NBA FanHouse

Joe Dumars Proves It's Never Too Late to Go Back to School

Matt Watson — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:50:00 EST

Any way you measure it, Joe Dumars is a successful man. He won two NBA titles as a player, had the league's annual sportsmanship award named after him, won another title as a general manager and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

And that's the stuff everyone knows about -- what most people don't know is that for 10 years after retiring as a player he served as CEO and president of a successful automotive supply company he founded. And as a father, he raised a son who just earned a scholarship to play Division I ball.

But for all that he's accomplished, there was one thing missing on his resume: he never finished college. This past May, he finally crossed that item off his list. From William Rhoden of the New York Times:

"Not having the degree was a void that I simply had to fill," Dumars wrote in an e-mail message. "My wife has her master's in education, and we've always stressed the importance of education to our two teenage kids. I just felt if I was going to stress the importance of education, I had to show them exactly how important it was."

So he completed the work. And last month his name was called along with more than 700 other graduates at McNeese State University's spring commencement ceremony. He said that earning the degree, a bachelor's in business management, was one of his greatest accomplishments. That's saying a lot.

I find this amazing: if anything, Dumars is proof that you don't need a college degree to be extremely successful in life, but he valued education so much that he put the time and energy into pursuing a diploma simply for the principle of the matter.

Joe Dumars Proves It's Never Too Late to Go Back to School originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Baron Does Not Plan on Opting Out, Which Makes This Whole Pistons Thing Kind of Spicy

Will Brinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Warriors, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Oakland

As Watson noted earlier, Baron Davis has been mentioned in some pretty hefty mega-super-uber deal between the Warriors and the Pistons. The rumor is that an Al Harrington and Boom Dizzle for Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups swap would go down. The problem?

Baron can still opt out of his contract, meaning the deal simply could not happen. But Dizzle, through his agent, appears content to get paid $17.8 million next year and stick with the Warriors.

"It doesn't seem likely," [Todd] Ramasar said. "The market could change anytime, but it's unlikely."

[...]"Baron's adamant about remaining a Warrior, but we've yet to come up with an extension," Ramasar said. "As of right now, there's no guarantee that those talks continue, and from a player's standpoint, it becomes emotional."

Here's the second catch -- Baron can't officially not opt out until next Tuesday. And because such a deal between the Pistons and the Warriors would almost certainly have to include a draft pick (as MW, the 14th pick seems reasonable).

Of course, those timelines don't exactly match up. But it's not like the Warriors can't simply pick who Detroit wants and then make the trade for Big Shot and 'Sheed immediately following Baron's decision.

Now, there's puh-lenty of risk involved with that, namely that Baron doesn't opt out. But you would have to figure that Joe Dumars and Chris Mullin would have the particulars worked out ahead of time. Either that or Dumars just told him to hit up on the swell piece Tuesday if he didn't do anything crazy tomorrow. (Read: this smells like a dead end).

Baron Does Not Plan on Opting Out, Which Makes This Whole Pistons Thing Kind of Spicy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Are the Pistons Pursuing Baron Davis?

Matt Watson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Warriors, Eastern, Western, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Oakland

When Joe Dumars put his entire roster on the block, he opened the door for a summer of crazy rumors. First came the Carmelo Anthony rumors, which became so rampant that 'Melo demanded an explanation from Denver's front office. Today's speculation du jour? Baron Davis to Detroit.

Geoff Lepper of the Contra Costa Times got the ball rollling by citing an unnamed source within the Warriors who indicates that the Pistons "are now looking at Davis" and would be willing to offer Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace in return. In order to get the money right, Lepper speculates that Al Harrington, who's already thinking about requesting a trade, would be thrown into the mix.

As Tim Kawakami correctly notes, the Pistons would be getting the short end of the talent stick in a Davis/Harrington for Chauncey/Rasheed swap. Could the Warriors sweeten the pot by throwing in the 14th overall pick? Well, possibly, but this deal can't happen on draft day (read: tomorrow!) since Davis has until July 9 to decide if he's going to opt out of the final year of his contract. So unless the Warriors happen to pick someone the Pistons really like, that's a dead end, too.

