Former Fab Fiver Juwan Howard will not be returning to Michigan to play for the Pistons.

"It doesn't look good for us," Pistons President Joe Dumars said Sunday.

Howard is expected to sign a multiyear deal with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. He is expected to get a six-year deal starting with the mid-level exception ($4.9 million). The total package would pay him $36.75 million.

"This is not devastating to us in the least," said John Hammond, the Pistons' vice president of basketball. "We have the rest of the summer to add pieces to a team that won 50 games and went to the Eastern Co.ference finals last year. Once we re-sign Rip (Richard Hamilton), we will have our nucleus back from a very good and still very young team. There's hardly any need to panic."

The Pistons, though pretty much out of the mix for any elite free agents, might split the $4.9 million exception to land two second-tier free agents.

Hammond said they are looking to get a big man, specifically a solid post defender and rebounder, and another perimeter player.