Pistons hire shot doctor to coaching staff

The Detroit Pistons have hired a new coach — and he could be what the doctor ordered.

Fred Vinson is joining head coach Monty Williams’ staff as an assistant, a source confirmed to the Free Press on Friday. Vinson, 52, had spent the previous 14 seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Vinson is a former assistant under Williams, who coached the Pelicans from 2010-15, and has strong ties to new Pistons president Trajan Langdon, who formerly was the Pelicans’ general manager.

Vinson has long been respected as one of the league’s top shooting gurus, and is joining a franchise that ranked 26th in 3point percentage (34.8%) last season.

The Pistons’ issues at the 3-point line have been longstanding, as they’ve ranked in the bottom nine in percentage for five consecutive seasons. New Orleans, which finished fourth (38.3%) this past season, has seen young players such as Lonzo Ball, Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado become competent outside shooters under Vinson’s tutelage.

The Pistons have numerous young players on the roster who have been poor or below-average career 3-point shooters, notably Ausar Thompson, Jaden

Ivey and Cade Cunningham. Jalen Duren has taken more than 90% of his shots from 10 feet and in, according to Basketball Reference.

There has been speculation whether Williams, who just completed the first year of a six-year contract with $78.5 million of guaranteed money, will return after a franchise-worst 14-68 season.

Langdon is in charge of all hiring and firing decisions, and Vinson’s addition to the staff could be a signal that Williams will return. Money won’t be a factor in that decision, as sources say team ownership will eat the remaining cost of Williams’ contract, which has five years and $67.5 remaining, if Langdon wishes to go a different direction at head coach.

After going undrafted in 1994 after three seasons at Georgia Tech, Vinson played professionally for 13 seasons, bouncing between the NBA, other U.S. basketball leagues and overseas. He joined the Los Angeles Clippers as an assistant in 2008 before leaving for the Pelicans two years later.

Langdon has been busy since taking over the organization in late May. He also hired former Pelicans executive Michael Blackstone and Nets executive J.R. Holden.