Acker's goal remains a return to Pistons

When Alex Acker took the Pistons’ advice and went to Europe after his rookie season of 2005-06, he thought it was a one-year deal. But when Joe Dumars drafted Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo a year ago, it turned into a two-year odyssey. The Pistons’ backcourt isn’t any less crowded today, but Acker’s intention is to go to camp with the Pistons in October and give the NBA his best shot.

But the best chance to make his case is unfolding without him. On the advice of his agent, Acker decided to pull out of the Las Vegas Summer League to let the right knee he first injured in June 2007 while playing in Greece fully recover.

“I’m able to play right now, but my agent told me to relax and take it day by day,” Acker said Saturday after arriving in Las Vegas to watch the Pistons practice. “There’s a little inflammation in my knee and I’m waiting until that does down, get the right therapy and treatment, and once that goes down I’ll be ready to go.”

Acker intends to come to Auburn Hills in August when first-year head coach Michael Curry runs three weeks of voluntary workouts. That now becomes Acker’s opportunity to impress Dumars and Curry enough for them to commit one of their 15 roster spots to the No. 60 pick in the 2005 draft out of Pepperdine.

Acker stuck with the Pistons that rookie season partly because he proved versatile enough to play both guard positions. Unless Dumars pulls off a trade that eases backcourt congestion, the Pistons will go to camp with Chauncey Billups and Stuckey at point guard and Rip Hamilton and Afflalo at shooting guard. Beyond that, it’s looking more likely than not that Lindsey Hunter will return for one more season. And free agent Will Bynum has been impressive enough in Las Vegas that the Pistons might consider signing him – or, if he’s still unsigned through the summer, bringing him to camp for a shot at making the team.

“Every time you have an injury, it’s a setback,” Curry said after Saturday’s practice. “As far as him having a chance to come in and compete, you don’t have a lot of spots. The roster stuff, that will be determined by Joe Dumars. He’ll figure out who’s ready right now and who’s better fitted to continue playing overseas.”

Acker is a restricted free agent, but it’s unlikely another team would sign him to an offer sheet given his injury status. If the Pistons don’t bring Acker to camp, he said he would most likely return to Europe to again play for Barcelona, which signed him last summer and then reneged on its original contract when Acker showed up with the knee injury. If Acker does return to Europe, the Pistons would still retain his NBA rights.

“It was shocking,” Acker said. “They knew my situation at the time and then when I got there, they played like they were unaware of what was going on. That’s why I had to sign another contract with them.”

Acker said his two years abroad have matured him and given him the invaluable experience of playing before hostile crowds and against the best competition available outside of the NBA.

“My confidence has always been there, but it was a chance to mature,” he said. “I just wanted to get that experience of being on the court and playing with some guys that were known. Overseas, it was a big advantage playing there. That’s the next step to the NBA and once I accomplished that goal, I feel I was able to play at the next level.”

Acker is fully aware there aren’t apparent openings with the Pistons and knows competition for playing time will be a never-ending challenge for him.

“In the NBA, you can be fighting every day for minutes, no matter who it is,” he said. “I completely understand that now. My rookie year, I was kind of blessed and happy to be on the team. This year, I’m coming with a whole new attitude.”

As soon as his knee lets him.

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