Report: Pistons to name Kuester next coach

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 7 (UPI) -- The Detroit Pistons are expected to name long-time NBA assistant John Kuester their next head coach, various media reported Tuesday.

The reports say Kuester, who has been an assistant for six different NBA teams since 1995, including the Cleveland Cavaliers the past two seasons, is working out terms of a contract with the Pistons.

The Pistons reportedly chose Kuester, 54, over former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson and Doug Collins, a former NBA star who also coached Chicago, Detroit and Washington.

Detroit needs a replacement for Michael Curry, who was fired last week. In his first year last season, Curry led the Pistons to a 39-43 record and No. 8 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference. Detroit was swept in the first round of the playoffs by Cleveland.

Kuester played collegiately for North Carolina and in the NBA (1977-80) for Kansas City, Denver and Indiana. He was an assistant for the Pistons during their 2004 title run.