Fansided

Stan Van Gundy is leaving the Pistons with quite a mess

By Ian Levy

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 09: Head coach Stan Van Gundy looks on while playing the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena on April 9, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Toronto won the game 108-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 09: Head coach Stan Van Gundy looks on while playing the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena on April 9, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Toronto won the game 108-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Stan Van Gundy is reportedly leaving the Pistons. There will be quite a mess for the next coach to clean up.

Over the past few days it had been reported that owner Tom Gores and head coach Stan Van Gundy were discussing ways to reshape his role with the Pistons. Van Gundy has been head coach for the past four seasons and also retained final say in personnel matters. It appears that they may have reached an impasse, with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reporting today that Van Gundy and the team have parted ways.

Van Gundy finished his Pistons tenure with a a 152-176 record and just one playoff appearance — a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers two seasons ago. In the end, the best thing he may have accomplished in Detroit was setting up this faux album cover and the jokes that followed.

At the trade deadline, Van Gundy made a sweeping move to bring in Blake Griffin from the Clippers. It was a win-now gamble the type of move one would expect from the leader of a moribund organization, perhaps staring down the mortality of his own employment. Adding Griffin wasn’t enough to catapult the Pistons into the playoff race.

Including cap holds, the Pistons may not have cap space for the next three seasons, according to Early Bird Rights. They’re on the hook for paying Andre Drummond and Griffin a combined $57 million next season, $61 million in 2019-20 and $64 million in 2020-21, assuming Griffin picks up his player option in that final season.

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Neither the Drummond or Griffin deals seem like appealing trade fodder, not does Reggie Jackson who is owed a combined $35 million over the next two seasons. Unless they leap into the top-four, their first-round pick this season is owed to the Clippers as part of that Griffin trade. This is a team with a bloated payroll, not good enough to make the playoffs and with no obvious path to leaping a tier in their conference.

You can see why the Pistons might have wanted to wrest back control of personnel decisions. You can also see why Van Gundy might have wanted out before things got worse. There’s enough egg for everyone’s faces here.

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