The Raptors were interested in Detroit's John Hammond before they hired Babcock, or at least pretended to be. They told him he was a leading candidate, then interviewed a series of candidates with far fewer credentials than Hammond.

It was an insulting thing to do to a guy who had helped build the 2004 Pistons championship team.

But that's not the only reason Hammond politely will decline any overtures from the Raptors. First, he's extremely happy and secure. Second, the Raptors are always going to be the "B" franchise to the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

If Hammond is ever to move, and he does deserve a shot to run his own team, it will be to a place where he will have a fair chance to succeed.

Free-agent point guard Chucky Atkins cleared waivers last Friday but whether he joins the Grizzlies isn't a scenario that is as cut and dry, according to a Washington Post report.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Griz were in a holding pattern. They were circling the land of free agency, waiting to see if they could land Atkins for help at point guard.

That's because a source told the newspaper where Atkins last played (the Washington Wizards agreed to buy out his contract and waive him) that Atkins is waiting to see if Detroit is an option.

The Grizzlies remain interested but Atkins can go anywhere he chooses now that no team has claimed him off waivers. It still is possible that the seven-year veteran signs with the Griz as soon as today.

Atkins' agent, Andy Miller, told The Commercial Appeal last Thursday that Memphis "is under serious consideration."

Still, Atkins apparently wants to wait to see if the Pistons would create room for him. He spent four seasons with the Pistons and was popular in Detroit, where he could join a championship-caliber team.

Detroit Pistons head coach Flip Saunders will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars for the 2006 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX.

Saunders and the Pistons? (31-5, .861) coaching staff earned the honor to coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars as a result of Detroit?s 117-89 defeat this evening of the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland?s (20-16, .556) 90-89 loss to the Denver Nuggets, clinching the best possible winning percentage in the Eastern Conference through games of Feb. 5, 2006.

Head coaches for the East and West All-Star teams are based on teams with the best winning percentage in each conference following the Sunday games (Feb. 5) played two weeks prior to the All-Star Game.

After the Pistons beat the Spurs on Thursday, Flip Saunders said he would consider using Tayshaun Prince as a backup point guard more often.

"You never know," he said. "He causes matchup problems."

Prince was forced into backup point guard duty by the suspension served by Carlos Arroyo, and he handled the position well.

Saunders said he was not ready to alter his rotation at this point in the season, thus Arroyo was back in his normal spot Saturday. But here is something to think about.

Lindsey Hunter, out all year after ankle surgery, will return soon. Hunter said before the game he was still at least a week away.

"Joe (Dumars) has been monitoring me," Hunter said. "He just doesn't want me to rush it and take any unnecessary chances."/

Detroit Pistons guard Carlos Arroyo has been suspended one  game without pay for making physical contact with a game official, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 7:43 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Pistons 96-86 road victory over the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets at Ford  Center in Oklahoma  City. Arroyo will serve his suspension Thursday night when the Pistons visit the San Antonio Spurs.

There are two Pistons' names that come up most frequently in Internet trade rumors -- Darko Milicic and Carlos Arroyo . The Pistons have gotten calls on the former, none on the latter, and plan on moving neither.

"We're getting calls, but not on any particular player," said John Hammond , Pistons vice president of basketball. "The player we get the most calls on is Darko. But we are in a position where, I wouldn't say we were hesitant to make any deals, but we have a pretty good thing going on. To pull the trigger on a trade right now would be tough to do."

Especially since, Hammond said, the Pistons have made it clear they weren't moving any of their core players.

Arroyo, for his part, isn't overly thrilled with his role, but doesn't want to be traded, either.

"Winning championships is the No. 1 priority for everyone," he said, when asked if he preferred playing a limited role for the Pistons over a larger role on a non-contender. "For me to be on a great team that has a chance to go to the Finals, it's a blessing."

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thinks the league's officials might be giving the Pistons and Spurs too much leeway during games, perhaps in deference to their reputations as tough, defensive teams.

"What I don't understand is how the two most aggressive defensive teams in the league are Detroit and San Antonio," Cuban told the Dallas Morning News, "yet they've had the fewest fouls called against them. How does that happen? I don't understand it."

The Pistons are being whistled for an average of 19.57 fouls a game, the lowest in the league. San Antonio is next at 21. Cuban's team picks up 23.7 fouls per game.

"Yeah, well, the two most aggressive teams have the best records, too," Ben Wallace said. "That's not a coincidence. We play aggressive defense all the time. They (Mavericks) mostly try to outscore teams."

Richard Hamilton caught a pass, missed a 3-pointer and was fouled - by a coach.

Hamilton was credited with the basket because Seattle coach Bob Hill interfered with him in what became a four-point possession, helping the Detroit Pistons pull away late in the fourth quarter of a 97-85 win over the SuperSonics on Friday night.

"I didn't think he fouled me, but I'll take it," Hamilton said. "It was a major play."

When Hamilton received a pass in front of Seattle's bench, Hill had both feet on the court. Hill tried to get out of the way, but as Hamilton jumped to shoot a 3-pointer, the coach's leg appeared to bump the player.

Official Bob Delaney ruled that the 3-pointer was good because Hill interfered with the shot, which drew an automatic technical foul. Hill tore off his jacket in protest and stomped on the sideline.

"At first, they said I touched him and then they said I changed the shot," Hill said. "I didn't touch him. I might have been on the floor, but coaches do that. I asked if they were going to give them the ball, too, but they said we could keep it. That was nice of them.

"They certainly got some momentum from it. I'm afraid to say anything else, but I didn't understand the call."