The Detroit Pistons continued their string of solid offseason signings with the addition of Brian Hill as the team's lead assistant.
Officials in Detroit and New Jersey confirmed Friday that Hill, who has been an NBA coach for more than 23 years, which includes a trip to the NBA finals (1995 with Orlando) as a head coach, will join Detroit's staff for the 2009-10 season. "Brian is going to Detroit," Nets team president Rod Thorn told the New York Post. "He is a terrific coach and a better guy. Solid all the way. He did a great job and we hate to lose him."
Hill, in speaking with the New Jersey Star-Ledger, said that "the toughest part is leaving (coach) Lawrence (Frank) and Rod, who have been so good to me over the years."
The Pistons are expected to make an official announcement on Hill's hiring as early as today.
When first-year coach John Kuester got the head coaching job in Detroit earlier this month, one of the first people he reached out to was Hill. Both were assistants on the Nets bench during the 2004-05 season.
'It's a tough decision, but for my own future -- and to help John (Kuester), who I know and respect -- I've accepted the position," Hill said. "John's putting together a good staff, and hopefully we have a good enough group to be a playoff team."
