Category: Detroit Pistons Blog

The Pistons have signed rookie guard Michael Gbinije to a multi-year contract.

Gbinije, a 6-7, 200-pound guard out of Syracuse, was selected by the Pistons with the 49th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He appeared in one game in the recently completed Orlando Pro Summer League, recording 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in 33 minutes.

A native of Hartford, Conn., Gbinije averaged 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 29.2 minutes in 101 career games at Syracuse. Last season, he averaged a career-high 17.5 points, a career-high 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 37.9 minutes in 37 games, including the NCAA tournament. As a senior, Gbinije was named to the All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Defensive Team. He scored in double-digits in all 34 regular-season games, including a career-high 34 points against North Carolina State on Senior Day.

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Ish Smith and free agent forward Jon Leuer to multi-year contracts.

Smith’s deal is reportedly an $18 million dollar contract over three years.

Leuer’s deal is reportedly a $42 million dollar contract over four years.

Smith, 27, appeared in 77 games (53 starts) with Philadelphia and New Orleans last season, averaging career highs in points (12.6 ppg), assists (6.5 apg), rebounds (4.0 rpg) and minutes (29.1 mpg). He started the season with New Orleans where he averaged 8.9 points, 5.7 assists, 3.4 assists and 22.9 minutes in 27 games before being traded to Philadelphia on December 24, 2015. In the 50 games following the trade, Smith averaged 14.7 points, a team-high 7.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 32.4 minutes with Philadelphia. He set new single-game career-highs in points [28 vs. Toronto (1/9/16)], assists [16 at New York (1/18/16)] and rebounds [14 at Portland (3/26/16)] a year ago. Smith scored 10-plus points 49 times, 20-plus points 15 times and dished out 10-plus assists 14 times last season.

The 6-0, 175-pound guard has tallied career NBA averages of 5.8 points, 3.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 16.3 minutes in 323 games with Houston, Memphis, Golden State, Orlando, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The Pistons will be the 10th team Smith has played for, joining Louis Amundson and Drew Gooden as the only active NBA players to play for 10 different NBA teams. The Charlotte, N.C. native was undrafted out of Wake Forest in the 2010 NBA Draft. At Wake Forest, Smith averaged 13.2 points, 6.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals as a senior. He finished his college career with the Deacons as the only player in school history to record 1,000 points, 600 assists and 500 rebounds in a career and ranks second all-time in assists (612).

“We’re pleased to welcome both Ish Smith and Jon Leuer to the organization,” said Stan Van Gundy, Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach. “Ish is a player that will give us quality depth at the point guard position. He’s efficient scoring the basketball, posted career-high numbers in assists per game a year ago and rebounds well for his size. Jon is a player that adds size and versatility to our roster. His outside shooting ability gives us offensive flexibility and his ability to guard the post will help from a defensive standpoint. We look forward to integrating both their talents into our system.”

Leuer, 27, appeared in a career-high 67 games (27 starts) with Phoenix last season, averaging 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 18.7 minutes per game. He recorded a career-high 10 double-doubles, scored 10-plus points 26 times, 20-plus points three times and grabbed 10-plus rebounds 10 times. In 26 starts, Leuer averaged 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 40.4 percent from behind the arch and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. He recorded his best offensive stretch of the season from December 2-14, scoring in double-figures eight straight games. The 6-10, 228-pound forward recorded 16 points and a career-high-tying 14 rebounds in 20 minutes vs. L.A. Clippers (4/13/16), marking the first time since 1983-84 that an NBA player posted at least 16 points and 14 rebounds in 20 minutes or fewer.

The five-year pro has tallied career NBA averages of 5.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 13.7 minutes in 253 games (45 starts) with Milwaukee, Cleveland, Memphis and Phoenix. Leuer was drafted 40th overall by Milwaukee in the 2011 NBA Draft. The Minnesota native played four collegiate seasons at Wisconsin where he averaged 11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 123 games. He finished his career with the Badgers ranked 12th in total points (1,376), 10th in blocks (85) and was one of eight players in program history to record at least 1,300 points and 500 rebounds.

