Detroit Pistons impacted by the Clippers' coaching search?

Per Phil's report...

While Cheeks hasn't been linked seriously to any jobs besides the Pistons, McMillan's name had been linked to the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle Supersonics resurgence prior to being linked to the Clippers. While McMillan's name is thought to be a top Pistons' President/GM Joe Dumars' list of candidates, McMillan may be holding out to see if he can land a more "ready made" roster (such as the Clippers) before agreeing to come on as the Pistons head coach.

While it's been speculated since Maurice Cheeks met with the Pistons for his second interview last Wednesday, the two front-runners for the Pistons coaching job are reportedly Cheeks and Nate McMillan. Many also believe that Brian Shaw is name on the Pistons shortlist.

Either way, those trying to guess the next Pistons head coach would be wise to keep an eye on the Clippers coaching search. Using the Atlanta Hawks' recent hiring of Mike Budenholzer (a coach the Pistons interviewed twice) as an example, many of the names the Pistons are seeking out are also being sought after by teams that are more capable of being "ready to win." The Clippers are one of those teams; and because coaching candidates who have the opportunity to coach Chris Paul and Blake Griffin usually take it, the Pistons' decision between McMillan, Shaw or Cheeks will likely be made for them.

It's nice to hold all the cards when making a coaching hire in the NBA, but when you're in a rebuilding situation seeking coaching candidates linked to higher-profile openings, sometimes the "weeding out" happens through another team's process of elimination. It's very possible that the Pistons' next hire is a candidate not chosen for the Clippers seat, and it could be McMillan or Shaw.