Detroit Pistons fire general manager Troy Weaver after 4 seasons at the helm

After a disastrous season, the Detroit Pistons fired general manager Troy Weaver on Friday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Weaver was reportedly offered an off-site scouting role since he had time left on his contract, but he declined.

This is the first step for new team president Trajan Langdon as he begins to shape the future of the franchise.

Charania adds that New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball administration Michael Blackstone is being considered as a potential replacement to work under Langdon.

A 2023-24 season to forget

The Pistons finished with a 14-68 regular season record, the worst in the NBA. The lows of the 2023-24 season included a record 28-game loss after winning two games in October.

They eclipsed the NBA's longest single-season skid at 26 games, which was done by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers also lost an all-time record 28 consecutive games during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Weaver was hired in June 2020 after a 10-year stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder in multiple capacities, culminating in the role of vice president of basketball operations. During his four seasons in Detroit, the Pistons went 74-244 for a winning percentage of .303. Their best result over this period came in 2021-22, where they won 23 matches.

Weaver inherited a roster without a franchise star to build around. During his tenure, the Pistons have had four straight lottery picks highlighted by Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft.

Detroit also drafted Killian Hayes (No. 7 in 2020), Jaden Ivey (No. 5 in 2022) and Ausar Thompson (No. 5 in 2023).

Heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, the Pistons sit fifth overall despite having a league-high 14% chance of winning the lottery and selecting No. 1.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, head coach Dwane Casey resigned and took a front office position allowing Weaver to make his first head coaching hire in Detroit. Weaver selected former Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams and rewarded him with a six-year, $78.5 million contract, with a two-year team option that would exceed $100 million. dollars. Weaver and Williams had a relationship stemming from their time in Oklahoma City.

The Pistons last won a playoff game in 2008 and last made the playoffs in 2019.