Curry, Frank returning next season

[Andrew]

Dumars: Pistons bringing back coach Michael Curry

Michael Curry is coming back as the Detroit Pistons’ coach.

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars held a news conference Wednesday to wrap up a miserable season and he ended any doubt about his plans on the bench by confirming Curry would return.

“It was an up-and-down season for him,” Dumars said. “And, an up-and down-season for us.”

I'm guessing a fair few Pistons fans won't be too pleased with that news. Meanwhile, Lawrence Frank will also be back:

Despite missing the playoffs for two straight years, Rod Thorn is convinced the New Jersey Nets are on the right road and that Lawrence Frank is the man to lead the team.

Thorn announced on Wednesday that the 38-year-old Frank, who is the longest tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, will be returning for a sixth full season.

“In my mind, Lawrence is a very good coach,” Thorn said. “The players understand he knows what he is doing and they play hard for him.”

Mind you, he could be one of the first coaches to go next season if the Nets struggle early, which will the beg the question why they bothered to bring him back in the first place. It's good to see him get another chance though considering how the blame (and thus the proverbial blade) falls on coaches when the team loses.

[Modifly]

Ahh, fuck Michael Curry. I'm not an avid fan of Pistons and I feel pissed about this already. I had everything to hope for that he'll be gone after the Cavs swept them.

Seriously speaking though, the move that ruined the Piston was trading away Billups for Iverson.

[Andrew]

Well, that part of the experiment failed miserably but the longterm plan was obviously to start over and to that end, make a run at a top free agent in 2010. Had they kept Billups they might have remained a respectable team for a couple of years while not getting to the level they were at a couple of years ago, all the while missing out on a prime opportunity to sign a (younger) marquee player. Of course, if they don't do that it's going to be a letdown but the deal mightn't look too bad in a couple of years if it turns out that it facilitates a successful start to rebuilding.

[Modifly]

And to add to what you've already mentioned, I think the Pistons let go of Billups because they wanted to create an opportunity for Stuckey to emerge as a better player as well.

[Andrew]

That too, Stuckey's emergence no doubt gave them more confidence to go ahead and trade Billups with an eye towards cap relief and rebuilding.

[benji]

It was the McDyess trade that got them cap room. They could've kept Billups, bought-out McDyess and let Sheed go and still signed a max player. Now they have cap room for two max players and a overpaid third player.

Curry is still a terrible coach. The team already has younger marquee players better than this FA market will offer. But they spent the entire season not playing despite Curry changing the rotation every third game. (And should have not even bothered to suit up in the playoffs.)

Frank however is a good coach who will wind up getting fired. (I can't believe how much a season he makes.)

[Andrew]

Would Amir Johnson happen to be one of those players? He seemed to disappear from the rotation late in the season.

[benji]

Yes. They disappeared from the rotation as the team imploded because Curry went with more veterans in hopes of stopping the implosion not realizing it was the veterans who were causing it. With the bench being what was keeping the team in the playoff hunt.

[Andrew]

What about Jason Maxiell?

[benji]

Yes, that would be one of "they." Maxiell got back in the rotation because of injuries to Sheed, he had almost been written out of it in Feb. (And probably the only reason he and Amir were playing before then was because McDyess missed so many games after the trade.)

[NovU]

No doubt Curry had some tough players to coach, so I think he sorta deserves another chance. I think the management is willing to give him a second shot on that reason.

[Andrew]

Yes, that would be one of "they." Maxiell got back in the rotation because of injuries to Sheed, he had almost been written out of it in Feb. (And probably the only reason he and Amir were playing before then was because McDyess missed so many games after the trade.)

So that's Stuckey, Johnson, Maxiell and possibly McDyess you'd like to see return (based on what you said in the Cavs/Pistons thread), who else would you like them to keep? Or does it really matter if Curry's being brought back?

[benji]

I like Stuckey and Bynum at the point for now. Maxiell, Johnson, Afflalo all have to return. Rip can stay unless there's a good deal for him since him and Bynum are the only shot creators. Prince could stay depending on what they get in the market, but if he's needed to go to upgrade the wing I won't "sheed" a tear even when he gives up 75 games in for the fourth straight year. McDyess and Herrmann can both come back if they're not bank busters and nothing better is picked up. (I expect McDyess to sign with a contender.) Sharpe will obviously stay, they should've sent him to Fort Wayne more.

Sheed gone. Iverson gone. Brown gone. (Not their choice on the last one.)

This team will get much better fast, but probably not this offseason. Not much of a FA class. Wouldn't mind James Singleton, Rasho if really cheap, Maceo Baston, Grant Hill, Matt Barnes, Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker at the right prices. Maybe a run at Ariza (sign and trade for Prince?).

Marion and Singleton are probably the only ones I'd consider offering more than MLE level to. Maybe Grant, just for the return factor. Something like Rasho, Hill, Barnes and Parker at two-year contracts and bargain prices would probably keep them well in the playoffs.

Adding Marion/Rasho/Hill/Parker on two-year contracts with cash left for a max and a half player next year would probably be a dream offseason.

Well, a dream offseason would've been missing out on the playoffs and winning a top three pick along with having $35 million in cap space. But they even screwed that up this season.

Edit: Oh, and most importantly. UP THE PACE.

[Ryan]

I thought Kwame signed a 2 year deal or was it 1 with a player option? He definitely exceeded my very low expectations of him.

[MikeMan™]

What !? They'll stay with Michael Curry ?
It's better if it's Avery Johnson !
To bring back Detroit's Defensive Intensity .

[damiencoold]

i miss the starting five and Larry Brown.

[Andrew]

What !? They'll stay with Michael Curry ?
It's better if it's Avery Johnson !
To bring back Detroit's Defensive Intensity .

Avery Johnson has to be interested in the job first. It looks like he's content to stay with ESPN for now, though perhaps he'll throw his hat in the ring for one of the other vacancies this offseason.

[MikeMan™]

Flip Saunders was better than Michael Curry .
I'm wondering why they didn't re-signed him . . .

[shadowgrin]

He wasn't resigned, he was fired?

[MikeMan™]

He was fired ?
So much for the expectations , huh ?
Maybe Flip could've made them 4th Seed in the East .

[Andrew]

There were fans calling for his departure too shortly before he was relieved of his duties. I think his overall results with the Pistons weren't too shabby but change is inevitable if a team can't get over the hump. First the coach and then the players, starting with Billups.

[MikeMan™]

Wrong Decisions . . .

[benji]

Better than winning 55 games again just to get to the Conference Finals and watch Sheed and Prince stop trying midway through but still playing 40 minutes.

[Andrew]

Wrong Decisions . . .

But the end result is the same. Whether they enter a rebuilding phase, win fewer games and lose in the first round as they change the face of the team or as Ben said, win 55+ games, reach the Eastern finals and lose steam/focus and thus the series, they're falling short of their ultimate goal. They managed to get a little closer to that goal but the big picture is still the same and they'd be resigning themselves to a more respectable manner of coming up short. As ugly as it could get in the immediate future, it's not necessarily a disaster moving forward.