Heading into the offseason, the Pistons are in desperate need of a big man.

Nets center Brook Lopez dominated the Pistons en route to the team's ninth win of the season on Friday night. Lopez had 37 points and 10 rebounds.

"That's just the makeup of this team," coach John Kuester said.

"Going into the season, I felt this way -- we're going to have to drive and kick and get shots, and most of our points in the paint were going to be through slashing to the basket and driving to the hole, as opposed to having somebody who can dominate inside."

Detroit has a lot of offensive ability on the perimeter, but no big man to help make scoring easier.

"One of the things when you have a guy that can consistently score down low," said Kuester, "it does open up your perimeter game."

Pistons coach John Kuester believes that Chuck Atkins will make a great coach one day, but the guard isn't ready to retire.

"Coaching is something I never really thought about," Atkins said. "I think that's mostly put on me, so I don't really know if I want to go into coaching or not. If the right situation arises, then I think I would do it, but right now I still think I can play a couple of more years."

Atkins signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Pistons prior to the 2009-10 season and was hoping to catch on after being stricken with various leg injuries.

"I didn't know if I could play again," Atkins said. "I was given the opportunity by Kuester and Joe Dumars to come in and see what I could do."

Billy Hunter, director of the NBA Players' Association, was at the Pistons' practice facility Wednesday, updating players on the status of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

"The players are concerned there may be a work stoppage," Hunter said. "That's the last thing they want to see. There may be teams that are struggling in smaller markets. It may be something they can't recover from."

The players are against a hard salary cap.

"We're not at all open to a hard salary cap and we've conveyed that," Hunter said.

Jason Maxiell, the Pistons' player representative, said players are beginning to take precautions with a lockout looming.

"Mainly save your funds, knowing it could be like 1998 (the last NBA lockout)," Maxiell said. "It was tough for (the players) then, and it could be tough for us. As a player you have to be prepared for it."

Detroit head coach John Kuester believes the Nets are much better than their record indicates.

"I've watched a number of their games and they've played extremely well; it's like most teams bring their 'A' games against them," Kuester said. "It's never as bad as it seems or as good as it seems. Every team has issues. They played hard against us the first three games (all Pistons victories) and we've had to play well (to beat them)."

The Pistons have been linked to Carlos Boozer due to the forward's uncertain future in Utah, but it won't be easy for Detroit to acquire the big man.

Detroit won't have the cap room to sign Boozer outright, making a sign-and-trade the most likely option.

Such a deal would work for both parties, with the Pistons landing Boozer despite a lack of cap room and the Jazz getting something in return for the forward as opposed to him simply leaving via free agency.

However, the Detroit Free Press points out that the Pistons may not have the players to interest the Jazz.

Austin Day's ability to get stronger will be a crucial determining factor in the kind of player he becomes.

?Austin?s strength and conditioning will dictate his progress,? Pistons president Joe Dumars told Pistons.com last week. ?Austin has an exceptional basketball IQ. Austin has definite NBA skill -- surely offensively. I think he has length, that he can be an adequate defender. But all of those things are dependent on his conditioning and his strength.?

Head coach John Kuester agreed.

?He's somebody that cannot just sit back and think that his improvement as a basketball player is going to be only on the basketball court,? Kuester said. ?He has to work off the court as well, and that's one of the things I think he's really done.?

The Pistons have had Daye working out with Ben Wallace.

Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey could return to practice as soon as Thursday, according to head coach John Kuester.

Kuester said Monday night that Stuckey is doing great 10 days after he left the arena on a stretcher after collapsing during a loss at Cleveland.

Stuckey has now missed Detroit's last five games.

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince left the team's loss to the Celtics on Monday night after colliding with teammate Jason Maxiell.

He didn't return after appearing to take a knee in the back from Maxiell as the pair chased a rebound.

After laying on the court for a considerable amount of time, Prince was helped off the floor.

Prince has already missed a team-high 32 games due to injury this season.

Will Bynum dished 20 assists on Friday night as the Pistons defeated the Wizards 101-87 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Bynum had eight assists in the first quarter and decided that he was going to try to make the history books.

"At the end of the first quarter, I thought I had a chance to get Kevin Porter's [team] record of 25, but I don't think the coach and I had the same mindset," Bynum said after the game.

His 20 assists were the most by a Piston since Isiah Thomas had 21 against Washington on April 12, 1985.

"That means a lot to me," said Bynum. "I grew up watching Isiah play, and to do something that he did is huge."

Bynum saw increased minutes with Rodney Stuckey out.

Detroit mayor Dave Bing wants the Pistons to move back downtown.

"I think we can get the Pistons downtown," Bing said Thursday, according to the Detroit Free-Press.

Bing has referenced a new arena that could be home for the Pistons and the NHL's Red Wings.

The Pistons currently play at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the suburbs of Detroit.