In just 23 games the Detroit Pistons will be entering their most important offseason under the tenure of GM Troy Weaver.
Weaver has done a good job of tearing the team down and acquiring young talent, but next season will really be the first time that the team will be judged by wins and losses and not lottery position.
Weaver has talked the talk of “being great next year” and held onto veterans Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to help that cause. Fans aren’t expecting greatness, but do want a competitive team that turns the corner towards being good, similar to what teams like the Magic, Thunder and Pacers have done this season.
In addition to nailing the draft and finding the right free agents, Weaver will have to make a decision about what to do with coach Dwane Casey. Casey has amassed a 119-242 record as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons, though the team was rebuilding during most of his tenure and he was never given rosters that were expected or able to win.
There is a vocal section of the fanbase that wants Casey fired, and they may get their wish at the end of the season if Weaver decides the team needs a new voice and direction. One possible candidate just became available that may make Weaver’s decision more complicated.
Detroit Pistons: Ime Udoka is officially available
It was recently announced that the Boston Celtics made Joe Mazzulla their permanent head coach, removing the interim label and essentially ending Ime Udoka’s tenure with the team.
The Celtics have announced Joe Mazzulla has been named the team’s permanent head coach.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 16, 2023
The New York Times reported that Mazzulla’s hiring will coincide with Udoka being officially fired after being suspended for the season after violating unspecified team rules.
Leaked reports were that Udoka had an improper relationship with a Celtics’ employee, which was a violation of Boston’s team rules, though there was a lot of controversy surrounding their decision and Udoka.
After leading the Celtics to a 51-31 season and a Finals appearance in his first season as head coach, Udoka was considered a rising star in the coaching ranks before his suspension. His team had the 12th ranked offense and the league’s #1 defense last season, which is one of the reasons he may be of interest to the Detroit Pistons, who need to turn around a defense that is the worst in team history.
The question is whether Udoka’s indiscretions will keep him from getting a job right away or if teams will give him a second chance. I expect it will be the latter, which would potentially make him the top available candidate this offseason for teams looking for a new head coach.
Will the Detroit Pistons be one of those teams? It’s hard to say that coach Casey is on the hot seat given the context but if Weaver thinks is time to find a young head coach to lead his young team, Udoka might be high atop his list of potential replacements.