Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars. Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Pistons announced Monday that Joe Dumars “stepped aside” as president of basketball operations but will stay with the team as an executive adviser.
Dumars, who played alongside Isiah Thomas during the team’s “Bad Boy” era and won NBA titles in 1989 and 1990, ran the organization for 14 seasons.
Dumars took over as president of basketball operations before the 2000-01 season. He was named the league’s executive of the year in 2003 and the Pistons went on to win the title in 2004.
“Joe Dumars is a great champion who has meant so much to this franchise and this community,” team owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “We are turning the page with great respect for what he has accomplished not only as a player and a front office executive, but as a person who has represented this team and the NBA with extraordinary dignity.”
As the Pistons search for a replacement, director of basketball operations Ken Catanella and assistant general manager George David will continue preparing for the NBA Draft and free agency. They will report to ownership executives Phil Norment and Bob Wentworth.
The Pistons have struggled in recent years, including finishing 29-52 this season. They have not had a winning record since 2007-08.
“It’s time to turn the page on a wonderful chapter and begin writing a new one,” Dumars said in a statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great people throughout the last 29 years as both a player and executive, and I’m proud of our accomplishments. Tom Gores and ownership is committed to winning and they will continue to move the franchise forward.”
Dumars played 14 seasons with the Pistons before transitioning into the team’s front office. He has been a part of three NBA titles, five Eastern Conference titles, nine Central Division titles and reached the Eastern Conference finals 11 times.
The Pistons went 595-536 (.527) in the regular season and won 73 playoff games with Dumars as the team’s top executive. He was named NBA Executive of the Decade in 2009 by The Sporting News.
As a player, Dumars is the franchise’s all-time leading 3-point shooter with 990 made and is second all-time in scoring with 16,401 points. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
