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With Michael Curry out, Pistons focus on free agents Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva
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Frustration marred Curry's tenure (Allen Einstein/Getty)
After one tumultuous season in Detroit, head coach Michael Curry was kicked to the curb by general manager Joe Dumars yesterday. The ax came down a mere four days after the NBA Draft, a time when the Pistons appeared relatively content with their current rebuilding stage. But instead, this decision shook the entire foundation of the franchise and now forces Dumars to hire a replacement as quickly as possible.
Under Curry's watch, the Pistons finished with a disappointing 39-43 record in his first year calling the shots. An opening round playoff sweep at the hands of Cleveland helped to put the entire season under a microscope, even though it was painfully clear that this team never really had a chance after Chauncey Billups was traded. Despite being gift-wrapped a three year $7.5 million contract, Curry had no previous coaching experience when he was handed the keys to Detroit's future last summer. Many (Joe Dumars included) felt that because he served as the president of the NBA Players Association, Curry was on a fast track to head coaching stardom. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
But to most Pistons fans, Curry never quite fit in as the head guy. Simply put, he wasn't even close to being ready to deal with everything that was laid before him. After starter Rip Hamilton was benched mid-way through the season in favor of Allen Iverson, Curry and Hamilton clashed often behind the scenes. While those reports never quite became a mainstream topic of discussion, many were under the impression that the two parties could no longer co-exist. The likeliest scenario at the time was for Hamilton to be dealt elsewhere and Curry to stay put, especially after the news surfaced this past month that Dumars was actively shopping the three time All-Star.
As far as potential replacements go, the coaching pool really isn't as deep as we Pistons fans would like to believe. Popular options like Michigan State's Tom Izzo and ex-Piston Bill Laimbeer are pipe dreams at best right now, and Izzo himself has already denied interest. The most likely candidate? Try ex-Pistons coach and current NBA analyst Doug Collins. An eight year coaching veteran, Collins went 121-88 in two and a half seasons with Detroit from '95 to '98. Could the coach of the Pistons' future really be a guy from the past? We'll just have to wait and see.
Free Agency Watch
Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier that free agents Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are in Detroit meeting with Joe Dumars today. Gordon has been pegged as a near-lock to come to the Pistons this off-season, with Villanueva only recently drawing serious interest. After hearing news that Utah big men Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur will both stick around at least one more season with the Jazz, it's possible that Villanueva is Detroit's #1 option for the power forward position at the moment. Keep checking back for more updates on any moves the Pistons make in the upcoming week.
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