We can always look back on the NBA and ask how things might have gone differently. What if the Pistons had just drafted Carmelo Anthony? What if Draymond Green\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0kicked LeBron James in the nuts and gotten suspended? What if Zaza Pachulia\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0injured Kawhi Leonard? What if the Trail Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan? But one of the biggest what ifs not involving players is what if Stan Van Gundy had chosen the Warriors instead of the Detroit Pistons?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back in 2013, the Warriors\u2019 run was just getting underway, as they won 51 games under head coach Mark Jackson, who then made homophobic comments (in San Francisco, smart move!) that got him fired. With the Splash Brothers, Draymond\u00a0Green\u00a0and Andre\u00a0Iguodala already in place, it was an attractive job for any coach.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Warriors\u2019 first choice was Stan Van Gundy, who was viewed as the top available guy at the time. All things being equal, the Golden State job is one SVG\u00a0probably\u00a0would\u00a0have taken, but the Pistons not only threw a huge bag of money at Van Gundy, but also offered him full control over personnel decisions, which gave Detroit an edge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Pistons landed\u00a0SVG,\u00a0and the Warriors had to settle for some guy called Steve Kerr, who has been their coach ever since. Kerr has amassed a 567-308 record, won four titles, and been to\u00a0the\u00a0NBA\u00a0Finals\u00a0six\u00a0times, so it’s safe to say the Warriors are pleased with how that turned out. You’re welcome.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile,\u00a0the\u00a0Pistons\u00a0have\u00a0only\u00a0won\u00a0two playoff games (both of them last season) since the SVG hire, which was a\u00a0disastrous\u00a0decision that set the franchise back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stan Van Gundy showed why coaches\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0be GM\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d\u00a0first like to say that I loved Stan Van Gundy. He was\u00a0a very good\u00a0coach, a fun personality and I enjoyed his time in Detroit even though his teams\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0very successful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The problem was Stan Van Gundy the team president got in the way of Stan Van Gundy the coach and showed why these two jobs should remain separate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
SVG the coach needed a two-way wing, so SVG the GM got him one in Stanley Johnson, bypassing hometown hero Devin Booker in the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n
SVG the coach needed shooting, so SVG the GM got him Luke Kennard, one of the best shooters in the draft, but passed over Donovan Mitchell to do it. These two draft choices were catastrophic<\/a> to the Pistons long-term team building.\u00a0<\/p>\n