Pistons Set to Hire Jeff Bower as General Manager

Just who is Jeff Bower, and how will he fit in Detroit?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about whom Stan Van Gundy would look+ to hire as his general manager:

I do think the GM will be a relatively unknown, or one in his first stint as general manager.

Enter Jeff Bower. Relative unknown? Nope. First stint as general manager? Try again. Instead of hiring the young, rising executive, Van Gundy went with experience, mutual trust, and someone with an equally stellar mustache. Facial hair aside, while Bower has been out of the NBA since 2010, his pedigree suggests he has what it takes to turn Detroit around.

Bower coached at Penn State and Marist College between 1983 and 1995, before joining the original Charlotte Hornets as an advance scout. He worked his way up the franchise ladder, holding the positions of Director of Scouting, assistant coach, and Assistant GM, before earning his first stint as general manager in 2001. He would hold the position for two seasons before returning to the sideline as an assistant, but in 2005 was named general manager again.

Here’s where things got interesting: Bower’s second tenure as GM came during the team’s temporary relocation to Oklahoma City following Hurricane Katrina. Injuries hampered the team in its two years in OKC, but the then-Hornets managed to win 38 and 39 wins, respectively. Returning to New Orleans the following year, the team finished 56-26, losing to the Spurs in seven games during the Western Conference semifinals. Bower finished third in voting for Executive of the Year that season. He would remain as GM until 2009 before taking over as head coach following the firing of Byron Scott. With Bower in charge, New Orleans went 34-39. He would leave the franchise in 2011, returning to Marist College in 2013 as a head coach.

New Orleans only had two winning seasons during Bower’s second stint as GM, but it is remarkable the team remained competitive those two seasons in Oklahoma given the circumstances. Whether as assistant or head GM, Bower was part of a front office that drafted Chris Paul, David West, Darren Collison, and Brandon Bass and orchestrated the trade for Tyson Chandler.

Bower was instrumental in keeping a crippled franchise going, and was part of a front office that drafted successfully for half a decade. Add his already established relationship with Van Gundy, and Detroit should be feel optimistic about those now in charge. Important to any sports franchise is the relationship between coach and general manager. If both men are on the same page, a team identity can be forged by the duo’s like-minded standards.

Detroit is a team desperate for a new identity. Poor managerial decisions have cost the team in recent years. The effects of signing Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon to long-term contracts are still felt today, with Gordon’s ghost stealing the ninth pick away from them to (ironically) the new Charlotte Hornets. Last season, with cap space to spend for the first time in years, Detroit mistakingly put it all towards Josh Smith, whose individual talent fit terribly with the roster.

With no first-round draft pick, Bower and Van Gundy will likely see what the trade market is for both Smith and Greg Monroe. Monroe’s extension seemed imminent before last season, but signing Smith disrupted Monroe’s future with the team. If Bower cannot move Smith, Monroe could see himself moved in a sign-and-trade deal.

Detroit hasn’t made the postseason since 2009, and the current state of the team looks far from stable. Van Gundy and Bower appear capable of stabilizing the franchise. Both have found success at the NBA level in smaller NBA markets. Bower’s draft history, along with Van Gundy’s ability to mold a roster into a playoff contender, suggest they will be able to fix the mess in Detroit.