Tom Gores Opens Up on Moose, Waiving Smith, and Pistons Improvement

[MrBigShot]

"I had a good gut feeling that change would be good for us, but to win eight of the last nine, and the seven-game streak, this team does look like it could challenge anybody. I didn't know it would be this kind of progress. I wouldn't say I'm shocked, because of my confidence in Stan."

"You forget how winning feels […] I'm trying to control my excitement, we know what one win is, or even seven wins. We know it's a long process to build a champion. But I'm really encouraged where we're at, and I think we've taken a few steps ahead in the process."

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2015/1/13 ... -van-gundy

I have to say, trusting in Stan and allowing him to waive Smith has really given me a new-found appreciation of Tom Gores. Especially with news of the Nets on sale after their owner promised a championship within 5 years after buying them, and and subsequently screwing them over by letting King ruin their future by trading so many picks)

[triplet1984]

Yeah dropkick ing Smith out the way he did won a lot of goodwill. It is clear he doesn't really get basketball and trusted Joe D but its good that now his trust is placed in SVG.

[hoophabit]

Yeah dropkick ing Smith out the way he did won a lot of goodwill. It is clear he doesn't really get basketball and trusted Joe D but its good that now his trust is placed in SVG.

Yeah, no question regarding Gores having earned some good will by agreeing to waive Smith. That said, he was as much responsible for some of the Piston's recent troubles as anyone. I think early on Gores brought the arrogance of a successful businessman who thought he got basketball, and his unreasonable demands and expectations caused even more problems. Firing Cheeks in the middle of his first season did the team no favors. He surely should have waited until the end of the season.

I'm not giving Dumars or Karen Davidson a pass. It's a personal opinion, but I consider Karen the #1 villain in Piston history. It was her right to do with the team as she wished, but owning a sports franchise is at some level a kind of public trust. This is something her husband understood, but Karen wasn't interested. The $ based freeze she put on the team at a critical time did great damage, and might have been penny wise and pound foolish.

I have to give Gores credit for apparently coming to his senses, hiring SVG, and trusting him where the basketball is concerned. I hope he really cares about the team and isn't just looking to flip it. Owners that really care are very important.