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But it's not a place he's looking to abandon. He agreed to a four-year, $28 million deal rather than go home to play for one of the teams in Los Angeles — or someplace else. "I am not the type of person who will run away when something is not good," said Prince, a 10-year NBA veteran who turns 32 this month. "Things are not looking too well with what has happened the last few years, and I read all those articles that said I was not going to be here. "It crossed my mind, but at the same time, from Day 1, this has had special memories and has been a special place." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Tayshaun Prince 

Vincent Goodwill: When I talked to Ben Wallace earlier, he said he thought Chauncey wouldn't end his career this way. He said they would talk tonight. Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Ben Wallace 

Walker Russell Jr.'s agent told the HoopsHype basketball website today that the Detroit Pistons intend to keep his client for the rest of the season. Although the Pistons have made no such announcement, that decision would come as little surprise, given Russell's success since his D-League call-up. Friday is the deadline for teams to guarantee contracts of players who are on non-guaranteed deals. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Walker Russell 

Giovanni Funiciello, Russell's agent, told HoopsHype that the Pistons have made a decision to keep his client, too. Russell later thanked the Pistons, via the Twitter social-media website, for making him a “Piston for the rest of the season.” Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Walker Russell 

Postgame meals in the Pistons' locker room when the team is on road are a personal trainer's nightmare. Fried chicken strips, pizzas and french fries are just a few of the calorie-filled snacks players gorge on well past recommended dining hours. Jason Maxiell tries to eat healthy, and he credits his fitness coming into training camp as the reason Pistons coach Lawrence Frank routinely calls him "one our most consistent players all season." "That's a setup, right there -- can't do that," Maxiell said Tuesday of the late-night smorgasbord. "At times when you really want to splurge for yourself on a nice little meal, you got to watch your intake." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Jason Maxiell 

But Maxiell, who is listed at 260 pounds, entered training camp 20 pounds lighter than in previous years, and Frank has noticed Maxiell's improvement through the season. "It just talks about his commitment," Frank said. "Max has made as much progress as any player from the start of training camp until now. It's the work he's put in, not just in the off-season, but from the time training camp started." Maxiell, who averages 5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game, provides interior scoring and offensive rebounding alongside standout center Greg Monroe. "The minutes are the minutes," Maxiell said. "No matter when they come -- starting or off the bench -- I have to provide energy, and that's what I'm trying to do." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Jason Maxiell 

He vows, however, this team will win again — under his watch. "You can never be in a position to say what if I did this or did that after the fact because you will always second-guess yourself," Prince said. "Now that I find myself in this position, the most important thing is to find a way to get ourselves out of it. "Did I expect to struggle early? No question. We have a new coaching staff and we have people playing bigger roles. Yeah, I understand that but I never thought we would be playing so up and down during the first 20 something games. That is the part that is so disappointing to me. I expected to build off the last couple of years and move forward." Detroit News

Detroit Pistons, Tayshaun Prince 

Larry Bird on the NBA becoming less physical due to new rules: "They needed to put a stop to a lot of it. In the '80s, when I played, there were a lot of cheap shots. If you go back and watch the Pistons... Scotty [Pippen] getting pounded... a lot of it happened after the whistle. ... Guys where getting hurt, and it takes a toll on your body. They had to clean it up some, but they've taken it too far, especially with the flagrant fouls and stuff." ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Larry Bird, Referees 

Larry Bird on his -- and the Celtics' -- ongoing feud with the Detroit Pistons' Bill Lambeer, on and off the court: "It's because he was a dirty player. He had to do what he had to do, I understand that, but -- like Ricky Mahorn, he'd hit you and all that... but he didn't try to maim you. Bill tried to hurt you. He was one of them guys who, you'd shoot a jumper and he'd slide his foot under your ankle so you'd twist your ankle. That's why Parish always went down. If you watch any of our old games, Parish was always twisting his ankle against the Pistons." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Larry Bird, Bill Laimbeer 

Jorge Sierra: The Detroit Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funiciello tells HoopsHype. Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Walker Russell 

Jonas Jerebko: wishing chauncey a healthy and quick recovery from his achilles injury. i been thru it but i know he will be back 110% Twitter

Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Chauncey Billups, Injuries, Jonas Jerebko 

