Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Magic, Noel, Stan Van Gundy, Curry

April 19th, 2013 at 10:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

The future of the Kings was far from the only issue on the table at the NBA's Board of Governors meeting this week. USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt rounds up the other issues that owners discussed, including human growth hormone testing for players, the effect of widespread reliance on three-pointers, and the possibility of a joint bid for the 2015 All-Star Game between New York and Brooklyn. Here's more from the Association on the eve of the playoffs:

Magic GM Rob Hennigan has demonstrated a reluctance to pick up players with question marks surrounding their health, but Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel hears they wouldn't hesitate to draft top prospect Nerlens Noel, who tore his left ACL in February.
Schmitz also hears Stan Van Gundy has no interest in becoming the next coach of the Cavaliers, Sixers or Pistons, the three teams with current coaching vacancies. The former Magic coach has been linked to the openings in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Sixers assistant coach Michael Curry will interview for the head job in Philly, but a source tells John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer that interest from other teams will be high.
Jamaal Tinsley started 32 games in place of the injured Mo Williams for the Jazz this season, and the 35-year-old Tinsley is convinced he has plenty left, telling Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune he "realistically" thinks he can play for another three or four years in the league (Twitter link).
A report earlier this season suggested Omri Casspi was thinking about returning to play in his native Israel, but he tells Walla Sport that as long as he receives an offer from an NBA club, he won't play overseas next season (translation via HoopsHype).
Mike Dunlap is rumored to be in danger of losing his job with the Bobcats, but the team is in no hurry to make its decision about him, preferring to listen to exit interviews and watch the coaching market develop first, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Warriors GM Bob Myers told Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group that he had every confidence Stephen Curry would remain healthy when he signed the point guard to his four-year, $44MM extension last fall.

Odds & Ends: Wilcox, Kings, Pistons, McGrady

April 18th, 2013 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

So far, Hoops Rumors readers have indicated in this morning's poll that Spurs/Lakers is the most-anticipated first round series of the NBA playoffs, with Celtics/Knicks and Thunder/Rockets rounding out the top three. We'll have to wait until Sunday for those two Western series to get underway, but Boston and New York will be the first two teams to begin their series on Saturday afternoon. As we look forward to what should be an exciting postseason, let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

Washington junior C.J. Wilcox has decided to return to school for his senior season, tweets Percy Allen of the Seattle Times. Wilcox was ranked 37th among this year's prospects by ESPN.com's Chad Ford.
Michael McCann of SI.com (Twitter link) hears that, as commissioner David Stern has indicated publicly, expansion to 31 teams truly hasn't been discussed as an option by the NBA. As such, there will be no happy ending to the Kings saga for both Sacramento and Seattle basketball fans.
With Lawrence Frank out as Pistons coach, GM Joe Dumars will be running the team's search for a new coach, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Vince Goodwill of the Detroit News has heard Nate McMillan, Kelvin Sampson, Jerry Sloan, and Heat assistant David Fizdale mentioned as potential candidates (Twitter link).
Sixers assistant Michael Curry will interview for Philadelphia's head coaching position while keeping an eye on other openings, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com. In Doug Collins' exit interview today, he recommended Curry as his replacement.
Tracy McGrady is a Spur at the moment, but his 2012/13 Chinese team, the Qingdao Double Star Eagles would like to re-sign him for next season, according to a Hupu.com report (English link via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando).
Carchia also passes along word that Latvian forward Janis Timma has decided to enter the 2013 NBA draft, according to his agent. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com ranks Timma 27th among 1992-born international prospects.

Lawrence Frank Out As Pistons Coach

April 18th, 2013 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have notified Lawrence Frank that he won't be retained as the team's head coach for the 2013/14 season, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com first tweeted word that Frank was out as coach of the Pistons.

The decision had been expected for some time, particularly after Pistons owner Tom Gores expressed his disappointment earlier this week about how the club's season had played out. Gores did praise the way Joe Dumars and basketball operations had set the franchise up financially, but his comments didn't include many accolades for Frank's performance.

In two seasons with the Pistons, Frank led the team to a 54-94 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs either year. He'll still receive his salary for the 2013/14 season, since it was guaranteed for an amount in the neighborhood of $3.5-4MM.

We heard yesterday that Frank had informed the Pistons he didn't want to return to the club unless the team exercised its 2014/15 option on him as well. Frank didn't want to commit to the Pistons going forward unless the team was willing to commit long-term to him, due in part to the fact that his wife has been ill, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported today.

Coaching Rumors: Suns, Pistons, Raps, Sixers

April 18th, 2013 at 11:10am CST by Luke Adams

Two teams have already made coaching changes today, as the Cavaliers parted ways with Byron Scott and the Sixers announced that Doug Collins won't be returning as head coach. There could be a few more spins on the coaching carousel before the day is done, so let's round up the latest….

ESPN.com's Marc Stein gets the sense that the Suns will take their time to make a decision on the future of coach Lindsey Hunter, who is not assured of returning (Twitter link). According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, Hunter didn't fare well in his end-of-season player evaluations — "players don't want him back," one source tells Berger.
It sounds as if Lawrence Frank is on the way out in Detroit, but he won't officially learn his fate until he meets with Pistons owner Tom Gores today, tweets Stein. Berger hears that one reason Frank wants his fourth-year option picked up if the team brings him back for a third year is that his wife has been ill, so he's reluctant to make a commitment to Detroit if the club isn't committed long-term to him.
The situation with Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman figures to take a couple weeks to be resolved, according to Berger.
Berger adds that Dwane Casey's job with the Raptors appears to be safe for now.
Although he acknowledges that the Sixers could replace Collins internally, John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer expects the team to interview several coaching candidates, including perhaps Mike Brown, Nate McMillan, Stan Van Gundy, Brian Shaw, and Michael Malone.
Tom Sorenson of the Charlotte Observer is at a loss in trying to determine whether or not the Bobcats should bring back head coach Mike Dunlap for next season.
According to GM Chris Grant, the Cavaliers' search for a new coach will begin immediately (Twitter link via Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio).

Frank Wants Out Unless Pistons Pick Up Option

April 17th, 2013 at 10:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

Lawrence Frank has told Pistons owner Tom Gores and team president Joe Dumars that he doesn't want to return as coach unless they exercise his option for 2014/15, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Frank is concerned about being a lame-duck coach as the team continues to rebuild, Wojnarowski writes. The team has already picked up Frank's option for next season, but he's reportedly on thin ice after leading the team to back-to-back lottery seasons in his two years as coach.

The Pistons will be on the hook for Frank's salary next season regardless of whether he's their coach. Wojnarowski pegs that guarantee at $4MM, while Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News has the figure at $3.7MM. The 2014/15 option would be for $4MM, according to Wojnarowski. Regardless, Gores wasn't enthusiastic when he spoke about the performance of Frank and Dumars earlier this week, and Frank wasn't optimistic when he spoke to reporters, including Goodwill, before the team's loss to the Nets tonight.

"Let's hope for the best, but we understand what reality could be," the coach said. "There's dialogue there so we'll see what happens."

The Pistons are expected to give Frank their decision tomorrow. A decision could be coming soon on Dumars as well, as a report this weekend suggested he could be on his way out as well.

Eastern Links: Miller, Heat, Sixers, Raptors

April 16th, 2013 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Due to yesterday's Boston Marathon tragedy, tonight's Celtics/Pacers game has been cancelled, leaving just two games on the NBA's schedule. Another Eastern matchup will take the place of the C's and Pacers on TNT, as the Hawks host the Raptors in search of the conference's fifth seed. While we wait to see which team extends its winning streak, let's round up a few notes from around the East….

Mike Miller was "very close" to ending his NBA playing career last offseason, but tells Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he feels great now.
In a mailbag for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman discusses the possibility of the Heat bringing back Chris Andersen next season or potentially pursuing Stephen Jackson.
As a disappointing season for the Sixers winds down, Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com looks ahead to the team's next step, concluding that there are plenty of unknowns and no obvious ways to improve immediately.
This offseason figures to have a different feel for the Raptors, since there isn't a sense that major roster changes are on the way, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.
Will Bynum will test the free agent market this summer, but his first choice would be to return to the Pistons, says Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press.

