Detroit Pistons: 5 best and 5 worst coaches in team history

Detroit Pistons: 5 best and 5 worst coaches in team history

2nd Worst: Stan Van Gundy

To begin with, Van Gundy coached the Pistons for four seasons that felt like they lasted for about eight years. That’s strike one, although I admit it’s incredibly subjective. Strike two? The mustache and slovenly untucked shirt. Argue otherwise? Go back to the 1970s and focus on directing adult videos. Now let’s get a bit more real here for a second. The most legit reason for his inclusion on this list actually has to do with his responsibility for the roster. As President of Basketball Operations he was the architect of the team on the floor, so he actually had the latitude to assemble the players he wanted, a privilege no one else on this list had. He built the team around a traditional center in Andre Drummond, drafted Stanley Johnson, threw a hail mary for Blake Griffin, and then left the team in dire straits. He was given a 5-year, $35 million deal and barely survived four years prior to getting the axe. When he did, the Pistons had zero playoff wins to show for it.

I will say that I do respect the man for his values and willingness to speak out on important issues.

2nd Best: Larry Brown

Pound-for-Pound, baby. What a stud. The guy was so charismatic. His two seasons here were absolutely magical. His aggressive style of communication is certain to put an expiration date on any coaching stint, so it feels right that he wasn’t here long. He was a “better to burnout than fadeaway” type from the jump. Numbers? 108-56 in the regular season. 31-17 in the postseason. Two Eastern Conference championships. One NBA championship. There is no other choice for this spot. He is the second-best Head Coach the Pistons have ever had. Thank you, LB.