It wasn’t a happy ending from which Stan Van Gundy could ride off into the sunset, leaving the Pistons on his own terms, feeling like he had accomplished what he set out to do.
Instead, it was an unceremonious end to a four-year tenure, with only one playoff appearance to show for his time in Detroit, as both the team president and head coach.
Not quite what he had hoped for.
Still, Van Gundy has gotten credit from Pistons owner Tom Gores for helping turn the culture of the franchise around. Gores fired Van Gundy in May, paving the way for new coach Dwane Casey to finish the job, inheriting Van Gundy’s roster and leaving the salary-cap issues that have the Pistons at a relative standstill.