The Detroit Pistons experienced mixed results the last time they hired a former star guard to head basketball operations, but the good outweighed the bad.
Joe Dumars stepped into the role in 2000 and soon assembled a collection of castoffs from other clubs that experienced tremendous success, reaching the Eastern Conference finals six years in a row and winning the NBA championship in 2004.
The Pistons failed to make the playoffs during Dumars' final five years, with a revolving door of coaches and players. That paved the way for owner Tom Gores to bring in Stan Van Gundy as coach and president of basketball operations.