ESPN: Pistons Interviewed Lionel Hollins in the Summer

[ComboGuardCity]

From Insider:

Lionel Hollins -- ESPN's Marc Stein reports that Hollins, who led Memphis to a 56-win season in 2012-13 and interviewed for the Pistons' opening over the summer, was "immediately identified Sunday by sources close to the situation as a prime target for Detroit."

Is ESPN have it wrong, or did we really pass on Hollins? I know Hollins was officially let go a day after Cheeks was hired.

[Phenomenonsense]

Seems pretty sketchy if we interviewed him BEFORE his contract was up with the Grizz or AFTER we already hired Cheeks. I have my doubts either way.

[Warspite]

If this is true then Hollins pulled a Larry Brown and interviewed for a job before he was let go. I dont think it is. Cheeks was already leaked as the next coach before Hollins was let go.

IMHO Dumars screwed up hiring Cheeks before Hollins or Karl were available.

[ChainLink]

ESPN must have it wrong. I don't remember Hollins ever being a candidate nor ever interviewing because the Grizzlies went on a long playoff run and he was still employed by the Grizzlies when the Pistons announced Cheeks' hiring.

[sc8581]

Hollins and Memphis likely decided mutually that he wouldn't be coming back before his contract was up so allowing him to take an interview doesn't seem like a big deal.

[ElectricMayhem]

Regardless of the truth of the report, we DID pass on Hollins. It was well known around the league that Memphis wasn't planning on keeping him around. Either we interviewed him (probably with Memphis' blessing) before he was officially let go, or we didn't bother waiting around to interview him. In both cases, we chose Cheeks over Hollins.

Because hey, who would want a coach that led a team from the depths of the cellar to the brink of the Finals, steadily improving each year. Who would want the coach who finally reigned in Zach Randolph and got him to play team ball? Who would want a coach who was so essential to the development of Conley?

[Q00]

I'm guessing they are probably referring to the assistants position we offered him.

[wire28]

we picked cheeks and asked hollins to be his assistant

he probably laughed and told us we made our bed and now we have to sleep in it. probably knew we'd come crawling back in a year or two. probably didnt guess it'd be before the allstar break though

[ImHeisenberg]

we picked cheeks and asked hollins to be his assistant

he probably laughed and told us we made our bed and now we have to sleep in it. probably knew we'd come crawling back in a year or two. probably didnt guess it'd be before the allstar break though

On the flip side, he'd be the head coach right now if he did accept the position.

[bballnmike]

Hollins had permission from Grizzlies to interview with other teams before he was officially let go.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... her-teams/

[DBC10]

Hollins had permission from Grizzlies to interview with other teams before he was officially let go.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... her-teams/

Yeah this was how it went down. When it became apparent that the Grizzlies were nonchalant in extending Hollins, they let him loose to other teams before officially ending it.

[Q00]

Hollins had permission from Grizzlies to interview with other teams before he was officially let go.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... her-teams/

Good point. I forgot about that. It also puts to rest the notion that the Pistons couldn't have hired him because he wasn't available until after they already agreed with Cheeks.

[Neptune]

Hm, maybe Hollins isn't good at interviews.

[need4detroit]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMZRrK62W9c[/youtube]