The Stan Van Gundy Model: Competition Breeds Success

You know a sports franchise is in a downtrodden state when sports cliches start becoming reality.

For the last six seasons, Detroit hasn’t had a winning record. Pistons GM Joe Dumars hired five different coaches to instill their principles.

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Michael Curry wasn’t stern enough. John Kuester lacked control so much that his teams boycotted him. Maurice Cheeks was given a playoff roster and had more arguments with players than wins.

Since the Rick Carlisle/Larry Brown/Flip Saunders era, this Pistons franchise has lacked accountability across the board.

Management signed or traded talent without factoring in accountability. For the most part, the talents that were brought in during that time were not held responsible for their actions on and off the court. Each player to come through the franchise was told they’d start, but were never challenged.

From November 2008 on — nobody was asked or was willing to step up as a leader. It all started to unfold when Dumars and company sold the franchise’s voice for the often criticized Allen Iverson. Greg Monroe was forced into a leadership role without ever playing with winners..

Bringing back fan favorites Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace was the only far cry attempt to add chemistry to the locker room.

If there is anything that is promising about the regime change — it’s that Stan Van Gundy understands that it takes commitment at all levels. He’s building a front office that believes it’s not just talented basketball players that win you championships.

For the last six seasons, Pistons fans have forgotten what it’s like to see a team take the court.

If there is anything that is promising about the regime change — it’s that Stan Van Gundy understands that it takes commitment at all levels. He’s building a front office that believes it’s not just talented basketball players that win you championships.

They’ve clinched in earnest since the San Antonio Spurs defeated Detroit in the 2005 NBA Finals. It was the beginning of the end for the Motor City’s most revered team in the 2000’s. They watched that same Spurs nucleus 8 years later in the NBA Finals — dominating the much favored Heat.

Even after falling to Miami in game seven, they somehow willed their way back to the NBA Finals. They then dominated a heavily favored Miami squad with superior ball handling, shot selection, and teamwork.

Much like the 2004 Pistons, who swept a Lakers team with four future hall of famers.

Much like the city they represent, Pistons fans watched year after year as the organization’s foundation slowly crumbled below them.

Now, Stan Van Gundy has a chance to build from the ground up.

Someone that won’t let any player, executive, or coach put a chink in the franchise’s philosophy to win.

When you start at the bottom, there’s no quick solution to winning basketball.  Stan Van Gundy understands that.

Though he also knows that competition breeds success.

I’ve said this and it’s not a cliche, ” said Van Gundy at Tuesday’s press conference that introduced D.J. Augustin and Caron Butler. “When you’ve been where we’ve been the last few years, everything is open. Everything. You can’t go to anybody on this team and have them tell you I’ve promised them anything. Were bringing in the best people we can.

“When you’ve been where we’ve been everything is wide open and we are going to see how it best fits together when we get to training camp.  I could tell you pretty reasonably who is going to play major roles. In terms of starts and who comes off the bench — all of that — that’s wide open going into training camp and we’ll find the best fit.”

When the Pistons take the floor to start the 2014-15 season, they’ll do so under a new group of leadership. For the first time in his career, Andre Drummond will be asked to step up in the locker room and set an example for this organization.

The truth is, the Pistons have been looking for their first true team leader since the day the traded Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets.

Sometimes, it just walks through your door. Other times, it develops over time.

Most importantly, it has to be discovered from somebody within. An asset to Stan Van Gundy’s model.

Something that has been missing from the Pistons organization for quite some time.