"The NBA regular season kicks off in less than a month, and there are few givens about what the Pistons' roster will look like when they take the court in late December.

The one and only constant from last season is Greg Monroe. The second-year big man out of Georgetown took little time to solidify himself as the key building block for the organization.

After becoming a permanent fixture in the starting lineup in mid-January, Monroe averaged 12.4 points and 9.0 rebounds over the final 45 games.

The Pistons added to their young core, drafting point guard Brandon Knight out of Kentucky. Because of his age, 20, and shortened training camp, Knight's impact is likely to be limited this season.

Detroit has eight other players under contract — Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Will Bynum, Austin Daye, Jason Maxiell, Ben Wallace and Terrico White — and while some are more likely options to stick around than others, it's unfair to guarantee any player from that list will be on the roster opening day.

As for the rest of the current roster, two key things have changed since we last saw the Pistons. First, Tom Gores is in place as the new owner. That means general manager Joe Dumars is no longer handcuffed from making trades.

Second, the Pistons, like every other team in the NBA, will be granted an amnesty clause as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, which gives teams the option to buy out any one contract signed under the previous CBA, erasing its impact from the salary cap.

Multiple reports have indicated the Pistons will refrain from using the amnesty clause this season, a potentially savvy move to see how each player meshes with new coach Lawrence Frank, or what the trade market will bear for Detroit's players."