How can Rose say this at this time!! This writer Also talks about Marion below.
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Rose enjoys place with Suns
But former Michigan star hints that he still might be a Piston one day: 'Never say never.'
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS -- You never know with Jalen Rose. He could be pulling your leg or he could be dead serious. But before the game Sunday, Rose hinted that he might still one day become a Detroit Piston --
perhaps even this season.
"Never say never," he said. "Never say never."
Rose has not found his place with the Suns. He has played in 16 games, averaging just 10 minutes. He did not play Sunday.
"This is a great bunch of guys and we're winning games and it's fun," Rose said. "But for me, it's still a work in progress. You still want to contribute in some way. Once you don't have that, you might as well not be out there. I still want to contribute."
Rose, who was bought out of his contract by the Knicks earlier this season, is making the NBA minimum of $1.85 million. Conceivably, the Pistons could swap Flip Murray or Amir Johnson or even a draft pick for Rose.
But, as of Sunday, there had been no specific discussion between Pistons president Joe Dumars and the Suns relative to Rose.
"I have planted a little seed," Rose said, smiling.
Rose, who played at Michigan, only purchased 20 tickets for family and friends Sunday.
"Career-low," he said. "My career average (for tickets at The Palace) is about 60 or 70. But it makes more sense to keep some of that money under the Christmas tree as opposed to watching me get a DNP (did not play)."
Billups update
Pistons coach
Flip Saunders said the estimate about
Chauncey Billups being out for 14 days might be a little cautious.
"I don't know where that 14 days came from," Saunders said. "He said he was feeling better. We are going to know more in a couple of days how the leg is reacting and we will play it by ear. We hope to have him back for Chicago."
The Pistons play at Chicago on Saturday. The original prognosis of Pistons team physicians had Billups missing 10 to 14 days, which would put him back on the court Jan. 12.
"I don't know," said Billups, who has a strained right calf. "I know it feels better today and I know I am not going to play until it's all the way right. That's what I do know. I just hope it keeps feeling better every day."
Billups is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. The Pistons should have a better gauge on the injury after that.
Mixing it up
Richard Hamilton apparently got under
Raja Bell 's skin pretty good Sunday. Bell picked up one technical foul in the second quarter for arguing a call. Then, with 7:16 left in the fourth, Bell and Hamilton got tangled up.
There was some pushing, some yapping and, ultimately, a double technical foul was called. It was the second on Bell and he was ejected.
"We got into a little collision after his shot, and he hopped in my face, telling me what he was going to do," said Bell, who scored 15 points. "I knew he was trying to goad me into something, and I didn't want any part of it, so I put my hands up and asked the ref if he saw what Rip was trying to do.
"The ref (
Mark Ayotte ) didn't do anything, and Rip started talking again. As soon as I said something back, he gave us a double T."
It worked out badly for Hamilton in the long run, though. Hamilton had been scoring regularly against Bell (29 of his 31 points). With Bell out, the Suns put Shawn Marion on him and Hamilton only scored one more bucket.
No chance
When you play against the Suns, scoreless possessions are deadly. On Sunday, the Pistons went without scoring on three or more possessions four times through the first three quarters. In those droughts, they were outscored 28-0.
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