Pistons Rumors: Stan Van Gundy to Discuss Future with Owner Tom Gores

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores will meet with team president/head coach Stan Van Gundy to discuss his future with the franchise, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday.

Van Gundy just wrapped up his fourth season as Detroit's head coach. The team has a 152-176 record and one playoff trip over that span. The Pistons were ninth in the Eastern Conference in 2017-18 (39-43) and finished four games out of a postseason spot.

The fact that ownership is evaluating Van Gundy's future comes as little surprise. Detroit signaled its intention earlier this year when it acquired Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers. Anything short of a top-eight finish in the East was going to be disappointing.

Not to mention, Van Gundy's track record as team president is far from sterling.

The jury is still out on Luke Kennard, but Stanley Johnson and Henry Ellenson have been disappointments after the Pistons selected them as first-rounders in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Trading for Reggie Jackson and then giving him a five-year, $80 million extension hasn't been a rousing success, either.

Earlier this month, Gores told reporters he wasn't necessarily against a head coach simultaneously holding a front-office role, saying he "[sees] value in the front office and the court being connected."

The Detroit News' Rod Beard speculated on how Gores' meeting with Van Gundy could unfold:

Beard added Van Gundy may not be willing to accept a situation where he has to relinquish either his duties as head coach or team president.

Wojnarowski noted Van Gundy has one more year left on his contract. Gores might be content to let Van Gundy see out the remainder of his deal before making any decisions about his future with the team.