It is an amazing time in the league to be a free agent and a bench-level player. Here’s the Detroit Free Press reporting on the Pistons:

The Detroit Pistons have their stretch power forward.

And he won’t be Al Horford.

Jon Leuer’s agency, Priority Sports, announced this afternoon on Twitter the 27-year-old power forward has agreed to a four-year deal with the Pistons.

A person with firsthand knowledge of the situation confirmed the contract will be worth $41 million.

Leuer, who stands 6 feet 10 and 228 pounds, is coming off a season in which he shot 38.2% (42-for-110) from three-point range with the Phoenix Suns. He is a career 37.5% three-point shooter.

Detroit Pistons guard Darrun Hilliard suffered a stress fracture of the lower back and will not participate in 2016 NBA Orlando Summer League. Hilliard will be evaluated by Detroit Pistons team physicians and a rehab process and timeline for his return to basketball activities will be determined once the diagnosis is complete.

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has named Jon Phelps as general manager and Rex Walters as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive – the NBA D-League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons.

“We’re fortunate to be able to fill these two positions with guys we feel very comfortable with,” said Stan Van Gundy, president of basketball operations and head coach of the Detroit Pistons. “Jon was in Grand Rapids with the Drive the last two years so there’s familiarity and continuity there. We’re confident he will continue to do a good job and transition well into this new role. “Rex Walters brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and experience and has a passion for developing young players. He’s spent some time with us here and already has a good understanding of how we operate. We look forward to working with both of them.”

Phelps spent the last two seasons as director of basketball operations with the Drive. Previously, he was an attorney at a civil litigation firm in New Orleans, LA. Phelps attended Tulane University School of Law, earning his J.D. in 2012 with a certification in sports law. While there, he was a research assistant for Professor Gabe Feldman, a renowned expert in sports law. As part of that experience, Phelps spent time extensively studying the collective bargaining agreements of both the NBA and NFL.

A 2004 graduate of Siena College with a degree in English, Phelps served as a student manager for the men’s basketball team and, after graduating, spent one season as director of basketball operations for the Saints.

Walters spent the last eight seasons as head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of San Francisco where he guided the Dons to two 20-win seasons and two postseason appearances. USF finished in the top three of the West Coast Conference twice in the last six years, including 2013-14, when they tied for second with a 13-5 conference mark. During the 2013-14 season, the team finished with a 21-12 record, tied for second in the WCC with a 13-5 mark and earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament. The 21 victories marked the Dons’ highest win total since the 1981-82 team posted a 25-6 record while their 13 conference victories were the most since the 1976-77 team went 14-0 in league play while spending most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Walters, a native of Omaha, NE., was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2013-14, becoming the first USF coach to win the award since Pete Barry in 1980-81. Walters amassed a 126-125 record at USF. Prior to becoming head coach at USF, he served two seasons (2006-08) as head coach at Florida Atlantic University and posted a 31-33 record. Overall, Walters is 157-158 (.498) as a collegiate head coach.

Detroit Pistons Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy a few days ago announced promotions and restructuring within the basketball operations staff.

Pat Garrity has been promoted to assistant general manager, Andrew Loomis to chief of staff and Bob Beyer to associate head coach. Otis Smith joins the Pistons’ staff as director of player development/assistant coach while assistant coach Brendan Malone will transition to a special assignment scout, residing in New York. Quentin Richardson is leaving the organization for personal reasons.

“I’m proud to announce the restructuring of our basketball staff knowing that we have great people expanding their roles while maintaining continuity within our department,” said Van Gundy. “Pat, Andrew and Bob are well deserving of new responsibilities and we welcome Otis to Detroit on a full-time basis. Brendan is moving away from the bench and returning to his New York roots, but will continue to provide great basketball counsel and insight that has made him a great basketball mind for decades. We thank Quentin for his hard work over the last two seasons and respect his desire to spend more time with his family in Orlando.”

