There is officially a new sheriff in town.
Dwane Casey was formally introduced as the Detroit Pistons' 36th head coach Wednesday afternoon at Little Cesar's Arena. Casey is replacing Stan Van Gundy who went 152-176 with one playoff appearance in four seasons.
Despite the franchise's recent lack of success, Casey spoke confidently and optimistically about his new team's future.
"The most important thing is the three guys, Blake (Griffin), Andre (Drummond) and Reggie (Jackson) are very talented," Casey said. "The talent level on the roster is there... The No. 1 nemesis is health. We have to make sure we stay healthy.
"Our time is now... I'm telling the guys now, we aren't developing, we are ready to win now."
The reigning NBA Coach of the Year, Casey has shown promise in the past, turning the Raptors into a serious contender during his 7-year stint in Toronto. He's posted a 373-307 record as a head coach and has won four Atlantic Division titles.
Casey was clearly one of the Pistons' top candidates.
"The thing that really drew me was that he was hungry," said Tom Gores, owner of the Pistons. "He checked every single box. I heard he was the safe choice, and he was, but he has a lot of upside, too... (Detroit) is very lucky to have Dwane."
"This is not a developmental job; it’s something (Casey) believes in.”
Casey is coming off an Eastern Conference beat 59-23 record, but was swept out of the playoffs in the second round by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He now joins a team that finished ninth in the East with a 39-43 record.
He knows there's still a lot of work to do, including adjusting to today's game.
"We have to get up more threes and play a more analytical game," Casey said. "It’s about wanting to win more than anything else and you have to adapt in this league or you die."