June 30, 2009

Detroit Pistons Fire Coach Michael Curry: The Detroit Pistons have bounced head coach Michael Curry after just one year in the job. Curry was 39-43 with the Pistons, who were swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The firing makes a liar of team president Joe Dumars, who said unequivocally in late April that Curry would return next season.

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:06 PM - 7 comments

He may be a liar, but it's the best move for the Pistons at this point. Following the team this year, it seemed to me that Curry never gained the full confidence of his team. Not a good "word on the street" vibe to have going into a summer where Detroit could bring in some big free agents. Curry may have done better this year, but he was the unfortunate vehicle through which Dumars could signal that he was going to do some serious shopping.

Or I could be completely wrong here.

posted by jdefauw at 05:46 PM on June 30, 2009

Doesn't it seem strange that Curry was fired not too long after Laimbeer resigned as the Shock coach? All the commentators say no, but after Joe D saying Curry had a job this coming season, this is just weird timing...

posted by MeatSaber at 08:32 PM on June 30, 2009

Yeah, I agree. Not sure how Laimbeer's WNBA success would translate to NBA. He's a hard-ass old-school type of coach, which probably would have played well with the Pistons of a couple years ago. Rasheed's gone and some new guys will be coming in. We'll have to see what kind of work ethic they have. Dumars claims to have learned his lesson with Iverson about getting people in the system that don't have a common mindset.

Word is he's going after Gordon and Villanueva. Anyone know much about how hard those guys work? Seems like Gordon has butted heads with coaches in the past. I like him as a player, though. Has a very Vinnie Johnson microwave factor to him.

posted by jdefauw at 03:07 AM on July 01, 2009

Has a very Vinnie Johnson microwave factor to him.

Pretty funny how you put that but does that mean that Ben Gordon is going to let his hair grow out, get it feathered and then parted down the middle?

posted by BornIcon at 10:35 AM on July 01, 2009

Word is he's going after Gordon and Villanueva. Anyone know much about how hard those guys work?

Villenueva is a horse, he would fit a Laimbeer-style team. Can't speak on Grodon, though. But what player in their right mind would go toe-to-toe with Laimbeer...especially if Mahorn comes over as an assistant?

posted by MeatSaber at 04:16 PM on July 01, 2009

That's right. Laimbeer and Mahorn would probably come in a package deal. Haven't really heard him mentioned in the mix yet, though. Detroiters would absolutely love it. But that could just be an Alan Trammel situation all over again.

posted by jdefauw at 03:38 AM on July 02, 2009

Mahorn hasn't been mentioned because he's now head coach of the Detroit Shock.

posted by apoch at 06:31 AM on July 02, 2009

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