Flip Saunders will not be back with the Pistons

[rondohondo]

Wasn't flip's fault. I don't think the Pistons or dumars or sheed for that matter were really letting Flip do his thing. The Piston's don't need a head coach, they need a half-time motivational speaker to keep their heads in teh games

Tony Robbins anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8INnLREUp0

wow that video makes me hate Tony Robbins. I can understand someone wanting to be positive, but this guy is very annoying and has a crowd of lunatics around him. He has the biggest head I've ever seen on a human.

[jay_jay54]

Assistant coach Michael Curry seems to be the leading candidate right now. it should be an interesting offseason for the artists formerly known as the bad boys.

I think Detroit needs a new voice, I don't think Joe D should hire someone from within his organization or that locker room.

If he did that how would he control the lockerroom. At this point the Detroit coach is just a puppeteered figurehead for Joe Dumars and until he decides he wants to coach, Detroit will always find non-strongheaded individuals.

I beleive you are dead on here.Recently i realized the Pistons has had some internal problems(coaching) for a lot longer than i thought...Chuck Daily recently made a statement into a joke,when asked if he wanted to come back to the team in the future,his reply was,"i would have to get a second knee operation",(or something to that affect),asked why by the announcer,he said,from getting on my knees begging players to play hard or do what,they are paid to do.I always thought he was the main man,guess appearances can be deceiving at times.So,im agreeing with you,and figure,thats been the way Detroit's management has done things for a long time.TP for your post.    

[Brickowski]

If I were Dumars,

1. I would have canned Saunders too.  Mediocre coach.
2. My short list would include JVG, Rambis and Thibodeau.

I expect TT to get a head coaching job next year.  I just hope he has a chance to teach Rivers enough before he leaves to keep the Celtics competitive.

[Big Ticket]

I think this lies squarely on the shoulders on one Rasheed Wallace.  The biggest problem I've seen/read regarding Flip was that he couldn't get through to his players.  I have a sneaking suspicion that could be read as "couldn't get through to Rasheed".  He seems to be the only player on that team that had schizophrenic effort and performance.  And as that went, seemingly so did the team's effort and performance.

Rasheed had an absolutely abysmal series.  That is not on Flip.

I even read recently that Flip was telling, pleading, and ordering 'Sheed to double LeBron when he came into the lane in game 5 last year, but Rasheed just went along his merry way doing whatever he wanted.

Is there a player that must frustrate a coach more than Rasheed Wallace?

[tb727]

I really like Flip and that would've been the only redeeming thing in my eyes if the Celts had lost to them.  Maybe he can join the Celts' staff as an assistant...

[indeedproceed]

apparently Bill Lambieer is a candidate also. You've got it though, Brick..my short list included J-V-G....and JVG. Thats it. He's the only guy with the cards in his hand to yoke this group of egos into a championship...and thats assuming it could even be done, Im mostly skeptical.

Pros for JVG:
He's seen NY Knicks pressure. He took a vacation in Houston but Detroit Pistons win now or else pressure won't scare him.

He's got the respect of like, the whole league. He's been in the booth now for a season, he seems to know all the right guys and people know he's loyal.

He's maybe the best defensive head coach in basketball. Say what you want about Tommy T running the show but come on...JVG is a darn good defensive coach.

He won't put up with wallace's crap, or dumars'. for better or for worse, Van Gundy will run the show as he sees fit, or he won't run it at all, and maybe a steady hand is what the Pistons need.