The Detroit Pistons and Troy Weaver are always going to try and keep talent in the pipeline, and that includes at coach.
The Pistons have added a trio of new assistant coaches this offseason and one in particular could end up being the next head coach.
That guy is Jerome Allen, who had been an assistant for the Boston Celtics for the last six seasons.
It was actually surprising that the Celtics let him go, as he was thought to be a frontrunner for their head coaching job after Brad Stevens was promoted to replace Danny Ainge.
The Celtics are a team that loves continuity, so I expected Allen to get a long look for the job, as he has been there and reportedly has very good relationships with the players, including star Jayson Tatum.
Troy Weaver made this move with the future in mind, and it was smart considering where the Pistons are and where they are going.
Detroit Pistons: Could Jerome Allen eventually replace Dwane Casey?
Dwane Casey recently signed an extension to stay with the Pistons through the 2023-24 season. By then the Pistons will hopefully be good but Casey will be pushing 70 years old, so this is likely his last coaching gig.
Casey did a fantastic job this season, as the rebuilding Pistons got big improvements from all of their young players, who played with intensity even though they were losing, a credit to Casey.
He is establishing a culture here that Troy Weaver would like to continue after he is gone, as the goal for the Pistons is sustainable success.
Allen might be the perfect replacement, as he already has the credentials of being a head coach in college, an assistant under Brad Stevens in the NBA and will have (hopefully) at least three seasons under Dwane Casey, which will give him the experience he needs to take over the head job.
As I said, Allen is known for being very good at teaching and building relationships with players, something that is also a strength of Casey, so Allen could be a natural transition, especially if the Pistons are winning by the time Casey is ready to retire.
If the Detroit Pistons want to build sustainable success, they need to find a way to keep some continuity at coach, and promoting a top assistant to eventually replace Casey is one way to do it.