Detroit Free Press

Nine days before the Memphis Grizzlies drafted Ja Morant second overall in 2019, they hired a new head coach. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s clear that Taylor Jenkins was the perfect candidate for the job. But at the time, it wasn’t a “splashy” hire. Jenkins was well-qualified, as he previously was an assistant under

The Detroit Pistons had two rookies this season. But there was a third player who, from an organizational standpoint, was essentially a rookie as well: James Wiseman. Consider 2022 first overall pick (and Rookie of the Year favorite) Paolo Banchero logged 2,430 minutes through 72 games with the Orlando Magic. Wiseman, through three NBA seasons,

Apple Podcasts | Spotify • Hosts: Bryce Simon (@MotorCityHoops) and Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) • Producer: Wes Davenport • Editors: Robin Chan • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: brycesimon3309@gmail.com; osankofa@freepress.com On this episode: This week, Bryce and Omari start by catching us up on the search for a new head coach. Later, they look at their preseason predictions and break down their biggest missed calls. Finally,

The Detroit Pistons are searching for a new head coach to fill the vacancy left by Dwane Casey. This is expected to be a process that takes many weeks, as the Pistons cast a wide net ahead of the 2023-24 season. They want to significantly improve from their NBA-worst 17-65 season that just ended. The

“We don’t want to appear, we want to arrive.” Those were the words of Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver, one year ago, espousing a build towards a sustainable future. The Pistons have yet to even “appear,” finishing dead last in the NBA this season with 17 wins. That has to change in 2023-24, Weaver’s

One of these days, one of these teams is gonna get it. No, not comeuppance. But the brass ring, or a helpful free agent at the trade deadline; that’d be nice, no? Instead of selling off good players for draft picks? Seems like it’s been forever since one of our four major pro teams did

One year later, everything has changed. For all of them. Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Báez has gone from “Yes! Finally, the Tigers are spending some money” to “Ugh, I’m so sick of this, stop swinging at stuff in the dirt.” Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has gone from “OK, he’s fun and a good quote

Everyone on the 17-65 Detroit Pistons deserves a failing grade on the proverbial report card, right? Well, not quite. Things clearly didn’t go according to plan this season, but Cade Cunningham’s early shin soreness, and eventual season-ending surgery, hampered hopes of putting a competitive team on the floor. The Pistons had an opportunity to move

Isiah Thomas sees the similarities most on defense. Rick Mahorn loves Dillon Brooks. A longtime Detroit beat writer compared Steven Adams to Bill Laimbeer. The “Bad Boy” Pistons won back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, earning their reputation through a willingness to stop opponents by any means necessary. Now, more than 30 years later,

Apple Podcasts | Spotify • Hosts: Shawn Windsor (@shawnwindsor) and Carlos Monarrez (@cmonarrez) • Editor: Robin Chan • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: swindsor@freepress.com On this episode: The disappointment in “The D” continues as the guys talk the Detroit Pistons season that was and why head coach Dwane Casey stepped down. Across town on the baseball diamond, things don’t appear to be swinging

The Detroit Pistons are set up for a fair amount of roster attrition this offseason. They have three unrestricted free agents — Hamidou Diallo, Cory Joseph and Rodney McGruder — three players with team options — Alec Burks, Isaiah Livers and Eugene Omoruyi — and a non-guaranteed player (R.J. Hampton). Bojan Bogdanovic and Marvin Bagley

Troy Weaver’s next decision will be a big one. No, not who he takes in the NBA draft. That’ll depend on luck, and as the Detroit Pistons general manager said Tuesday afternoon, he wasn’t raised to rely on luck. “I know people look at me crazy all the time,” he said. “From Day 1, I

Every offseason is important. This one is especially so for the Detroit Pistons, who are looking to boost their rebuild following a 17-65 season. It was clear this season that, despite some bad luck with injuries, the Pistons need to make a leap in the talent to ascend in a deep Eastern Conference. General manager

Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver takes the podium for his end-of-season news conference Tuesday at 1:10 p.m. at the team’s practice facility in Detroit. You can follow live updates below. This comes two days after one of the worst seasons in franchise history finally ended. Through Weaver’s three seasons, the Pistons have posted the

Apple Podcasts | Spotify • Hosts: Bryce Simon (@MotorCityHoops) and Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) • Producer: Wes Davenport • Editors: Robin Chan • Executive producers: Anjanette Delgado, Kirkland Crawford • Email: brycesimon3309@gmail.com; osankofa@freepress.com On this episode: This week, Bryce and Omari share their takeaways from player exit interviews. The guys also talk Dwayne Casey’s move to the front office and the potential candidates to fill the head coach vacancy.

The last time Cade Cunningham played basketball, he missed 10 of his 11 shots. He didn’t have much lift, or burst, or feel because his injured leg was slowing him down. Before that game in Boston, he’d played in 11 other games, and looked like himself in only a couple of them. When he and

The Detroit Pistons are itching to move on. Their 2022-23 season didn’t go as planned. The front office projected confidence in September, and had good reason to expect improvement from last season’s 23-59 finish. A lot went wrong, and the team finished 17-65 — the second-worst record in franchise history. Yet, the optimism that defined

The Detroit Pistons‘ next coach will inherit talent. Young talent, for sure, but still talent. And for that reason, the Pistons will get interest from the best available candidates. So, that’s a start. A start that doesn’t come unless Dwane Casey decided to step down as the Pistons coach Sunday. And he did, telling reporters

The Detroit Pistons’ next coach will inherit talent. Young talent, for sure, but still talent. And for that reason, the Pistons will get interest from the best available candidates. So, that’s a start. A start that doesn’t come unless Dwane Casey decided to step down as the Pistons coach Sunday. And he did, telling reporters

The Detroit Pistons — thankfully — are at the finish line. Their disappointing season ends Sunday vs. the Bulls in Chicago. A lot went wrong this season. Friday’s 122-115 road win over the Indiana Pacers allowed them to avoid tying a franchise-worst 16 wins. They’ll have plenty of time this offseason to get better. Predictably,