Pistons plan to interview former rival coach
Jul 30, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores answers questions from reporters Friday, July 30, 2021. Mandatory credit: Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK
The Detroit Pistons are poised to start their head coaching search by speaking with someone they have played against numerous times in recent years.
The Pistons plan to speak to former Cleveland Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff about their head coaching vacancy, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The Pistons also plan to interview Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney and Minnesota’s Micah Nori once they receive permission from their teams.
ESPN Sources: The Detroit Pistons have permission to interview Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney and Minnesota assistant Micah Nori for newly vacant coaching job. Pistons are also planning to interview former Cleveland coach JB Bickerstaff, who'll be available to meet sooner than the…
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 20, 2024
Bickerstaff had been the Cavaliers’ head coach since 2020 and oversaw the franchise’s rebuild into a playoff team. During that time, he and the Pistons saw plenty of each other in the Central, and the Pistons would love to mimic Cleveland’s rebuild as quickly as possible. The Cavs let Bickerstaff go after a second-round exit this year, as the organization clearly felt he had taken them as far as he could.
The Pistons will have their third coach in as many seasons next year after firing Monty Williams this week. One name that had been linked to the job has already found another one, so this search appears to be wide open.
