Detroit Bad Boys - Pistons fire first-year head coach Maurice CheeksA community of Detroit Pistons fans since 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48119/detroitbadboys-fave.png2014-02-10T13:36:37-05:00http://www.detroitbadboys.com/rss/stream/51593232014-02-10T13:36:37-05:002014-02-10T13:36:37-05:00A look at John Loyer
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<p>As John Loyer takes the reins in the wake of Maurice Cheeks’ firing, let’s take a look at the long-time assistant coach’s facinating history.</p> <p>More flashy names popped up immediately after Cheeks was fired Sunday, including on the current Pistons coaching staff. <span>Lionel Hollins</span>, <span>Rasheed Wallace</span>, Bill Laimbeer. But it was <span>John Loyer</span> who was named interim head coach for the Pistons.</p>
<p>While Loyer is currently in as a placeholder until the team can do a full coaching search over the summer, possibly one of the first tasks for a new general manager, it's worth getting to know more about the lead man in the meantime. Plenty of coaches have gotten their start on an interim basis and turned out to win the long-term hire.</p>
<p>As Garrett asked in the comments, <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5396218/maurice-cheeks-fired-detroit-pistons-coaches-lionel-hollins-john-loyer#214787479" target="_blank">just who is this John Loyer guy anyway</a>?</p>
<h4><b>Resume:</b></h4>
<p>2011-13: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a>, assistant coach<br>2009-11: New Jersey <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Nets</a>, assistant coach<br>2005-09: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a>, assistant coach<br>2003-05: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a>, assistant coach<br>2001-03: Portland Trail Blazers, advance scout<br>2000-01: Portland Trail Blazers, video coordinator<br>1999-2000: Wabash Valley College, head coach<br>1989-99: University of Cincinnati, assistant coach<br>1987-89: University of Akron, graduate assistant</p>
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<p>Education: University of Akron, degree in social studies*</p>
<p><i>* According to his </i><a href="http://www.nba.com/coachfile/john_loyer/index.html?nav=page" target="_blank">NBA bio</a><i>, at least. That's not actually a major at Akron these days, however </i><a href="http://www.uakron.edu/academics_majors/undergraduate_programs/index.dot" target="_blank">social sciences</a><i> is one - and it sounds more like a legitimate major rather than a junior high class.</i></p>
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<h4><b>NBA coaching career</b></h4>
<p>Relationships are primary factor for how Loyer made his way to the Pistons, which is a prevailing theme throughout his career. He was originally hired as part of Lawrence Frank's staff for the Pistons, as the two had ties previously during Frank's tenure in New Jersey. But they only coached 16 games together. It turns out their <a href="http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_111130.html" target="_blank">relationship extended far prior</a>, back to their days when Loyer was an assistant at Cincinnati under Bob Huggins and Frank was an assistant at Marquette. Loyer apparently made a lasting impression on Frank.</p>
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<p>When Frank was fired last season, Cheeks brought in his own staff, filled with coaches he had experience and relationships with. That was part of what kept Loyer around. Loyer got his start as an assistant in Portland under Cheeks - and when Mo was fired in 2005 and moved to the 76ers, Loyer joined him in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Loyer has been <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/432592311319404545" target="_blank">gaining in attention</a> for his defensive reputation, but his focus was on the offensive end with Frank for the Pistons, particularly on the perimeter. When he was hired for Frank's staff, <a href="http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_111130.html" target="_blank">he said about his background</a>:</p>
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<p>"I've coached both sides of the ball. My background from the collegiate days was more on the defensive side, but since I've joined the NBA I've coached both sides for various coaches and feel very comfortable on the offensive side. It's kind of the way the league has gone the last handful of years - kind of the football mode: have one set of eyes on one end and one set on the other. That was appealing to me, but at the end of the day, just like a head coach, you're responsible for everything. It's just that one thing is your specialty, so it's a challenge I'm looking forward to."</p>
