New Kid on the Block

From MLive.com and Pistons' Beat Writer A.Sherrod Blakely...


During a recent interview, Joe Dumars was discussing the Detroit Pistons' free agency goals as well as the potential look of his team next season, when, in mid-sentence, he just stopped talking.

Outside his office, 7-foot-1 center Cheikh Samb was making one long jumper after another. He had strung together at least seven in a row before Dumars gathered his thoughts and spoke of a conversation he had with Rasheed Wallace about Samb.

"We got a running joke with him (Samb) and Rasheed that when camp starts, who is the best shooter," Dumars said. "Rasheed already told me, he said 'Joe, I know I got something on my hands with Cheikh.'"

Impressive shooting range is only part of Samb's game that has blossomed at a rate the Pistons did not envision when they traded Mo Evans to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Samb, a second-round pick in 2006.

Detroit anticipated keeping Samb overseas for a couple seasons, and then maybe bring him to the United States for additional seasoning in the Development League.

However, Samb's learning curve has exceeded such modest expectations, creating a very real possibility that the 23-year-old might crack the Pistons' regular rotation next season.

In addition to playing well during his time in the D-League, Samb also has impressed team officials with his work ethic this summer.

"This kid just loves, I mean loves to be in the gym," Dumars said. "You don't really find that too much with big guys. He has room to get better, obviously. But we definitely like what we see in him now."

Apparently, so did some other teams who inquired about Samb's availability.

Dumars said he has no intentions of trading away the young big man who will get an opportunity to showcase his skills beginning Friday night as Detroit's summer league team plays the Los Angeles Lakers' summer-league entry.

The competition Samb will see this summer is similar to what he faced in the D-League last season when he averaged 10.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and four blocked shots in 19 games.

But at the rate he's progressing, Samb's D-League stints may be less than they were as a rookie.

More opportunities may come his way this fall, especially being the only true center on the Pistons' roster.

Dumars said it's too soon to tell exactly what role Samb will play with the team this season.

"I know I got a 7-foot-1 kid that's coming, in a hurry," Dumars said.