http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3423956 Here's the official announcement: http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/saunders_080603.html So long, Flip. They'll probably hire Michael Curry as the next coach; they've been grooming him to be a head coach, and denied the Bulls the opportunity to interview. I'd like to see them at least talk to Avery Johnson, who I think is a pretty good approximation of what they need: a coach who will emphasize defense and kick them in the *** when they need it. And I'll say it once again: God, I miss Larry Brown. This probably kicks off a summer of change in Detroit. I think Rasheed Wallace has probably played his last game in a Pistons uniform. Everything else, we'll see, but I think big chances start with Saunders, then Sheed, then who knows?
You know you're a successful franchise when getting to the conference finals three straight years gets the coach fired.
That's what I thought. whoever the GM is though, I hope he doesn't get fired (though it would probably help their opponents if he did).
Well, they were favored to get to the Finals his first two years, and both times, the Pistons absolutely collapsed in the conference finals. This year, I thought they played pretty well, but blowing that 10 point lead in the 4th sealed his fate. I'm reasonably sure Joe Dumars isn't going anywhere.
2008-9 may be a "take one step back to take two forward" kind of season for the Pistons. I'm not sure what Dumars will look to do. Will he blow up the core group entirely? Probably not, but I'd be stunned if at least one, and maybe two, of McDyess, Wallace, Prince, Hamilton and Billups aren't playing elsewhere. Maybe he'll look away from the "no one star" model and try to pick up someone like Gilbert Arenas, I don't know. As for Wallace, they don't win the 2004 title without Sheed, it's true, but his hare-brained switch off Robert Horry cost them game 5 of the 2005 finals, and perhaps back-to-back championships. His meltdown in last year's conference finals hurt, and he was all but invisible in this year's conference finals. It's time for him to move on. He's in the last year of his contract, and thus presents prime trade value.
I propose Doc Rivers, Stan Van Gundy or Jeff Van Gundy for Pissedons Coach.... hehehehehehe...BUAHAHAHAHHA.
You know you're a raging fraud when you get to the conference finals three straight years and fail to win 4 games. The Detroit Pistons: the new mid-90s Buffalo Bills.
A little harsh considering they (unlike the Bills) actually WON a championship. The 90's Braves is a better comparison.
Not sure how this year is Flip's fault. Obviously Billups was hurt and Sheed is done. I think this team went as far as its talent would allow this year, they weren't better than the Celtics, the Celts would have beat that team no matter who was coaching.
Never could stand Flip. He couldn't do crap with KG when he was even more athletic than now. And I swear the man doesn't know how to make adjustments during a game.
ESPN analyst states that Curry will be the new HC according to his sources. He also stated that Rasheed will likely be gone as expected and they will try to trade Billups or Hamilton this off-season.
The end of the pissedons? NO. I like them around, say what you want about them, but they play good basketball...and Wade has a grudge against them, which makes him Jordan like against them.
If not for Wade's injury, I don't think Detroit gets out of that series in 2005. Was definitely hard fought. But Miami led 3-2, then Wade missed Game 6 and was seriously limited in Game 7. Detroit's a good team. I think they need a fresh voice and a slight culture change.
Only in Detroit can a coach take a team to the Eastern finals 3 yrs in a row and get canned. I dont get the expectations of these franchises sometimes. Avery I understood, this one I really dont. Even though I did find some of the rotation changes he made interesting at times.
Reports are that Dumars was steaming during that 10 point melt down at home. He's ready to blow it all up and said that "he's open for business". So it appears that at the very least, I expect 'Sheed to be dealt for sure.
I have absolutely no idea what will happen. Right now, no one is safe except perhaps Stuckey. I wouldn't be even a little surprised to see anyone else moved, even Billups or Hamilton. As for Saunders, I think he suffered most from being "not Larry Brown". You know how Jay Fiedler suffered mightily from being the guy who followed Dan Marino? The Pistons loved Brown, flaws and all. Any coach short of that stature who followed was doomed to fail. The best case scenario for Detroit would have been for the front office to bury their differences with LB, but that was apparently never an option. He badly wanted to move on, because, well, that's what he does, and Bill Davidson was (rightly) furious that he was job-hunting in the 2005 playoffs. Saunders was hired because the Pistons were in a pinch, more than anything. They didn't see the Brown departure coming, and didn't have a replacement lined up. Saunders was there, had a proven track record, and they wanted to move fast, so they hired him. It wasn't a terrible move, and he did a decent job, but they clearly tuned him out and often pined for Brown.
