Yahoo Finance Sources: Detroit Pistons agree to terms with Troy Weaver for general manager role
The Detroit Pistons have agreed to terms with Oklahoma City Thunder vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver to be their new general manager, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Weaver will head the Pistons’ basketball operations after 12 seasons with the Thunder, where he was instrumental in building Oklahoma City into a championship contender. He was sought after for many jobs in recent years but finally settled on the Pistons, a team that has not won a playoff series since 2008.
He pushed for Russell Westbrook to be drafted fourth in 2008, and following the James Harden trade, identified Steven Adams as a cornerstone center in the subsequent draft in 2013. Westbrook and Adams were once represented by agent Arn Tellem, who’s now a key figure in the Pistons’ business side and a part-owner.
The Pistons, with salary-cap space and a focus on player development and the draft, eyed Weaver early in the process. They wanted to interview Weaver after Stan Van Gundy left the franchise following the 2017-18 season, but were denied permission.
This time, though, the Oklahoma City Thunder allowed him to pursue the opportunity, and he found synergy with senior adviser Ed Stefanski, coach Dwane Casey and, recently, owner Tom Gores as the two connected in a phone conversation late Tuesday evening.
Weaver will work with Stefanski in building the basketball operations staff, including hiring an assistant general manager, a position vacated by Malik Rose, who joined the NBA’s league office.
Weaver spent time with the Utah Jazz in player personnel after a stint as an assistant coach with Syracuse, where he was the main recruiter for Carmelo Anthony.
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