Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: NBA Africa Game, Global Camp, Upshaw

May 31st, 2018 at 2:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan and Sixers center Joel Embiid will headline the rosters in this summer’s NBA Africa Game, the league announced today. The event, which will take place on Saturday, August 4 in Pretoria, South Africa, will feature a Team Africa vs. Team World format, with Cameroon native Embiid heading Team Africa and DeRozan representing Team World.

Joining Embiid on Team Africa will be fellow NBAers Al-Farouq Aminu, Bismack Biyombo, Cheick Diallo, Evan Fournier, Serge Ibaka, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Pascal Siakam. DeRozan’s teamates on Team World will include Harrison Barnes, Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Gay, Khris Middleton, and Hassan Whiteside.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the basketball world:

A total of 40 draft-eligible prospects from outside the United States will take part in the NBA Global Camp 2018 in Treviso, Italy from June 2-5, the NBA announced on Wednesday. While Luka Doncic won’t attend the pre-draft showcase, there will be plenty of prospects worth watching, including Cedevita forward Dzanan Musa, who is the No. 19 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com.
The mother of Zeke Upshaw, the G League player who passed away earlier this year after collapsing during a Grand Rapids Drive game, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the NBA and the Pistons of negligence. The suit alleges that the defendants failed to provide the Drive with the “the resources, policies, and procedures reasonably necessary” to prevent or handle Upshaw’s collapse. Noah Trister of The Associated Press has the full story and more details.
Now that two-way contracts have been in effect for nearly a full year, Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days explores what sort of changes we may see to the rules surrounding those contracts in the future.

Latest On Pistons’ Front Office Search

May 31st, 2018 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons’ head coaching search appears to be in full swing, with reports on Wednesday indicating that the team intends to interview TNT analyst Kenny Smith, Heat assistant Juwan Howard, Spurs assistant Ime Udoka, and former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. In addition to deciding on a new head coach though, the club will need to make at least one hire in its front office to replace former president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy.

Although Heat executive Shane Battier withdrew from consideration for a top front office job in Detroit earlier this week, the Pistons are eyeing several other candidates. Battier’s decision may clear a path for Nets assistant Trajan Langdon to land in Detroit, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who notes that Langdon has already interviewed with the Pistons.

According to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), it sounds as if Langdon and TNT analyst Brent Barry will meet with the Pistons this week to discuss potential front office roles. Both candidates have already spoken to the team, with Ellis noting that Barry impressed the Pistons in previous discussions.

Ellis also reports (via Twitter) that Hawks executive Malik Rose is another name to add to the Pistons’ list of candidates. Rose, who currently holds the title of manager of basketball operations in Atlanta, serves as the GM of the Erie BayHawks, the Hawks’ G League affiliate. In his first season in that role, Rose was named the NBAGL Executive of the Year.

Langdon, Barry, and Rose don’t have any experience running an NBA team, but the Pistons are said to be seeking a young, rising executive who would be capable of shaping the team for years to come. Those three candidates, who are all in their 40s, could fit that bill. Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups are among the other front office options reportedly being considered by the Pistons.

Pistons To Interview Howard, Casey, Udoka

May 30th, 2018 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard will interview with the Pistons about their head coaching vacancy, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Howard is expected to receive an interview in the next few days, Wojnarowski adds. He is the second prominent name to emerge as a candidate for the job today, following TNT broadcaster Kenny Smith. Former Raptors coach Dwane Casey and Spurs assistant Ime Udoka will also receive interviews, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Howard has been part of Erik Spoelstra’s staff in Miami for the past five seasons. He and Smith were among 11 candidates to interview for the Knicks’ head coaching position before they hired David Fizdale.

Howard, 45, played 19 NBA seasons before retiring in 2013. Casey coached Toronto for the past seven seasons before being fired after a second-round playoff ouster, and Udoka has been on Gregg Popovich’s staff for six years.

