Drummond predicts big things out of Pistons' Miller

Andre Drummond gave the media a report on Detroit Pistons small forward Quincy Miller earlier this week.

And the Pistons third-year center was happy to report that things are looking up for the prospect the organization took a flyer on shortly after this past season's trade deadline.

He made his comments after being asked about teammates Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

"He put on 16 pounds of muscle," Drummond said of Miller at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Tuesday evening. "The kid looks so good. He's going to be a big part of our team, too."

That will be good news for fans if the slender 6-foot-9 prospect could help adjust the Pistons' line of thinking this off-season. If the Pistons deem Miller worthy of a roster spot, it could slightly affect plans for the upcoming draft and free agency.

Miller, 22, was one of the top high school players in the class of 2011 at Westchester Country Day School (N.C.), but suffered a torn ACL his senior season.

Miller likes the Pistons a lot

It still affected him his one season at Baylor, but he still declared for the 2012 draft, where he was selected in the second round by Denver Nuggets.

He has played mostly in the D-League, but had a stint with the Sacramento Kings last year.

The Pistons signed him to a 10-day contract after the trade deadline this past season and, after a stint with the D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids, he was signed to a second 10-day deal. He was later signed for a partially guaranteed deal that will carry him through training camp for next season.

The Pistons saw enough to keep around and work on his development. He is tasked with adding strength and working on his overall skill level. He will be on the Pistons' summer-league team that will play in Orlando next month.

"He's playing really well," Drummond said. "He's just been in the gym each and every day, taking his workout seriously, eating well. He's not really slacking off. The coaching staff's excited. I talked to all the weight coaches about him today and they say he comes in here with the mind-set he wants to be a part of this team and really wants to work."

Contact Vince Ellis: vellis@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @vincent_ellis56.