HoopsHype.com Rumors

Andre Drummond, the Detroit Pistons' explosive rookie center, could miss four to six weeks with a stress fracture in his back, a league source told Yahoo! Sports on Friday. Drummond, 19, hurt his back attempting to block a shot in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. "He will be fine," a league source said on Friday. "He needs rest." Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Andre Drummond 

Drummond suffered the injury during the Pistons loss to the Lakers on Feb. 3. Drummond attempted to play in games on Monday and Wednesday, but left both games early due to pain. The injury does not require surgery and will get better with rest. “He’ll heal,” Pistons team physican Ben Paolucci said. “He should have no residual, in other words, he’s not going to have anything lasting.” The Oakland Press

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Andre Drummond 

The MRI also discovered another possible injury, but Paolucci said it was minor. “It looks like he may have had a minor injury on the other side, on the same disc,” Paolucci said. “It doesn’t change the treatment, doesn’t change ... his recovery.” The Oakland Press

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Andre Drummond 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Detroit rookie center Andre Drummond will be sidelined for "a few weeks" with a bruised back, league source tells Y! Sports. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Andre Drummond 

David Mayo: #Pistons Andre Drummond out with back injury, source says no timetable for his return, team's formal announcement coming shortly. Twitter @David_Mayo

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Andre Drummond 

Rosters set for Rising Stars Team Shaq: Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Andre Drummond, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Chandler Parsons, Dion Waiters, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tyler Zeller, Kemba Walker. Team Chuck: Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Ricky Rubio, Tristan Thompson, Nikola Vucevic, Brandon Knight, Isaiah Thomas, Alexy Shved. Sulia

Ricky Rubio, Harrison Barnes, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas, Klay Thompson, Nikola Vucevic, Kenneth Faried, Anthony Davis, Tristan Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Tyler Zeller, Bradley Beal, Brandon Knight, Chandler Parsons, Andre Drummond, Damian Lillard, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dion Waiters, All Star Game 

The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge -- televised live nationally on TNT at 9 p.m. ET and broadcast live on ESPN Radio, with live audio also available on NBA.com in multiple languages -- features two teams each consisting of nine rookies and sophomores mixed together, drafted from a pool selected by the NBA's assistant coaches. Joining Irving from the Sophomore class are: Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic), and Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats). Davis and Lillard lead a group of rookies that includes Harrison Barnes (Warriors) Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Bobcats), Alexey Shved (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dion Waiters (Cavaliers), and Tyler Zeller (Cavaliers). Oregonian

Harrison Barnes, Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, Nikola Vucevic, Kenneth Faried, Tristan Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Tyler Zeller, Bradley Beal, Brandon Knight, Chandler Parsons, Andre Drummond, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dion Waiters, Alexey Shved, All Star Game 

Vincent Goodwill: Drummond on the hack-a-dre: "Jason Terry walked up to me and said, 'I'm about to foul you'. I'm like 'No you're not' but he grabbed me." Twitter @vgoodwill

Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Jason Terry, Andre Drummond 

Shams Charania: Lawrence Frank continues to bring tantalizing rookie Andre Drummond off bench. Privately, Pistons management itching for Drummond to start. Twitter @ShamsCharania

Detroit Pistons, Lawrence Frank, Andre Drummond 

Still, when asked to compare Drummond's advancement to the Raptors' 20-year-old center, Jonas Valanciunas, Frank said there are elements that have gone into the Pistons' decisions on their young center's playing time and groupings. "When we don't play Andre 18 minutes, the reporters (who cover the Pistons regularly) have pictures of me up all around town -- and the fans, too," said Frank, who used that benchmark because Valanciunas played 18 minutes in the Raptors win Tuesday at Cleveland. "But the thing is, there are certain things that we're privy to things that maybe the general public isn't. "There's a lot of things we see and understand the big picture. Not that there's a right way or wrong way, but it's the way we choose it. Plus, there are other guys who may also be doing their jobs as well." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Andre Drummond 

