The Detroit Pistons are still looking to add to their front office this offseason. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Detroit Pistons are interested in hiring Dallas Mavericks senior adviser Dennis Lindsey to join their front office.
Lindsey was once a finalist for Detroit’s President of Basketball Operations position. He interviewed with team owner Tom Gores for the post before Trajan Langdon was hired. Even after hiring the former General Manager of the New Orleans Pelicans, the Pistons’ front office is still seeking to attract Lindsey away from the Mavericks.
Lindsey, an adviser with Dallas, previously worked in the Utah Jazz front office for a decade before stepping down when Dannay Ainge was hired to lead the Jazz. With Dallas recently agreeing to a contract extension with General Manager Nico Harrison, Lindsey may consider a move to a team in need of assistance, such as Detroit.
Lindsey does have a credible track record after helping assemble playoff-credible talent. Utah became a perennial playoff team during his tenure. That roster featured star talent which included Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, who won Defensive Player of the Year three times with the team. Lindsey did a good job of surrounding the foundation pieces with complimentary talent like Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles.
Lindsey also faced criticism in 2015 when he was linked to former Jazz guard Elijah Millsap. Millsap revealed in 2021 that at his exit interview, Lindsey told him, “If you say one more word, I’ll cut your Black ass and send you back to Louisiana.” Lindsey rejected the charge, and no proof was presented when the allegations surfaced.
Pistons coaching evaluation
Stein also reported that Langdon is currently evaluating head coach Monty Williams and his coaching staff. Williams had a disappointing debut in Detroit after leading the Pistons to an NBA-worst and an all-time franchise worst record 14-68 season in 2023-24. Expectations pointed to hopes of Williams being able to help grow Detroit’s young talent and teach them winning ways.
Williams had been criticized for many puzzling decisions that led to the team’s struggles. He originally started Killian Hayes over Jaden Ivey for about half of the season. There were also many questions about his substitutions which regularly featured all bench lineups with no staggered minutes for starters.
While Williams may have been dealt a tough hand with a very inexperienced roster, he did not make things easier with his coaching moves. Sitting players like Marvin Bagley as he was breaking out on both sides of the floor for Isaiah Livers and James Wiseman came off as odd.
Williams agreed to a six-year, $80 million deal to become the Pistons’ head coach last offseason. That contract made him the highest-paid coach in the NBA. Regardless of those terms, Langdon has been evaluating the coaching staff and their future with the Pistons.
