Carmelo Anthony to Detroit. Dumars said recently that he has had conversations with about 10-12 teams. "I can tell you that there is nothing imminent and there have only been conversations," Dumars said. "But nothing imminent in terms of a deal or close to a deal." One of the reasons for that might have been the base-year compensation limitations on Billups' contract, which was signed last summer. (BYC 資格應該是到 7/11) Players who re-sign with their respective teams, have a trade value that's equal to half of their actual salary in the first year of the deal. Those restrictions will be lifted Wednesday. In addition to Denver, the Pistons might also look to Houston as a trading partner. Along with Anthony, the Pistons also have interest in Rockets All-Star Tracy McGrady. Dumars declined to reveal any players Detroit is specifically targeting via trade, but he did say that the Pistons are not in a huge rush to get a deal done. "I like to act decisively whenever I'm trying to get something done," Dumars said. "But I'm well aware that there has to be another team that's willing, and there has to be a good deal for both teams. Those two things will slow you down in doing a deal. "What you have to do is be patient. What you can't do is run out and make a knee-jerk deal just to prove a point. You have to be smart about stuff like this and you have to know that it's a deal that you know is going to help your team get better." --

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