AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — No one has been fired at the Palace.
That doesn't mean general manager Joe Dumars and head coach Lawrence Frank are safe, though.
Pistons owner Tom Gores spoke briefly to the media before Monday's home finale against Philadelphia and made it clear he hasn't been happy with the 2012-13 season. Detroit entered the game with a 28-52 record, nine games out of the Eastern Conference's last playoff spot, and have a lower winning percentage (.350) than last season's .379.
"We definitely fell short of my expectations this season, and I'm here to assess the situation," he said. "I expected us to make the playoffs. I meant that when I said that last year."
Gores, who met with Frank and Dumars on Sunday, didn't give them anything resembling a vote of confidence during the three minutes he spoke to the press.
"I expected better results, and both of them are accountable for that," Gores said. "So is ownership. I have to think about this franchise and what is best for the future. I'm excited about that future, but I'm not content with how we performed this year."
Detroit enters the offseason with a rare chance at turning the franchise around in a hurry. The Pistons have moved themselves well under the salary cap, and they will also have a high pick in the draft. However, the last time Detroit opened cap room like this, it turned into Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon, and Gores knows the Pistons can't afford to miss a second time.
"This is a crucial time for the franchise, because we've worked to give ourselves this room and we have to use it correctly," he said. "It's very important that we have the right management team in place, because this is an opportunity to build a team that can get back to the playoffs and win a championship."
Gores didn't rule out anything, including taking a financial hit to amnesty Villanueva or going over the luxury-tax threshold.
"We are prepared to do whatever it takes to build a championship team," he said. "You can tell the world we're ready to spend."
Whatever Gores decides, don't expect it to take long. He said the assessment on Dumars and Frank would be "thorough and quick."
