Breaking News: Johnson Out, Kuester Reportedly In For Pistons
Just when you thought Joe Dumars was going to make a good move after picking Michael Curry last year, word out of Detroit is that Avery Johnson is no longer in the running for the Detroit Pistons head coaching vacancy after the two sides could not come to terms on a contract.
Sources are reporting that Cavs assistant John Kuester is expected to be named the Pistons coach later today. Although he has never been a head coach at the professional level, Kuester was a member of Larry Brown’s staff in 2004 when the Pistons won the title.
Perhaps this is Dumars’ way of bringing back a winning formula to Detroit, but if you ask me, the Pistons needed a big name coach to really command respect of the troops.
What are your thoughts?
Source: Detroit Free Press
July 7th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
wiz says:
The general would have had that team right, dumars is really making a bigger mess in detroit.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Arrogant says:
I think Avery was the perfect fit…
July 7th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
sh!tfaced says:
avery is out because he wanted 4 yrs, 20 mil
July 7th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Scott says:
Really? I mean we’re not talking about the Pistons of last year.
Sheed is gone, as is Billups, Rip might be on his way out, so basically the only guy left is Prince who’s young and seems to not have a ’star’ ego in a way that you need a big name coach to command his respect.
But do you really need a ‘name’ coach to get the respect of CV, Gordon, Stuckey, Maxiell, etc?
I don’t know if Kuester is any good himself, but it sounds like Avery is pricing himself out of an NBA coaching job. Not that I blame him, he’s making 4 mill this year, and 4 mill next year from the Mavs, while getting some coin from tv. Why would anyone want to be an NBA coach when they have their ish that cushy? Especially with the rigors of being a successful head coach.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Arrogant says:
thats 4 mll a year… avery deserves that…..
it also he wanted part in the direction of the team and i dont think dumars feelin that….
July 7th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Ric Hardwood says:
silly Avery… Dumars don’t keep coaches that long! hehe
July 7th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
flavur says:
SAM MITCHELL
July 7th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
PALakerFan says:
So let me get this straight. Cleveland has one of the worst coaches in the league and Dumars just hired HIS assistant???
Wow! It must be great to be a Pistons fan. Spend $19 mil on a one dimensional SG and a tweener forward, then skimp on the coach. Enjoy, Piston fans!!!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
karizmatic says:
Well if they trade Hamilton they may have a shot at it with a relatively unknown coach. The team won’t really have that many seasoned veterans on it and it might work. But it’s not really a good look.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
I would have signed Avery to a 2 year deal but 4 is too much of a commitment for being on the hook for $20M even if I end up firing him. But I think Avery would have been a good fit. Since he won’t budge you need to look elsewhere but I don’t think Kuester would be the man for the job, don’t even consider Terry Porter, go with a guy who’s brought in results I say.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Detroit Dave says:
The sad part is the Kuester is supposed to be the “BRAIN” behind Cleveland’s Offense. Which means that he only had 2 plays in his playbook.
#1 Lebron Iso
#2 High Pick and Roll
They coulda fu-kng hired me to do that!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Tim says:
Look for Kuestrr to reinstall The Larry Brown offense with Rip coming off 40 screens before shooting.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Tim says:
And I don’t have a problem with this guy cause he’s been in the league since 1990
July 7th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Dagomar says:
Wow has Avery’s career ever taken a nosedive since Nellie outcoached him.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Tim says:
I don’t want Avery having a say in personnel that’s just dumb
July 7th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
sans says:
A coaches career is never dead–unless you’re Mike Fratello.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
I thought since Dumars has always liked defensive teams he should of tried to pluck Tom Thibodeau from the Celtics.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Not that Detroit has the personnel for that kind of team now anyway but just sayin.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Tim says:
The sooner my Pistons get back to championship form…the happier I will be
And for everyone hating on his offense schemes, granted they fizzled a bit in the playoffs, but weren’t they the number 1 in offensive categories last year?
July 7th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Just looking for
Sarah
Nicole
Elijah Earley
Jay-Are
Not in here either? Hmmm.
July 8th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Paul Wall says:
Birdman stays with the nuggets..5 years 26 million
July 8th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Ike says:
Im almost positive Dumars said that the reason they fired Curry was because they wanted someone with more experience to lead the team during these times. Then they go and hire an assistant with no prior head coaching experience? Come on now.
July 8th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Tim says:
@ ike…
Michael Curry had 1 year on a bench as a coach of anything…Kuester’s been on NBA benches since 1990…he might not have “head coach experience” but he’s got about 18 more years of experience than Curry had…with some good coaches and good teams…
At least I wont have to hear someone in tv timeouts going…if we rebound and play defense we will be fine…
Curry said that every single time…
July 8th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Tim says:
and Joe D never said a coach with more head coaching experience, so technically, he didn’t lie… lol