5 candidates Pistons could consider for president
Team is casting a wide net to fill crucial, powerful position
Omari Sankofa II
The Detroit Pistons are on the hunt for a president of basketball operations to oversee the franchise. That person would have final say on the jobs of general manager Troy Weaver, front office staff and coach Monty Williams, and will report directly to owner Tom Gores.
The Pistons have hired a search firm to help “cast a wide net” to gather candidates to put in front of Gores.
Here are five potential candidates the Pistons could consider for the job:
Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks GM
NBA insider Marc Stein reported Horst’s candidacy on Monday, stating the Pistons have weighed the possibility of hiring the longtime Bucks executive. At that point, the Pistons hadn’t engaged their national search firm, which is leading the process, or compiled a formal candidate list.
But Horst, a Sandusky, Michigan native and former Pistons manager of basketball operations from 2007-08, fits the mold regardless. The 41-year-old is the architect of the 2021 champion Bucks and was named Executive of the Year in 2019. After a somewhat tumultuous season, Horst could become available if an early playoff exit leads to a front-office shakeup.
Tayshaun Prince, Memphis Grizzlies assistant general manager
For most Pistons fans, Prince needs no introduction. For those who do, the 6-foot-9 forward spent the first 11 years of his career in Detroit and was a starter on the 2004 championship team. He’s been with the Grizzlies’ front office since 2017, starting off as special assistant to the general manager before being promoted to vice president of basketball affairs two years later.
Prince has been with the organization through two different front-office regimes and was present for every step of the team’s current formation, including the drafting of Jaren
Jackson Jr., Ja Morant and Desmond Bane and the trade for Marcus Smart.
Shane Battier, former Miami Heat executive
Another exec with Michigan ties, Battier was the Heat’s director of basketball development and analytics from 2017 until 2021, when he departed the role but still served as a consultant. According to Sportico, he joined private equity firm Garnett Station as a senior advisor last December.
The Birmingham native, Detroit Country Day alumnus and two-time NBA champion previously interviewed with the Pistons for a front-office role in 2018 following Stan Van Gundy’s departure. He’s no longer in the NBA, but he still has the qualifications.
Bryson Graham, New Orleans Pelicans assistant general manager
Long considered one of the league’s brightest up-and-coming execs, Graham has been a key player in building the seventh-seeded New Orleans Pelicans, led by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. In a profile by The Athletic, Graham laid out his 12-year journey from Pelicans intern to front office member
He has a close relationship with Monty Williams, who he called “a mentor, a big brother, a friend of mine” dating back to their shared time in New Orleans.
Mark Hughes, Los Angeles Clippers vice president
Let’s close this with yet another respected exec with local ties. Hughes is a Muskegon native, Michigan alumnus and former player for the Pistons in 1991. He’s worked his way up and across the NBA ranks as an assistant coach, scout and director of player personnel before joining the Clippers as an assistant general manager in 2017.
Los Angeles promoted him to senior vice president of basketball operations last offseason, while still retaining the assistant GM title.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa @freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.