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Detroit Pistons Notes And Quotes 6-2-11

-John Kuester will not be returning to the Pistons as head coach, ESPN.com reported May 29, citing sources.

However, a source told CBSSports.com's Ken Berger on Sunday that Kuester "had not been let go and that no decisions will be made until Tom Gores officially takes over." Gores is the team's new owner, having agreed to purchase the team from Karen Davidson.

There has been no indication whether president Joe Dumars and his staff will be returning, but ESPN.com expects him to be back.

Kuester was hired in 2009 and he had a 57-107 mark in his two years in Detroit.

He had several clashes with players, most notably with Richard Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Tracy McGrady.

Several of the team's veterans failed to show up for a team practice this season, which led to reports a player-led protest of Kuester.

The approval vote by the Board of Governors on the team's sale will be June 1, sources told ESPN.com. The vote was originally scheduled to take place in the middle of June but apparently has been moved up.

--Detroit will be bucking history if it drafts an All-Star talent with the No. 8 pick this June. Even in deeper drafts, many teams have come up empty in that spot. The best player taken at No. 8 in the last two decades is point guard Andre Miller, selected by Cleveland in 1999. Rudy Gay (Houston, 2006) has the talent to be a perennial All-Star while Channing Frye (New York, 2005), Chris Wilcox (L.A. Clippers, 2002) and Jamal Crawford (Cleveland, 2000) have carved out solid if unspectacular careers. But the No. 8 pick also has produced busts like Rafael Araujo (Toronto, 2004) and Joe Alexander (Milwaukee, 2008).

QUOTE TO NOTE
"You want to put your eyes on those guys and see them up close and personal. We watch a ton of film, but there's nothing like putting your eyes on a guy and seeing them up close and personal." -- Team president of basketball operations Joe Dumars on his scouting trip to Europe shortly after the NBA's regular season.

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