The question is still out there since they don't say anything publicly and we are left to speculate at this point. The way it looks is that Flip doesn't trust Amir to do anything right on the court and that Joe backed off from hands on approach as he does every year. Mind, that we've been complaining about the lack of playing time for Amir throughout the season - during the good and bad times.

Darko didn't play much with us in his 3rd year and then we traded him during the year.

We shall see.

I sure hope that's not the case. We know that Sheed and Dyess are going to decline from here and the team will be left without the frontcourt.

Here's another view of Amir:

Who Doesn't Fit Among Detroit's Sports Geniuses: Holland, Dumars, Dombrowski or Millen? - Bleacher Report

Compare AJ to AA who every knows is a gym rat. He works his tail off and his minutes were cut when Stuckey was activated. AA though, still works his tail off.

If you research about Stuckey you will find out that he also is a hard worker.

Now take Maxey. - With two years experience he volunteered, yes volunteered to play in the summer league this last summer. Lost weight again this last summer. Works hard in games and in practice. So now he is getting more minutes.

All three of those guys are talented but the evidence is clear that they are also very hard workers.

AJ on the other hand didn't reach a contractual agreement with the Pistons this summer until the summer league was almost over and got into only game. If he really wanted to play rather than just the money he would have made sure that a contract was signed before the summer league started.

Other than AJ saying he has to work, I have never read anything written about him to say that he is a hard worker. Now that doesn't mean that he isn't a hard worker. However, it seems to me that if a player is a hard worker, somewhere you are going to read about it.

It would be great if you could post an article where someone besides AJ himself says that he is a hard worker.

So just maybe AJ isn't such a hard worker especially since he now has a $10 million plus contract at only 20 years of age. That is maybe why he doesn't play except in garbage time. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that a coach didn't play someone because the player wasn't putting out the expected effort.

Only time will tell.

Buddah - Langlois says so here - the January 3 one, I think.

Yeah, it's been written a couple of times before that AJ is a gym rat, and he works on his game lots and lots. It's been a while ago, so it's difficult to find links to what was actually written.

Being a gym rat is not the only thing that helps you. You also have to be mature and treat basketball like a job. Over sleeping and being late to team meetings or practice is not going to go over well with your head coach. Missing the team plane for a road trip regardless of the excuse is unacceptable. Sometimes immaturity gets in the way of development. I think the money has gone to AJ head a little, but I think he will be okay. He is only 20 years old hopefully one of the older guy's on the team will rub off on him.

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Flip is history!!! Eureka!!!

Knowing Pistons it will be Sheed rubbing off on Amir.

I agree. I can't remember the source anymore, but I remember it being said that Amir gets to the gym very early in the morning indeed.