Detroit Pistons: Ex-New Jersey Nets Coach Lawrence Frank Interviewed for Vacancy
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, former New Jersey Nets head coach and current Boston Celtics assistant coach Lawrence Frank was recently interviewed for the Detroit Pistons head coaching vacancy. The Pistons recently fired their head coach John Kuester after two extremely poor seasons at the helm of the once competitive team.
Detroit has been in a complete free fall since trading star point guard Chauncey Billups for former All-Star guard Allen Iverson in 2008, who obviously had nothing left in the tank. Before trading for Iverson, Detroit was a tough team that was always in contention for an Eastern Conference title.
But Detroit is a long time removed from that success it experienced in the early 2000s, and the hiring of Kuester didn't help the losing mentality get any better. He was viewed as a mockery by the Piston players and had no authority over them, which contributed to the terrible on-court play. That's why Frank is the perfect candidate for this position.
In every coaching capacity Frank has held in the NBA, the team he has been with has been successful, and he has been respected by all of the players on his teams.
In his short and mostly successful stint at the helm of the Nets, Frank was beloved by players and fans alike and instilled a warrior mentality in the Nets, which basically never existed before. He led the team to wins, which not many coaches have been able to do with New Jersey. While an assistant coach with Boston, he also experienced success.
The Pistons need a strong coach to keep their players in line, which is a concept that hasn't been existent since their Finals victory in 2004. Lawrence Frank is the only "free agent" head coach out there who could bring the Pistons back to being a successful team and one that the city of Detroit can be proud of.
If the Pistons front office takes on any other head coach not named Lawrence Frank for this NBA season, the Pistons' mediocrity will continue, and fewer and fewer fans will go to games at the once-prestigious Palace of Auburn Hills.