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<p>Loyer received plenty of praise in his work as an assistant in Portland and Philadelphia, particularly in regards to player development. Frank in particular spoke glowingly about his coaching potential and seemed to be grooming him for a head coaching job. <a href="http://www.nba.com/pistons/features/truebluepistons_111130.html%20" target="_blank">He said</a>, "John is a star. He's really good. Total anti-politician. Doesn't play the game. He's just into getting guys better, helping the team."</p>
<p>Which is interesting considering what happened with his college career...</p>
<h4><b>College coaching career</b></h4>
<p>Loyer was a point guard at Akron under Huggins, then served as his graduate assistant. When Huggins was offered the head job at Cincinnati and Loyer was apparently the first guy he brought along. In his book <i>Pressed for Success</i> Huggins wrote about his immediate steps after receiving the Cincinnati job:</p>
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<p>I called John Loyer, my graduate assistant coach who was one of my players at Akron, and told him to meet me in the office. At 7 a.m., he walked in, not knowing what to expect. <br>"Do you want to go to Cincinnati?" I said.<br>"Sure," said Loyer. It'll be fun."<br>John didn't get it. He thought I wanted to get away for the day. I told him what was going on, and he decided to join my staff.</p>
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<p>That call changed his career, for better <i>and</i> for worse.</p>
<p>At Cincinnati, Huggins took over a program that hadn't had a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA tournament</a> berth in over a decade to build a dominant squad that won nearly 400 games over 14 seasons and a Final Four appearance (where they were defeated by Michigan's Fab Five). All the while, Loyer was Huggins' right-hand man, a rising star, and <a href="http://enquirer.com/bearcats/1998/05/050998loyer.html" target="_blank">considered a head coach in waiting</a>.</p>
<p>As we now know, Huggins <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1009141/3/index.htm" target="_blank">didn't exactly run a clean operation</a>. The school's graduation rate was in the pits, players were getting in trouble for domestic violence, drugs, <a href="http://articles.philly.com/1995-05-04/sports/25675892_1_police-horse-athletes-security-breach" target="_blank">punching police horses</a>, and so on. By the end of the 90s, the NCAA conducted an investigation and concluded that the program had a lack of institutional control.</p>
<div class="pullquote">John Loyer was the scapegoat.
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<p>John Loyer was the scapegoat. Loyer <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/1998/06/30/cincinnati_ncaa/" target="_blank">was suspended and eventually fired</a> in response to the investigation, even though <a href="http://wvmetronews.com/2013/08/15/huggins-was-no-fan-of-the-cleaner-at-cincy/" target="_blank">19 of 22 charges against him were overturned</a>. Huggins, meanwhile, escaped with his job and the university said that he had no role in any violations and was completely unaware. Well, until he was forced to resign in 2005 after the program's troubles continued and Huggins was charged with a DUI.</p>
<p>The charges <a href="http://enquirer.com/editions/2003/03/01/spt_wwwtip1catch1.html" target="_blank">essentially crushed Loyer's college career</a>. Once poised to spring to a head coaching job at a major program, Loyer took a job as head coach for Wabash Valley College. Former Jerry Tarkanian assistant Mark Warkentien was assistant general manager for the Trail Blazers at the time, and recruited Loyer to join their coaching staff.</p>
<p><a href="http://enquirer.com/bearcats/2000/03/11/uc_martins_will.html" target="_blank">During his time at Cincinnati</a>, he focused on scouting opponents, implementing reports with players, working with guards, and recruiting. The team was reincarnation of recently-disassembled UNLV Runnin' Rebels, led by speed, intense defense, and a roster full of players with a checkered past. Loyer was described as a commanding figure during practices, he was responsible for landing future top <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA draft</a> pick <span>Kenyon Martin</span>, and helped shape <span>Nick Van Exel</span> and <span>Ruben Patterson</span> into future NBA players. Working with difficult personalities will not be a new challenge for Loyer.</p>
<p>While he's filled in as head coach previously, it has only been as a one game substitute when Bob Huggins was suspended or Kiki Vanderweghe <a href="http://www.nj.com/nets/index.ssf/2010/03/john_loyer_coaches_in_place_of.html" target="_blank">missed a game for a personal matter</a>. In what has been a long career, this will be his first stint leading as head coach for an extended period of time.</p>
