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Phil Jackson visited and left in his first visible contribution to president of basketball operations Joe Dumars' coaching search, which has included four known formal interviewees, and undoubtedly others whom Dumars has kept under wraps. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Joe Dumars 

Sources say there is no leading candidate, though the Pistons' ability to pry an interview out of Mike Budenholzer certainly represented some leeway in the San Antonio Spurs veteran assistant coach's future plans. Budenholzer long has been considered the top choice to replace Spurs boss Gregg Popovich someday, and while that still could happen, there are only 30 of these jobs and that bird-in-hand thing to consider, if the Pistons' and Budenholzer's shared interest should take them deep into the search process. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, Joe Dumars, Mike Budenholzer 

Jackson's long relationship with Brian Shaw, the Indiana Pacers assistant regarded as a top head-coaching candidate, also could factor into the search. Pacers president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh has said he would prefer his assistants not interview for other jobs during the postseason, but if Jackson happens to mention to Shaw that he thinks Detroit might be a good fit, and Dumars happens to agree, then the unconventional association between Jackson and the Pistons could pay substantive dividends. Booth Newspapers

Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Donnie Walsh, Joe Dumars 

Is "The Dream" in Andre Drummond's future? Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the game's all-time great offensive players, is expected to work with the Pistons' center-forward over the summer to help him with his offensive game, which is still in the infant stages. USA Today Sports

Detroit Pistons, Hakeem Olajuwon, Andre Drummond 

His name has been mentioned, in some publications and blogs, as a possibility to be the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons. “It has not,” Laimbeer said. “I read every article in the world about basketball, and what people are saying is not being read out there, don’t even start that (stuff).” So he’s not interested in the job? “I didn’t say that,” Laimbeer answered. “I have a job right now. I will be interested in that job forever, but they are off in their own direction right now, so don’t even go down that road.” The Bulletin

Detroit Pistons, Coaching, Bill Laimbeer 

The list of known candidates for the Pistons' coaching vacancy, currently at four, appears poised to swell to five. Sources say that Knicks assistant coach Darrell Walker will soon get an interview for the position vacated by Lawrence Frank. The Pistons have already interviewed the available Nate McMillan, Suns interim coach Lindsey Hunter, Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer and Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Nate McMillan, Mike Budenholzer, Darrell Walker, Lindsey Hunter 

Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff is interviewing with Milwaukee Bucks officials on Friday for the franchise's head coaching job, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. This is Bickerstaff's second interview for a head-coaching job this week. He met with Detroit general manager Joe Dumars on Tuesday. Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Joe Dumars, JB Bickerstaff 

Mark Berman: NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Detroit Pistons contacted the Rockets and requested permission to interview ass't coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

Houston Rockets assistant coach J.B. Bickerstaff will interview for the Detroit Pistons' head coaching job on Wednesday, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

Matt Dery: For those of you asking, yes... Phil Jackson is in town today. #Pistons. Twitter @deryNBA

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson 

The Pistons, according to NBA coaching sources, are adding Houston Rockets assistant J.B. Bickerstaff to the list of candidates they're considering to replace the ousted Lawrence Frank. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, JB Bickerstaff 

Isiah Thomas watches the news coming out of the Pistons’ camp with great interest. A color analyst for NBATV, Thomas still would like to be a part of the Pistons’ organization. If owner Tom Gores invited him to interview for the vacant head coaching job, the Hall of Famer would gladly accept. “I love the Pistons, and I have and will always help them anyway I can,” Thomas said last week. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Isiah Thomas, Tom Gores 

Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is scheduled to arrive in the Detroit area today and begin consulting the Pistons on their coaching search, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Free Press this morning. But the source reiterated that Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars is “running the show,” and Jackson will be here strictly to assist Dumars. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Hall of Fame 

The candidates known to have received interviews are former SuperSonics and Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan, Phoenix Suns interim coach Lindsey Hunter and San San Antonio Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer. The source added that, if Dumars thinks it would be productive, Jackson would participate in some of the candidate interviews this week. Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Joe Dumars, Nate McMillan, Mike Budenholzer, Lindsey Hunter 

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer has emerged as a candidate for the Detroit Pistons' head coaching job, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Pistons president Joe Dumars traveled to San Antonio on Wednesday and spent several hours meeting with Budenholzer, the top assistant to Gregg Popovich. Yahoo! Sports

Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Joe Dumars, Mike Budenholzer 

Chris Mannix: Knicks assistant coach Darrell Walker is a candidate for the Pistons coaching job, sources say. Walker was a Pistons assistant from '08-'11 Twitter

Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Coaching, Darrell Walker 

One source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Jackson's willingness to counsel Gores and Pistons president Joe Dumars as they weigh candidates to replace the ousted Lawrence Frank is an unpaid consultancy stemming from Jackson's friendship with Gores and "does not foreclose any options" with regard to the 11-time championship coach's intentions to find a new full-time NBA management job. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Joe Dumars 

Jackson's arrangement with the Pistons, according to sources, is an "act of friendship." Former New York Knicks and Utah Jazz executive Dave Checketts previously served as a Pistons adviser to Gores without officially joining team management. ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Joe Dumars 

Tom Gores’ vow to use every available resource to restore the Pistons to greatness has led him to Phil Jackson, who has agreed to serve in an advisory capacity in the franchise’s search for a head coach. “Phil Jackson is a friend and one of the best minds in the business,” Gores said. “We are thrilled to have him as an adviser as we make some very important decisions for this franchise. Joe (Dumars) and I discussed this and he and I are in full agreement that this is a great opportunity.” NBA.com

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Owners, Tom Gores 

A spokesman for Gores indicated that this is an advisory role and not a formal position inside the Pistons organization. Joe Dumars, president of basketball operations, said he welcomes Jackson’s input. “Tom and I discussed using a consultant as part of our decision-making process in our search for a head coach and we feel that Phil Jackson is a great resource to use,” Dumars said. “I look forward to talking with Phil next week.” NBA.com

Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Owners, Tom Gores