Reports indicate that the Detroit Pistons have hired former Orlando Magic and Miami Heat head coach Steve Van Gundy to lead the team both on the court and in the front office. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Van Gundy will take over as Detroit’s head coach and president of basketball operations.Â
ESPN sources say Pistons & Stan Van Gundy have reached agreement in principle to make SVG their new coach/president of basketball ops
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 14, 2014
It’s a bold move for an organization that hasn’t finished with a winning record since the 2007-2008 season and has missed the playoffs in each of the last five years.
Van Gundy has put up a career .641 winning percentage, which ranks him fourth among active coaches in that category, behind Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra and Tom Thibodeau. He’s won 50 games in a season five times and led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals back in 2008-2009.
The veteran head coach had previously been linked to the Golden State Warriors, who sent Mark Jackson packing last week. The Warriors will now turn their attention to Steve Kerr, who is meeting with the team as we speak.
Van Gundy’s deal said to be worth $35 million over five seasons.
Photo: Hoopspeak.com