<p>When he transitioned to the NBA, Loyer thought it spelt the end of his head coaching ambitions. But thanks to years of paying his dues, he's managed to overcome the ignominy of his Cincinnati firing to get the chance.</p>
<p>Though you might not have heard of John Loyer prior to Sunday's announcement, it was a moment of redemption for a once-promising young coach a university threw under the bus.</p>
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https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/10/5398292/loyers-first-head-coaching-job-is-years-in-the-makingSteve Hinson2014-02-10T11:41:44-05:002014-02-10T11:41:44-05:00Brandon Jennings reacts to Mo Cheeks getting fired<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="/rss/stream/5159323">Brandon Jennings surprised Mo Cheeks was&nbsp;fired</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>How surprised was he? <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395296/pistons-players-learn-about-firing-of-maurice-cheeks-on-twitter/in/5159323">He apparently learned the news on Twitter.</a>. (See <a href="https://twitter.com/drpemberton">more reactions from players on Dave Pemberton's timeline</a>.)</p></p></div>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/10/5397884/brandon-jennings-surprised-mo-cheeks-was-firedMatt Watson2014-02-09T19:52:29-05:002014-02-09T19:52:29-05:00Your official 'Mo Cheeks Fired' open thread
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<p>The firing of Maurice Cheeks was surprising to say the least and DBB (actually, Sean_Corp) had eight posts up within three hours after the news broke. Let's all come together in one thread to share our collective thoughts on this move. </p> <p><a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons/local-pistons-media" data-widget-id="432677274416979968">Tweets from https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons/local-pistons-media</a>
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https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5396218/maurice-cheeks-fired-detroit-pistons-coaches-lionel-hollins-john-loyerPackey2014-02-09T15:59:07-05:002014-02-09T15:59:07-05:00Dumars is lame duck GM of lame duck franchise
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<p>Gores is taking control of his team, with all signs point to this being the final season for Dumars in Detroit. But after firing the head coach, Gores should have gone all the way. It's only fair thing for Dumars and the team going forward. </p> <p>Joe Dumars is a lame duck. Well, not officially, but all signs point to Tom Gores putting his imprint on this team and largely taking control of the team away from Joe Dumars without actually firing him.</p>
<p>It all seems to be a part of Tom Gores' management philosophy: <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2013/7/1/4482708/tom-gores-win-now-and-win-later">Win now and win later</a>.</p>
<p>That philosophy had shown itself in the player personnel department when he endorsed the signing of <span>Josh Smith</span> and the instant-fit of shooting guard <span>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope</span> in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA draft</a>. Now, it appears to be playing out on a team management level. Fire the coach but keep your GM (who also happens to be one of the most popular players in franchise history) and, what? Rebuild? Contend? Stay the course?</p>
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<p>Gores seems to be trying to have it both ways. He didn't like the performance of <span>Maurice Cheeks</span> as head coach. Cheeks is gone. It would stand to reason, then, that Joe Dumars, the person primarily responsible for the hiring of Cheeks, would be gone as well. The same Dumars who, not incidentally, was also responsible for now former coaches <span>Larry Brown</span> (fired), Flip Saunders (fired), Michael Curry (fired -- also in his first year) and <span>John Kuester</span> (fired).</p>
<p>Instead, Dumars remains. Far from being an endorsement of Dumars' abilities as an executive, however, it seems much more likely that it is Gores' attempt to respectfully let Dumars walk away from the franchise (or move to a different post with the team) once his contract is up after this season. Gores parting gift to Dumars that prevents the stink of being fired from being a part of Joe's official CV.</p>
<p>This is practically the same line of thinking I made in my piece, <i><a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/1/30/5361276/nba-trade-rumors-pistons-greg-monroe-josh-smith-rodney-stuckey">The courage of the status quo</a>,</i> where I argued that the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pistons</a> should do ... absolutely nothing. But firing Cheeks isn't nothing. In fact, it's a big ol' something. And it requires Gores to go all the way. No half measures.</p>