Pistons Plan To Interview Kenny Smith For HC Job

May 30th, 2018 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons intend to interview TNT analyst Kenny Smith for their head coaching job, report Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). According to Vincent Goodwill of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link), the Pistons spoke to Smith prior to the combine about the role, so today’s report “could be a signal of intensifying conversation.”

Smith, who was a player in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 and has now been with Turner Sports for two decades, doesn’t have any NBA coaching experience. However, this is the second time this spring that a team has expressed interest in interviewing him. Smith also met with the Knicks about their head coaching vacancy before they hired David Fizdale.

In addition to seeking out a new head coach, the Pistons are also in the market for a new head of basketball operations, and there’s a belief that the team will attempt to fill the latter role before deciding on a coach.

Still, veteran executive Ed Stefanski is serving as a special advisor in both searches, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported today (via Twitter) that former NBA head coaches Bernie Bickerstaff and Jim Lynam will consult with Stefanski in the coaching search, and sit in on interviews with candidates. As such, there are already plenty of voices involved in the search for a new head coach, even without a GM in place.

Dwane Casey has also been cited as a possible candidate for the Pistons, and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald tweeted today that it wouldn’t be a surprise if Detroit brings in Heat assistant Juwan Howard for an interview.

Shane Battier Withdraws From Consideration For Pistons’ Front Office Role

May 29th, 2018 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

After meeting with the Pistons about a leading role in their new-look front office, Shane Battier has withdrawn from consideration, reports ESPN’s Zach Lowe (via Twitter).

The Pistons – who received permission from the Heat to interview Battier – were said to be “impressed” by the former NBA forward after their first meeting, and planned to meet with him against last week. It’s not clear whether Battier removed his name from consideration before that second meeting could take place, or after the two sides met for a second time.

Battier currently serves as the director of basketball development and analytics in Miami, though the Heat are believed to be grooming him for a higher-level front office job down the road. The opportunity to potentially join his hometown team may have appealed to Battier, a Michigan native, but he seems content to stick with the Heat for now.

The Pistons, who are on the lookout for a new head of basketball operations and a new head coach after parting ways with Stan Van Gundy, hired Grizzlies executive Ed Stefanski as a senior advisor to lead those searches. Besides Battier, former players like Brent Barry, Chauncey Billups, and Tayshaun Prince have been mentioned as possible candidates for front office jobs in Detroit. Nets assistant general manager Trajan Langdon is also considered a serious contender for a GM-type role with the Pistons.

Pistons Notes: Bower, GM Search, Draft Workouts

May 24th, 2018 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, the Pistons made their first major hire since Stan Van Gundy‘s departure, finalizing a three-year agreement that makes former Grizzlies executive Ed Stefanski a senior advisor in Detroit. As we relayed in that story, Stefanski will have a major role in hiring a new GM and head coach, but before he does that, he intends to assess the Pistons’ current front office group, led by general manager Jeff Bower.

According to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter links), Stefanski – who knows Bower well – plans to meet with the GM and other members of the club’s front office on Tuesday.

“I’m going to spend a lot of time with Jeff Bower,” Stefanski said, per Ellis. “I respect him and I want to talk to him and I want to find out what he thinks of the situation there. Obviously he’s been there for four years and he’s been right at the pulse of everything.”

As we wait to hear how that meeting goes, let’s round up a few more Pistons-related notes…

The Pistons are in the market for a young, rising executive for their GM job, according to Ellis, who writes that the ideal candidate would become “the face of the franchise for a decade.” Ellis reports that the Pistons would “love” to explore hiring Thunder assistant GM Troy Weaver, but Weaver isn’t expected to be available.
While they’ll have plenty of competition, the Pistons figure to be in the market for an athletic, 3-and-D-type wing with the No. 42 pick in this year’s draft, says Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. That type of player is a hot commodity in today’s NBA, so the pickings may be slim for Detroit by the middle of the second round.
As Rod Beard of The Detroit News relays (via Twitter), the Pistons brought in six prospects for workouts today, auditioning Jaylen Adams (St. Bonaventure), Bogdan Bliznyuk (Eastern Washington), Ethan Happ (Wisconsin), Kelan Martin (Butler), Malik Pope (San Diego State), and Andrew Rowsey (Marquette).

