Pistons Rumors: Wes Wilcox, Ryan McDonough, Mark Hughes Among GM Candidates

The Detroit Pistons are casting a wide net in their search for a new general manager. 

The New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy reported the Pistons have begun to look at former Phoenix Suns GM Ryan McDonough, former Atlanta Hawks GM Wes Wilcox and Los Angeles Clippers assistant GM Mark Hughes.

Bondy reported earlier that Pistons assistant GM Malik Rose was leaving the team.

Bondy noted the new general manager would work alongside Ed Stefanski, who's a senior advisor to team owner Tom Gores.

Hughes interviewed for the Chicago Bulls' GM vacancy in April. The Bulls settled on Marc Eversley after hiring Arturas Karnisovas as their executive vice president of basketball operations.

Few remember McDonough's tenure in Phoenix fondly as the team whiffed on a number of first-round picks, most notably Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in 2016. The Suns' internal dysfunction may have made McDonough's job impossible, though.

Wilcox's brief tenure in Atlanta is most remembered for the circumstances behind his departure. He made a racially insensitive joke during an event for select fans in December 2016, and he was gone at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Given the scarcity of jobs available, teams never have trouble finding candidates for a top-level position in their front office. The Pistons are unlikely to be a marquee destination for proven executives or those looking for their first crack at a GM gig.

In January 2018, Detroit acquired Blake Griffin in a bid to gain relevancy and bolster its playoff chances. While the team reached the first round of the 2019 playoffs, it may be looking at a total teardown.

Rather than see him potentially trigger his $28.8 million player option for 2020-21, the Pistons traded Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers for pennies on the dollar. They got back Brandon Knight, John Henson and a 2023 second-round pick in what amounted to a salary dump.

Griffin isn't going anywhere because he's owed $36.6 million next year and has a $39 million player option for 2021-22. Aside from him, the cupboard is pretty bare, especially in terms of younger players around whom the franchise can build.

Although Luke Kennard has made a nice jump in his third season, he was the subject of trade rumors this summer. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Detroit was working on a deal with the Suns but couldn't agree to terms on the protections Phoenix would place on an outgoing first-round pick.

Perhaps a new voice in the front office would value Kennard, who's due to hit restricted free agency in 2021, differently.

Either way, the Pistons could be looking at a barren period for a few years before they assemble the kind of roster that can provide some optimism for the future.