Joe Dumars is safe from new management

Now that the Pistons are safely in the hands of Mr. Tom Gores (pending NBA approval), the team can finally move forward. But what does that mean for the management and coaching? The Detroit Free Press reports that the architect of the 2004 championship team and the team that made about a billion Conference Finals in a row, as well as the man who spent the GNP of a large first-world country on Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon, will return to the organization, now free to pursue a true rebuilding effort.

Joe Dumars isn’t going anywhere. It’s believed Gores has told him that he can remain president for as long as he desires. It’s difficult imagining Dumars walking away after getting an owner who is as committed as he is in restoring pride to an organization reduced to rubble under Davidson’s two years as keeper to Bill Davidson’s basketball legacy.

via Drew Sharp: Pistons can finally go back to work | Detroit Free Press | freep.com.

Dumars may very well have had a plan in place to remove the logjam at shooting guard created by Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon, but was undermined by the ownership situation. The behavior of the players this season, especially the veterans, created an untenable situation to be sure. But with an owner who wants to move forward, Dumars might be able to pursue an actual plan. Then again, even if Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince were moved, that wouldn’t excuse the money Dumars committed to Villanueva and Gordon. He overpaid for those players, there’s no way of getting around it. With Greg Monroe, Jonas Jerebko, and Austin Daye a solid set of building blocks going forward, Dumars would do well to admit his mistake and try and move one or both of them. Once the CBA is figured out, teams would flip to have Gordon, and the Pistons could go on with a true rebuilding platform. Those decisions are the ones that will have the most impact on whether Dumars’ chance with new ownership works out.

As for coaching? Well...

John Kuester became an inexpensive alternative.

Players aren’t dumb. They saw an owner who wasn’t fully engaged and committed to doing whatever necessary to provide the best possible winning environment. They got a Blue Light Special who was in over his head as a coach. Kuester was doomed from the start in terms of winning his players’ respect

via Drew Sharp: Pistons can finally go back to work | Detroit Free Press | freep.com.

If Gores decides to keep Kuester, it will not be a good start to his ownership period. He should have just figured a buyout into his price for the team. Kuester deserves a second chance somewhere. Just not with Detroit. It’s a new day. It’s time for the Pistons to move forward.