Seeking new voice in coach, Pistons fire Saunders

[LoungeLizard]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3423956

I guess this was somewhat expected? Wouldn't be surprised to see Avery end up in Detroit, seems like the type of team he could be down with coaching.

 

[Bricklayer]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3423956

I guess this was somewhat expected? Wouldn't be surprised to see Avery end up in Detroit, seems like the type of team he could be down with coaching.

Does, althoguh I would be careful if I were Avery -- don't want to hitch yourself to a team in decline.

 

[Wuster]

I bet Dumars already has a replacement lined up. Porter would not surprise me.

 

[LoungeLizard]

I bet Dumars already has a replacement lined up. Porter would not surprise me.

You are right...except it looks like it will be Michael Curry.

 

[Futuristic]

Flip Saunders will be the next coach of the Suns?

 

[Packt]

Mark Cuban should've waited.

 

[est.1999]

^^^^why? I'd rather have Carlisle than saunders. Saunders sucks

 

[Bricklayer]

^^^^why? I'd rather have Carlisle than saunders. Saunders sucks

He's been to the Conference Finals 4 times in the last 5 years. He's got to be doing something not so sucky.

 

[4cwebb]

He's been to the Conference Finals 4 times in the last 5 years. He's got to be doing something not so sucky.

Qualified imho by the fact that for 3 of those trips he was coaching in the "leastern" and coaching a team coming off of 2 consecutive Finals appearances. EDIT: I guess at least one of those 4 years (and potentially 2) he lost to a team that won the title.

Tough burden to bear for Saunders, but someone was going to have to bear it after the Pistons underachieved. Hardly seems to be Saunders' failing that caused the Pistons to play like an 8 seed in that 4th quarter of Game 6 of this year's ECF. I guess it remains to be seen whether there will be a Detroit roster shake up as well.

Oh, and even if the job weren't going to Curry, I'd be surprised to see Avery in Detroit. He didn't like Dirk taking 3s; imagine the headbutting he'd have with Sheed to try to get him to stop gunning from distance.

 

[Packt]

^^^^why? I'd rather have Carlisle than saunders. Saunders sucks

Because Saunders' offense would fit better with this current Dallas team. And he's been able to keep Detroit's defense up at a high level. There was already talk Saunders would be fired if Detroit fell short again before the playoffs started. He was the only big name available, or possibly available, that looked like a good match for a Dirk/Kidd led team.

 

[jacobdrj]

Saunders is a good coach. But he is not a great one. He would be better suited to a team on the rise, rather a time on the cusp. He is a carbon copy of Rick Adleman in many ways, but he has a harder time with ego management.

He will probably coach the Suns. They will probably post a nice record. And they will flop, hard, in the playoffs.

He would be good in Atlanta IMHO.

 

[bloom]

Is it just me or does anybody else feel that Flip isn’t a winner? He doesn’t seem like the coach that is able to take any team over to the next side. Even when he was coaching his first year for Detroit I didn’t think he would take them to another ring.

 

[jacobdrj]

I would say he isn't a championship coach at the NBA level. He has won at lower levels, and he does get to the playoffs.

Looks like the Pistons just hired Michael Curry.
I don't really know what to make of it, except that I hope the players respect him enough to listen... he is the guy who jump-started Tayshaun Prince's career, after all...