Nothing beats a little healthy competition, and the Detroit Pistons are doing their best to instill this mindset into training camp.

The Pistons signed several free agent players to non-guaranteed deals, including the former second overall pick in 2009 out of Connecticut, Hasheem Thabeet.

Thabeet should be in contention for the 15-man roster, and his 7-foot-3 stature can presumably only help his cause. He has averaged less than three points and three rebounds per game for his career. However, he could add a nice defensive interior presence off the bench for when Andre Drummond gets in foul trouble.

Along with Thabeet, Detroit also signed veteran forwards Brian Cook, Lorenzo Brown and Josh Bostic to non-guaranteed deals.

Brown and Bostic only figure to be training camp bodies, but Cook could also be in contention for the 15-man roster.

Cook has spent nine seasons playing in the NBA, but has not played in the NBA since ‘09. He has never played in more than 20 minutes per game, but his best season came back in ‘06 when he averaged 19 minutes per game, 7.9 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game  and shot 43 percent from three-point range.

Detroit has 16 guaranteed contracts signed right now, so someone will surely be on the move either by trade or release.

Training camp begins Sept. 30, with the first preseason game set to take place on Oct. 7 against the Chicago Bulls. The regular season begins on Oct. 29 against the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.

Cameron Billes is the host of Horsepower for Impact Sports.