<p>After all, Gores made the move to fire Cheeks over Dumars' protestations. Gores seems to have endorsed <span>John Loyer</span> as a season-long interim head coach as opposed to trying to hire a Dumars-approved long-term replacement in <span>Lionel Hollins</span>, who had expressed interest in the team's new coaching vacancy. Gores is in control but Dumars is still here. Win now and win later.</p>
<p>But is that really fair to Dumars? Just as importantly, is it really fair to the team going forward?</p>
<p>In trade negotiations it is always nice to have a little leverage against your trade partner, but Dumars has the opposite of leverage. In fact, he seems completely powerless. If the team has any eyes on getting maximum return for veterans then it should fire Dumars now. To fire Cheeks but keep Dumars on is farcical. Everyone knows that Dumars is no longer in control of this franchise. To make him play out the role embarrasses him and the organization. Especially if the team wants to make any personnel moves between now and the trade deadline.</p>
<p>When your team is this far below .500 with pieces that don't fit and you've fired your head coach, it strikes to reason that the team should be a seller if not outright tank mode. The reasons Cheeks was let go seem to be because <a href="http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2014/02/tom_gores_detroit_pistons_owne.html" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Gores believed he was not coaching the team to its fullest potential</a>. So instead, Gores appears content to let this group fight for a playoff spot. Win now and win later.</p>
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<p>Or, much more likely, go absolutely nowhere and miss out on the chance to improve the future of the franchise by shipping off assets that are not part of the future for picks, and play poorly enough to secure a high draft pick in a stacked draft.</p>
<p>There are still more questions than answers in Detroit. Is the team a buyer or seller? Is John Loyer an improvement at head coach that can get this team playing defense and over the hump? Will the team now fully commit to <span>Greg Monroe</span> as part of the organizations future? The next couple weeks should shed some light on these issues and more.</p>
<p>But by not committing all the way to doing what needs to be done, Gores is needlessly clouding the future success of this franchise. The truth is, with this roster and this organization you can't win now and win later.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3u-6UFLubI">The moral of the story is he chose a half measure, when he should have gone all the way</a>.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395638/joe-dumars-is-a-lame-duck-gm-of-a-lame-duck-franchiseSean Corp2014-02-09T14:58:29-05:002014-02-09T14:58:29-05:00John Loyer to coach Pistons for rest of season
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<p>John Loyer has been named interim coach after the firing of Maurice Cheeks. Reports indicate Loyer will coach rest of season and team won't explore hiring a longer-term replacement.</p> <p>Detroit Pistons assistant coach John Loyer has been named interim head coach following the firing of Maurice Cheeks on Sunday, and reports indicate Loyer will stay in place for the rest of the season.</p>
<p>The firing of Cheeks and promotion of Loyer was made <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395480/Maurice-Cheeks-fired-official-statement-pistons/in/5159323">official by the Pistons</a>, but there has been speculation that the interim tag on Loyer would be short lived and the team would quickly move to hire a more permanent replacement <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395366/lionel-hollins-says-he-is-interested-in-detroit-job-but-no-talks-yet/in/5159323">with all signs pointing toward</a> former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.</p>
<p>However, <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pistons-fire-coach-maurice-cheeks-165831433.html">Adrian Wojnarowski indicates</a> that Loyer has been tabbed to coach the Pistons for the rest of the 2013-14 season and no longer-term replacement will be sought. Instead, an official coach search will begin after the season.</p>
<p>Loyer is a career NBA assistant and is known as a quality defensive coach. He was hired in Detroit by former head coach Lawrence Frank and retained by now former coach Maurice Cheeks. Loyer had been an assistant on Frank's Nets and had served under Cheeks in both Portland and Philadelphia. Loyer was also a longtime assistant at the University of Cincinnati under coach Bob Huggins.</p>
<p>His last head coaching stint was in 2000 at Wabash Valley College.</p>
