DALLAS -- Here are five observations of the Detroit Pistons from their exhibition game against the Mavericks last Thursday:

	Richard Hamilton will want big bucks just like Jerry Stackhouse.

1. The initial quarrel here with the Jerry Stackhouse-for-Richard Hamilton swap is that Hamilton has only one season left on his rookie contract and will want a big contract as much as Stackhouse would have wanted had Stack stayed. Won't you, Rip? "I don't think it's going to be an issue," said Pistons president Joe Dumars, who says he's confident he can retain Hamilton -- but not at the expense of adding a more accomplished star. Hamilton, meanwhile, admits that the trade "still shocked me" even though he had fair warning something was up. As for the inevitable comparisons to Stackhouse, it's a good sign for Detroit that Hamilton is willing to joke about it. Asked if he gets 50 such questions a day, Hamilton quipped: "More like a thousand. Everybody's got their opinion. But being in the limelight and playing in a role like that, it's not a major adjustment for me. I'm ready. But we're totally different players. I'm not going to try to do the things he did."

2. Like Sacramento or Dallas, Detroit loves its foreigners and has a new one: Mehmet Okur. The 7-foot Turk was drafted 38th overall in 2001, the draft that was supposed to belong to the since-exiled Rodney White. Okur hasn't put it all together on a nightly basis, but he has shooting range, an inside touch and a nose for shot-blocking. "He hasn't really shown a weakness yet," Dumars said. Adds Jon Barry: "Everyone says he's going to be a good player. But he's good right now." The long-limbed Tayshaun Prince is another camp smash who has played his way into minutes. Coach Rick Carlisle has plenty to juggle.

3. It's hard not to like Chauncey Billups when he's playing against Dallas; it's rare that he doesn't singe the Mavs for 25. Forgetting the opponent, Billups looks quietly confident with his new team, in an offense where he'll be asked to shoot from home-run distance as much as he'll be expected to spread the ball around. Chucky Atkins, incidentally, has been the better point guard in camp, but Billups will open the season as the starter, with Atkins and Pepe Sanchez in waiting. Billups and Atkins would also figure to play together some, except that Carlisle has three other guards (Hamilton, Jon Barry and Hubert Davis) to find minutes for. The way Davis can shoot it, he also merits some burn.

4. Kudos to Uncle Cliffy. With Stackhouse gone, Cliff Robinson has to be the veteran example-setter in Detroit. Cliffy duly met with Carlisle and told his coach that he would gladly move to the bench -- where he'll actually be seventh man behind the starters and Corliss Williamson -- to allow Zeljko Rebraca to start at center. The thinking is that Rebraca will be more productive starting games; problem is, Zelly will now be going against first-unit opposing centers.

5. Ben Wallace looks worlds better in an exhibition game than he did on the international stage in Indianapolis. Big men have to be an offensive threat in that kind of game. Back in more familiar surroundings, he was the Wallace we all love to watch: 17 rebounds in 26 minutes against the Mavs, with all of one shot attempted from the floor. "That's what I do," Wallace said with a chuckle. Of course, that's also why Dumars has to be proactive in coming months to turn his draft picks and cap space into a franchise player. Wallace can be an NBA All-Star just doing what he does, but you can't build a team around someone who doesn't score at all.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. E-mail him at marc.stein@espn3.com.