The Michael Curry experiment is over
About time.
The news is just now making its way around the Internet, but Michael Curry is no longer head coach of the Detroit Pistons. Yeah!
We’ve spent some time debating his coaching on this blog and how much Joe Dumars was tying his hands. I think this firing makes it pretty clear that Dumars saw that Curry was doing more harm than good to the team. First, Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson–two players that Dumars made clear that the Pistons had big hopes for–received several DNPs. Then, there was the whole Rip Hamilton-Allen Iverson fiasco, where Hamilton–the Pistons’ leader–was asked to give up his starting spot to a guy who clearly didn’t have it any more. Hamilton was rightly pissed and gave up on Curry from that moment on. Now, I’m not defending Hamilton’s whining, but reports are that Hamilton found out about the benching during a team meeting. It was obvious that Curry lacked the cajones to talk to his team leader one-on-one. That sure can’t help a struggling team get behind their coach.
If one thing was certain about Curry’s coaching style, it was that he was inconsistent and couldn’t back up his promises. Now he’s gone. The Pistons Nation takes a big sigh of relief!
I’m sure we can get into a debate about whether this was a good move, but think about this: this Pistons will start wheeling and dealing for free agents tomorrow. Getting rid of a coach with a horrible record might sound a whole lot more enticing for those players looking for a new home.
So who’s next? Bill Laimbeer? Avery Johnson? Jeff Van Gundy? Another assistant coach (Please, no!)? The Pistons’ summer just got a lot more interesting!
Woooo hooooo! That’s all I’ve got to say about that! Interesting that we just listened to Joe Dumars on a phone conference call and then like 15 minutes after the interview it was announced that Curry was fired! Bring back Chauncey, and the world will be right again!
Just a question about A.I. Do you think that Curry had nothing to do with that descision; Eccept how the word came down to the team. I think it was Joe D. who made the move, because he just made one of the biggest trades of last year, and he NEEDED A.I. to play and start. That’s not a coaching descision that’s management. I think Joe D. has lost his edge and will be on his way out in the next couple years, unless he turns things around soon.
I don’t think Joe D. has anything to worry about. Good GMs are hard to find, and while Joe hasn’t been perfect, he’s been great at keeping the Pistons competitive (and in the playoffs). Very few GMs can claim that.