Outside of player development, there has been no reason to check in on the Detroit Pistons since essentially Christmas. Even in a year where almost the entire league was in contention for the playoffs or NBA Play-In Tournament, the Little Caesars Arena was routinely a palace of pain. Though, perhaps growing pains is more appropriate. In any case, the next step of this rebuild could see a different person manning the sidelines.
Dwane Casey's future is in doubt, as the head coach will meet with the organization at season's end.
“Various Pistons staffers are preparing for Casey to no longer hold his head coaching post next season, with the potential for Casey to step into a front office advisory role similar to Alvin Gentry’s path in Sacramento,” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported.
Milwaukee Bucks' lauded assistant Charles Lee is reportedly a top choice in the event a replacement is needed. The 38-year-old would be an interesting match with one of the youngest teams in the NBA.
The 2018 Coach of the Year Casey brought plenty of optimism when he came on to lead the Pistons four seasons ago, but it has gradually dissipated each year. The core has improved but not enough to translate to competitive basketball on a nighty basis. Detroit ranks last in field goal percentage (45.5) and is in desperate need of some more perimeter shooting.
A rebirth was always going to require a lot of patience from both fans and the Pistons brass, especially with 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham undergoing season-ending surgery back in December. However, back-to-back 50-loss seasons (possibly 60 this year) often demands a fall guy. Casey knows that role very well.
The longtime head coach has a great relationship with Pistons owner Tom Gores, so it is no surprise he would remain with the organization in a different capacity. He has a lot of experience to offer in this continuous rebuild.
With a young roster rife with talent and promise, fans may again witness a situation where a franchise finally breaks through right after Dwane Casey is removed from the bench. A potentially devastating fate for someone who has dedicated 40 years of his life to the sport.
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