Pistons Hire Ed Stefanski As Senior Advisor

May 24th, 2018 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have begun to shape their new-look front office, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the team has hired Ed Stefanski as a senior advisor responsible for overhauling the team’s basketball operations. Stefanski, cited last week as a candidate to join the Pistons, had been working in Memphis as the Grizzlies’ executive VP of player personnel, and had a previous stint as the Sixers’ general manager.

The Pistons have confirmed the hiring in a press release.

According to Wojnarowski, Stefanski will take stock the Pistons’ current front office and will oversee the process of hiring a new general manager and head coach. Woj adds (via Twitter) that former Raptors coach Dwane Casey will be a primary target in Detroit’s search for Stan Van Gundy‘s replacement on the sidelines, with the Pistons intending to engage Casey “immediately.” Stefanski and Casey worked together in Toronto from 2011 to 2013.

Hiring Stefanski as an advisor responsible for leading the general manager search suggests that the Pistons may not formally name a president of basketball operations above the GM in the hierarchy, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. It’s not clear how much influence Stefanski, who received a three-year deal, will have over basketball decisions once a new GM is hired, but Wojnarowski notes that the former Grizzlies exec will report directly to owner Tom Gores.

Among Stefanski’s first tasks will be assessing the work of current Pistons executives, including GM Jeff Bower, whose contract expires on June 30. Stefanski will also focus on separating the basketball operations department from the coaching staff, Wojnarowski writes. With Van Gundy having previously held the head coach and president of basketball ops titles, those areas were intertwined during his tenure.

According to Wojnarowski, the Pistons will strongly consider hiring a “rising” executive for a GM-type role, with Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon considered a serious candidate for such a position. Per Woj, TNT analyst Brent Barry remains a frontrunner for a complementary job in Detroit’s front office. Both Wojnarowski and Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) also mention Tayshaun Prince as a strong candidate to join the Pistons’ management group.

The Pistons were also said to be impressed by Shane Battier after interviewing the Heat executive, though it’s not clear how he’d fit into the team’s front office picture.

Casey A Candidate; Bower Works Until Told Otherwise

May 23rd, 2018 at 8:28pm CST by clarkcrum

Amid a time of uncertainty, Pistons’ general manager Jeff Bower continues to operate business as usual, taking control of the front office until told otherwise, reports Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Bower’s contract expires on June 30, and the team is considering a pool of candidates to run the front office.
In other Pistons news, Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press tweets that coach of the year candidate Dwane Casey is highly likely to be considered for the team’s open head coaching vacancy, while a decision on the front office should come in early June.

Shane Battier Expected To Get Second Interview With Pistons

May 22nd, 2018 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat director of basketball development and analytics Shane Battier is expected to interview with the Pistons for a second time, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). We initially heard last week that the Heat had granted Battier permission to meet with Detroit about a possible front office role.

According to Jackson, the Pistons were “impressed” by Battier during that first meeting, resulting in a probable second interview later this week.

While Battier isn’t believed to be in consideration for the top job in Detroit’s front office, the Pistons could offer the longtime NBA forward a promotion from his current role in Miami. The Heat are believed to be grooming Battier for a higher-level front office job down the road, but if things go well with the Pistons, the 39-year-old could accelerate that timeline and potentially join his hometown team — Battier was born in Birmingham, Michigan.

Having parted ways with Stan Van Gundy earlier this month, the Pistons are on the lookout for a new head of basketball operations and a new head coach, and are said to be focusing on the front office job first.

NBA executive VP of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, Grizzlies executive VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski, Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, and Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon are among the candidates reportedly receiving consideration from the Pistons for the top basketball ops job, with former players Battier and Brent Barry said to be in the mix for front office positions too.

Carsen Edwards Working Out For Pistons

May 22nd, 2018 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Purdue’s Carsen Edwards, who is still weighing whether or not to remain in the draft, worked out for the Nets on Monday and is still scheduled to get a look from the Pistons and Hawks, tweets Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports.