Flip Saunders not returning to Detroit Pistons

As of 11:00am today, The pistons announced that head coach flip saunders will not be returning to the team next year.

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/saunders_080603.html


With another head coaching job vacant who is most likely to succeed Flip Saunders?

Some say it will be within the assistant coaches such as Michael Curry, Dace Cowens, or Terry Porter. Others suggest maybe bringing in Avery Johnson.

What do you guys think?

EDIT: This was posted yesterday reporting that Flip Saunders would remain as Pistons head coach
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 1127/rss13

My friends and i were discussing the pistons yesterday and thought of many things that they could do. We came to a conclusion that maybe trading Sheed and Prince for someone would work or maybe freeing up cap space now to spend on free agents this summer or in 2010, when D-Wade and LBJ are free agents. Looking at the free agents this year, i would gladly take antwan jamison over tayshaun prince, Tayshaun prince did not show up at all in the playoffs, but i think that mostly likely player to be traded is perhaps Rip. The summer has just begun and we'll see what happens.

probably michael curry as he has close ties to the pistons organization..... but why doesn't anyone mention paul silas as a candidate for any of the vacant positions???

wouldn't suprise me if it's michael curry or terry potter, but i think both michael curry or terry porter have gathered interest from other teams, i know Terry potter has been talked to by Phoenix and i think they also have interest in Michael Curry....

^ Him or Avery Johnson is my guess.

avery johnson would be a perfect fit imo, they would do well to go after him

Saunders met briefly with Pistons president Joe Dumars on Saturday and all indications are that he was told he will be back.

So much for the outcome of that meeting. It doesn't come as much of a shock, Saunders might as well have been delivered an ultimatum to win or find another job the moment the Pistons were eliminated by the Cavs in last year's Playoffs. There doesn't seem to be a large window for success in the coaching ranks in today's NBA unless your name happens to be Phil Jackson or Gregg Popovich.

Or Jerry Sloan.

Maybe Joe Dumars gathered the opinions of his players and the outcome is what we know now.

Or Jerry Sloan, an even better example. Still, twenty years ago you had Chuck Daly coaching the Pistons to nine straight winning seasons, taking four seasons to get to the conference finals and six years to win a championship. Don Nelson also coached the Warriors for six and a half seasons despite early playoff exits (and a couple of years in the lottery) and spent eleven years in Milwaukee before that, never getting further than the ECF and twice missing the postseason.

Lenny Wilkens is another coach who had a longer tenure than Saunders did in Detroit despite less consistent results. And Saunders himself lasted nine and a half years with the Timberwolves despite a string of first round exits.

but why doesn't anyone mention paul silas as a candidate for any of the vacant positions???

because he thinks Carlos Boozer is a cunt.


I can see Flip flipping to Phoenix especially with Steve Kerr's attempt to become better interior defenders with Shaq in the mix.

I hope Pistons get Avery, he would be a good fit for them, imo.

Looks like it's Curry (at least that's what Stephen A. says.) Would have been nice to have Laimbeer as coach of the Pistons though.

It was either Flip or Sheed .

Avery works best because, unlike in Dallas, he doesn't have to force an offensive-minded team to play defense.

Avery Johson would fit well... Flip was fine as a coach, but the Pistons have never got into the finals under his reign

Id love to have Laimbeer, but hes off with the girls... pfft...

michael curry is a lock to get it. why do you think they didnt let chicago talk to him? this has been in the works for a long time now.

I could possibly see Avery getting the job if he pushed for it but I agree with Laxation, the way the Pistons have refused permission for other teams to talk to Curry suggests he's been groomed to be Flip's successor.

Curry is the new coach

Michael Curry will be Detroit Pistons’ next coach
By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
3 minutes ago

DETROIT (AP)—Michael Curry will be the next coach of the Detroit Pistons after having played for the team and worked as an assistant.

Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars tells The Associated Press that Curry will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday.

Curry agreed to a three-year deal worth $2.5 million a year, with the team holding the option for a fourth season. He replaces Flip Saunders, who was fired last week. Curry served as an assistant on Saunders’ staff.

bah, they should have traded for melo and just named him the coach

good. whenever I watch flip talking to his players on tv, especially in the locker room, what he says is so cheesy I cover my ears, close my eyes, and count to twenty. The pistons don't need an "inspirational" coach they need a straightforward, all business one.

good. whenever I watch flip talking to his players on tv, especially in the locker room, what he says is so cheesy I cover my ears, close my eyes, and count to twenty. The pistons don't need an "inspirational" coach they need a straightforward, all business one.

It was amusing... none of the players ever even bothered to look at him...

He was a shit hire and shouldn't have stayed for as long as he did.

It won't happen, but I'd love for the Wolves to fire Wittman and bring Flip back!

Why? He can't win in the playoffs and doesn't preach things that are good for championships, ie. hustle, rebounding and defence.

High assist/low turnover, jumpshooting systems don't win championships. Defence does.

High assist/low turnover, jumpshooting systems don't win championships. Defence does.

But they certainly help.

For all his shortcomings he must be doing something right. After all, the Pistons did have three consecutive 50+ win seasons that all featured trips to the Conference Finals. Some of his methods must be effective.

both teams played hard