An article by Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom reverberated through the Sixers' locker room and organization yesterday. It stung, and it hurt. Allen Iverson, a target, as usual, chose not to make himself available to reporters. Billy King, the president/general manager, took the high road. Chairman Ed Snider ultimately responded from the bottom line.

"One day before the start of the season, the Pistons signed small forward Tremaine Fowlkes to a one-year deal after he was released Monday by the Los Angeles Clippers."

"He has lost weight, he's running more and we figured he wouldn't get enough minutes at four (power forward)," Brown said after practice Monday. "We have to play him at small forward. The more I see him, the more he's trying, the more comfortable I'm getting with him."

"It will be nice to be there for the ceremony and to have been a small part of what was accomplished last year," Carlisle said.

You might have noticed Bobby Sura's line from the Pistons' 96-86 victory in their exhibition finale at Milwaukee on Friday night. It read: DNP-CD.

Sura, for the seventh time in eight exhibition games, did not play. But unlike the other six, this one had nothing to do with his back injury. It was a coach's decision.

The Pistons' inside game took a couple of steps in the right direction Monday. Center-forward Mehmet Okur returned to practice after being out with an ankle injury, and center Zeljko Rebraca did some five-on-five work after missing all of camp as he rehabilitated from his heart procedure over the summer.

"The Pistons waived point guard A.J. Guyton and swingman Tang Hamilton, cutting the training camp roster to 16. Guard Justin Hamilton and the ever-improving Ronald Dupree survived the cuts. Dupree, a guard-forward, has scored 19 points in two games."

Tonight at The Palace, James will make his debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers in an exhibition game against the Pistons. You have to wonder what will be going through Wallace's mind.

"We are going to let him know it ain't going to be no cakewalk," Wallace said. "This is the real deal. He's in with the big boys now."

With a bottle of water in one hand and some Gatorade and a special concoction in the other, Darko Milicic appeared ready for a nap.

"I feel bad, a little bit tired, it's different for me," the prized rookie said Tuesday after his first practice with the Pistons.

Then he broke into a smile.

"A lot of running," said Milicic, 18. "I have to get into good shape. I think in a couple of days I'll be fine. I have to learn something new every day. I have to learn. They've given me the chance; now I have to work."

Training camp opened Tuesday for rookies, free agents and less-experienced veterans at the Pistons' practice gym, and Milicic admitted he has a lot to learn. He realizes he's not in shape to battle the likes of Ben Wallace and Elden Campbell when the veterans report at the end of the week.

"Darko is just going through what Mehmet (Okur) went through last year," said Tayshaun Prince. "It's funny because the first couple of plays in practice, Mehmet was laughing because he could remember himself doing the same thing last year that Darko did.