Report: Pistons expected to target Michigan State's Tom Izzo this offseason

Tom Izzo is drawing interest from an NBA team once again. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images Sport) With the Pistons' disastrous season coming to a merciful close, and
Report: Pistons expected to target Michigan State's Tom Izzo this offseason
Report: Pistons expected to target Michigan State's Tom Izzo this offseason /

Tom Izzo is drawing interest from an NBA team once again. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images Sport)

Tom Izzo

With the Pistons' disastrous season coming to a merciful close, and possibly the end of Joe Dumars' tenure in the team's front office, reports are starting to circulate about the team's expected makeover this offseason and potential new leaders.

According to Sam Amick of USA Today, one person Detroit's ownership will pursue this summer is Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo.

Izzo came close to becoming the Cavaliers' head coach in 2010, before turning the franchise down and staying at Michigan State. Cleveland went on to hire Byron Scott.

During his 19 years at Michigan State, Izzo has compiled a 467-186 record (.715) and led the Spartans to six Final Fours and a national championship in 1999-00. He's also led MSU to seven regular-season Big Ten titles and four conference tourney championships. He's gained a reputation of not only being an excellent coach, but a developer of college players into solid pros. The list of former Spartans in the NBA includes the Warriors' Draymond Green, the 76ers' Jason Richardson, the Grizzlies' Zach Randolph and the Nets' Alan Anderson. Current sophomore Gary Harris is widely expected to join that list next season, sitting No. 12 on Chris Mannix's latest NBA Big Board.

This isn't the first time Izzo's name has been linked to the Pistons. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said in February that he believes the franchise 'will go hard' after the college coach this offseason.

Detroit hired a new head coach just last offseason in Maurice Cheeks, but the team's new leader was fired just 50 games into his tenure. The team appointed John Loyer to coach the team on an interim basis the rest of the season.


Published
Matt Dollinger
MATT DOLLINGER

Matt Dollinger is the NBA editor for SI.com. An Indiana University graduate and Bloomington, Ind. native, Matt joined Sports Illustrated in 2010.