According to the Detroit News, one day after the trade deadline passed, half the Pistons players missed Friday morning’s shootaround in what a team source called a “player protest.”
Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox did not show up to Friday’s morning shootaround. Ben Wallace also wasn’t present, but has been dealing with an ongoing family matter for the past several weeks.
Austin Daye and Rodney Stuckey showed up as shootaround ended, after the media was let in. They missed the team bus from the hotel to shootaround.Various Pistons players have had their share of issues with coach John Kuester this season, and many have been vocal — privately and publicly — in their criticism of the second-year coach.
According to team spokesman Cletus Lewis, McGrady was out with a headache, Prince had the stomach flu, while Wilcox and Hamilton apparently missed the bus without a reason. A team source confirmed Prince’s and McGrady’s illnesses, adding Wilcox overslept.
Kuester was unsure about how he might proceed for the team’s 7 p.m. game Friday night against the 76ers.
“We have some things … some excuses, not excuses, absences because of headaches and stuff like that,” Kuester said. “We’ll go with this group right now.”
Only Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, Greg Monroe and DaJuan Summers were present and fully participated. Jonas Jerebko also was there, doing his usual rehab workouts.
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