Garrity, formerly director of strategic planning, joined the Pistons in 2014 following a 10-year NBA playing career and three-plus working as a client advisor for a Connecticut-based hedge fund. Drafted 19th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, Garrity was sent to the Phoenix Suns in a draft-day trade. After one season with the Suns, he was traded to the Magic where he played from 1999-2008. He played for Van Gundy in 2007-08 and posted career averages of 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 552 NBA games.

A four-year player at the University of Notre Dame, Garrity averaged 18.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 111 games for the Fighting Irish. He graduated with a BS in Science, Pre-Professional Studies from Notre Dame and, following his retirement from the NBA in 2008, earned an MBA with a concentration in Investment Finance from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Loomis served the last two seasons as executive director of basketball operations for the Pistons. Previously, he spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Golden State and Santa Cruz Warriors. Over the last two seasons, he’s helped in the management of the basketball operations of the Grand Rapids Drive – the NBA D-League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons. Prior to joining the Pistons, Loomis led the player development efforts for the Golden State Warriors while also serving as the assistant general manager of the Santa Cruz Warriors. He also spent eight seasons with the New Orleans Hornets in various capacities including; researching and compiling statistical information on prospective players, evaluating salary cap implications for potential trades and free agent signings, ensuring compliance with the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and assisting with the implementation of player development initiatives and community relations activities.

Beyer recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Pistons after serving as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Bobcats during the 2013-14 season. A coaching veteran with over 30 years of experience at the NBA and collegiate levels, Beyer spent the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach with Golden State. Prior to that, he spent five seasons on Van Gundy’s staff with the Orlando Magic from 2007-12. Beyer’s NBA coaching career began with the Toronto Raptors, when he served as an assistant coach in 2003-04 and as the team’s advance scout in 2004-05. At the college level, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Tech University under legendary Coach Bob Knight from 2001-03 and served as head coach at Siena College from 1994-97. His college coaching career also includes stints as an assistant coach at the University of Albany (1985-89), Siena (1989-93), the University of Wisconsin (1994-97), Northwestern University (1997-2000) and the University of Dayton (2005-07).

Smith joins the Pistons staff after serving as head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive for the last two seasons. A veteran of 25-plus years of basketball experience, Smith served as president of basketball operations/general manager of the Orlando Magic from 2010-12. He first joined the Magic as director of player development in 2003-04 and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2005-06 before being named general manager in May of 2006. Under Smith’s leadership Orlando made the playoffs six times, recorded a franchise-record four straight seasons with 50-plus wins (2007-11), won three Southeast Division Titles (2007-10) and reached the NBA Finals in 2009. During his time with the Magic, the team accumulated a record of 299-177 (.628).

Prior to his time with Orlando, Smith spent the 2002-03 season as executive director of basketball operations with the Golden State Warriors. He also served as director of community relations/Warriors foundation for Golden State from 1999-02 and as community relations manager with the Orlando Magic from 1996-98. As a player, Smith appeared in 375 career NBA regular-season games with Denver, Golden State and Orlando, averaging 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.6 minutes.

Malone recently completed his second year of his second stint as an assistant coach with the Pistons. He previously served as an assistant coach in Detroit from 1988-95, including four seasons (1988-92) on Hall-of-Fame Coach Chuck Daly’s staff when he helped the Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. Malone has 30-plus years of NBA coaching experience. He was named the first ever head coach of the expansion Toronto Raptors in 1995 and served as an assistant coach on Van Gundy’s staff in Orlando from 2007-12.

A New York native, Malone’s NBA coaching career began with the New York Knicks as an assistant coach in 1986. He later had two more stints with the Knicks (1997-00 and 2003-04). He’s also served as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers (2000-03) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2004-05), where he took over as head coach for the final 18 games of that season. Collegiately, Malone worked as an assistant coach at Fordham (1976-77), Yale (1977-78) and Syracuse (1978-84) before becoming the head coach at the University of Rhode Island (1984-86).

Richardson joined the Pistons in 2014 as director of player development following a 13-year NBA playing career.