Detroit Pistons guards Brandon Jennings and Jodie Meeks are reportedly going to be temporarily relegated to the franchise's D-League squad, the Grand Rapids Drive, as team officials aim to finally complete the rehabilitation of both players.

ESPN reported the said option as head coach Stan Van Gundy wants to give his two veteran players enough time to play full-contact basketball on the court before receiving them back in the Pistons' lineup.

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"I think it helps with the conditioning because the only way to get in basketball shape is to play basketball," said the 56-year-old coach, as per Michigan Live.

Van Gundy explained that since the team is already in the middle of the season, their "practice time is limited" and "practice time isn't that long" to conserve the players' stamina in actual games.

The only way that Jennings and Meeks can cope up to get their conditioning back is to play longer stretches in real game scenarios. A temporary D-League stint is the solution Van Gundy is considering at the moment.

However, since both are already established NBA players, the coach is hesitating to push through out of respect for his veterans.

"Your chance to go get 35 minutes a game, and really get your conditioning back, would be to do something like that (play in the D-League). But again, our guys are a little different because they're veteran guys. It would have to be something they're willing to do and we haven't broached that subject yet," Van Gundy disclosed.

The two backcourt men are expected to make their season debuts sometime next month and it is just wise that Van Gundy would want to give them enough real basketball minutes before they subject their bodies to the grueling NBA schedule and be at risk of re-injury.

Jennings is coming off surgery from a ruptured left Achilles tendon he suffered in January of this year while Meeks had also undergone operation to repair a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

TagsNBA rumors, NBA Rumors 2015, Detroit Pistons rumors, detroit pistons, Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks