Pistons Coach Dwane Casey’s Future Up In The Air

The Detroit Pistons took a big step backwards this season. That's tough to do when you finished with the league's third-worst record last year. This time around, the team will finish dead last in the NBA, currently at 16-64 with two games left. 

Head coach Dwane Casey knows his days as head coach might be numbered. 

I asked Dwane Casey, who has one year left on his contract, how meaningful it would be to return next season and have a chance to see the rebuild through.

“It would be good, but I want to do what’s best for the organization.”

Full quote: pic.twitter.com/NDrhKJa38E

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) April 6, 2023

The Pistons are looking to get back to being a competitive team and in the playoff hunt next season, and could be looking in a new direction. Casey told  Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press that he had a recent conversation with ownership.

We talked about how we’re going to look at everything and meet again after we’re all done and see which way we all want to go as far as the organization. There’s nothing that’s been decided as far as that’s concerned... I'm a big boy, I'm not going to fade into the sunset or anything... I'm not sitting here looking for pity or anything like that.

Casey was brought into Detroit five years ago, with a Coach of the Year award under his belt with the Toronto Raptors. After guiding the Pistons to a .500 record in his first season, the team has hovered around the 60-loss mark each of the last three years, and despite being in a rebuild, he knows it doesn't look good on him. 

I’m under contract for another year. I committed to (owner) Tom (Gores) that we were winning 60 games when I left (Toronto), and now we’re losing 60 games, but I committed to him to come in and turn around the organization. We are where we are right now. I know it seems like it’s forever away, but we’re not that far away. This team is not that far away.

With a 120-262 record in Detroit, and one year left on his contract, Casey said "I want to do what’s best for the organization.” It's quite possible that what's best is for them to move on from Casey as coach.

Photo: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports