Avery Interviewing For Pistons Job

  “There’s no indication why his candidacy hasn’t sped through in Detroit,’’ writes Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski ... and it’s a damn good question.

  Why isn't this done? Why is Avery Johnson no longer considered "the inevitable choice'' for a veteran Pistons team that on paper cannot afford to experiment with a new coach less experienced than The Lil’ Johnson?

   Allow me to explain:

    Yet both those guys are emerging as a candidate for a job for which Avery was supposed to be the “front-runner.’’

   It’s “not a given,’’ said Detroit GM Joe Dumars of Avery taking over.

   Why not? What has changed?

    Aw, maybe nothing. Avery oughta get the gig. I'll be happy for him. So will Mark Cuban!

   Dumars is reportedly heading to Houston this weekend to meet with Avery, that according to an ESPN report. (I wonder who ESPN used as an ESPN source to learn info about ESPN analyst Avery Johnson?)

   I bet Avery ends up being the guy. … but only after he demands enough dough to say goodbye to his easy-street buyout deal with Mark Cuban. (Art Garcia suggests that Avery will ask for $5 mil a year for five years!)

    That’ll be one stumbling block. Then will come this issue of Avery pretending to have relationships with people with whom he doesn’t have relationships. One of those is Dumars himself; a year ago, Avery made noise about being interested in the Detroit job (that eventually went to the now-fired Michael Curry) and noting that he and Dumars were close friends who “talk all the time’’ thanks to their shared Louisiana roots.

    Woj himself wrote this week that Dumars was looking forward to getting to know Avery, with whom he is obviously not close.

    Woj also writes: “Past employers and teammates haven’t always spoken glowingly of (Johnson).’’

    Yes. And that is a polite way of putting it.

    The Lil’ Johnson has developed a habit of backstabbing others, of fibbing about job prospects and of boasting about connections that he does not truly possess. Dumars and Avery might battle through those issues together … and if Avery has battled through his own issues, he should get the job and he should do a fine job.

    But if he hasn’t?

    The NBA world will have a clearer indication of “why his candidacy hasn’t sped through in Detroit.’’