After a very disappointing outing in the 2013-14 season, Detroit looks to change some things to take the team in a new direction next year.
In fact, the team has already started on a path to change by hiring Stan Van Gundy and putting him in charge of personnel decisions.
When Van Gundy was coaching the Orlando Magic, he was a diligent coach who clearly understood the professional game. He is considered to have a great offensive and defensive mind, and by most accounts was an outstanding hire for the Pistons.
Detroit is hoping that Van Gundy will quickly begin to replicate the succes he found in Orlando. In Van Gundy's five years with the Magic, they made the playoffs every season and compiled a record of 259-135. He led the team to the playoffs every year, heading to the NBA Finals once.
While Van Gundy doesn't have championship bling-bling to showoff, he does have the type of cred in the league that players want to see. The Pistons haven't made the playoffs since 2009, so they will be eager to want to follow him in a new direction.
The Pistons didn't even tally 30 wins last season, so Van Gundy is inheriting a troubled team. He is saddled with Josh Smith earning $40 million over the next three seasons and Greg Monroe will be a restricted free agent this summer after not agreeing to a contract extension this past offseason. Many expected Van Gundy to be alright with losing Monroe, because Monroe doesn't have the greatest outside shot, and doesn't play the 4 position the way Van Gundy has traditionally liked it played.
For Smith, many hopeful Detroit fan's think the Pistons should look to Brooklyn and a trade for Deron Williams. It's rumored that Williams and Brooklyn Nets management have had enough of one another. After the Pistons failed to mesh this year, many think that getting rid of Smith might improve things, so they would be willing to take a chance on Williams, in hopes he could return to all star form.
Monroe may find his way to New Orleans, according to HITC Sports. The Pelicans have a strong group of young players, but they need to continue building and changing to keep up in today's NBA. Prior to the February trade deadline the Pelicans had reportedly been looking to trade either Eric Gordon or Tyreke Evans. Both players have never really found their groove in New Orleans, so a potential trade in which Gordon or Evans was sent to Detroit in exchange for Monroe would make a lot of sense.