In other words, there are simply too many moving parts in this deal to think everything could line up perfectly. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News called this rumor "a total fabrication." I won't go quite that far -- Lepper's source isn't just making things up for fun, right? -- but it's possible Detroit's interest has been exagerrated or distorted, much like their alleged "pursuit" of Anthony.

Are the Pistons Pursuing Baron Davis? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Detroit Pistons

Tom Ziller — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, NBA Draft, Detroit

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The locals thirst for a roster explosion. At least 26 other fan bases would trade for this roster in a second. The NBA: Where 'The Grass is Greener' Happens!

Picks: #29, #59.

Needs: Depending on the depth of Joe Dumars' detonation, depth requirements could pop up all over. In particular, the land behind Tayshaun Prince is a bit dry.

Best case scenario: Assuming Amir Johnson plays power forwards in days ahead, a smaller forward like Ryan Anderson (who has a touch of 'Sheed, at least on offense), J.J. Hickson, or Jason Thompson would look good in Pistons blue. At the end of the draft, a defensive-minded combo like DeMarcus Nelson could potentially pay dividends.

More likely scenario: D.J. White has been this year's Stuckey (the player tagged to Detroit very early in the process). Serge Ibaka is said to be one of the more refined international bigs, so seeing Dumars select him would make sense. Nelson or Darnell Jackson could be the picks at #59, based on Dumars' record.

Please don't take: Nikola Pekovic. The poor guy's anonymous; he doesn't need his first introduction to Greater Detroit Metro to involve the words "Darko Milicic."

Trade possibilities: The Pistons have reportedly already offered up Chauncey Billups and Prince. I think it's safe to assume Joe will be hitting the phones Thursday night.

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Detroit Pistons originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Might Rasheed Stay in Detroit After All?

Matt Watson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:07:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit

Soon after the Pistons were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third year in a row, Joe Dumars fired Flip Saunders and announced that he intended to make major changes to his team's core.

At the time, it certainly seemed like Rasheed Wallace was about to receive a ticket out of town. He was painfully inconsistent when the Pistons needed him most and showed a marked lack of focus during the ill-fated playoff run.

But while Dumars is willing to make drastic changes, parting with Wallace may prove to be difficult, especially if he's determined to get equal value in return. As infuriating as Wallace's reluctance to stay in the paint on offense may be, the fact remains that he's one of the best post defenders in the league, and on a team without another legitimate center to take his place there are only a small handful of trades that'd make sense for Detroit.

Plus, while Wallace famously clashed with Saunders in the past, he seemed to offer his stamp of approval to Michael Curry by being the only player to attend Curry's introductory press conference. And as Curry rounds out his staff, it's certainly interesting that he's decided to hire Pat Sullivan, Wallace's former college teammate and roommate from UNC, away from the Nets.

Dumars denies that Sullivan's arrival has anything to do with Wallace's future in Detroit. That could be true -- after all, Sullivan did get his start in Detroit, serving as the Pistons' video coordinator in 2004 before spending a year on the bench under Larry Brown in 2004-05 -- but it's still awfully convenient. Considering Dumars probably knows how difficult it will be for him to truly replace Wallace, you can't blame him for doing his best to surround Wallace with familiar faces who won't be scared to keep him check.

Might Rasheed Stay in Detroit After All? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

It's Hiring Season for NBA Assistants

Matt Watson — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Pistons, Suns, Chicago, Detroit, Phoenix

t's funny how NBA coaching jobs fill up in waves -- within a matter of days Terry Porter, Vinny Del Negro and Michael Curry were all hired by the Suns, Bulls and Pistons, respectively. Only Porter has previous head coaching experience (and only two years at that), which means there will likely be a run on veteran assistant coaches for these guys to lean on.

