3 Monty Williams replacements Pistons need to hire to actually turn Detroit around

The Detroit Pistons have become a day spa for coaches looking to check out and get paid. Monty Williams' removal marks the second time the Detroit Pistons have fired a former NBA Coach of the Year award winner, with Dwayne Casey being the first. 

The Pistons are now in need of their sixth head coach since Tom Gores took over in 2011. That's a lot of coaches. It's been a while since the Pistons played meaningful basketball. In fact, it's been a while since Detroit recorded a 20-plus win season. With that said, who's the guy for the job? Who can actually fix this team?

3. Micah Nori

Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pistons plan to interview Micah Nori, lead assistant coach from the Minnesota Timberwolves, for the vacant head coach position.

Per @wojespn on Twitter/X:

This would be Micah Nori's first head coaching gig. However, Nori did have to man the Wolves' sideline this postseason when Finch blew out his knee, which shows he is capable of leading, especially in big moments. Micah Nori is also no stranger to the Pistons. He spent three seasons as an assistant there under Dwayne Casey, until joining Chris Finch's staff in Minnesota in 2021. In light of the Cleveland Cavaliers hiring Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as their next head coach, the Pistons' chances of landing Nori have only increased.

2. J.B. Bickerstaff

Among the names Wojnarowski mentioned, J.B. Bickerstaff is also on the Pistons' radar. Bickerstaff makes a lot of sense for Detroit. He's shown that he can help build a foundation and Detroit is in desperate need of an identity/culture.

When Bickerstaff arrived in Cleveland, the Cavaliers had been through three different head coaches in a season and a half. They were a sub-20-win team. They had high draft picks and undeniable talent, but they weren't a team. Sound familiar? Bickerstaff essentially revived Cleveland and helped push them over the hump. He took the Cavs to the playoffs the past two seasons, posting 48- and 51-win seasons respectively. Wojnarowski did report that Bickerstaff was available to meet sooner than the rest of the candidates that the Pistons intended to look at. It remains to be seen if that'll make a difference though.

1. James Borrego

James Borrego might be a good move for the Pistons. Borrego's time in New Orleans ties him to Detroit's revamped front office. Along with Trajan Langdon, the Pistons also recently hired Michael Blackstone as their executive vice president of basketball operations and Borrego, Langdon, and Blackstone all spent time together in New Orleans. This makes him a prominent candidate for Detroit, according to Woj.

Borrego has head coach experience, spending four seasons in Charlotte. More specifically though, he has experience with two guard lineups. Borrego got a lot out of Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball during his time in Charlotte. In Borrego's last season as head coach, Charlotte finished the year 43-39, their best season since 2016. Borrego's' coaching philosophy does favor three-pointers, and Detroit doesn't shoot from beyond the arc very well. However, maybe a little baptism by fire is needed. If Detroit wants to get the most out of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivy, they could turn to Borrego.