<p>Prior to his appointment with the Nets, Loyer spent four seasons in the same position for the Philadelphia 76ers . He was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers organization for a total of five seasons as the team's video coordinator (2000-01), advance scout (2001-03) and assistant coach (2003-05). <br><br>Before joining the Trail Blazers staff in 2000, Loyer spent 12 years in the collegiate coaching ranks with stops at Wabash Valley College (1999-00), University of Akron (1987-89) and the University of Cincinnati (1989-99) . He was an assistant at Cincinnati for 10 years during which time the Bearcats made it to the Final Four once and twice to the Elite Eight. <br><br>Overall, while an assistant coach on the college level, teams he worked with posted a 234-86 ( .731) record . The team Loyer recruited at Wabash Valley College went on to win the 2001 National Junior College championship. <br><br>A 1988 graduate of the University of Akron, Loyer was a four-year letterman in basketball and earned a degree in social studies . He and his wife Katie have three children, sons Foster and Fletcher, and daughter, Jersey.</p>
<p>Prior to the season, Pistons GM Joe Dumars reached out to Hollins in an effort to get him to join the coaching staff as an assistant. Reports when Cheeks was first fired indicated the decision was Gores', with Dumars in favor of giving Cheeks more time to let the odd pieces on the Pistons roster fit. Gores, however, seems to have seen enough.</p>
<p>Shortly after the firing of Cheeks there were reports that both the Pistons and Hollins were interested in discussing the new head coaching vacancy in Detroit. If Wojnarowski is correct (hint: he always is), then Loyer is the man for the rest of the season, and that at least indicates that Tom Gores is the one driving this process and Dumars has officially reached lame duck status.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395566/report-loyer-will-coach-pistons-for-rest-of-seasonSean Corp2014-02-09T14:05:06-05:002014-02-09T14:05:06-05:00Firing official: Gores tosses Mo Cheeks to side
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<p>The Detroit Pistons released a statement making the firing of Maurice Cheeks officials.</p> <p>First reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> have made the firing of first-year head coach <span>Maurice Cheeks</span> official with a statement released by the team.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/detroit-pistons-relieve-maurice-cheeks-head-coaching-duties">official statement</a>:</p>
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<p>AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Detroit Pistons announced today that Maurice Cheeks has been relieved of his head coaching duties. The Pistons recorded a 21-29 record over Cheeks' first 50 games.</p>
<p>"This was a difficult decision for the organization to make but we needed to make a change," said President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars. "We have great respect for Maurice and appreciate his hard work."</p>
<p>"Our record does not reflect our talent and we simply need a change," said Pistons owner Tom Gores. "We have not made the kind of progress that we should have over the first half of the season. This is a young team and we knew there would be growing pains, but we can be patient only as long as there is progress. The responsibility does not fall squarely on any one individual, but right now this change is a necessary step toward turning this thing around. I still have a lot of hope for this season and I expect our players to step up. I respect and appreciate Maurice Cheeks and thank him for his efforts; we just require a different approach."</p>
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<p>A 28-word statement from Dumars followed by a 117-word comment from Tom Gores. Noted without additional comment.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://twitter.com/David_Mayo/status/432587809434501120">team also named</a> <span>John Loyer</span> the official interim coach, though that might be a temporary assignment for Loyer. The team has a game Monday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> and another Wednesday against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> before the All-Star Break.</p>
<p>The team is known to be interested in hiring <span>Lionel Hollins</span> as a more permanent replacement, and the interest apparently is mutual. A hiring could be made there between now and when the team gets back into action after the All-Star Break.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395480/Maurice-Cheeks-fired-official-statement-pistonsSean Corp2014-02-09T13:48:21-05:002014-02-09T13:48:21-05:00Petition started to hire Rasheed as Pistons coach
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<p>Only 99,000-plus signatures short as of this posting.</p> <p><i><b>UPDATE: </b>Sadly, the petition has been removed. I'm thinking it was one last anti-Rasheed move by David Stern, who has deep connections in Washington. Conspiracy!</i></p>