According to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, Porter is open to Steve Kerr's suggestion to bring former Hornets and Cavs head coach Paul Silas on board as his lead assistant. Alvin Gentry, who served under Mike D'Antoni, may be retained, and Dan Majerle is also a candidate for a spot on his staff.

Considering how long it took the Bulls to settle on Del Negro, you have to wonder if they'll be able to put together a staff of assistants before the season starts. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune indicates that Bob Hill, who's been a head coach of the Knicks, Pacers, Spurs and Sonics, is being considered as the lead assistant. John Paxson is also on the record saying that he anticipates hiring one of the myriad of head coaching candidates to join Del Negro's staff. Considering Del Negro has never coached before at any level, the Bulls will probably want to surround him with an extremely experienced staff.

As for Curry, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com indicates that Dave Cowens, who served alongside Curry under Flip Saunders, will be retained. Cowens has previously coached the Hornets and Warriors (as well as the Celtics, if you include his player/coach days from 1978-79), but it's unclear if he's being considered for the lead role. Langlois added that Igor Kokoskov may follow Porter to Phoenix, but Chris McCosky of the Detroit News says that Kokoskov will also pursue head coaching opportunties in Europe.

It's Hiring Season for NBA Assistants originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Someone, Somewhere, Really Thinks Melo to Detroit Is a Good Idea

Matt Moore — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:54:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Nuggets, NBA Rumors, Denver, Detroit

From the pages of this year's edition of "Trade Rumors That Seem To Spring From The Ether And Return As Quickly" comes a lovely bit of speculation regarding Carmelo Anthony. There have been whispers and insinuations for a few days about Melo potentially being traded to Detroit for some set of pieces.

Combine that with Woody Paige and his WACKY ANTICS(!) and you've got yourself a legitimate piece of buzz. Except Paige's proposal, involving, among others, Anthony, Marcus Camby, Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince (yes, all of them) doesn't work according to the cap rules. Nor according to logical thought (a far fetched concept in NBA GMs, I know, but we're talking Dumars, here). Not according to Melo's agent. It does not work on a train, it does not work on a plane. It does not work with the freight, it does not work with BAC of .148. It will not work, Woody You Are, it does not work, not by far.

It seems that more and more the trades that involve two teams talking to each other repeatedly almost never fall through. Conversely, big trades that just "spring up" like the Shaquille O'Neal trade or even the Pau Gasol heist are much more effective. But if you're a fan of the "where there's smoke, there's Carmelo Anthony" approach, throw this one on the pile, see if it lights.

Someone, Somewhere, Really Thinks Melo to Detroit Is a Good Idea originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Amir Johnson Explains His Productivity

Matt Watson — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit

Joe Dumars took the high road when announcing Flip Saunders' dismissal last week by refusing to dwell on Saunders' failings. One thing he did let slip, though, was how disappointed he was in Amir Johnson's playing time in the playoffs and the regular season.

Michael Curry will be introduced as Saunders' successor later today, and I don't think it's a stretch at all to assume a prerequisite for the job was sharing Dumars' hopes for Johnson to see more time in 2008-09. Why does a 21-year-old reserve merit so much attention? Because he's the most athletic player on Detroit's roster, and despite extremely inconsistent minutes, he's one of the most productive players in the entire league.

Wait, one of the most productive players in the league? Indeed, and that's not an exaggeration. This made it's rounds on the blogosphere a couple of weeks ago, but the blog Count the Basket compared seven different advanced metrics for evaluating player performance independent of playing time, and Johnson rated favorably in almost all of them:

Another eye-popper is seeing Amir Johnson, the 21-year-old Detroit power forward who's been riding the pine in the playoffs, ranked first in the league in Adjusted Plus/Minus. This actually isn't as great an anomaly as might be expected - Johnson rated rather well across the board. His consensus ranking was 15th. He was rated lowest by PER (64th), but he ranked 11th in Win Shares and 20th in Statistical Plus/Minus. Obviously one has to use some caution considering he played under 800 minutes on the season, but the fact that he rated well in several metrics could be a good sign for the future.

