Ann Arbor — In the Pistons’ locker room, the veterans value their space, often taking two lockers to store their extra clothes and gear.
Not far from Blake Griffin’s and Andre Drummond’s is rookie Zach Lofton’s locker.
The placement is by design, to give the young player some veterans to guide and mentor him. It’s an extra lifeline to make sure that Lofton, 25, doesn’t fall through the cracks or potentially give in to the temptations off the court that can derail the talent that Lofton flashes when he has the ball in his hands.