Ranking the 3 best options for Pistons coaching vacancy

2. Mike D’Antoni

Mike D’Antoni has primarily been linked to the Sixers’ coaching vacancy, for obvious reasons. His connection to Daryl Morey and James Harden is recent history and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Morey go to an old friend in a time of need. If Philadelphia decides to go in a different direction, however, the Pistons should reach out to the former architect of the SSOL Suns.

Simply put, D’Antoni is one of the greatest offensive minds in NBA history. His résumé is not without bumps in the road, but he revolutionized the game with Phoenix in the 2000s before engineering arguably the greatest offensive team of all time with the Rockets in the 2010s. The common thread between those two groups? Elite guard play.

Take a gander at the Pistons roster and you will see two guards cemented as franchise cornerstones. Cade Cunningham has dealt with an unfortunate flurry of injuries to start his career, but the former No. 1 pick is a 6-foot-7 playmaker who can score comfortably at all three levels. Jaden Ivey is a blistering speedster who loves to attack downhill and put pressure on the rim. D’Antoni is a good bet to unlock something special between the two.

The argument against D’Antoni centers on Detroit’s current roster-building devotion to interior size. Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman — those aren’t traditional D’Antoni players. The Pistons’ front office might have philosophical differences with D’Antoni, but it’s hard not to see the appeal when considering the players that really matter for Detroit’s future.