Monty Williams has sent to the NBA film of the foul in the Hornets’ game against Detroit that sent forward Jason Smith to the injured list. Williams believes Pistons center Greg Monroe, a New Orleans native, should be suspended for flagrantly tossing Smith into another player, giving the Hornets’ energetic forward a concussion in the process. Smith will not play in tonight’s home game against Sacramento (8-15). “I believe the NBA needs to look at that play and maybe suspend Monroe because it was a violent play that should have been penalized and the refs didn’t catch it,” Williams said. “I think that’s one of the things they have to look at on film because that can’t happen. Those kinds of plays can cause fights in the game.” WWLTV.com

Detroit Pistons, Greg Monroe 

To them, he preaches that it's more fun to lose yourself in the camaraderie of winning than to lose and have big numbers. As an example of that mind-set, Perkins put it like this: "Can you name me five players off the 2004 All-Star team?" The reporter scratched his head. "Can you name me who won the championship in 2004?" Detroit, the reporter answered. "My point exactly." Los Angeles Times

Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kendrick Perkins 

Brandon Knight suffered a broken nose when the Detroit Pistons rookie took an elbow from former Piston DaJuan Summers, of the New Orleans Hornets, midway through the first quarter of tonight's game. Knight's return is doubtful, according to Pistons public relations. Knight was underneath the basket defensively, awaiting a possible rebound, when he got caught by the errant elbow. Knight retreated to the baseline, then went down to in front of the Hornets' bench, with 6:51 left in the first quarter and the Pistons leading 11-8. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Injuries, Brandon Knight 

Villanueva was asked if he feels he could play in a pinch and said he didn’t think so. “I tried to do some stuff out there with Arnie and it just didn’t feel good out there,” Villaneuva said. “I didn’t feel comfortable out there. I’m still young. I still got a lot of basketball left to be playing. I just want to take care of this situation and move forward.” Villanueva feels he’s made progress and is no longer wearing the boot 24 hours a day like he did during the Pistons recent road trip. “I just try to stay off it as much as possible,” Villanueva said. “Just during the game is the times you don’t see me with a boot. Throughout the whole day I’ll be on a boot. The time the team was on that road trip, the four or five-game road trip, I was on a boot 24 hours. It’s definitely calmed down a bit. It feels a lot better, hopefully I’ll keep making progress.” Oakland Press

Detroit Pistons, Charlie Villanueva, Injuries 

Walker D. Russell Jr., a 29-year-old rookie who has seen plenty of career crossroads, faces another next week. At the very least, he has caused the Detroit Pistons to pause and think. At issue is next week's Feb. 10 deadline for NBA teams to release players with non-guaranteed contracts, like Russell, or guarantee their contracts for the rest of the season. Russell, whose father was a Piston, took a long road to get here on a Jan. 20 call-up from the D-League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and he doesn't want to leave now. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Walker Russell 

"Man, one day at a time," Russell said about the looming deadline, before Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. "I haven't really worried about it. It is in the back of my head. Who wouldn't be thinking about it? But at the same time, I've been taking it one day at a time and, hopefully, I can keep playing good and I can be a Piston for the rest of the year." Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Walker Russell 

What's going to happen with you next season? Kyle Singler: I have not decided. I have not made up my mind yet. I can stay for another year or I can go back. I really don't know. I'm not leaning one way or the other. I'm concentrated and focused on playing here right now and winning basketball games. What would be a successful year for you with Real Madrid? KS: Just being a solid defender. Scoring when I get the opportunity. Mainly just helping my team win. I've always been the type of player that puts the team first. If we win championships, I'll be happy regardless. HoopsHype

Detroit Pistons, Real Madrid, Kyle Singler 

The Detroit Pistons announced tonight that -- after "repeated imaging studies as well as multiple consultations from foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons" -- forward Charlie Villanueva’s right ankle soreness can be attributed to a "resolving posterior tibial tenosynovitis with small talotibal spurs." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Charlie Villanueva, Injuries 

Team president Joe Dumars long enjoyed the support of the Davidson family, and he remains an icon of the franchise. But with new owner Tom Gores, whose influence was exerted early with the hiring of Frank over Dumars' preference, Mike Woodson, Joe D. is in a tough spot. CBSSports.com

Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars, Tom Gores