Pistons targeting top Bucks executive to run front office?
Speed finger painter, Jarred Emerson, unveils the new Detroit Pistons logo on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at Campus Martius Park in Detroit. Mandatory Credit: Elaine Cromie, Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Pistons appear poised for some significant changes after a terrible season, and that could involve poaching a former Executive of the Year from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Monday that the Pistons plan to hire a new head of basketball operations and are expected to begin their search process this week. Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein added that the Pistons are believed to want to look into possibly hiring Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst to run their front office.
The Pistons are believed to have interest in exploring the prospect of hiring Bucks GM Jon Horst as they search for a new head of basketball ops. Horst is a Mich. native, worked in Detroit and won Executive of the Year en route to Milwaukee's 2021 title.https://t.co/A6ycVmnrjq https://t.co/x0YhjLJtUG
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 15, 2024
On the surface, it does not make a lot of sense for Horst to leave Milwaukee to try to fix the situation in Detroit. However, he is a Michigan native who played in the state collegiately and got his start working for the Pistons’ front office in 2007. The prospect of returning home could theoretically appeal to him.
Horst has been with the Bucks since 2008 and has been the team’s general manager since 2017. He won Executive of the Year honors in 2019 and was in charge when the franchise won an NBA title two years later.
Interest in Horst or any other head of basketball operations likely means a demotion for current general manager Troy Weaver, who has become hugely unpopular with fans. That would not be surprising considering the Pistons actually hoped to take a step forward this season, only to lose 28 straight games at one point and finish with the NBA’s worst record for the second consecutive season.