This isn't just a bunch of statistical mumbo-jumbo that overvalues active reserves -- every single member of the top 10 is a current or former All-Star playing regular starter minutes, so for Johnson to rank 15th overall is a huge accomplishment. Assuming he gets more consistent minutes under Curry, he's my early pick for the 2008-09 Most Improved Player of the Year award.

I had a chance to speak with Johnson before Game 6 of the Conference Finals, and considering he grew up in the internet age (he didn't even turn 21 until last month), I was curious if he had stumbled across Count the Basket's rankings.

It was a long shot, I know, and I wasn't surprised when he didn't have a clue what I was talking about. After my muddled explanation, he seemed amused at his overall ranking. "I just take advantage of my minutes, basically. When I get in there, I just play hard and just help the team win games. I never really heard of that, but I'm glad I'm top 15," he said while laughing.

Matt Watson: Basically [the ranking] means every time you go in there, you do something: you're getting rebounds, you're blocking shots ...

Amir Johnson: That's what I look forward to doing. When I get in, I at least got to get something on the stat sheet, at least foul or something. I look to get in there and be productive to help our team.

MW: Do you ever get frustrated? Do you ever think, "Hey, I'm producing, how come I'm not playing?"

AJ: No, not really. Right now, the only thing that matters is for us to win. The season's pretty much over and all we want to do is win the game. So the time, the minutes don't really matter right now. All we need to do is win games.

MW: In the regular season, you were playing a lot. Did anyone pull you aside and say, "We're shortening the rotation"? Or do you just find out when you don't get in the game?

AJ: The coaches told all of us it didn't really matter if you played three minutes, one minutes, five seconds-- just be ready to play. It's a team effort, and we're going to need everybody in the playoffs to come out with some wins. They just said to be ready, and that's what I'm doing.

Amir Johnson Explains His Productivity originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

... And Now the Pistons Have a Coach, Too

Tom Ziller — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Hawks, Detroit

An avalanche of hires! Following news Chicago has picked Vinny Del Negro to lead its corps(e), Detroit radio station WDFN reports the Pistons have hired Michael Curry to take over for the deposed Flip Saunders (via BallHype).

Like Del Negro, Curry has limited bench background. However, M.C. does have an illustrious resume with the league, having worked as the president of the Players Association for much of his career and spending time with the league as its veep of player development. Curry also spent the past year next to Flip on Detroit's bench, and reportedly has strong relationships with the players.

Del Negro's a veritable blank slate. But you'd assume -- based on Joe Dumars' ideals and Curry's playing-days oeuvre -- that Detroit under M.C. will be a defensive outfit for the most part. It helps that the team remains chalk full of able defenders, and also with offensive firecrackers. Barring a surprisingly full detonation (possible), Curry's already halfway to the playoffs. The key will be in making it back to The Finals in due time (says Captain T. Z. Obvious).

That's all the job openings, folks, unless Mike Woodson meets his demise (which seems strangely possible, given Sekou Smith's latest dispatch).

... And Now the Pistons Have a Coach, Too originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Report: Phoenix Will Hire Terry Porter

Matt Watson — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Suns, Eastern, Western, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Phoenix

According to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, multiple sources have confirmed that Suns GM Steve Kerr called Pistons assistant Terry Porter this morning to offer him the Suns' vacant head coaching job, which Porter accepted. A. Sherrod Blakely, who covers the Pistons for Booth Newspapers, doesn't think the offer has arrived just yet, but expects it will soon:

Terry Porter may very well wind up coaching the Phoenix Suns. But a source who has had discussions with Porter today, said the Pistons assistant had yet to receive an offer from the Suns as of 3:40 EST.

When an offer comes - and there's a very good chance that it will come sometime later today - Porter is expected to accept it immediately with a press conference likely scheduled for Tuesday.

