It looks like Tom Gores is calling on his friendship with Phil Jackson to help him decide who to bring in as the Pistons new head coach.
Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores announced Thursday night that Phil Jackson has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity during the team’s search for a coach.
But one source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Jackson’s willingness to counsel Gores and Pistons president Joe Dumars as they weigh candidates to replace the ousted Lawrence Frank is an unpaid consultancy stemming from Jackson’s friendship with Gores and “does not foreclose any options” with regard to the 11-time championship coach’s intentions to find a new full-time NBA management job.
Jackson’s arrangement with the Pistons, according to sources, is an “act of friendship.” Former New York Knicks and Utah Jazz executive Dave Checketts previously served as a Pistons adviser to Gores without officially joining team management.
The Pistons, in a story on the team’s website announcing Jackson’s willingness to help, described the move as an “advisory role” designed “not (for Jackson) to assume a formal position inside the Pistons’ organization.”
“Phil Jackson is a friend and one of the best minds in the business,” Gores said. “We are thrilled to have him as an adviser as we make some very important decisions for this franchise. Joe (Dumars) and I discussed this and he and I are in full agreement that this is a great opportunity.” Via ESPN
Jackson on the side of Detroit just seems odd no matter how you look at it. From a fans standpoint it’s weird to have Jackson who coached the Bulls past the Pistons in the early 90’s and then the Lakers later. On a Pistons organizational standpoint it looks like maybe Dumars is treading thin ice.
The Pistons.com spins this one as a good friend helping out another, but considering the fact that things are changing and Jackson was being pursed by other NBA teams could it be possible that he’ll have a different role with the organization soon? Well have to wait and see.
May The Gores Be With Us
i’d love to hear his opinion on the players we have now. And yes i do think Tom Gores brought Phil Jackson in, not only to search for a coach, but also to evaluate Joe Dumars’ style. I think Tom Gores wants an assessment of Joe Dumars ability to get the job done. Because Joe Dumars has a lot of talent, but I think Tom Gores wants to know if Joe Dumars can get us back to the playoffs. Phil Jackson you sneaky sneak, you are a plant. 😀
I do sometimes wonder if Phil is gonna just go with a offensive coach though. Detroit is the city of defense, so we will see how he sees the team.
I’m sure a big guy tandum like the passing Greg Monroe and big guy defensive stopper Andre Drummond is intriguing to him because that’s basically like Pau and Bynum.
Of course things we need
1. wing scorer
2. wing stopper
3. Point Guard
4. Better bench
5. A leader ( does the team even have a captain right now?)
6. And of course a good coach 😀
Agree with everything except bench which has played well for the past three years
with our free agents we dont have much from the bench. Basically Jonas is our bench. Bynum is probably gone next year. Drummond will be in the starting lineup. Maxiell is gone. And I of course am not a huge Stuckey fan. But we do have slava :D. I really REALLY hope Slava uses this offseason to really train now that he understands how the NBA game is played. He has a lot of potential
“i’d love to hear his opinion on the players we have now. And yes i do think Tom Gores brought Phil Jackson in, not only to search for a coach, but also to evaluate Joe Dumars’ style. I think Tom Gores wants an assessment of Joe Dumars ability to get the job done. Because Joe Dumars has a lot of talent, but I think Tom Gores wants to know if Joe Dumars can get us back to the playoffs. Phil Jackson you sneaky sneak, you are a plant. ”
lol so true i think joe d is soooo PISSED hhhhhhhh besides phil said hes intrested in GM-ing so why not start here
Well the main reason i didn’t want to give up dumars is simply, i don’t like 95% of the guys trying to put teams together. But I’ll be honest IF we could get jackson, and not saying we can, but if so I would see that as a great successor.
After 13 or so years as GM I really think Joe Dumars needs to clear his head a bit. And refocus on the job at hand. Maybe a year or 2 off could be a great thing for him to collect his thoughts. Away from people’s input and rationalizing *cough keith langlois cough cough*
I think that this is all a plot by Phil Jackson. He is going to dismiss all the coaches for one reason or another until one day Gores asks him, “Well, that’s everyone. Who should we hire then?” Phil Jackson going to a nearby window and gazes out at the Detroit skyline. Then he replies with, “ha…you should hire…ME!!” *Cue the confetti and music* O.K this won’t happen but it’s fun to think about!
