Tag: Detroit Pistons

Dwayne Casey on First Take: ‘Good pieces’ in Detroit

By Blake Froling

Dwayne Casey, one of the of the leading candidates for the Detroit Pistons head coaching vacancy, appeared on ESPN’s “First Take” today with Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman.

The conversation turned toward how difficult it is to win in the NBA without stars, and Kellerman asked Casey if he thought Detroit’s Blake Griffin was in that star category. While he wouldn’t specifically say if Griffin is above Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, two players he coached in Toronto, Casey did have high praise for the Pistons forward.

“I know one thing that Blake Griffin is a star in this league,” said Casey. “I haven’t coached him, but again his abilities, his IQ is off the charts…I’ll let you know once I coach him down the road, but you got Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, so you got some good pieces there in Detroit.”

Casey is one of two leading finalists for the Pistons’ opening, along with San Antonio Spurs assistant Ime Udoka. TNT’s Kenny Smith has also been reported as a finalist. Detroit is still without a general manager as well.

John Beilein staying at Michigan, reportedly with a contract extension (update)

By Blake Froling

**update**

The University of Michigan has almost finalized a two-year contract extension with John Beilein, according to The Athletic. It is reported to be worth just shy of $4 million per year with a rolling option.

Michigan fans, you can relax now.

It looks head basketball coach John Beilein will be staying in Ann Arbor for the foreseeable future after he tweeted this earlier today:

Beilein was one of three rumored candidates to become the next Detroit Pistons head coach, along with former Toronto Raptors head coach Dwayne Casey and San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka.

(Photo by Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images)

Beilein and the university have also been reportedly working on a contract extension after he led the Wolverines to their second national championship appearance in six seasons back in April. In his 11 seasons in Ann Arbor, Beilein is 248-143 and the school’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach.

This is the smart move for Beilein. The NBA is tempting for many college coaches, but more often than not it ends poorly. Beilein has an impeccable legacy at Michigan and he’ll have a job there as long as he wants it. Heck, they might re-name a building in his honor once he retires.

What would have been the upside to taking the Pistons job? Possibly more money, even though he just received a lucrative extension at Michigan. If things went perfectly and he brought a championship to Detroit, he’d be considered the greatest basketball coach in the state of Michigan. But the odds of that happening were very slim based on the current Pistons roster.

It seems like there was genuine interest on Beilein’s side regarding the Pistons job, but at the very least he used the rumors to secure an even richer contract extension. A win for Beilein, a win for the school, a win for Michigan fans, and possibly a win for the Pistons if they hire the right coach now that Beilein is off the table.

Pistons narrow coaching search to Dwane Casey and John Beilein

Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

The Detroit Pistons are interested in having further conversations with former Toronto coach Dwane Casey and Michigan coach John Beilein about their head-coaching job, league sources tell ESPN.

Both coaches have met with the Pistons’ front office already.

Casey led the Raptors to a franchise-record 59 regular-season victories and an Eastern Conference semifinal appearance, but a second consecutive sweep in the playoffs to Cleveland ended his tenure.

Beilein, who twice led the Wolverines to the national championship game, has long harbored intrigue with the NBA, sources said.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23698451/pistons-interested-talking-again-dwane-casey-john-beilein-coaching-vacancy

Jason Kidd taking interview for Pistons coaching job

Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd is interviewing for the Detroit Pistons’ head-coaching vacancy on Saturday, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Kidd’s meeting with the Pistons follows interviews Thursday with Michigan coach John Beilein and former Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey, sources previously told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Detroit also is planning to meet with Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard in the coming days, sources told Wojnarowski.

Kidd was fired by the Bucks 45 games into the 2017-18 season. He spent three-plus seasons in Milwaukee, with a 139-152 record and two playoff appearances. The 10-time All-Star point guard also coached one season for the Brooklyn Nets in 2013-14.

Yahoo! Sports first reported Kidd’s interview with the Pistons.

Detroit is looking to replace Stan Van Gundy, who left as the team’s president of basketball operations and coach after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Pistons also parted with general manager Jeff Bower on Friday, league sources told Wojnarowski. Bower had spent four years in the Pistons’ front office.

The Pistons recently hired longtime league executive Ed Stefanski as special adviser, tasking him with reshaping the front office and coaching staff. Stefanski is running searches for a new general manager and coach concurrently.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne contributed to this report.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23677219/jason-kidd-interviewing-detroit-pistons-coaching-job

Wolverines coach John Beilein interviews for Pistons vacancy

By Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

The University of Michigan’s John Beilein interviewed for the Detroit Pistons’ coaching job on Thursday, league sources told ESPN on Friday.

Beilein, who twice led the Wolverines to the national championship game, has long harbored intrigue with the NBA, sources said.

Sources told ESPN that Beilein and former Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey met Thursday in Michigan with Pistons officials — a contingent that included new senior adviser Ed Stefanski and coaching search consultants Bernie Bickerstaff and Jim Lynam.

Detroit also is planning to meet with Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard in the coming days, sources told ESPN.

Beilein, who has been Michigan’s coach since 2007, earlier this month said he and the Wolverines were actively in talks about a contract extension that would keep him with the school beyond the 2020-21 season.

He last received an extension in November 2015 that pays him $3.37 million per year through 2020-21. He is the school’s all-time wins leader with a record of 248-143.

The Wolverines are coming off their second Final Four appearance under Beilein and a school-record 33 wins last season. Michigan lost 79-62 to Villanova in the title game in April.

Pistons and general manager Jeff Bower part ways, sources say

By Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

The Detroit Pistons and general manager Jeff Bower have parted ways, league sources told ESPN on Friday.

Bower, the GM under former president and coach Stan Van Gundy, spent four years in the Pistons’ front office.

Detroit recently hired longtime league executive Ed Stefanski as special advisor, tasking him with reshaping the front office and coaching staff. Stefanski is running searches for a new GM and head coach concurrently.

Bower has been a well-respected executive in the league for two decades, earning praise for his organization and scouting acumen in 11 seasons as GM in Charlotte, New Orleans and Detroit. Van Gundy made final decisions on personnel in Detroit.

Bower helped lead Detroit back into the playoffs in 2015-16 for the first time in five years, and he helped engineer trades for All-Star Blake Griffin and point guard Reggie Jackson. Bower has led two NBA franchises — New Orleans and Detroit — out of the lottery and into the postseason as the general manager.

Bower was also a head coach with New Orleans and spent a season as a Division I head coach at Marist College before joining Van Gundy and Detroit.

Houston Rockets executive Gersson Rosas has withdrawn as a candidate to replace Bower, according to league sources.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23671607/general-manager-jeff-bower-detroit-pistons-part-ways