Whatever the case may be, it certainly seems like Porter will be heading west. Porter has always been one of the leading candidates for the job. If you recall, Kerr flew into Michigan to interview Porter while the Pistons were awaiting the winner of the Boston/Cleveland series, and Porter was among the select handful of candidates to interview a second time last week.

Porter has two years of experience under his belt, guiding the Bucks to the playoffs with a 41-41 record in 2003-04 before injuries caught up with his squad and the Bucks stumbled to a 30-52 mark in 2004-05. The Bucks opted not to let Porter coach the final year of their contract in hopes of hiring Flip Saunders or Nate McMillan, though they ultimately missed on both. The last two years, Porter has served as an assistant with the Pistons.

Report: Phoenix Will Hire Terry Porter originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Could Detroit Poach ... ATL's Mike Woodson?

Tom Ziller — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Hawks, Bobcats, NBA Rumors, Atlanta, Detroit

Atlanta coach Mike Woodson just had his week turn around. There's the distinct possibility new boss Rick Sund has designs on firing him at some point in the near future. That might not be so bad, according to a left-field rumor from trusted Atlanta Journal-Constitution beatman Sekou Smith.

According to my spy the Detroit Pistons have asked for permission to speak with Hawks coach Mike Woodson ... about their vacant coaching position. Solid reports out of Detroit have Pistons assistant Michael Curry lined up for the job. But the Pistons have apparently covered their bases if that doesn't work out by contacting the representative of Woodson, who was the lead assistant on Larry Brown's staff when the Pistons won the NBA title in 2004.

Even if Woodson doesn't get the call from Joe Dumars, this rumor finding legs would infinitely boost Woody's rep around the league. If Dumars wants something, your team should want it. Worst case scenario: Woodson gets fired, Curry gets the Pistons job (as Stephen A. Smith has insisted will occur). In that case, knowing he was a finalist for one of the best jobs in the league, doesn't Woody feel pretty good about his job prospects next summer?

Smith also offers that Brown has filled his Charlotte staff, save one position: lead assistant. Woodson isn't going to be out of work long, if at all.

Could Detroit Poach ... ATL's Mike Woodson? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dumars Just Put Everyone on the Block

Matt Watson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit

Joe Dumars announced the dismissal of Flip Saunders with a statement released this morning, and he hinted at how drastic the rest of his offseason moves may be during a press conference in the afternoon:

"Make no mistake, everybody is in play right now," said Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. "There are no sacred cows here. You lose that sacred cow status when you lose three straight years."

It's not often you see a GM put his entire team on the block, but Dumars obviously wants to get the word out -- both to his players and other GM's -- that he'll do anything to improve his team. My personal feeling is that Rasheed Wallace will be the only starter who's traded, but if Dumars has a chance to bring back a superstar (Rasheed and Rip Hamilton for Tracy McGrady?), he just may bite.

It's a different situation from last year when Dumars was hesitant to disrupt his core and allegedly passed on deals for Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire that would have required giving up two starters. But with guys like Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson waiting in the wings, the Pistons are better prepared to plug holes in their starting lineup if the right two-for-one deal materializes.

Dumars Just Put Everyone on the Block originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Report: Michael Curry Will Replace Flip Saunders in Detroit

Will Brinson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:50:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit, The Word

If the rumors that Steven A. Smith is reporting come to fruition, and they appear to be manifesting themselves through a relevant Googly news search, Michael Curry will soon be named the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons:

Pistons assistant Michael Curry will be named Saunders' successor, a source close to the Pistons told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Curry is a former Pistons player and official in the players' union. [...]

'This will not be a long, drawn-out process,' Dumars said about a replacement for Saunders. 'The next coach is going to be handed a good team. You worry more when you don't have the players to compete at the level you need them to.'

If the two biggest concerns of Dumars are that a) Flip Saunders did not have the confidence of his team and b) that the Pistons need to keep things in-house, then Curry is a perfect choice, as his leadership abilities and current role satisfy both requirements. Curry have just one year on the bench, but as a former president of the NBA Players Association as well as NBA Vice President of Player Development, the guy knows how to lead.

