Inside the Article:
Not long after making the decision not to bring back head coach Dwane Casey for a 6th season, the Detroit Pistons have sought and received permission to speak with Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to break the news.
Key Points
- The Pistons made the decision to move on from head coach Dwane Casey
- General manager Troy Weaver explained the search process earlier in the week
- The team has sought and received permission to speak to Bucks assistant Charles Lee
Background of Charles Lee
The 38-year-old Lee played collegiately at Bucknell University and would spend the majority of his playing career overseas in Israel, Germany, and Belgium. He would join the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant from 2014 through 2018 before taking his current role with the Bucks as an assistant in 2018 under head coach Mike Budenholzer. He would help lead the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, the first in franchise history.
“I know what this team needs, and it's simple: discipline, development, and defense,” Piston's general manager Troy Weaver said earlier this week. “That's going to be the call for the next coach.”
“A lot of times, you'll see people go the opposite way,” he continued. “If you had a defensive coach, you want an offensive coach. If you had an offensive coach, you want a defensive coach. If you had an old guy, you want a young guy. The right guy is the right guy. It doesn't matter what he's known for.”
The Pistons currently hold the highest odds to be able to land the top overall draft selection for a shot at 7'4 phenom Victor Wembanyama of France.
Wrapping it Up
Whoever takes the head coaching position will be tasked with helping the Pistons rebound from one of the worst seasons in team history, and they're clearly impressed with Lee's body of work.
This isn't the first time that Lee has been considered for a head coaching position, as he was also a candidate to take over the Los Angeles Lakers before the job ultimately went to former Piston Darvin Ham. He was also reportedly a candidate for the vacated Hawks head coaching job before they went with Quin Snyder.