Pistons fans won't be pleased by that but Frank did not deviate from the exact same message he sent last month when pressed on Drummond's playing time, when he answered that the commitment is to try to win games and develop players simultaneously, not just to throw the season into young players' hands prematurely. "I think when Andre plays with the effort and energy that he's capable of doing, similar to what we saw two nights ago, he's a game-changer," Frank said. "He brings length and athleticism and size that we don't have on our roster. "That being said, he's going to make, like every young player, his share of mistakes. But the way you overcome it is with your effort and energy." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Andre Drummond 

Frank didn't intend that as a direct criticisum of Drummond, only that he is wary of playing him too much too quickly, particularly if it comes at the expense of Jason Maxiell's playing time. "We don't get caught up into the numbers because there's a whole lot more that goes into the game than just the numbers," Frank said. "But I think Andre has done very, very well. We're very, very happy with his progress. And we obviously think the best is yet to come. He's got a whole lot more to his game." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Andre Drummond 

In person, Drummond looks the part of an NBA center and it is hard not to be impressed, something that is not lost on his new teammates. “He definitely has the tools to be a really good big man,” Greg Monroe said. “As far as the mental part of the game, he has a ways to go, but as far as the physical skills, he is one of those guys who, any ceiling he reaches, you won’t be surprised because of the physical tools he is blessed with.” HoopsWorld

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

It’s not just the 48 minutes of game time that can be overwhelming to young players – and Drummond isn’t just a rookie, he’s a rookie who just turned 19 less than a month ago – it’s the entirety of the NBA experience, complete with an 82-game schedule and an arduous travel itinerary. “He has no idea,” Maxiell said. “Not at all. He’s going to start to find out in training camp. I tried to take it to him in Summer League practices. He asked questions and wanted to figure out things. It’s going to be fast. There are things he has to get used to. He’ll start to get there in training camp.” NBA.com

Jason Maxiell, Andre Drummond, Training Camp 

Greg Monroe told Pistons.com that rookie Andre Drummond was a "beast on the boards" during a recent camp in Las Vegas. Drummond, who turned 19 this month, wouldn't go that far, but he appreciated the compliment. But Drummond did say attending longtime NBA assistant Tim Grgurich's camp was time well spent. "There was nobody in the gym; it was just us playing basketball, and it was great," Drummond said. "I was just trying to get better as a player. I wasn't trying to do anything to crazy. "I was just trying to get out there to work on things I need to work on to become a better player." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

But don't take his word for it. Listen to the players themselves, who told their own version of events on Twitter after Gaskins spoke. Young Sun Kendall Marshall said "I'm turnin my playa card in." Blazer top pick Damian Lillard declared: "This man @TonyGaskins is too real. Y'all need to get up on him. He just changed my life. #realrap" Harrison Barnes, Darius Johnson-Odom, Draymond Green, Jared Sullinger, Andre Drummond and Quincy Acy all tweeted similarly. ESPN.com

Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Andre Drummond, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Kendall Marshall, Darius Johnson-Odom, Quincy Acy, Tony Gaskins 

There is excitement surrounding the Pistons' first-round pick, and there is hope the team found a franchise center with the ninth pick of the 2012 draft. But he won't turn 19 until August, so expectations shouldn't be through the roof this early in his development. Monroe, who wrestled with him in the post during practices, said he likes what he sees so far. "He's a Brahma bull down there," Monroe said. "What you see is what you get. He's definitely strong. He's hard to move. He's athletic. All the assumptions about him have been true so far." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

Greg Monroe: Welcome to the NBA young fella...lol @dre_drummond http://instagr.am/p/MyDfUvjYK7/ Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond 

Chad Ford: Rockets tried to get Raptors '12 pick for Lowry. Wanted either Andre Drummond or Austin Rivers. Future 1st likely comes in weaker '13 Draft Twitter

Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Trade, Kyle Lowry, Austin Rivers, Andre Drummond 

They will leave the door open for Ben Wallace to return for another season, in the hope he can serve as a mentor to Drummond, along with Greg Monroe and assistant coach Roy Rogers. Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Free Agency, Greg Monroe, Ben Wallace, Roy Rogers, Andre Drummond