I just hope he has a private convo with Gores too discussing the issues from top down. Obviously he needs to advise Joe D seeing as how he’s still going to be making decisions for another year, but I hope he sheds light on the issues (if he sees any) with Joe’s performance as well. Dr. Phil is a smart guy, I just hope he covers all bases. Happy to see action being taken though
Phil is unlikely to try to fire Joe you don’t eat your own and Joe and Phil are the same breed. what this does mean is Gore’s don’t trust Joe and it s a short step from lack of trust and fired. Gore’s will fire Joe not Phil
i dont think it means he doesn’t trust joe. I think it means he knows he doesn’t know basketball that well and needs someone to tell him if he SHOULD trust him or NOT trust him. I think he just needs a definitive answer either way and he knows he’s not the right guy to assess joe dumars. I mean Joe Dumars was obviously right when he wanted Mike Woodson over Lawrence Frank. But gores tried to overrule Joe Dumars and listened to that idiot David Cheketts who helped formed those bad new york teams. Phil Jackson though is proven to know basketball.
Yeah, imagine if we had Mike Woodson. I didn’t like him as a prospect at the time, but he’s shining in New York right now.
it definitely means he dont trust joe. You have to remember gores is not new to running a business, he has had all kinds of advisors giving him advice for several years.
This is definitely a signal that now Gores is not only getting second opinions, he doesn’t trust any move Joe makes.
Most of all Gores don’t trust Joe with the cap space money spending like a drunken sailor.
Yup that’s it.
I cant be the only one having seen/done this in other lines of business. Ownership/board getting external/independent advise on core areas.
What this tells me is Gores isn’t sitting back leaving it to Joe to fix. Joe and staff only has so many hours in the day, any help now should be welcomed. I’m glad as the issues with identity and leadership are bigger than a head coach change can fix.
No identity, no coach, no set system, a need for 7-8 players from draft and free agency.. Joe has a lot of pieces to get and then need to fit. If I was him I’d be glad someone it helping out.
What has me confused is I keep hearing Phil’s name to coach and work for other teams… I mean how can he have our best interest and then leave for another team.(conflict of interest)??? Not sure he would but something about this just seems fishy… Now if somehow he can use his Zen powers to move us up in the draft … and help us pull off some crazy trade like the lakers getting Gasol for a bubble gum wrapper then I welcome him with NBA is rigged open arms…..
zone not hard to understand. At this stage in his career phil is not about dumb stuff like winning one game here or there or even getting to the playoffs right now he is looking at his legacy as the greatest coach of all time any sport any players, any team.
He’s not gonna screw that legacy up by screwing a slum dweller like the pistons. If he can help he will help.
It would be a lot different if we were getting advice from Avery Johnson or some other hungry up and coming coach.
I just think that this move brings confusion if not insult to Joe D.
Who y’all rooting for in the playoffs? I’m going for the Grizzlies and Tayshaun. I think they have a good shot to make the Finals.
im rooting for pacers or bulls. i just want new york to lose
i want everyone to lose but since they can’t all lose, I want miami to win so at least everyone else suffers.
Whaaaat?
Nat – is that you? 🙂
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass-business-insider-2013-5
LOL no, however I wish that I had Google Glass
Not sure yet, I’ll end up walking into traffic! Not sure we all can multitask well enough.
Random request for Sheed in the video. Like it.
i dont even want this 8th pick. There’s no drummond or monroe in this nba draft. I would love to trade this for a legit wing.
Gah. Why is it that we don’t know if we can resign calderon until after the draft. Boggles the man how you can plan a team in the nba. Cavs are gonna have a real team next year, but I hear they are gonna trade their #1 pick who does that!!
Shows how weak this draft is. This year it’s gonna be all about role players in the 2nd round.
We are gonna have to deal max contracts to moose & drummond, keep that in mind JoeD! However you work the deals, it has to end up resigning our bigs.
Everyone else can go if we can get an upgrade at the position.
I bet we end up with Shabazz Muhammad. I have a feeling Shabazz will be a lot better than insider industry types think, they don’t like his inability to guard even marginally athletic opponents, being a ball hog, too many perimeter shots, but he has game and is NBA ready.
Any image issues with Muhammad will be overrated, he is ready to compete at the highest level and has the necessary dedication.
No post on the draft nat?
No draft discussion on the blog yet???
I will kick it off by saying I am hoping for Cody Zeller or Trey Burke for the Pistons.
Have heard folks compare Zeller to Lamarcus Aldridge who I always wanted on the team. Moose has plateaued a bit last season, but still I think we need to keep him.
Really like the way Indiana team has shaped up. Should be model for the Pistons as well.
cody zeller folded like a wet napkin in the ncaa tournament, trey burke by contrast was outstanding, this will be reflected in their draft picks, burke will go 7th . . . if he lasts to 8th we will get him, zeller will go 11th and we would be foolish to pick him if shabazz is still available.
GO HEAT!!!!!
Yeah Go Heat, Go home, Go Away, Get out of here..
I only like two NBA teams, Pistons and any team that beats Lebron and the Heat..:)
hmmmmm george karl ne1?
I wish. looks like cheeks.
blaaaaaaah