<p>If you didn't think the Detroit Pistons were a joke before, maybe this will help cement it. A fan has started an official petition on WhiteHouse.gov calling for the Detroit Pistons to hire Rasheed Wallace as head coach in place of the recently fired Maurice Cheeks.</p>
<p>Hilarious? Yes. Depressing? Sorta. Awesome? Definitely.</p>
<p>I wish I had thought of it, but full credit goes to NBA writer Lang Whitaker for best Rasheed-related tweet since the news of Cheeks' firing first broke on Twitter.</p>
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<p>Hope Pistons promote Sheed, implement new Ball Don't Lie offense.</p>
— Lang Whitaker (@langwhitaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/langwhitaker/statuses/432567160809226241">February 9, 2014</a>
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<p>Ball Don't Lie offense. Indescribably awesome.</p>
<p>The White House petition currently sits at 84 signatures, a mere 99,916 short of requiring an official response from the White House. Do you want Rasheed Wallace to coach the Pistons? Do you want an awkward form response from the White House? Then <a href="https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/have-rasheed-wallace-become-interim-head-coach-detroit-pistons/0z34l46p">sign the petition</a>, everybody.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395432/fan-starts-white-house-petition-to-have-rasheed-wallace-coach-pistonsSean Corp2014-02-09T13:32:26-05:002014-02-09T13:32:26-05:00Hollins says he is interested in Detroit job
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<p>No talks yet scheduled between head coach and team, but both sides appear interested. What would his hiring say about the future of the franchise both this season and beyond?</p> <p>Shortly after news broke that the Detroit Pistons fired head coach Maurice Cheeks, it was reported that high atop the list of potential replacements was former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins.</p>
<p>It seems that the interest is mutual. Hollins reportedly told Comcast SportsNet Northwest that he was intrigued by the opening.</p>
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<p>Coach Lionel Hollins tells <a href="https://twitter.com/CSNNW">@CSNNW</a> "Of course I'm interested" in the Detroit head coach job. Though he has not communicated with them, yet.</p>
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/statuses/432574623566143488">February 9, 2014</a>
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<p>This report is backed up by Sam Amick of USA Today, who was the first to report that the Pistons were interested in reaching out to the currently unemployed Hollins to take over mid-season.</p>
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<p>So who takes Cheeks' place? That much remains to be seen, but former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins is known to be very interested in the job and it appears he would be willing to take on this challenge at midseason.</p>
<p>Hollins, to review, was not re-signed by the Grizzlies last summer after five seasons despite having taken Memphis to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. He is no stranger to taking over midway through a season, as he took over for the fired Marc Iavaroni during the 2008-09 campaign.</p>
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<p>There is still a lot of unknowns about what is happening in Detroit, but the hiring of a head coach could provide a lot of clues. Early indications are that the decision to fire Cheeks was carried out by owner Tom Gores while current president of basketball operations Joe Dumars argued that Cheeks deserved more time.</p>
<p>If the Pistons hire Hollins then it would stand to reason that 1. Joe Dumars job could be safe for this season and beyond 2. There will not be a major shakeup to the roster.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago when Gores spoke to the media, he seemed to imply that the major issues were not one of roster composition but of coaching a preparation.</p>
<p><span>“These young men work really hard. It’s our job to make sure these guys are at their maximum, and I don’t think they’re at their maximum,” Gores said, </span><a href="http://%E2%80%9CThese%20young%20men%20work%20really%20hard.%20It%E2%80%99s%20our%20job%20to%20make%20sure%20these%20guys%20are%20at%20their%20maximum,%20and%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20think%20they%E2%80%99re%20at%20their%20maximum.%E2%80%9D%20%20From%20The%20Detroit%20News:%20http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140201/SPORTS0102/302010074#ixzz2sqoRtVWv">according to the Detroit News</a><span>. </span></p>
<p>But, again, this speculation is slightly premature as there is no indication that talks have begun between the team and Hollins.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/2/9/5395366/lionel-hollins-says-he-is-interested-in-detroit-job-but-no-talks-yetSean Corp