Plus, he bridges the gap between the front office to the current roster: he's one of Dumars' teammates for several years and was a starter during Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince's first year in Detroit in 2002-03, which marked the first of Detroit's six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. Would his familiarity with the players allow him to keep them properly motivated? Or would it simply mean the players can stay comfortable? Only time will tell -- assuming he gets the job.

Report: Michael Curry Will Replace Flip Saunders in Detroit originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Flip Saunders Now Out as Detroit Head Coach

Will Brinson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Media Watch, Detroit

If the word on the street is true, and it certainly appears to be, the Detroit Pistons have changed their minds on retaining Flip Saunders as head coach.

Saunders appeared to have some job security as reports out of Detroit stated that he would not be fired. But more accurate reports surfaced last night that led to speculation that Saunders would be gone. Which was confirmed today.

President of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Tuesday a change is necessary despite Saunders' successes.

In his three seasons, the Pistons were 176-70 in the regular season and 30-21 in the postseason, but they lost in the conference finals each year.

Well, either that or Saunders was as good as gone all along and someone just got their initial facts wrong. Which is entirely possible considering that all of the initial speculation was the work of Chris McCosky.

So not only can you expect a little beatdown across the 'sphere today, but you should probably be looking for some sort of retraction type post from McCosky's byline. Oh, no ... wait. It appears McCosky is already one step ahead, er, behind. Or whatever you would call a journalistic backpeddle.

Hey, I tend to agree with him -- it probably is a bad decision to can Flip, for a number of reasons, mainly that losing certainly is not his fault (although his playoff track record, folks, is just simply not great). But that doesn't make misreporting the "facts" and then trying to act like you weren't reporting them as such any less embarrassing.

Less embarrassing may be the amount of time that Flip will spend on the open market. As Matt M points out, Steve Kerr would be quite wise to have already gone all Kelvin Sampson on the situation.

Flip Saunders Now Out as Detroit Head Coach originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Maybe Flip Saunders Isn't Safe, After All

Matt Watson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit

You know that "Flip Saunders' job is safe" talk from yesterday? Turns out he's not out of the woods just yet. From Krista Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press:

A person with knowledge of the situation said president Joe Dumars has not sat down with Saunders yet to discuss the past season, which ended last week to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

Nor has Dumars met with owner Bill Davidson, who will undoubtedly have his say in Saunders' future.

The person said a meeting between Dumars and Davidson will take place "really soon," and after that, questions about Saunders' future should be cleared up. The person stressed that Saunders has not yet been given any assurance he'll be back.

This contradicts Chris McCosky's article in the Detroit News yesterday, although it's somewhat telling that McCosky has backed off his initial prediction today. Obviously no one not named Joe Dumars knows what's going to happen -- and maybe not even him just yet.

No matter what his status may be with the Pistons, there's no doubt that Saunders will coach in the NBA in 2008-09 if he wants to. He's failed to get the Pistons over the hump and back into the Finals, but he's also averaged more than 58 wins each of his three years in Detroit. I imagine there are at least a handful of teams out there who'd seriously consider canning their current coach should Saunders become available.

Maybe Flip Saunders Isn't Safe, After All originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

The Pistons Are Cool With Flip, Thanks

Matt Moore — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:14:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, Detroit

Yup. According to the Detroit News, Flip Saunders will most likely be back with the Pistons next season, despite what can only be classified as an unnerving series of disappointments that now stretches into its sixth year in the Conference Finals with only one championship, Detroit will not can their coach.

Opinions on Saunders tend to run the gamut, with some saying that he has failed to ever reach this team, and others arguing that he's been made into a scape goat for an under-performing squad that has still managed a great deal of success.

