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Pistons Introduce Saunders as New Head Coach
The Pistons waste little time replacing Larry Brown by hiring former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders
Flip Saunders was introduced as the new coach of the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, replacing Hall of Famer Larry Brown and taking over a team that has made two straight appearances in the NBA Finals.
Saunders, who was fired in February after 9 1/2 seasons as the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, says he knows there is an expectation to win in Detroit.
"I've been in situations where I've taken bad teams and moved them in the right direction. In those situations, there is no pressure," Saunders said during a news conference at The Palace. "Would it have been easy for me to take another job and not have as much (pressure)? Pressure is what you put on yourself. I don't really feel any pressure walking into a situation."
Saunders and the Pistons agreed to a four-year, $20 million contract on Wednesday, roughly 24 hours after finalizing the terms of Brown's $7 million severance package.
Saunders, fired in February after 9 1/2 seasons as the Timberwolves' coach, compiled a record of 411-326 with Minnesota and helped turn one of the NBA's most lackluster franchises into a contender. He led the Timberwolves to eight straight postseason appearances - and seven first-round exits before a breakthrough to the Western Conference finals two years ago.
Last season, the Timberwolves struggled over the first three months of the season under Saunders and ended up missing the playoffs under interim coach Kevin McHale.
The Pistons don't have a big-time scorer on their roster like Saunders had with Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, but the cupboard is far from bare.
Detroit expects to return the same starting lineup - guards Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, forwards Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince and center Ben Wallace - that won the 2004 title and came within a game of a second straight crown last month.
Saunders will be asked to maintain the production of the starting five while developing younger players like guards Carlos Arroyo and Carlos Delfino and post player Darko Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in 2003 who failed to make great strides under Brown.
Saunders said he spoke with Billups - a former Minnesota player - for 45 minutes about the situation in Detroit.
"Chauncey is a player I respect. He's a big-game player," Saunders said of Billups.
Source: AP