Five years ago, the Pistons hired a veteran coach to lead a veteran team to the playoffs. In that sense, Dwane Casey did his job. His replacement will be tasked with leading a young team out of the abyss.
Detroit's next head coach will inherit a club coming off its third straight last-place finish and one of the worst seasons in franchise history. At the same time, a roster rife with lottery picks, including another top-five pick this year to enhance a core headlined by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren.
Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in 2021, has seen the Pistons lose 124 games in his first two seasons with the team, most in the NBA over that span. They are in dire need of a spark, which is why it was the right time for Casey to step down. A new voice should bring new results.
Whoever GM Troy Weaver brings in, Cunningham hopes it's someone who's "ready to push us."
"I’ve had one coach in the NBA. I know coaching in the NBA is very different, but more than anything, I just want somebody who’s going to come in passionate about it, ready to push us, ready to challenge us, ready to hold us accountable," Cunningham said Monday. "I think that’s the main thing, push us and hold us accountable."
Weaver reportedly already has several candidates in mind, from former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to Bucks assistant Charles Lee and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin. Vanderbilt coach and former Pistons star Jerry Stackhouse is also said to be on Weaver's radar.
The job won't be easy. But with the right moves (and breaks) this summer, it could ultimately yield quite the reward.
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