"Whether the NBA lockout ends sooner or later, the Pistons are one of several teams with crucial decisions to make.

One could argue the lockout has been a little harder on them than most.

So whenever the locks are removed from the practice facility in Auburn Hills, a few things likely will be addressed:

Who are the guards?

Seems like this has been a top concern since 2009-10.

Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon and Will Bynum already made for a crowded backcourt, but the Pistons couldn't — and didn't — pass on Brandon Knight in the draft.

They've already tried meshing Gordon and Hamilton — and that didn't work.

Depending on the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, releasing Gordon or Hamilton could be an option for salary-cap relief. Gordon has three years and $37.2 million remaining on his contract, while Hamilton has two years and $21 million guaranteed.

One would think Gordon is capable of breaking out of his two-year slump, but his contract is more expensive. And he was nowhere near the distraction Hamilton proved to be the past two seasons."