The Detroit Pistons aim to reset completely following a disappointing 2023-2024 season, culminating in a 14-68 record. Per Shams Charania, Detroit has opted to hire a president of basketball operations to work, with whom general manager Troy Weaver will answer to. Weaver, hired in 2020, has served as the head of basketball operations and also taken on the role of general manager. This position had been vacant since 2018.
After a disappointing 14-68 season, the Detroit Pistons have decided to hire a new head of basketball operations (President) and will begin their search process this week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2024
“After a disappointing 14-68 season, the Detroit Pistons have decided to hire a new head of basketball operations (President) and will begin their search process this week,” Charania tweeted on Monday afternoon.
Per comments by team owner Tom Gores from December obtained by Yahoo Sports's Ian Casselberry, the move isn't random.
“Change is coming, I’m just saying in terms of Monty, Troy, all of that stuff, there will be a place,” Gores said. “But I’m all over them, and they’ll tell you that too. There’s a lot of accountability that has to be held,” he added. “There might be additions to staff, but what’s for sure is change is coming. We are not right, right now. We have to either add, delete. We’ll be on it, and we are on it already. We will make changes. We will make them.”
The Pistons had an unfortunate nightmare of a season. There was hope that with a talented crop of young players and the hire of 2022 NBA Coach of the Year Monty Williams that the team would find a way to at least be a lower-tier play-in team. However, they performed way below expectations. They made history by suffering through a 28-game losing streak and seemingly not having enough to compete night in and night out. Monty Williams presided over odd lineup configurations that didn't work or lead to winning, such as benching Jaden Ivey after a promising rookie season. Along with injuries to key contributors that occurred throughout the year, the team was forced to deal with an incident eith William's former team the Phoenix Suns.
Pistons' defensive stalwart Isaiah Stewart faced controversy for an altercation with Suns' player Drew Eubanks in mid-February. According to The Athletic, Stewart and Eubanks clashed in a tunnel at the Suns' home arena, the Footprint Center. The players were in close proximity, and Stewart landed a punch on Eubanks' lip. Police intervened, separated the two, and Stewart exited the arena. Following an investigation, Stewart was suspended three games by the NBA.
The Pistons must implement substantial changes to restore the team to the greatness of the Bad Boy Pistons era of the 80s and 90s, as well as the success of the mid-2000s, marked by two successive trips to the NBA Finals in 2004 & 2005, accompanied by six straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals. It seems they are prepared to put in the effort to reclaim their former glory.
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