The knock on Saunders has nothing to do with his Xs and Os work. He does a good job adjusting to roster shifts as much as he can, knows how to trust his starters, and has helped develop a highly talented and effective bench unit filled with young players as well as getting maximum contributions from veterans like Antonio McDyess and Lindsey Hunter.

The problem is simply that this team is difficult to motivate. There are times when they simply don't execute like they need to, and in recent years, those lapses have occurred at the worst possible times. Like, say, the fourth quarter in an Conference Final elimination game.

Still, Saunders has done a lot with this team since taking over, and has probably deserves to at least make it through his contract before being evaluated or set free. With Joe Dumars' patented history of managing a highly talented roster within the salary cap and making smart decisions, it's likely he'll stick with Saunders for one more year.

The Pistons Are Cool With Flip, Thanks originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Flip Saunders Done in Detroit?

Tom Ziller — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:13:00 EST

Filed under: Bulls, Pistons, Hawks, Suns, NBA Rumors, Detroit

Watson wondered about all things 'Sheed earlier; another Piston rumored to be in varying states of departure in the coming weeks is coach Flip Saunders. As Watson relayed Saturday once Detroit was eliminated, Saunders nears that bedeviled "lame duck season" should he stay with Motown; "if changes are going to be made in any case, why not get started with your next new coach then?" the theory goes.

Shannon Shelton of the Detroit Free Press (via DBB) quotes Pistons heir apparent Michael Curry as saying nothing has been discussed with regard to the coaching situation. Detroit did reject Chicago's prior plea to interview Curry, though ... a constraint not placed on Terry Porter, who is rumored to be the clubhouse leader for the Phoenix job. That would seem to indicate Joe Dumars will at least consider sending Flip to the gallows.

Despite Flip's inability to get to the Finals, he did ring up a 71% winning percentage in Detroit. It makes sense for the Pistons to move on, but it also makes sense for some other team to scoop Saunders up quickly. For all his motivational deficiencies, his systems just plain work in the NBA. Eleven full seasons on an NBA bench, 11 postseason berths, including the conference finals in his last four full seasons.

Of course, the vacancies are drying up. Chicago seems ready to announce Doug Collins any second, and Flip hasn't been mentioned in the Phoenix rumors (despite being a terrific mix of offense and defense). Atlanta, anyone?

Is Flip Saunders Done in Detroit? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Rasheed Wallace Done in Detroit?

Matt Watson — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Rumors, Detroit

If the Pistons break up their vaunted core, Rasheed Wallace may be the first out of town. In addition to exemplifying the team's problems with consistency and frequent complaining to the referees, he's also heading into the final year of his contract, which makes him valuable to teams looking to unload salary.

While I wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that he's a locker room cancer, there's no doubt that his presence is often a distraction. Consider the events just from the last week:

-- After receiving his sixth technical foul of the postseason (one away from a mandatory league suspension) in Game 5, his profanity-laced post-game tirade about the officials earned him a $25,000 fine.

-- Lindsey Hunter revealed that his teammates complained to Wallace about being so friendly with Kevin Garnett during the Boston series. The complaints were most likely said in jest but sparked controversy on the talk radio circuit and were the first thing Flip Saunders was asked about in his comments to the press before Game 6.

-- On the eve of the most important game of the season, Wallace was 15 minutes late to Friday's morning shootaround. Players are required to be at the arena at least 90 minutes before tipoff, but, as noted near the end of this article, Wallace cut that too close, as well.

-- During pregame introductions, he seemed distracted and less enthusiastic.

-- Once the game started, he was largely ineffective, finishing with more fouls (five) than points (four) and was caught on the air swearing to a camera man.

-- After the game, he was the last player to emerge from the shower area. I was among the throng of reporters waiting for him, and when he finally did come out, he let us know he wasn't going to talk by saying we may as well "kick rocks." He then grabbed some clothes and went back to the shower area to dress, which is highly unusual for any player to do. The locker room was then closed, ensuring that he'd dodge any questions. From what I saw, he was the only player who declined to talk to the media.

