Detroit Pistons front office changes likely after worst season in franchise history

SAN ANTONIO — Change is on the way for the Detroit Pistons.

It better be, right?

The worst season in franchise history — in Year 4 of a rebuild — came to merciful conclusion on Sunday with a fitting 123-95 blowout to the San Antonio Spurs. For the second year in a row, the Pistons have finished with the NBA’s record, this time at 14-68 overall.

After years of patient building, promises of a brighter future and a commitment to doing things the right way, the team has now endured two of its worst three seasons these past two years. Tom Gores and Pistons ownership are aware that and, for the umpteenth time, there’s a pressing need to hit the reset button.

THIS AGAIN? NBA draft lottery odds 2024: Detroit Pistons guaranteed another top 5 pick

Per sources, the team is considering hiring a president of basketball operations who would operate over Troy Weaver, who has been the team’s general manager since 2020. The news comes four months after Gores clarified, as the team was mired in a historic 28-game losing streak, that there’s a need to “add or delete” from the current front office structure.

“I don’t think the narrative here at all should be that there’s no change,” Gores said. “Change is coming, I’m just saying in terms of Monty, Troy, all of that stuff, there will be a place. But I’m all over them, and they’ll tell you that too. There’s a lot of accountability that has to be held. There might be additions to staff, but what’s for sure is change is coming. We are not right, right now. We have to either add, delete. We’ll be on it, and we are on it already. We will make changes. We will make them."

The possibility leaves Weaver’s future with the organization in doubt. Even if he were to return as GM next season, sources say the team would still look to fortify the front office with people lateral or below Weaver to bolster areas the team has underperformed in; but that list is pretty long.

CHANGE IS COMING? Tom Gores has a message for Pistons fans chanting 'sell the team'

Regardless of whether Weaver stays or goes, signs point to the organization making a major shakeup in the pecking order. In hiring a president, the aim would be to unify a team agenda that has become splintered. Gores and vice chairman Arn Tellem have also had a say in the decision-making these past few years, muddying the team’s overarching priorities as it tried to deftly navigate itself back into contention.

Monty Williams, in Year 1 of a historic six-year, $78 million contract that could reach eight years and $100 million with incentives, has also had a voice as well.

The bottom line — a new president would likely want full autonomy to shape the franchise as they see fit, including the front office and coaching staff. It means that in addition to Weaver, the new president would also have final say on who sits in the lead chair as coach if there are concerns about Williams' fit with the team's direction.

Every aspect of the organization needs to be evaluated following a season that started with promise and imploded before Christmas. A team with a promising young core doesn’t finish with 14 wins, three fewer than the previous season. A front office capable of turning the franchise around doesn’t regress in Years 3 and 4 following a full roster teardown.

Weaver has accomplished some of the goals he set after being hired in June of 2020. The Pistons' cap situation has improved substantially compared to when he took over, giving the team financial flexibility as it considers an overhaul. Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and other young players have provided a direction.

Regardless, the most important goal — winning — has eluded him. Detroit's winning percentage has declined for three-straight seasons. The team's decision to preserve its cap space last summer by signing expiring veterans Monte Morris and Joe Harris backfired. Within 20 games, it became clear that this year's squad lacked the shooting and defense necessary to take a step forward.

A new president would enter the job with the tools to turn things around sooner rather than later. Cunningham, in 62 games, looked close to the No. 1 pick the team believed it was getting when it selected him in 2021. And the Pistons will have a league-high $60 million in salary cap space this summer, enabling several big signings in free agency and/or swings in the trade market.

The organization hopes to move fast in its search for a president. Another important offseason is underway, and it's imperative that the team gets it right as the franchise's latest unfortunate chapter draws to a close.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons front office changes likely after its worst season ever