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Sure, Rasheed Wallace has been on Detroit's sideline all year, but as a member of Mo Cheeks' staff, he was just a player development coach, relegated to the second row behind the Pistons' bench.
But with assistant Maz Trakh following Cheeks out the door, interim head coach John Loyer opted to promote Wallace into a bona fide assistant role, reports Fox Sports Detroit's Dave Hogg. In addition to a title bump, Wallace also received a new assigned seat in the front row, putting him in prime position to continue his life's mission of reminding the league's whistleblowers of the ball's high regard for the truth.
When Monday's game tipped, Wallace was sitting immediately to Loyer's left. It's poetic, really. As Loyer finally reached the top of the NBA coaching ladder, he did so alongside someone who was there when he stepped onto the first rung. Hogg explains:
Loyer has known Wallace for more than a decade -- he broke into the NBA with Portland in 2000 while Wallace was playing for the Trail Blazers, serving as a video coordinator, advance scout and assistant coach. So, when he needed an assistant on short notice, he didn't have to look far for a familiar face.
Win or lose, one thing is certain for the Pistons over the next 32 games: they won't go down quietly. This should be fun.
