Joe Dumars was beloved by fans as a player on the Pistons and then as the front office guy when it seemed as if he could do no wrong.
But Joe's Midas touch seemed to vanish. He traded away beloved Chauncey Billups and got a troubled Allen Iverson. He made some other moves that didn't turn out so well. And suddenly the team was not very good.
Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski notes that he's just hired Maurice Cheeks as the eighth head coach in 14 years.
But the truth is, the guy that desperately needs good fortune now is Dumars. In the coming weeks, he’ll take another shot in the draft, then another shot at the free-agent and trade markets. And if there isn’t a significant boost, Dumars likely will be gone.
He has one year left on his contract and said he hasn’t discussed his future with owner Tom Gores. I think he knows his job officially is on the line, and he understands it.
“I’m gonna continue to do this until I don’t,” Dumars said. “But this is not about me, it really isn’t. We’re just trying to get it right. I don’t even get into the speculation with me. I’ll be fine, whatever.”
