Curry fired after first year in Detroit

But winning playoff games hasn't been enough to keep Pistons management happy. Just ask Flip Saunders.

Dumars fired Saunders last season after he led the team to the Eastern Conference final in each of his three seasons. Curry was an assistant under Saunders for one season.

The Pistons parted ways with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown in 2005 after he helped them win a title and almost repeat during his 2 years with the team. And Rick Carlisle was fired after 2 years following a conference final appearance in 2003 in his second season and NBA Coach of the Year honors in his first.

The Pistons went 39-43 in 2008-09 and were swept in the postseason in four lopsided losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers after six straight conference final appearances. Dumars said after that series that Curry would return, but changed his mind.

"This was a difficult decision to make," Dumars said in a statement. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change."

Pistons spokesman Kevin Grigg said the timetable for naming a new coach was up in the air.

The Pistons began the season with big hopes but couldn't recover from the loss of All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups in a November trade to Denver for Allen Iverson - a move intended to feature Iverson's creativity and create time for emerging guard Rodney Stuckey.

Instead, the Pistons fell apart. They won just three games in February and three in April, plummeting to the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff seeding and a no-win matchup with LeBron James and the Cavs.

Noteworthy

 

* A judge in New Jersey sentenced Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith to 90 days in jail for causing an auto accident that killed his friend, though Smith will likely end up serving only 30.

Municipal Judge Debra J. Gelson suspended 60 days of the sentence providing Smith performs 500 hours of community service consisting of visiting sick children at hospitals.

Smith, who starred at Lakewood High School and St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, admitted driving an SUV through a stop sign and colliding with a car in Millstone Township, about 20 miles east of Trenton, in June 2007. Passenger Andre Bell later died from his injuries.

* Financial difficulties, combined with the potential of one of the best classes ever in 2010, will have most teams keeping their check books closed this summer during the free agency period in the NBA. Teams may choose to wait for next year, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire can all become available, and may not want to waste precious salary cap space now.

For those who do want to buy now, there is some talent worth considering.

Big-name free agents include Jason Kidd, Andre Miller, Ron Artest, Hedo Turkoglu, Shawn Marion, Allen Iverson and Ben Gordon.

Teams can't officially sign free agents until July 8, after the salary cap for next season has been set.

* Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur are staying with the Utah Jazz next season. Both players decided against opting out of the final year of their contracts. *