Bad Boys Pistons Star Joe Dumars, Famous For His Aggressive and Intimidating Gameplay, Set to Become Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA
It’s possible that Joe Dumars was meant for this position. He was a member of the Detroit Pistons squad known as the Bad Boys, which was intimidating, violent, and physical. He ended up being the first recipient of the NBA’s sportsmanship award, which is now known as the Joe Dumars Trophy, even during those rough and tumble days. The NBA’s choice to appoint a former Detroit Pistons Bad Boy to manage league operations, including behavior and punishment, is ironic.
When you find out that Joe Dumars is the kindest of the Bad Boys, the irony is lost. It’s not like the league hired Bill Laimbeer or Dennis Rodman. He is now responsible for making sure that players don’t behave frequently as his former teammates did.
In May, Dumars was appointed Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA, giving him significant authority over all issues pertaining to player punishment for on-court behavior.
Joe Dumars is now the Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA
This week marks the start of Dumars’ first campaign as the NBA’s executive vice president in charge of basketball operations. In this capacity, he is responsible for “the development of playing rules and interpretations, conduct and discipline, and policies and procedures relating to the operation of games.”
REPORT: Joe Dumars is now Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA and will “oversee the evolution of rules and officiating along with discipline.”
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— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 12, 2022
Joe Dumars is familiar with what it’s like to be the target of reports about player punishment. He might not have fully lived up to the “Bad Boy” reputation that colleagues like Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, Isiah Thomas, and John Salley of the Pistons had acquired.
But Dumars was obviously not immune to fights; in fact, he received two fines in December 1990 alone for altercations with the Grant twins, the second of which occurred during a holiday game. Additionally, he was reportedly penalized $500,000 for leaking memos to a reporter as a Pistons official.
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