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The Detroit Pistons don't plan to wait long to name a replacement for fired coach Michael Curry.
Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president for basketball operations, doesn't have a "complete list" of candidates but wants to act in less than a week, before next Tuesday's opening practice for the NBA developmental league.
"My goal is to have a head coach in place by the time we go out to Las Vegas," Dumars said in a video posted on the team's Web site. The NBA Summer League runs July 10-19.
A source close to the situation told ESPN that former Spurs coach Avery Johnson met with the Pistons on Wednesday. Television analyst Doug Collins has also been rumored to be a candidate for the job.
The new coach will inherit a different roster than the one Curry had. On Wednesday, the Pistons agreed to terms with guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva, sources told ESPN.com.
Dumars announced Curry's dismissal Tuesday. The first-year coach led the Pistons to a 39-43 regular-season record and a four-straight-game loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
In the video, Dumars said Detroit needs a more experienced coach as it moves to integrate new players with remaining veterans.
"We think it's best to move forward with a more experienced coach to get us through these times right now," Dumars said. "We're going through a transition now where we're bringing back some of the veterans, we're implementing some of the younger guys.
"That's probably a little bit too much for a first-time head coach. ... It's a little bit unfair of me to put him in that situation."
Dumars and Curry played together at Detroit, but that wasn't enough to save Curry's job after he led the team to a losing regular-season record and four lopsided playoff losses to the Cavaliers after six straight Eastern Conference finals appearances.
Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president for basketball operations, doesn't have a "complete list" of candidates but wants to act in less than a week, before next Tuesday's opening practice for the NBA developmental league.
"My goal is to have a head coach in place by the time we go out to Las Vegas," Dumars said in a video posted on the team's Web site. The NBA Summer League runs July 10-19.
A source close to the situation told ESPN that former Spurs coach Avery Johnson met with the Pistons on Wednesday. Television analyst Doug Collins has also been rumored to be a candidate for the job.
The new coach will inherit a different roster than the one Curry had. On Wednesday, the Pistons agreed to terms with guard Ben Gordon and forward Charlie Villanueva, sources told ESPN.com.
Dumars announced Curry's dismissal Tuesday. The first-year coach led the Pistons to a 39-43 regular-season record and a four-straight-game loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.
In the video, Dumars said Detroit needs a more experienced coach as it moves to integrate new players with remaining veterans.
"We think it's best to move forward with a more experienced coach to get us through these times right now," Dumars said. "We're going through a transition now where we're bringing back some of the veterans, we're implementing some of the younger guys.
"That's probably a little bit too much for a first-time head coach. ... It's a little bit unfair of me to put him in that situation."
Dumars and Curry played together at Detroit, but that wasn't enough to save Curry's job after he led the team to a losing regular-season record and four lopsided playoff losses to the Cavaliers after six straight Eastern Conference finals appearances.
