UPDATE (2:30 p.m. ET): Stan Van Gundy will not return next season as the Detroit Pistons’ head coach and president of basketball operations, the team confirmed Monday afternoon.
The Pistons will begin searches for a new head coach and a new president of basketball operations immediately, the Pistons announced.
ORIGINAL STORY: Stan Van Gundy has worn out his welcome in the Motor City.
The Detroit Pistons parted with their head coach on Monday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported, citing a source.
Source: Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons have parted ways.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 7, 2018
Van Gundy’s ouster comes amid a restructuring of the Pistons’ basketball operations. Van Gundy also had been the team’s president of basketball operations and enjoyed full decision-making power over players and coaches.
Detroit’s next head coach reportedly won’t enjoy that same level of authority.
Van Gundy met with Pistons officials within the hour and now team moves onto a search for a new President of Basketball Operations and coach. Those jobs will be separated now.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 7, 2018
Wojnarowski reports the Pistons might appoint former NBA player Brent Barry to a high-level role.
Sources: One candidate expected to be strongly considered for a role in a revamped Pistons front office — Brent Barry.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 7, 2018
The Pistons were coming off their sixth consecutive losing season when they hired Van Gundy in 2014. They won just 32 games in 2014-15 but soon improved. The 2015-16 season represents the peak of Van Gundy’s career in Detroit, as he led the Pistons to a 44-38 record before the Cleveland Cavaliers swept them in the first round of the playoffs. Detroit missed the postseason the next two seasons.
The Pistons acquired Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers in a January trade, but the blockbuster deal didn’t boost the Pistons’ fortunes, as they finished the season 39-43 and missed the playoffs again.
The Griffin trade saddled the Pistons with his mammoth contract, which critics use as added fuel in condemning Van Gundy’s overall tenure in Detroit.
Stan Van Gundy's parting gift to the Pistons –
Blake Griffin's salary in each of the next four seasons:
2018-19: $32,088,932
2019-20: $34,449,964
2020-21: $36,810,996
2021-22: $38,957,028 https://t.co/HOfaQ23PQt— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 7, 2018
Dear Detroit,
Sorry about taking Kennard over Mitchell, overpaying Reggie Jackson, taking Stanley Johnson over getting four 1sts from Boston, ruining your salary cap with the Blake trade, and leaving you without a 2018 1st. I’m gonna go do TV, I’ll see you later.
—Thanks, SVG— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) May 7, 2018
