Breaking News: Michael Curry fired per 97.1 FM

More on this very shortly as I gather my thoughts. Until then, here is a post I made when Laimbeer was first made available. I think Avery Johnson will also be a candidate and maybe Jeff Van Gundy.

Update:

The day was June 10, 2008 and the Pistons had just hired Michael Curry to replace Flip Saunders. Saunders had several things going for him. Among them, he is a brilliant offensive mind, and a veteran NBA coach who has been through the grind of the NBA season. However, after taking over a Detroit team that had been to the NBA finals in the two years prior to his arrival, the Pistons failed to get by the conference finals for three straight years. The debacle against the Cavs in 2006 after starting the series up 2-0 will probably never be forgotten by Pistons fans.

So, to replace a great regular season coach who just could not get it done in the postseason, Joe Dumars hired.... a rookie NBA coach in Michael Curry who had been an NBA assistant for all of one year. And, for what?

"Most players who come in on a 10-day just want to survive," recalls Dumars. "Michael was different - he came in talking and had opinions and I thought 'Ok, this guy's got some leadership skills. He'll be out of here in 10 days, but he's got some leadership skills.'"

He stuck around a lot longer than Dumars and most people expected - 11 NBA seasons as a player, four years as NBA Players Association President, a two-year appointment as an NBA executive, an assistant coach for the Pistons and now - head coach.

Curry's leadership, toughness and tireless work ethic has earned him this opportunity, but it is his understanding of the organization and its expectations as well as his competitive drive that gives Dumars comfort in his ability to return this team to its roots - a team that goes to work and plays with passion - every night.

-Dumars believed that Curry's leadership and work ethic would make him a respected leader in the Pistons locker room. He thought he could handle Rasheed better and make him into a front court player who used his gifted post-up game like he should. Then, the Chauncey Billiups trade happened. The ultimate coach killer, Allen Iverson, and his "I ain't coming off the bench or playing defense" attitude, came to our team and Curry completely lost control of the team. "Small ball" and starting Hamilton at SF and Prince at PF was a disaster. Then, Curry decided to start Iverson ahead of Hamilton, and probably ruined whatever chemistry our team had. Eventually, Hamilton returned to the starting lineup, but the damage had been done. Curry couldn't handle all of the egos in the room and completely lost control of Wallace, who had arguably his worst season as a Piston.

We struggled to a 39-43 season and were swept in a series that was over as soon as LeBron stepped on the court for game 1. Still, Dumars expressed his support for Curry and declared him as fit to coach our team next season. Yet, in a move that is awfully similar to Millen firing Marty "The Bar has been raised" Mornhinweg about a month after his job was declared safe, Dumars fired Curry.

Now, there are several questions to ask and answer...

Did Curry deserve to be fired?
-He never should have been hired in the first place. This is Joe D. just admitting that he hired another poor coach. Curry had no experience as a coach and looked completely out of place as a head coach. This will go down as one of the worst hires in Detroit sports history. Not the worst. This is not Rod Marinelli or Mornhinweg or Dick Vitale. But, who didn't see this coming? Curry did not bring the leadership or demand the respect from the team that he was supposed to bring. We also finished the year 18-36, and agents and players didn't like him. Rip Hamilton, in particular, did not like him and felt that he was done wrong when Iverson was played in front of him. He needed to be fired, but he also never should have been hired.

What changed in the last month that led to this decision?
-As Joe D. was talking to agents of potential free agent players and the players themselves (yes, this is tampering, but everybody does it and everybody knows it) they expressed a concern about Curry. He is not respected as an NBA coach, and Dumars wanted to make us a more attractive option for free agents.

-We have a coach lined up and signed on the dotted line. I'm not sure who it is, but Dumars has someone lined up.

Who is the next coach of the Pistons?
Doug Collins is the front runner. He knows X's and O's better than anybody and Dumars loved him when Collins was our coach in the mid 90's. On the flip side, he cannot control his temper, players hate him and our players will turn on him faster than they turned on Michael Curry. He should have 5 or more NBA rings on his fingers, but he blew away the opportunity of a lifetime when he couldn't control himself while coaching Michael Jordan. He has failed with the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards. A fourth time will not be the charm and we can only hope that Dumars doesn't hire him.

-Whoever is hired, I will profile them in-depth. I have a feeling that coach will be introduced very shortly.

UPDATE:
Chris McCosky provides the scoop on the situation.

"As I look at our situation and the transition that we are going through, it is clear to me that we need a more experienced hand at the wheel to help guide us through this," Dumars said. "Maybe I put too much on Mike as a first-year head coach."

The Pistons will pay Curry $5 million for the two remaining years on his contract.

Experience? It is Collins, Avery Johnson or Jeff Van Gundy. One of those three will be the next Pistons coach.

And, why did Curry get fired after Dumars said he was coming back?

"Though the timing of the firing was odd, it was not believed to be related to free agency, though certainly, with Curry gone, the Pistons might have a better chance of re-signing Antonio McDyess.

Curry very quickly lost the confidence of both his players and coaching staff last season. Dumars wanted to give Curry time this summer to mend some of those fences. When that hadn't happened, Dumars decided to pull the plug.

There is no deadline for hiring the new coach"

-I am only speculating, but I am guessing he was told to mend the fences with Rip Hamilton, McDyess and Stuckey. Apparently, it did not work.