[Zucker, Bleacher Report] Monty Williams Fired as Pistons HC with 5 Years, $65M+ Left on Contract
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The Detroit Pistons confirmed Wednesday that have fired head coach Monty Williams after one season on the bench.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the decision.
Williams sudden exit comes after after Detroit handed him a record-setting six-year, $78.5 million contract. The Pistons are now left to pay him more than $65 million to not coach anymore.
Because of that, the franchise is opening itself up to plenty of mockery.
That’s still better to admit you made a costly mistake than persist with a partnership that isn’t working. That risked doing far more damage to the team than having the owners simply write Williams a large check.
And it only took one year to raise serious questions over Williams’ fit with the Pistons’ young roster.
Detroit’s 14-68 record was its worst ever and the season included the longest losing streak in NBA history (28 games). More than that, Williams didn’t seem to be forging the kind of culture that would pay long-term dividends, and some of his strategic decisions were puzzling to say the least.
Starting Killian Hayes, who was waived in February, over Jaden Ivey to open the season was a head-scratcher. The same was true for leaning on the likes of Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn and James Wiseman and tinkering with lineups that have little to no upside.
That’s not to say the Pistons are a head coach away from being a playoff contender.
Detroit hired Trajan Langdon as its new president of basketball operations earlier in the offseason, and firing general manager Troy Weaver was his first piece of business in the role. The organization is effectively hitting the reset button after five years of being in the lottery, which is always the sign of a rebuild gone bad.
Langdon now has the opportunity to hire his own head coach, one who’s better suited for the squad. The Pistons are entering the coaching carousel at a relatively late stage, but the scale of the challenge ahead for Williams’ replacement would’ve probably limited the pool of suitors regardless of when the vacancy became available.
One benefit is that whoever comes in should be afforded plenty of patience.
[NBA.com] DETROIT PISTONS ANNOUNCE DEPARTURE OF GENERAL MANAGER TROY WEAVER
[NBA.com] DETROIT PISTONS ANNOUNCE DEPARTURE OF GENERAL MANAGER TROY WEAVER - Lemmy.World
DETROIT, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons announced today that General Manager Troy Weaver is leaving the organization. “I very much appreciate all the dedication Troy displayed to our Pistons franchise,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “As much as we have struggled lately, we will look back and see Troy as an important person in the remaking of the Pistons. He took the pain of rebuilding head on and he did the hard work to get us the flexibility we have today. He also assembled a great core of young men with tremendous skill and character to give us a path to the future. Make no mistake, I have real appreciation for who Troy is as a person and what he has meant to the organization. I wish him the very best as he pursues his ventures.” The decision was agreed upon mutually and comes after the Pistons recently appointed Trajan Langdon President of Basketball Operations. Weaver, who was named General Manager on June 18, 2020, oversaw the initial stages of a rebuild that focused on re-shaping the roster through the draft and creating financial flexibility. His draft night moves were highlighted by the selections of No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham (2021) along with other foundational pieces of the Pistons’ young core – Isaiah Stewart (No. 16 pick in 2020), Jaden Ivey (No. 5 in 2022), Jalen Duren (No. 13 in 2022) and Ausar Thompson (No. 5 in 2023). His notable trade and free agent acquisitions included Simone Fontecchio and Quentin Grimes at this past season’s trade deadline along with Jerami Grant (2020 sign-and-trade), Kelly Olynyk (2021) and Cory Joseph (trade with Sacramento).
[Ramsey, Detroit Free Press] Ausar Thompson, fans in disbelief as Detroit Pistons fall to No. 5 pick again in NBA draft
[Ramsey, Detroit Free Press] Ausar Thompson, fans in disbelief as Detroit Pistons fall to No. 5 pick again in NBA draft - Lemmy.World
The Detroit Pistons [https://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/] are NBA draft lottery losers after a season of historic shortcomings — again. In Sunday’s NBA draft lottery [https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2024/05/12/detroit-pistons-pick-2024-nba-draft-lottery-troy-weaver-number-5-pick/73655614007/], the Pistons fell the maximum slots possible in the current system. The Pistons had the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick, 14%, after finishing 14-68, the worst record in franchise history, in 2023-24. It is the second year in a row the Pistons have slid from the No. 1 spot to No. 5. Last year, the Pistons lost out on the lottery and a chance to select Victor Wembanyama, ending up with Ausar Thompson at five instead. The Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers all fell out of the top four, getting leapfrogged by the San Antonio Spurs at No. 4, the Houston Rockets at No. 3 and the Atlanta Hawks at No. 1. The Washington Wizards, who had the second-worst record (and 14% odds for No. 1) remained at No. 2. Detroit and their incoming president of basketball operations — who has yet to be hired — will have its work cut out after falling to No. 5. Detroit finished with the worst record in the NBA for the second straight year and reached the low point in franchise history despite having a collection of young talent led by former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. All of that for the fifth pick. Woof. Thompson’s reaction as the Pistons’ representative on the stage in Chicago says it all. The basketball gods have yet to relent on the Pistons, and fans are resigned to the misery while the rest of the NBA world points and laughs like Nelson Muntz in “The Simpsons.”
[Associated Press] Pistons plan to hire head of basketball operations after finishing with NBA’s worst record again
[Associated Press] Pistons plan to hire head of basketball operations after finishing with NBA’s worst record again - Lemmy.World
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons are looking for new leadership after finishing with the NBA’s worst record for the second straight year. The Pistons announced Monday, a day after finishing the season 14-68, that it will hire a head of basketball operations who will report to team owner Tom Gores. “This past season has been incredibly difficult and frustrating for our fans, players and our entire organization,” Gores said. “We will continue to invest in our core group of young players and surround them with the right complimentary talent.” The Pistons are trying to build around Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey — players who are 22 and younger — to restore pride in a franchise that has won three NBA titles. The team says general manager Troy Weaver, who has a 74-244 record in his four years with the franchise, and the basketball staff will keep their jobs. “I am committed to doing whatever it takes to build a winning team,” Gores said. “Nothing is off the table. As tough as this season has been, a bright future is available to us. It’s in our power to get this right, and we will. This is a pivotal summer for the Pistons.” Detroit will hope to get the No. 1 pick overall in the NBA draft, a year after San Antonio won the draft lottery and landed Victor Wembanyama. The Pistons set an NBA single-season record with 28 consecutive losses, a skid that started in October and didn’t end until late December, under first-year coach Monty Williams and failed to come close to ending a five-year playoff drought.
2024-04-05
Jaden Ivey unable to carry banged-up Detroit Pistons in blowout loss at Memphis Grizzlies
Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The injury report between the two teams was talented enough to make a playoff push.
A total of 19 players sat out of Friday night’s match between the Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons. Memphis’ list was headlined by Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart. The Pistons? Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson and Simone Fontecchio.
Even so, one team still managed to dominate. And it wasn’t the Pistons. Despite starting three of their recent first-round picks in Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Marcus Sasser and having a talent advantage on paper, they were blown out of the building.
The Pistons lost, 108-90, and fell to 13-64 overall with five games remaining. They’re still three wins shy of tying the franchise-record for fewest in a season, which was set in 1979-80. Ivey, who finished with 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting, was the one bright spot.
Aside from Ivey, they shot just 22-for-64 (34.4%) overall. Memphis closed the first quarter with a 19-3 run to take a 10-point lead, and ended the first half with a 21-7 run that pushed their lead to 21 by halftime. Detroit turned the ball over 17 times, though Memphis was even worse with 20 turnovers.
Duren tallied a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and scored 13 in the final two periods as the team faced blowout margins. The Grizzlies, whose eight-player rotation consisted of four players who arrived on 10-day contracts (Michigan alumnus Zavier Simpson, Trey Jamison, Jordan Goodwin and Maozinha Pereira) and only one player drafted in the first round (Jake LaRavia), shot 46.7% overall and led by at least 16 points during the entire second half.
The Pistons and Grizzlies have both had 31 players enter a game this season, setting a new NBA record.
Ivey’s big night not nearly enough
The second-year guard scored 15 of Detroit’s 22 points in the first quarter, shooting 5-for-6 overall with four 3-pointers. The game turned in Memphis’ favor for good after he checked out, as the Pistons were outscored 13-2 in the final three minutes of the quarter.
Despite his red hot start, Ivey took just two shots in the second quarter — a period that saw the Pistons shoot 5-for-14 overall and 1-for-7 from 3, with seven turnovers. At halftime, Ivey had 20 points, and his teammates were just 7-for-28 overall and 0-for-10 from 3.
Detroit’s road trip will continue with a trip to Brooklyn on Saturday, before facing the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
[PAYWALL][Sankofa, Detroit Free Press] Malachi Flynn's 50-point night, biggest shock of year, rare Detroit Pistons feel-good moment
[PAYWALL][Sankofa, Detroit Free Press] Malachi Flynn's 50-point night, biggest shock of year, rare Detroit Pistons feel-good moment - Lemmy.World
ATLANTA — The entire bench rose to its feet as Malachi Flynn’s final bucket of the night, a fastbreak layup, fell through the net. Fifty points. It’s a threshold most NBA players are lucky to reach. That’s especially true for players like Flynn, who came to the Detroit Pistons at the Feb. 8 trade deadline looking to keep his career afloat. He has only appeared in 31 games this season, with zero starts. His career average entering the game was 5.2 points. But on Wednesday night, Flynn had fans in State Farm Arena reacting with shock as each shot fell through the net. He followed a 17-point first half with a 12-point third quarter, helping the Pistons battle back from a 22-point deficit. He saved his best for last, though. He scored 19 points in the final period, including a 3-pointer and layup in the final minute of the game that brought the Pistons within five points, and finished the night 18 of 25 from the floor. Fifty points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. It might be the most unexpected scoring outburst in NBA history — a player who struggled to crack the rotation at his last stop, seizing the moment on a night the shorthanded Pistons, who are playing out the string. According to ESPN, no player has ever scored 50 points with a career average lower than Flynn’s. Unfortunately, his stellar night didn’t lead to a win. The Pistons fell to the Hawks, 121-113, as their late rally from a 22-point, third-quarter deficit fell short following a rough first half. Even so, his performance led to a feel-good night for a team that was without Cade Cunningham, and much of its core rotation, with just six games remaining in the season. “We’re all super happy for him because we all know what he’s had to go through,” said Evan Fournier, who arrived in Detroit with Flynn from the New York Knicks in February. “I don’t want to say we wouldn’t give a (expletive) if it was Cade, but it wouldn’t be the same. The fact that it’s Malachi adds more to the story, I think.” Other than Flynn’s bucket that secured his 50-point night, the biggest reaction from the Pistons’ bench was with 43 seconds remaining, when he stole an inbounds pass from the Hawks but missed the layup, which would’ve brought the Pistons within five points a little sooner. “When he missed the layup, we were all like, no!” Fournier said. “It was definitely a couple moments that were good in the game, for sure.” Flynn, the 29th pick of the 2020 NBA draft, spent the first three years of his career with the Toronto Raptors. But he was traded twice this season — first to the Knicks in January as a piece in the OG Anunoby trade before New York flipped him to Detroit a month later. The 6-foot-1 point guard averaged 15.3 minutes in 31 games with Toronto, but only played in garbage time with the contending Knicks. He has carved out a steadier role in Detroit, thanks to injuries and the team’s need for a true point guard following a flurry of deadline moves. It’s given him a chance to audition his game as he approaches restricted free agency. “He just works on his game,” Monty Williams said. “He’s in the gym every morning pretty much an hour before practice, maybe more. He works on his game. You saw it tonight. All those shots that he made are shots that I see him work on every day. It wasn’t just that. He had some timely passes that tell you a lot about him as a player. When he saw guys open, he got off of it, and it just speaks to the phrase we use in our program, that reps remove doubt. “When you put the work in, you can’t count on having a 50-point game. But you can go into a game because you have stacked solid days and have confidence that when you shoot the ball or make certain reads, when you’re in pick-and-roll coverages, and defensively you get out there and fight, you can have these kinds of nights. We’re proud of Malachi and all of our guys in that regard. They just bring it every single night.” It was Flynn’s first 50-point game at any level. He had an opportunity to cross the threshold in high school, he said, but his coach subbed him out of the game. “Right now, it’s a little tougher just because at the end of the day, you want to win to be honest,” he said after the game. “That’s always my main goal, to win. It definitely feels good. The guys congratulated me in the back. That also feels good to take in the moment. I’m sure a couple days from now it’ll feel a little bit better.” With six games remaining in the season, the 13-win Pistons are trying to build some semblance of momentum to take into the offseason. They’re still three wins shy of the franchise record for fewest in a season. It’s been a tumultuous one, featuring a 28-game losing streak that forced a lot of uncomfortable questions about the trajectory of the rebuild. Flynn’s night, despite the loss, was a bright moment for a franchise that hasn’t had many this season. “Just a guy scoring 50 is rare and tough, but in that particular setup, I don’t recall seeing a guy doing that,” Fournier said. “I’m super happy for him. I know he’s been struggling this year, being traded and all that. I’m sure he feels amazing right now and I’m really happy for him.”
2024-04-03
Detroit Pistons’ Malachi Flynn erupts for 50 points in loss at Atlanta Hawks, 121-113
Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press
ATLANTA — It was an all-time night for Malachi Flynn, the 29th pick of the 2020 draft who is scrapping to keep his career afloat. His career-high before Wednesday was 27 points. He had 31 before the end of the third quarter, and nearly doubled his previous high.
Flynn, who joined the Detroit Pistons during the flurry of acquisitions at the trade deadline and came off of the bench on Wednesday, finished with 50 points — yes, 50 points — on 18-for-25 overall shooting, 5-for-9 shooting from 3 and 9-for-12 at the line. If only his teammates kept up with him.
Still, the Pistons fell to the Atlanta Hawks on the road, 121-113. The Hawks opened the third quarter with a 20-8 run, pushing a nine-point halftime lead to 22. Beside Flynn, the Pistons struggled to score. Jalen Duren (11 points, 5-for-13) and Marcus Sasser (11 points, 4-for-13) were Detroit’s only other players to reach double-figures in scoring. As a team, the Pistons shot 36.7% in the first half.
The Pistons were without Cade Cunningham, who was a last-minute scratch due to left knee injury management. He was initially listed as “questionable” on the injury report, but the team upgraded him to active and listed him as a starter. He was then ruled out just a few minutes before tip-off.
The Pistons kept battling, though. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Flynn and Sasser early in the fourth brought them within single digits, 94-85, and a pair of free throws by Wiseman cut it to 99-92. Flynn then cut it to five, 104-99, with his fourth 3-pointer of the night with 5:18 remaining.
A 3-pointer by De’Andre Hunter and transition alley-oop dunk off by Clint Cappella off a Pistons turnover, pushed Atlanta’s lead back to 10 with under four minutes left and gave them enough cushion to close out the win. Flynn knocked down a 3-pointer and layup in the final minute, bringing the Pistons within five points once again with 30 seconds to play.
Flynn carries Cunningham-less Pistons
The fourth-year guard has had a steady — and perhaps unappreciated — role since arriving in Detroit at the trade deadline. He’s appeared in 18 of the 25 games he’s been eligible to play for the Pistons, and he’d quietly been in the midst of his best stretch as a scorer this season before Wednesday’s outburst.
Flynn entered the game averaging 11.8 points while shooting 48.8% overall and 39.1% from 3, in 20.4 minutes in his previous five games. That includes a then-season-high 17 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 24. Wednesday was different — he matched his season-high in 13 minutes of action.
He entered halftime with 17 points, making five of his eight shot attempts and six of seven free throws. Detroit trailed by nine, 59-50, and likely would’ve been completely out of the game if it weren’t for Flynn. Duren and Jaden Ivey had nine and eight points each, on 7-for-22 combined shooting.
Atlanta’s 20-8 run to open the second half was too much for the Pistons to overcome. Flynn, once again, was Detroit’s only player who could get a bucket. He added 14 more points to his total in the third, and his last buckets of the quarter — a pair of free throws — with 1:04 on the clock capped a 15-3 Pistons run that cut Atlanta’s lead to 89-79.
He then scored seven of Detroit’s first 10 points of the fourth, cutting the Hawks’ lead back to 10, before his final two 3-pointers cut it to five twice in the final 5 minutes.
The Hawks had three players score at least 20: Jalen Johnson had 28 points and 11 rebounds, De’Andre Hunter had 26 points and seven boards and Dejounte Murray added 24 points and 11 assists.
Next up: Grizzlies
Matchup: Pistons (13-63) at Memphis (25-50 entering Wednesday).
Tipoff: 8 p.m. Friday; FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee.
TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit; WWJ-AM (950).
2024-04-01
Cade Cunningham goes off, but Detroit Pistons fall to Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press
A late-season contest between two non-playoff bound teams became a duel between the best players on the floor.
Cade Cunningham scored 36 points, with eight assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 40 points and seven rebounds for the Memphis Grizzlies. The duo exchanged buckets down the stretch in a close, back-and-forth game.
Ultimately, the Detroit Pistons didn’t prevail, falling to the Grizzlies, 110-108, on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, after Cunningham’s attempt from midrange at the buzzer missed.
Jackson iced the win for Memphis, knocking down a pair of free throws for a two-point lead before blocking a layup attempt by Cunningham on the other end. Jackson followed with another layup with 2:30 remaining.
A dunk from James Wiseman cut the deficit to two, but Chimezie Metu missed an open 3-pointer in the corner with 36 seconds remaining. An overturned call also hurt Detroit late, as Memphis gained possession of the ball with 1:04 to play after a challenge by head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Jaden Ivey scored 20 points, Metu added 17 and James Wiseman and Tosan Evbuomwan had 10 points each. Former Piston Luke Kennard scored 19 points for Memphis.
The Grizzlies controlled much of the second half after trailing during the entire second quarter, opening an eight-point lead midway through the fourth quarter despite trailing by double-digits at halftime. A fast break 3 by Evan Fournier, assisted by Cunningham, cut Memphis’ lead to 104-101 with just over 4 minutes left. Cunningham followed that with a 3-pointer of his own to tie the game, and followed that with a pair of free throws to tie it again at 106.
The Pistons closed the second half with an 18-5 run, and entered halftime with a 13-point lead after Jackson tied the game at 39 midway through the second period. Cunningham kicked off the run with seven-straight points right after re-entering the game, and his driving dunk a couple of minutes later pushed Detroit’s lead to 55-42 at the 1:18 mark.
Detroit’s lead evaporated in the third. Jackson dominated the quarter, scoring 21 points on 6-for-7 shooting against Detroit’s battered frontcourt, which lost Jalen Duren early in the game with a mouth injury. Memphis took its first lead, 80-78, since midway through the first quarter on a pair of free throws by Jake LaRavia late in the quarter.
The Pistons answered with a 12-2 run, regaining a five-point lead at the end of the third. But the Grizzlies struck again in the final period, opening it with a 19-6 run to give Detroit its biggest deficit of the night, 104-96, with 5:19 on the clock.
With seven games remaining, the Pistons have 13 wins, three shy of tying the franchise record for fewest in a season.
Cunningham stays aggressive
The third-year guard has since returned from a two-game absence last Wednesday. He had 20 of Detroit’s 63 shot attempts, nearly one-third of the total, through three quarters against the Minnesota Timberwolves before sitting most of the fourth in a blowout, and followed that with a season-high 33 attempts in a win over the Washington Wizards Friday.
Monday was Cunningham’s third-consecutive game with at least 30 points, and also his most efficient performance of the three. At halftime, he had 21 points on a sterling 9-for-10 overall clip. He added eight more points in the third, giving him just shy of 30, and helped give Detroit the lead with 2 minutes to play in the quarter by assisting a 3-pointer by Tosan Evbuomwan.
Outside of Cunningham and Metu, the Pistons struggled to hit shots in the second half. Ivey’s 20 points came on 7-for-17 shooting, and Detroit shot 40.5% in the second half after blitzing Memphis at a 62.2% clip in the first.
With just seven games remaining, there are no tangible goals for the Pistons to accomplish other than entering the offseason with some momentum. Cunningham’s strong play is a bright spot in what’s otherwise been a slow crawl to the finish line.
Duren loses tooth, exits game
The Pistons’ already-lengthy injury report grew by one more early in the game, when Duren lost a tooth after colliding with Jackson midway through the opening period. He immediately went to the locker room, and was ruled out at halftime after just five minutes of action.
It left the team with Wiseman and Metu as their lone healthy big men, as Stewart is out for the rest of the season. It’s unclear if the injury will keep Duren out for a period of time. Monty Williams didn’t have an update on the big man after the game. His next opportunity to play will be on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Next up: Hawks
Matchup: Pistons (13-62) at Atlanta (34-40).
Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; State Farm Arena, Atlanta.
TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit; WWJ-AM (950).
Quick recap for the rest of March games:
- 2024-03-05 Detroit Pistons’ Simone Fontecchio shows maybe he should start in 118-110 loss at Miami
- 2024-03-07 Detroit Pistons demonstrate value of staggering guard minutes in 118-112 win over Nets
- 2024-03-09 Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons can’t slow Luka Doncic in 142-124 loss to Dallas Mavericks
- 2024-03-11 Cade Cunningham shows franchise-player skills in Detroit Pistons’ 114-97 win over Hornets
- 2024-03-13 Jalen Duren dominates Raptors with 20-20 night as Detroit Pistons win second straight
- 2024-03-15 Detroit Pistons nearly blown out in 108-95 loss to Miami Heat
- 2024-03-17 Cade Cunningham mistake allows Heat’s Bam Adebayo to sink buzzer-beater and stun Pistons
- 2024-03-18 Detroit Pistons’ record for players used bodes ill in 119-94 rout by Boston Celtics
- 2024-03-20 Detroit Pistons unable to do much right in 122-103 blowout loss to Indiana Pacers
- 2024-03-22 James Wiseman not enough for Detroit Pistons in 129-102 loss to Boston
- 2024-03-24 Zion Williamson scores 36 on Pistons, who stoop to new low in 114-101 blowout loss to Pelicans
- 2024-03-25 Detroit Pistons get a front-row seat for 3-point wizardry in 124-99 loss to N.Y. Knicks
- 2024-03-27 Cade Cunningham’s return revs Detroit Pistons, but only for so long in loss to Minnesota
- 2024-03-29 Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren stuff stat sheet, Pistons snap 8-game skid 96-87 over Wizards
