Detroit Pistons general manager Joe Dumars enjoying the rein of new owner Tom Gores – NBA Update
Joe Dumars, the General Manager of the Detroit Pistons, has said that he is happy to work under new owner Tom Gores. Dumars states he now enjoys a freedom that he didn’t have over the last two years in terms of actively making decisions and trades to help shape the club.
The Pistons had been up for sale for quite a while before Tom Gores finally completed his takeover this offseason. Detroit therefore faced an embargo in terms of transfers and did not make any move in the trade market since 2009.
The result was a stagnant roster that featured quite a few players who were clearly past their prime. There were severe disciplinary issues last season under the now ex head coach John Kuester as well. Senior players like Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton did not see eye to eye with Kuester and almost led a player rebellion.
However, Dumars couldn’t make any moves to readdress the situation because of the impending sale. The theory was that any changes in the playing personnel should wait until a new owner is in place so that rebuilding of the squad can begin in earnest.
Tom Gores, since taking over, has reposted his trust in Dumars and the latter has set about to bring sign infant changes to a franchise that isn’t used to staying out of the playoffs.
One of the first decisions Dumars made under the new ownership was, as expected, the firing of coach John Kuester. Dumars says the freedom he enjoys now has brought back his love for the job,
“Sense of freedom — that’s a good term,” he said. “Listen, you do these jobs and you have to throw yourself into them completely 100 percent. You can’t do these jobs with any level of success if you’re 50 percent, 60 percent of what you can and can’t do.”
Joe Dumars is now believed to be actively shopping players like Richard Hamilton and McGrady, whom the franchise considers deadwood. The future that the Pistons envision consists of a young squad built around talented players like Ben Gordon and Austin Daye.
The Pistons and Dumars took a step in the right direction on Draft night when they picked exciting point guard Brandon Knight 8th overall. The Pistons admit that they had planned on drafting a big guy but when Brandon Knight fell into their lap, they couldn’t say no to a player many expected to be drafted 4th overall.
With Dumars’ hands now untied and the Pistons quest for regaining prominence fuelling him, a lot of trade activity is expected to take place in Detroit once the new CBA is agreed upon.
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