The Detroit Pistons need to keep Stan Van Gundy
By David Topham
Detroit Pistons head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy will meet with team owner Tom Gores next week to discuss his future.
The rumors are swirling about Stan Van Gundy’s future with the Detroit Pistons, and a meeting with the team’s owner will soon give us clarity on his fate. Not keeping him – at least as head coach – for next season would be counterproductive.
Next week, Van Gundy will meet with Pistons owner Tom Gores, as was established at the regular season finale at Little Caesars Arena and corroborated by Woj on Thursday:
Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and President/Coach Stan Van Gundy will meet next week to discuss Van Gundy's future, league sources tell ESPN. Van Gundy has one year left on his contract. There had been an initial plan to meet late this week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 20, 2018
Gores could relieve Van Gundy of his duties as both coach and president, or keep the status quo for the final year of his contract. There’s also talk that Gores could strip him of his president title and ask him to cede front office control while staying on as coach. There’s also a possibility Van Gundy isn’t open to that and would rather quit than agree to such an arrangement.
Letting Van Gundy the coach go instead of giving him a fifth year would bring the Pistons no advantages.
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The coaching carousel has already begun in earnest around the league. Charlotte, New York, and Orlando fired their coaches shortly after the season. The coaches in Memphis, Milwaukee, and Phoenix didn’t make it through the season.
That’s six openings, which decreases the chances of Detroit being able to land a top name on the market.
More importantly, firing Van Gundy the coach would be more detrimental than beneficial because the roster is set.
The franchises without a head coach for next year, outside of Milwaukee, have rebuilding to do and rosters to mold. Detroit will bring back the same cast that finished 39-43 this season, perhaps minus Anthony Tolliver.
There’s nothing any other coach and executive can do to change these circumstances outside of radical trades. The roster is what it is and there’s nothing to do but to fight to get into the playoffs next year as constructed. The ingredients have been purchased, and next year’s meal will be made using them regardless of what anybody thinks of them.
Considering Van Gundy was the man who envisioned a core of Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson could be successful, Gores might as well let him finish out this contract and see if he can make it happen.
The Detroit Pistons have one winning season, one playoff appearance, and zero playoff wins in four seasons with Van Gundy at the helm. They have a million injury excuses as to why that’s the case, but health will once again be an issue at the season’s forefront with Jackson and Griffin.
Still, Van Gundy has taken the organization a massive step in the right direction during his tenure. Now, they need to make the next one and start competing in the playoffs with regularity. Given the state of the roster, head coach Stan Van Gundy should get another crack at that for this season.
Next: Detroit Pistons 2017-18 Season Review: Stanley Johnson
We’ll learn what happens next week after Gores and Van Gundy meet.