Former strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander is rejoining the Detroit Pistons. Why are Detroit fans so excited about a seemingly unsubstantial development?
On Tuesday, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reported that Arnie Kander would be coming back to the Detroit Pistons’ staff. Kander will be consulting with the team on injury prevention and training regiments.
When the news hit, other fan bases may have been puzzled by the fervor that surrounded Kander’s return.
For instance, Ellis’ tweet has generated more than 30 retweets and over 150 likes. However, there are some valid reasons for the outpouring of excitement.
For one, Kander is associated with the better parts of Pistons’ history. Per Ellis, Kander was working at Rochester Knee and Sports Therapy when Isiah Thomas became one of his clients. Thomas endorsed Kander, and the trainer would spend the next 23 years with the franchise.
For fans, it’s a sign from Ed Stefanski that he’s willing to engage with the team’s past. Kander is a familiar face who many will remember fondly. The hiring also alludes to larger objective for Stefanski: maintaining a healthy roster.
Look no further than Reggie Jackson, who has played only 97 games over the previous two seasons.
Last year, the team essentially collapsed after the loss of Jackson on Dec. 26. They were 19-14 following that game, but ultimately ended the season at 39-43. Blake Griffin, Jon Leuer, and Avery Bradley also dealt with injuries in 2017-18.
Jackson missed 24 games before returning on March 20. But he’d already begun to slow down before the injury even occurred. Per Duncan Smith of The Athletic, he started to “lose the spring in his step” after Dec. 6, and the numbers reflected this.
I've got some real worries about Reggie Jackson. Here's his season post-December 6th, around the point where he seemed to lose some of the early-season spring in his step. pic.twitter.com/hFCHPga9Jo
— Duncan Smith (@DuncanSmithNBA) July 11, 2018
The recurring health issues, especially for Jackson and Griffin, had to be addressed this off-season. I’m glad that Stefanski turned to Kander. It’s possible that he will help to rework how the team prepares for games and practices alike.
As noted by Ellis in his piece, Stan Van Gundy was known for running a long, grueling practice. The combination of player-friendly coach Dwane Casey, and the addition of Kander, could mean lighter practices with more of an emphasis on flexibility.
Next: Should Pistons fans be excited for next season?
If the Pistons make the playoffs this year, it’ll mean either one of two things: that Kander did his job and prevented injuries to the team’s stars, or that the Pistons found a way to win without key players. The first option sounds much easier.