The Detroit Pistons announced the coaching staff who will work under new head coach JB Bickerstaff. Bickerstaff is taking over after just one season from Monty Williams, and he has pretty well cleared the decks of the former regime’s staff.
Bickerstaff is bringing back Jarrett Jack and Steve Scalzi, but is bringing on seven new coaches to Detroit. Some are coming over from Bickerstaff’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Luke Walton, who Pistons fans might remember as a player on the Los Angeles Lakers who lost to the Pistons the last time Detroit won an NBA title, will be Bickerstaff’s lead assistant.
Walton spent the past two seasons in Cleveland, and before that spent three years each as a head coach for the Sacramento Kings and Lakers. He also served as an assistant under Steve Kerr in the early days of the Warriors’ dynasty.
Josh Estes is also coming over from the Cavaliers. He served as a coaching analyst and analytics coordinator for Bickerstaff in Cleveland.
Sidney Lowe is back for his third tour of duty in Detroit, first as a player, then as an assistant under Flip Saunders in Detroit’s last gasp of relevance in … uhhh … 2006.
Jerome Allen is another former Detroit assistant back for a second stint with the Pistons. He is a highly regarded assistant who spent a few years coaching under Dwane Casey from 2021-23. Prior to that, he spent six years as an assistant in Boston and served another year there last season after Williams did not retain him on his Detroit staff.
The Pistons will also add Vitaly Potapenko comes from Detroit after a six-season run as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Kevin Burleson, brother of former Detroit Lion and current TV personality Nate Burleson, joins the Pistons after working with the Houston Rockets’ G League team.
Finally, there is shooting specialist and hopeful Detroit Pistons savior Fred Vinson who has been much discussed around these parts. Vinson was actually president Trajan Langdon’s first coaching hire, even before deciding to fire Williams or hire Bickerstaff. He coaxed Vinson away from New Orleans after 14 seasons. He is much heralded for helping players such as Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones develop consistent and dangerous 3-point shots.
We shall see what he can do with Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland and especially Ausar Thompson.