Pistons hire Thunder VP Weaver as GM
A few years ago, Troy Weaver was pragmatic about becoming an NBA general manager. The Thunder vice president of basketball operations wasn't likely to be given a plum job.
“More often than not, you're going ( to a new job) because they haven't had success,” Weaver said. “You want to feel good that you're going into a situation where your vision matches up with the ownership and the city's vision for success.”
Weaver, Sam Presti's righthand man with the Thunder, has found a place that feels good, and it's definitely not a franchise swimming in success.
Weaver has agreed to become the Detroit Pistons general manager.
“It's an honor for me to join a franchise with the history and tradition of the Detroit Pistons,” Weaver said in a Pistons-issued release. “I'm excited for the challenge of building this team into a consistent winner and assembling the pieces to compete at a very high level. We'll get to work right away, evaluating opportunities and installing systems that will make us all successful.”
The Pistons have posted just one winning season since 2008, when they ended a string of six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals. Detroit made the playoffs in 2009, 2016 and 2019 but didn't advance past the first round.
This season, the Pistons are 20- 46 and were not among the 22 teams invited to Orlando to finish this pandemic-stricken NBA season.
Weaver becomes the fourth Presti lieutenant to become an NBA general manager. The Magic hired Rob Hennigan, the Blazers hired Rich Cho and the Clippers hired Michael Winger, though only Winger remains as an NBA general manager. In the last 10 years, that ties the Thunder with the San Antonio Spurs for producing the most NBA general managers for other franchises.
Weaver is credited with honing in on Russell Westbrook as a Thunder target in the 2008 NBA Draft. Presti hired Weaver earlier that year, just a few months before the franchise moved from Seattle and became the Thunder.
“Troy has been a partner,” Presti said a few years ago. “He's been an incredible resource. He's been a great friend. He's helped me a great deal. I feel incredibly indebted to him.”
The Thunder rarely allows assistant coaches or front-office personnel other than Presti to speak with the media, so Weaver has been a behind-thescenes figure in Oklahoma City. But he's consistently mentioned as one of the best GM candidates in the league.
Weaver spent four seasons with the Utah Jazz, 2004-08, either as head scout or director of player personnel. Before that, Weaver was an assistant coach at Syracuse University, New Mexico and Pitt.
With the Thunder, Weaver assists Presti with roster development and day- to- day basketball operations. He also coordinates the Thunder's NBA Draft preparation, player free agency and summer-league roster.
Weaver was an AAU coach in Washington, D.C., and graduated with an associate's degree from Maryland's Prince George's Community College in 1991.