After a week of meetings, an update for Pistons Owner Tom Gores and Stan Van Gundy was reported. Gores reportedly wants Van Gundy to return to coaching but with some front office changes.
On April 23rd news came out by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that Pistons owner Tom Gores would meet with Stan Van Gundy to discuss the direction of the team.
Source tells the Free Press that the first of what will probably be a series of meetings between #Pistons owner Tom Gores and president and coach Stan Van Gundy will take place later tonight. Obviously direction of franchise after four years under SVG will be the topic.
— VinceEllis (@AlabamaScribe56) April 23, 2018
This led fans to speculate on whether SVG would keep one or both of his Pistons jobs. As days went by with no updates about these meetings; concern started to grow from many fans that there is a lack of urgency from Gores and the Pistons.
All of these concerns would go away when ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported the update on the Gores and Van Gundy meetings.
Sources: Detroit owner Tom Gores wants president/coach Stan Van Gundy back for final year of his contract -- with changes to front office. Talks are ongoing. ESPN Story: https://t.co/2V30SjDjuW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 1, 2018
In Woj’s piece, he wrote that Gores wants changes in some of the front office positions; but Van Gundy refuses to make those changes.
A lot of those changes have focused on Pistons General Manager Jeff Bower. Bower was hired by Van Gundy and is also in his final year of his contract.
Woj also reported that Bower and Gores would meet sometime this week.
The reasoning to Bower being the result of these meetings could be from many bad roster changes. Bower was a huge part of the Pistons handing Jon Leuer and Langston Galloway head-scratching contracts.
From the update, it seems both Gores and SVG are not done with these meetings. Van Gundy continues to refuse front office changes; which could lead to bigger moves by Gores.
Gores could either forcefully relieve Bower from his General Manager role. But if Van Gundy continues to refuse front office changes; Van Gundy might be forced to give up his President of Basketball Operations role.
It was also reported by that Pistons players Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin met with Tom Gores to discuss Van Gundy’s coaching style.
Pistons stars Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin met with owner Tom Gores recently to discuss Stan Van Gundy's coaching style as Gores contemplated keeping him as coach, sources told The Athletic. As @wojespn said, Gores wants SVG back this season as coach with front office changes
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 1, 2018
But we will have to wait and see what will happen with more meetings to come. Who knows what could happen with SVG refusing Gores’ suggestions.