The Detroit Pistons are expected to begin their search for a new head of basketball operations this week after finishing an NBA-worst 14-68, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
It’s presumed whoever is hired will take control of the roster and all basketball decisions over current basketball operations director Troy Weaver.
Along with the team’s struggles, Weaver got it into with a fan, serving as another Pistons embarrassment, wrote Shawn Windsor of the Free Press. But Weaver has gotten some things right, too, Windsor added.
Weaver’s status with the franchise moving forward seems very much up in the air.
Detroit hired coach Monty Williams before the start of the season and there is no sense that the team is looking to move on from him. Williams would not agree to a buyout, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
“For now, at the bottom of the standings, there has been ongoing speculation among rival front offices about a potential change atop Detroit’s organizational chart following the Pistons’ strugglesome campaign,” Fischer wrote. “At this juncture, according to one source with knowledge of the situation, there is no expectation that Williams would be open to any buyout of his six-year, $78.5 million contract.”
The Pistons lost an NBA-record 28 games in a row this season.
Williams has coached the New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns and Pistons. The Suns reached the NBA Finals in 2021, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
Williams is 381-404 in the regular season and 29-27 in the playoffs.
The Pistons finished 26th in the NBA in points per game, 26th in points per game allowed and 28th in net rating.
They also appeared determined to hang on to former No. 1 overall draft pick and guard Cade Cunningham.
“In today’s world, we look at improved as almost like a negative,” Williams said about Cunningham. “If he improved, it’s like, ‘Oh, he must have been bad.’ That’s not the way to look at it. It’s even better when you’re talented, have shown the ability to play at a high level and then take it to another level. That should be applauded, and he’s one of those guys.”
Detroit can sign Cunningham to a rookie-scale extension this summer.
Ashish Mathur contributed to this report.
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