NBA Notes: Pistons, JB Bickerstaff, Bulls, front office, Nets

Pistons

The Pistons are still looking at the final seconds of Game 5 and seeing something very different than the officials.

With the score tied late in regulation, Detroit believed Ausar Thompson had drawn a foul battling Jarrett Allen for a loose ball. No whistle came. Crew chief Tony Brothers later said the contact was incidental.

Pistons coach J. B. Bickerstaff did not agree.

“He fouled Ausar,” Bickerstaff said, via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End-of-game situation, that’s tough.”

The game went to overtime. The Cavaliers took control from there.

Detroit had chances before that moment. The Pistons led by nine with under three minutes left and missed their final six shots in regulation.

“You’ve got that type of lead, man, in the playoffs,” guard Daniss Jenkins said. “We can’t lose that win. We’ve gotta be better.”

Still, Bickerstaff is not backing down with his group facing a 3-2 deficit.

“You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team,” he said. “We’re not gonna go down without a fight.”

Bulls

The Bulls are moving quickly to build out their new front office.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Chicago is finalizing a deal to hire longtime Magic executive Stephen Mervis as senior vice president of basketball operations. Mervis spent more than a decade in Orlando, working his way up to assistant general manager with a focus on cap strategy and planning.

He is not the only addition.

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Bulls are also hiring Acie Law IV as vice president of player personnel. Law most recently worked in Brooklyn after previous stops with Sacramento and Oklahoma City.

Law has a history with new executive VP Bryson Graham. The two were teammates at Texas A&M.

In short, Chicago is putting its structure in place.

Nets

The Nets are promoting from within.

Brooklyn announced that Makar Gevorkian has been elevated to assistant general manager after serving as vice president of basketball operations alignment and strategic planning.

“Makar’s strategic, forward-thinking mind, along with his comprehensive knowledge of the league’s salary cap structure, have made him a valued voice,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

Gevorkian has been with the organization since 2020 and has steadily climbed the ladder, working in salary cap and strategy roles before this latest move.

The Nets now have multiple assistant GMs in place as they continue shaping their front office around Marks.