Detroit Pistons: Maurice Cheeks a Good Hire, Despite Media, Fan Reaction
By Phil Watson
Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp pretty much summed up much of the reaction to the Detroit Pistons’ hiring on Monday, June 10, of Maurice Cheeks as the team’s new coach.
"There’s nothing about Cheeks that excites. There’s nothing about Cheeks that irritates. There’s nothing about Cheeks that draws even a casual shrug.There’s just nothing."
Maurice Cheeks will be the seventh coach for the Detroit Pistons in the last 10 years. (NBA.com photo)
The 56-year-old Cheeks has spent the last four seasons as Scott Brooks’ top assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be Cheeks’ third turn as an NBA head coach; he coached the Portland Trail Blazers from 2001-02 before he was fired 55 games into the 2004-05 season and was in the lead chair for the Philadelphia 76ers from 2005-06 through 23 games into the 2008-09 campaign.
With Portland, Cheeks was 162-139 and the team was 50-32 in 2002-03. In the postseason, the Blazers were 3-7 with a pair of first-round exits in 2002 and 2003. In Philadelphia, Cheeks never led the 76ers to a winning record—his best mark was 40-42 in 2007-08—and was 122-147 overall and 2-4 in the postseason (the 76ers’ lone appearance in the playoffs under Cheeks was in 2008).
He was also an assistant with the 76ers from 1994-95 until landing the Portland job in 2001.
ESPN’s Bruce Bowen liked the hire:
Cheeks also played 15 seasons in the NBA, the first 11 of them with the 76ers, who drafted him in the second round of the 1978 draft out of West Texas State (now West Texas A&M). Cheeks is the 76ers’ all-time leader in assists and steals and helped pilot them to the 1983 NBA title, directing the offense that was fueled by All-Stars Moses Malone and Julius Erving.
Cheeks was a four-time All-Star himself in Philadelphia and was named to the All-Defensive team five times, including four first-team nods.
Here are some of Cheeks’ highlights as a player:
As a coach, Cheeks has been given a great deal of credit first for the development of young Zach Randolph in Portland and later Andre Iguodala in Philadelphia.
The Pistons hope Maurice Cheeks can do for Brandon Knight (7) what he was able to do for Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com
One executive told the Detroit News that after dealing with Oklahoma City’s young core of players for the last four years, Cheeks will be well-positioned to take over a Detroit team led by young big men Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
Most important for the Pistons is the hope that Cheeks can do for young guard Brandon Knight what he was able to do for Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City.
Chris Mannix of SI.com wrote in February that Cheeks was likely to land a head coaching gig again.
“He has been instrumental in the development of Russell Westbrook, spending countless hours working with the dynamic but volatile point guard.”
This is what Cheeks said about the Thunder’s All-Star point guard two years ago:
The Pistons envision Knight as their point guard for the future, but the second-year pro has had a rocky transition to the position—averaging 3.9 assists and 2.7 turnovers per game over his first two years in the NBA.
Andre Iguodala had his best seasons playing for Maurice Cheeks in Philadelphia. Photo Credit: NBA.com
The arrival of Cheeks could also open doors for a potential solution at shooting guard. Iguodala, after playing this season with the Denver Nuggets, told Fox Sports Florida in March that he was likely going to opt out of his contract and explore free agency this summer.
It was under Cheeks’ tutelage that Iguodala emerged as a budding star in Philadelphia. In three full seasons playing for Cheeks, this is what Iguodala was able to do:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/11/2013.
The scoring average of 19.9 in 2007-08 is still Iguodala’s career high.
In Cheeks, the Pistons also get a coach who relates much better to players than did his predecessor, Lawrence Frank. Poor player relations was a major factor in Frank’s firing after two seasons in Detroit.
Jonas Jerebko fueded with former coach Lawrence Frank. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com
In particular, management is hoping Cheeks can repair relations with Jonas Jerebko, who Frank banished to the end of the bench in February
“I’ve met Mo Cheeks, we’ve talked a few times,” Jerebko told the Detroit News. “He’s a great guy and a great coach.”
After two straight player-unfriendly coaches in John Kuester and Frank, Maurice Cheeks is a turn in the opposite direction and his work with young players throughout his career is encouraging … even if Pistons fans and the Detroit media aren’t overly wowed by the hire.
Besides, how could you not love a coach who is willing to bail out a kid who got overwhelmed with the singing of the National Anthem?