Heat director of basketball development and analytics Shane Battier is expected to interview with the Pistons for a second time, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). We initially heard last week that the Heat had granted Battier permission to meet with Detroit about a possible front office role.
According to Jackson, the Pistons were “impressed” by Battier during that first meeting, resulting in a probable second interview later this week.
While Battier isn’t believed to be in consideration for the top job in Detroit’s front office, the Pistons could offer the longtime NBA forward a promotion from his current role in Miami. The Heat are believed to be grooming Battier for a higher-level front office job down the road, but if things go well with the Pistons, the 39-year-old could accelerate that timeline and potentially join his hometown team — Battier was born in Birmingham, Michigan.
Having parted ways with Stan Van Gundy earlier this month, the Pistons are on the lookout for a new head of basketball operations and a new head coach, and are said to be focusing on the front office job first.
NBA executive VP of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, Grizzlies executive VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski, Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, and Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon are among the candidates reportedly receiving consideration from the Pistons for the top basketball ops job, with former players Battier and Brent Barry said to be in the mix for front office positions too.
It would be very hard to not be impressed by Battier
Except he may still pronounce his name frenchy.
Battier would be a great hire. He deserves a chance on a larger scale like this.
Heat are grooming him to take over for Andy Ellisburg/Riles, but it’s hard to pass up going home