Pistons part ways with Van Gundy after four seasons

After four seasons, zero playoff wins and a .463 winning percentage, Stan Van Gundy is out in Detroit.

The Pistons announced Monday that Van Gundy has been relieved of his duties as both head coach and president of basketball operations.

“We have decided that this change is necessary to take our basketball organization to the next level,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a team statement. “This was a very difficult decision and we did not come to it lightly. I am grateful to Stan for everything he’s done for the Pistons and for the city of Detroit. He rebuilt the culture of our basketball team, re-instilled a winning attitude and work ethic, and took us to the playoffs two years ago. He went all-in from day one to positively impact this franchise and this community.

“But over the past two seasons our team has not progressed, and we decided that a change is necessary to regain our momentum.”

According to the release, Van Gundy had a year remaining on his contract and “wanted to return.”

After going 32-50 in 2014-15, Van Gundy’s first season, the Pistons appeared to turn a corner the following campaign. They went 44-38 in the regular season and made the postseason for the first time in seven years. They were swept in the first round by Cleveland.

Over the last two seasons, Detroit won just 37 and 39 games, failing to make the postseason both times. The Pistons acquired Blake Griffin in a blockbuster trade on Jan. 29 but went just 17-17 after the trade, with Griffin missing nine games in that time.

Detroit finished in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, four games behind eighth-place Washington.

–Field Level Media