Reports: John Beilein Interviewed For Pistons Job
MOVE ALONG NOTHING TO SEE HERE [Marc-Gregor Campredon]
A Wojbomb has struck Ann Arbor:
The University of Michigan's John Beilein interviewed for the Detroit Pistons coaching job on Thursday, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2018
Wojnarowski's report was corroborated by the Freep's Pistons beat writer, Vincent Ellis, who added some detail:
Initial introductory meeting within past two weeks in L.A. has led to #Pistons interest. https://t.co/oRk6UdJKvY
— NerdOnPistons (@Vincent_Ellis56) June 1, 2018
Woj mentioned a couple other candidates in a quick article posted shortly after the news broke:
Sources told ESPN that Beilein and former Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey met Thursday in Michigan with Pistons officials -- a contingent that included new senior adviser Ed Stefanski and coaching search consultants Bernie Bickerstaff and Jim Lynam.
Detroit also is planning to meet with Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard this weekend.
I won't lie: this isn't the news I wanted to hear, especially since The Athletic's Brendan Quinn tweeted that "a number of people extremely close to Beilein" were not aware this meeting occurred. Beilein, notably, acts as his own agent. The Pistons are owned by Tom Gores, noted Spartan who's done a not-so-great job of running the franchise since buying it from the family of noted Wolverine William Davidson.
[After THE JUMP: nonnonono]
That said, there's plenty of reason to believe this will end in a nice raise from Michigan for Beilein—and quite possibly his entire staff—when the dust settles. The Pistons are looking at a number of candidates, including one with NBA head coaching experience in Dwane Casey, and a few other names (like TNT's Kenny Smith) have popped up without anything seeming to come of it.
Meanwhile, Beilein has three years left on a deal that pays him $3.37MM annually, second in the Big Ten only to Tom Izzo—but the gap to MSU's coach, who makes $4.4MM a year, is sizable. An extension is being discussed, and athletic director Warde Manuel has made it clear he wants Beilein around for a long time. Beilein is in a strong negotiating position; he's coming off his second national title appearance in six years, the men's basketball program has been easily the most consistently good of the major sports during his tenure, and the money for his assistants doesn't stack up to M's Big Ten competition:
Staff pay is a significant issue.
— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) June 1, 2018
Last year's U-M staff ...
Saddi Washington - $250,000 Luke Yaklich - $225,000
DeAndre Haynes - $200,000
Total: $675,000
Other B10 staffs ...
Ohio State: $1.02 million
Indiana: $890,000
At Michigan State: $820,000 https://t.co/kLRJFG5dh0
Manuel passed his first major test at Michigan with flying colors when he hired Mel Pearson to replace Red Berenson, a move that's brought an immediate turnaround for hockey. This may be the one he's ultimately judged on, however.
For everyone's sake, let's hope this moves quickly and results in Michigan firing the money cannon.
Of course a terrible owner like Gores would do this. Not many college coaches have made the transition successfully (without previously being an NBA assistant). Is Gores trying to pull a Steinbrenner?
The problem is with coaches who win because they out-talent everybody to win in the NCAA. Somebody like Beilein who has never had that advantage (2013 excepted) strikes me as more likely to do well in the NBA.
Still, GTFO, Gores.
I think another part of it is that a lot of college coaches (and particularly Beilein) see themselves as teachers of the game. Beilein really drills our guys on fundamentals. I don't know if you can do that so much with millionaires.
Beilein is a teacher. That aspect of coaching is nearly as important in the NBA as college. Him as a tactician in the NBA would be fantastic, of course.
But the one question mark would be his ability to manage the egos of NBA players that make more money and have more power within the organization than he does. That's often the most important thing for an NBA coach.
I would have liked to see a Beilein - A.I. interaction back in the day . . .
Practice?
You want me to Practice?
that most comments were about how Beilein might do in the NBA. What about the Pistons strikes anyone that it is a well-run organization? No way I'd do this if I were Beilein. There are better NBA orgs\owners to land with if this is what he wants.
As far coach goes, I think he could be successful in the right place. With GS being the model, he could definitely run a similar system that would work well and attract talent. I just can't see it being Detroit with the current ownership.
That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I had to check to see if it was April Fools Day. Why would a 70yr old coach with 40yrs in college go to the NBA and more importantly why would they want him. A bunch of NBA player would not listen to him.
Contemporary Internet America has ruined great sarcasm like this. Labelling it dimishes it. Always.
are very peaceful.
big differene. Might be what he wants to end his career, coaching at highest levels has likely been his ultimate dream at one time in life I'm sure.
Interesting that Gores doesn't think Izzo is worthy.
I honestly do think that Gores thinks this would be a big exciting hire being it's in-state. Problem is most would be furious. Talk about a guy not having his pulse on things,
His players think he's a genius and have said so which is why he has the hype. And I think he's excellent as well.
But let's wait a few years before we anoint him as "The One."
He had the better team in the ECF with home court and didn't win. I get the LeBron factor, but regardless he didn't win.
If I find out that Warde was out on his boat when Beilein called to settle the extention before interviewing...
[arthur fist dot gif]
be AD's at major universities (among other very important jobs in the US).
And the football hire seemed like a good idea at the time.
Give the man and his assistants a raise and be done with this.
should about do it. And a big bonus for hanging another this season or a deep NCAA run.
we need to keep him for when Beilein retires.
Ok team you know what to do. Everyone tweet at him until he decides to stay.
Reasonable brain: Beilein is gonna get one hell of a contract extension.
Unreasonable brain:
DrevNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
can we finish that last sentence more specifically, please?
For everyone's sake, let's hope this moves quickly and results in Michigan firing the money cannon at our current coach & staff (not as part of a scramble for a new hire).
Yeah, as Ace said, this is probably just to light a fire under Warde's feet for a contract extension and bumping up the assistants pay (especially Yaklich).
I'm not a Pistons fan, but I do think Beilein could be a success story at the NBA level. He's more like Stevens in terms of his actual ability being the driver for wins and losses instead of having a talent disparity thanks to recruiting (see: Pitino, Calipari). But, there's only so much you can do in the NBA when you don't have a Durant, Curry, LeBron, etc.
Also, I can't imagine him being okay with a Blake/Drummond front court.
This is somewhat of a shock.... Can't see him relating to NBA players the same way he does college players, and doesn't seem like a good fit to bring a coach into the NBA for the first time at age 65. I wouldn't underestimate him, just seems odd. Hopefully his interview went something along the lines of "Give Juwan Howard the job" in an effort to pull his nephew to Ann Arbor and/or this was a ploy to get a contract extension for him and his assistants.
Minor correction, but I believe McDaniels is Howard's cousin, despite the nearly 30 year age difference.
this was just a misunderstanding. Like, John was in line to get a sub and bumped into the guys from the Pistons front office and that had a conversation about their grandkids and the media is blowing it out of proportion.
Or more likely, they approached him, and he is such a polite guy, he couldn't refuse to talk to them because he didn't want to come across as rude.
We must have nice things.....for once, when it's going our way and the stars are starting to align everywhere in a positive direction, we MUST have nice things!
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