Central Notes: Dumars, Frank, Bulls, Scott

April 16th, 2013 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

As we wait to see if the Central's top two teams, the Pacers and Bulls, will meet in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, here's the latest out of the division:

As Vince Ellis writes in a pair of pieces for the Detroit Free Press, Pistons owner Tom Gores didn't exactly give coach Lawrence Frank and GM Joe Dumars ringing endorsements, noting his disappointment that the team fell short of playoff contention this season. "I will say I expected better results," Gores said. "I met with Joe and Lawrence (on Sunday) and I let them know that. They’re great guys that know their business, but I’m here assessing everything. My job is to move this franchise forward."
In Ellis' view, Frank appears to be on the way out in Detroit, but Dumars likely "isn't going anywhere." Gores did express excitement about the way Dumars and the Pistons' basketball operations had set the franchise up financially, with plenty of cap room available this summer.
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press argues that Dumars has earned at least one more year with the Pistons.
In his latest mailbag for CSNChicago.com, Aggrey Sam addresses the future of Luol Deng in Chicago and speculates on whether or not Nate Robinson will be back with the Bulls next season.
Kyrie Irving told reporters last night, including Rick Noland of the Chronicle-Telegram, that he "absolutely" wants to see Byron Scott return as the Cavaliers' head coach in 2013/14.

Eastern Notes: Nene, Sixers, Andersen, Walsh

April 15th, 2013 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Eastern Conference first-round playoff matchups have been locked in, and one is particularly intriguing, as the No. 2 Knicks will take on the No. 7 Celtics. The winner of that series will avoid playing the Heat in round two, but could eventually be the biggest threat to Miami in the East. Here are a few of today's notes out of the Eastern Conference:

Ongoing injury woes had Wizards big man Nene considering retirement earlier this season, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "Tough enough to think about the end of my career? Yeah, that’s how tough it was," Nene said. "It was so hard to play the way I did it. I thought to end my career because it’s so painful, my body can’t support. I’m glad I finished the season, but the way I suffer, I hope, never again."
With coach Doug Collins seemingly on his way out of Philadelphia, Tom Ziller of SBNation.com suggests some potential replacements for the Sixers to consider.
Chris Andersen hasn't given much thought yet to whether or not he'll remain with the Heat beyond this season, writes Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post.
Donnie Walsh isn't sure if he'll be back as the Pacers president next season, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. "I took this job because Larry [Bird] wanted a year off," Walsh said. "If Larry wants to come back, I’m out. I’m leaving. If he doesn’t I don’t know what I’ll do."
Rumors are swirling about the futures of Joe Dumars and Lawrence Frank in Detroit, but Greg Monroe tells David Mayo of MLive.com that he trusts the Pistons decision-makers.

Central Notes: Frank, Pistons, Cavs, McMillan

April 14th, 2013 at 4:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bulls squared off against the Heat in Miami today on national TV, but couldn't match the performance they gave in their last meeting. The Bulls snapped Miami's 27-game winning streak last month and couldn't come away with the W this time, even though Carlos Boozer finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds. Here's more out of the Central..

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press weighs the issues surrounding the uncertain future of Pistons coach Lawrence Frank, and points to owner Tom Gores' public endorsement of the way team president Joe Dumars has cleared cap space as reason Dumars might return.
Nate McMillan would be a candidate to take over the Cavs if they part ways with Byron Scott, but he'll also be in the mix if the Kings move to Seattle, notes Bob Finnan of the News Herald. McMillan has previously indicated that he would be interested in returning to Seattle to coach.
Meanwhile, Scott says that the rumors about his job security don't bother him, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers (on Twitter).

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Pistons To Part Ways With Joe Dumars?

April 14th, 2013 at 10:05am CST by Chuck Myron

Sources tell Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News that Joe Dumars' run as team president will soon come to an end, though Lawrence throws a bit of cold water on his own report, noting the deep connection between Dumars and the team and writing that "we'll believe it when we see it." In any case, it appears the Pistons could be headed for a shakeup, with the Daily News scribe echoing earlier reports that the Pistons are likely to let go of coach Lawrence Frank.

The Pistons head into a critical summer, with only about $29MM in commitments for next season and another lottery pick on the way. The last time Detroit had such ample cap space, in 2009, Dumars signed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to long-term deals that became albatrosses for the team. The Pistons traded a first-round draft pick to the Bobcats last summer in part to relieve themselves of the final year of Gordon's deal.

Dumars took over the team's front office in 2000 after a Hall-of-Fame playing career spent exclusively with the Pistons. He won Executive of the Year in 2002/03, but followed it up with his most noteworthy error, drafting Darko Milicic second overall in the 2003 draft, ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and other standouts. Still, the Pistons won the title in 2003/04, and went to the Eastern Conference Finals six seasons in a row before their recent string of playoff misses.

MLive's David Mayo examines the questions facing the franchise, pointing out the arguments both for keeping and getting rid of Dumars and Frank.