Avery Johnson Wants Conditions to Coach the Pistons

Avery Johnson may want extra years from Pistons
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Saturday July 04, 2009, 9:30 PM

A potential stumbling block in negotiations between the Detroit Pistons and coaching candidate Avery Johnson are the number of guaranteed years the Pistons are willing to offer the 44-year-old.

Johnson, who still is being paid by the Dallas Mavericks who fired him in 2008 with two years and $8 million remaining on his contract, is in no hurry to get back into the coaching game.

He has enjoyed his time as an ESPN analyst, as well as the additional time he has had to spend with his children.

While he has made no secret about wanting to return to coaching, he has also made it abundantly clear that he only will return when the right opportunity presents itself.

Detroit has enjoyed a great reputation for years as one of the league's better teams, but Johnson is no dummy.

He knows this team is in a transition period, and, in all likelihood, won't be a true player in the chase for an NBA title this upcoming season.

It is going to take some time to rebuild this team into a title contender, something previous Pistons coaches have had very little of in Detroit.

Because of that, Johnson is seeking as many years as possible and likely will demand a contract similar to the four year, $18 million deal Washington signed former-Pistons coach Flip Saunders to last month.

Avery Johnson could seek a say in personnelBy VINCE ELLIS • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • July 5, 2009

Multiple media reports confirmed Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars will be in Houston today to talk to former Mavericks coach Avery Johnson about the vacant head coaching job.

But NBA.com had an interesting take Saturday.

There has been much speculation about what Johnson would demand to return to the bench to replace Michael Curry, who was fired Tuesday. But citing an unnamed source, the reports said Johnson wants a say in personnel matters and "is looking for a true partnership with management/ownership."
The report went on to say Dumars would likely have to make a long commitment at about $5 million per season.

It appears that Johnson, 44, is definitely the top choice, but if the report is true, those terms could prove too steep for the Pistons.