"Unlike many other Pistons, guard Ben Gordon was in a rhythm last year.

The newcomer from Chicago showed early on he was worth the Pistons' commitment, and he helped carry the team in the absences of Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton.

His decisions were decisive, quick. This is a player who committed to Detroit within hours of his visit to the area on the first day of free agency. He liked what he saw, what he heard, and that was that.

Then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, his rhythm disappeared, along with his effectiveness. Due to injuries and other factors, coach John Kuester's playing rotation didn't seem to have any consistency and Gordon was hurt by that more than any other player. He didn't know when he'd be going in, or how long he'd play.

"It was frustrating," Gordon said after a workout at the team's practice facility, his feet soaking in water. "I thought I would find my rhythm and it would carry out. Injuries threw the lineups off and everybody's minutes were changed."

The jumpers stopped falling, and a nagging ankle injury never allowed him to fully get back on track. Many thought it was Hamilton's return, but Gordon had come off the bench in Chicago. Consistent playing time was the issue."