-- On Saturday, Wallace was a no-show as the rest of the Pistons met at the Palace to clean out their lockers. It wasn't a mandatory team function, but it's something everybody generally does together.

Separately, none of these things are a big deal, especially during the stretches in which Wallace lives up to his All-Star billing. But given his increasingly uneven play when it counts the most, these distractions may end up being the last straw.

Is Rasheed Wallace Done in Detroit? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Big Baby on Being Snubbed by Detroit: 'Things Work in Mysterious Ways'

Matt Watson — Sat, 31 May 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Celtics, Pistons, Eastern, NBA Playoffs, Boston, Detroit, FanHouse Interview

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

Before last night's win over the Pistons, I talked with the affable Glen "Big Baby" Davis about not holding grudges and getting manicures.

Matt Watson: Back during the draft, you thought that Detroit would be taking you, right?

Glen Davis: "Yeah."

MW: Does it feel good having them on verge of elimination, or is that ancient history?

GD: "Well, I don't think about it, I just play the game. Whatever happens, happens. The draft is a day that most people get disappointed. It's a business and I totally understand it. But things work in mysterious ways. I'm playing in the Eastern Conference Finals with a team that's contending for the [championship], and ... to play against Detroit, you know, things just fall the way they fall."

MW: It's pretty ironic.

GD: "Yeah, it's ironic. But things happen -- you can never be shocked. Things happen."

MW: I was reading a while back when you were talking about your manicures. Did any of the guys give you a hard time about that?

GD: "Nah."

MW: Have you heard anything from the fans about that?

GD: "No, not yet."

MW: So I'm the only one that's paying attention to that?

GD: "Yeah." (Laughter)

MW: Maybe that says something about me.

GD: (More laughter)

If you can't tell, things were getting a little awkward, and it was compounded by the fact that Kendrick Perkins interrupted to tell me I was standing on his towel. Lest I offend and/or annoy anyone further, I thanked Big Baby for his time and got out of there.

Big Baby on Being Snubbed by Detroit: 'Things Work in Mysterious Ways' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 May 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

McDyess: 'We Didn't Give It All We Got'

Matt Watson — Sat, 31 May 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Eastern, NBA Playoffs, Detroit, The Word

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

Antonio McDyess is both the oldest Pistons starter as well as the only one without a championship ring. Not surprisingly, he always seemed to have the greatest sense of urgency. After being eliminated by the Celtics last night, he sat in his locker and quietly answered every last question, including whether he thought Joe Dumars might make serious changes to the roster this summer.

"He probably will because there's no more excuses," said McDyess. "Ain't no excuse why we didn't go back to the Finals this year. And I'm pretty sure he sees that. ... He's not blind and the fans are not blind." He added, "What went on this year, I can just say we didn't give it all we got."

McDyess was brutally honest in criticizing his team's effort. "It's like, you get pumped up, the whole season we played as well as we do, and we go through the first round, the second round ... Get to the third round and we don't give it like we normally give it. It's like we step out there like zombies sometimes."

"A wasted year. Another wasted year. That's how it seems to me. You play your heart out in the regular season and give it up in the end in the playoffs. It's just hard to accept sometimes when you think about it. It's like we worked so hard for nothing."

McDyess talked about coming back next year and starting over but admitted that the thought of hanging them up did pass his mind. "You don't understand, it's very hard, very hard. At one point I was sitting here thinking, like, hey, should I just retire? ... It's just a thought. I don't know. I don't think it's serious, but who knows? At this point I'm just tired of being letdown. ... Being letdown push you over the edge."

As frustrated as he is, he's not willing to switch teams in search of a title. "I don't want to be no ring-chaser, I don't want to be moving team to team being a ring-chaser. I can't do that. If I have to do that, I would definitely give it up. I mean, if I stay on this team another couple of years, we still have a chance, we just got to put our heart into it and do it."

McDyess: 'We Didn't Give It All We Got' originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 31 May 2008 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments