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Though he’s always been the type to trust his coaches, Drummond was clearly upset by his benching. And apparently, Drummond has the ear of Pistons owner Tom Gores (even beyond Gores playing third wheel on Drummond’s date with Jeanette McCurdy). So maybe Drummond, even if he tried to stifle his feelings, influenced Gores.

Dave Mayo of MLive:

One player later said the problem was that Drummond did exactly what he thought he was supposed to do and Cheeks didn’t understand that it was a product of miscommunication, not defiance.

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... ce=dlvr.it

This sounds like another disaster waiting to happen if even a smidgen of this is true. However, it sounds so likely.

Oh god. This roller coaster keeps on trucking along. Even if isn't true, we ain't getting off this ride.

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To me this sounds like a complete stretch. It's just pure speculation on behalf of the writer. He essentially took the facts that Drummond was upset a couple weeks ago after getting benched, and that he and Gores are friendly and extrapolated it into Drummond getting the coach fired.

This just seems like a media-driven storyline. Mo Cheeks wasn't the best coach for this team and that was the case whether or not he and Drummond were close. The Pistons can do better and that is why Mo Cheeks was fired.

If Drummond has direct contact with Gores, that's good news to me. BFFs? Probably not. But if this is even a little bit true, the next coach will certainly put more time into developing Drummond.

Yeah, Drummond definitely got him fired, no doubt about it. Forget the fact that we have more talent than we have in 5+ years and still have nearly an identical record as last year. Or that Smith, Monroe and Drummond clearly shouldn't all be on the court at the same time but somehow consistently were. Forget the fact that Cheeks said Monroe should get the ball more, but if he wants the ball more he should ask for it. Forget the fact that Cheeks defensive scheme looked like it was designed to give up wide open 3's. Forget the fact that Cheeks has never been a good head coach and got fired from Portland and Philly after consistently putting up sub .500 records.

Forget all that stuff. This firing was clearly all because of Andre Drummond...

theBigLip wrote:If Drummond has direct contact with Gores, that's good news to me. BFFs? Probably not. But if this is even a little bit true, the next coach will certainly put more time into developing Drummond.

This news means that everyone has to tip-toe around that man. For someone as young, talented, and apparently humble, Gores is possibly corrupting his character, ultimately stunting his development. Either that, or Gores will misinterpret or over-react to whatever whim Drummond might have.

Decisions such as handling personnel should be decided upon reliable information. If Cheek's firing was because Drummond was benched, more-so than his own on the court management of the team, then I'm worried. It means that Dumars, or whatever GM is next will always be a lame duck in the midst of the basketball operations.

DTP and I had the following exchange in the huge "Cheeks Fired" thread yesterday —

DTP wrote:Drummond gets benched....Gores comes to town.....Cheeks fired. Lets be real, Drummond is responsible for this. He's 2-0 for killing coaches so far in his young career. Nice job Dre.

DocRI wrote:Yes, by all means, let's.

The only thing your conspiracy theory is missing is an appearance by The Cigarette Smoking Man from The X-Files. Only someone with a serious axe to grind against Dre would attempt to connect these dots to paint him as a "coach killer."

And by the way, didn't most posters beg for Frank to be fired and pan the Cheeks hire? If Dre really is responsible, your last sentence of thanking him should be said with sincerity!

DTP wrote:lol at you taking that post seriously.

DocRI wrote:LOL, sorry man, force of habit! After seeing so many people actually believe the satirical articles about the Broncos throwing the SuperBowl, I honestly thought you were serious! (By the way, green font is your friend …)

Talk about life imitating art (or RealGM posts)! See DTP, THIS is why I thought you were serious; there are actually people who believe what you posted in sarcasm!

Complete speculation based on what appears to be nothing.

That said, Drummond is a high character guy & our franchise, he wants to be great. Him becoming great is our only shot at being great again.

If I was Tom Gores, id make sure Drummond had my ear whenever he needed it,my #1 goal would be to make sure hes good at all times because as ive said before, the only thing that matters on this cluster **** of a team right now is that Drummond is happy & developing.

Drummond can really do no wrong in your eyes, eh? So many times Drummond's effort has not been there this season....guess Cheeks is the blame?

Natopher wrote:Yeah, Drummond definitely got him fired, no doubt about it. Forget the fact that we have more talent than we have in 5+ years and still have nearly an identical record as last year. Or that Smith, Monroe and Drummond clearly shouldn't all be on the court at the same time but somehow consistently were. Forget the fact that Cheeks said Monroe should get the ball more, but if he wants the ball more he should ask for it. Forget the fact that Cheeks defensive scheme looked like it was designed to give up wide open 3's. Forget the fact that Cheeks has never been a good head coach and got fired from Portland and Philly after consistently putting up sub .500 records.

Forget all that stuff. This firing was clearly all because of Andre Drummond...

fukin boo yaa bitch

DTP wrote:Drummond can really do no wrong in your eyes, eh? So many times Drummond's effort has not been there this season....guess Cheeks is the blame?

Drummond has been amazing this year.

MotownMadness wrote:

DTP wrote:Drummond can really do no wrong in your eyes, eh? So many times Drummond's effort has not been there this season....guess Cheeks is the blame?

Drummond has been amazing this year.

Quite a few of us would disagree. Unfortunately, he can sleepwalk through a double double very easily because rebounding is so effortless to him, so he gets off the hook but way too many times his brain and effort has just not been there. More so the brain part, dude is not a very smart defender at all yet. Fortunately though, you don't have to be very smart to put up huge numbers in this league....as Dwight Howard has proven.

And when he's gone up against guys his size (Hibbert, Jordan, Oden), he's not played too well. I'd say all have outplayed him in the matchups this season. But he is young, as I'm sure most of you are eagerly typing as you read this.

DTP wrote:

MotownMadness wrote:

DTP wrote:Drummond can really do no wrong in your eyes, eh? So many times Drummond's effort has not been there this season....guess Cheeks is the blame?

Drummond has been amazing this year.

Quite a few of us would disagree. Unfortunately, he can sleepwalk through a double double very easily because rebounding is so effortless to him, so he gets off the hook but way too many times his brain and effort has just not been there. More so the brain part, dude is not a very smart defender at all yet. Fortunately though, you don't have to be very smart to put up huge numbers in this league....as Dwight Howard has proven.

And when he's gone up against guys his size (Hibbert, Jordan, Oden), he's not played too well. I'd say all have outplayed him in the matchups this season. But he is young, as I'm sure most of you are eagerly typing as you read this.

He is 20 years old. Some people just look for **** to complain about. And for those who have picked a second year beast to complain about are clueless. He's not perfect yet but most of that is the lack of experience and playing with a starting lineup that can't defend any body at they're positions on a nightly basis. Maybe you should go to the Raptors board were they like to criticize him all the time.

^^Dekes about the only guy I can think of in the last 20 years or so who stepped into the league as a legit anchor, and he was 23 years old in his rookie season. it takes most guys 3-5 years to make the jump from deterrent to true anchor.

Nah. Drummond wasn't the reason he was fired. If we were a winning team, Cheeks wouldn't have been fired. THINK about it. It's simple. Why fire a winning coach. No. The coach was garbage and Drummond is the future of the franchise and Gores knows this. He's pampering him much like how Gilbert did to James. Difference is our GM isn't like Cleveland's. He won't let Drummond handle the roster like how James did to Cleveland. The new GM though? Now I'm worried!!

MotownMadness wrote:

DTP wrote:

MotownMadness wrote:
Drummond has been amazing this year.

Quite a few of us would disagree. Unfortunately, he can sleepwalk through a double double very easily because rebounding is so effortless to him, so he gets off the hook but way too many times his brain and effort has just not been there. More so the brain part, dude is not a very smart defender at all yet. Fortunately though, you don't have to be very smart to put up huge numbers in this league....as Dwight Howard has proven.

And when he's gone up against guys his size (Hibbert, Jordan, Oden), he's not played too well. I'd say all have outplayed him in the matchups this season. But he is young, as I'm sure most of you are eagerly typing as you read this.

He is 20 years old. Some people just look for **** to complain about. And for those who have picked a second year beast to complain about are clueless. He's not perfect yet but most of that is the lack of experience and playing with a starting lineup that can't defend any body at they're positions on a nightly basis. Maybe you should go to the Raptors board were they like to criticize him all the time.

And I'm 22 but I clearly understand as a shot blocker you don't need to jump at any and everything. I understand the definition of a stupid foul, which he gets all the freakin time. I'm not criticizing him, I responding to the he's been amazing comment, which in my opinion he hasn't. If his effort was as good as last season's, I'd be a little more understanding, but it hasn't been. His effort and activity has been average at best compared to last year.

Drummond can make 5 consecutive bone head plays, 1 good play and he's AMAZING. Smith can do the exact opposite and TRADE HIM, CANCER, BUM, SELFISH...

Dery tweeted that Cheeks lost the locker room before the season began, and they were happy he was gone. So it probably wasn't just Drummond.

Jeff Moss said a few weeks back, Smith and Cheeks would get in shouting matches and throw stuff at each other.

DTP wrote:

MotownMadness wrote:

DTP wrote:
Quite a few of us would disagree. Unfortunately, he can sleepwalk through a double double very easily because rebounding is so effortless to him, so he gets off the hook but way too many times his brain and effort has just not been there. More so the brain part, dude is not a very smart defender at all yet. Fortunately though, you don't have to be very smart to put up huge numbers in this league....as Dwight Howard has proven.

And when he's gone up against guys his size (Hibbert, Jordan, Oden), he's not played too well. I'd say all have outplayed him in the matchups this season. But he is young, as I'm sure most of you are eagerly typing as you read this.

He is 20 years old. Some people just look for **** to complain about. And for those who have picked a second year beast to complain about are clueless. He's not perfect yet but most of that is the lack of experience and playing with a starting lineup that can't defend any body at they're positions on a nightly basis. Maybe you should go to the Raptors board were they like to criticize him all the time.

And I'm 22 but I clearly understand as a shot blocker you don't need to jump at any and everything. I understand the definition of a stupid foul, which he gets all the freakin time. I'm not criticizing him, I responding to the he's been amazing comment, which in my opinion he hasn't. If his effort was as good as last season's, I'd be a little more understanding, but it hasn't been. His effort and activity has been average at best compared to last year.

Drummond can make 5 consecutive bone head plays, 1 good play and he's AMAZING. Smith can do the exact opposite and TRADE HIM, CANCER, BUM, SELFISH...

His effort at moments has been bad because his team was completely ignoring him all season. The last couple of games he's been getting touches and his effort has been at a all time high. Also his season has been amazing. Go look up how many 20 year old big men have had this kind of sophomore season and let me know what names you come up with. You cant see the greatness because your constantly looking for the bad. If he did everything you wanted he would already be the best player in the league.

Sheeeeed wrote:Dery tweeted that Cheeks lost the locker room before the season began, and they were happy he was gone. So it probably wasn't just Drummond.

Jeff Moss said a few weeks back, Smith and Cheeks would get in shouting matches and throw stuff at each other.

Throw stuff at each other, lol.

If it was one particular player as the reason, do you really think soft-spoken Drummond was that player?

He's been thriving under Cheeks. What reason would he have to want a new coach? If there's any player to look at it would be the guys who aren't playing well under him and upset with how they are being used, like Monroe for example. But this was Gores' call. I don't think any players had any say in the matter. If Joe didn't even have a say, then the players certainly didn't.