One Season And Rothstein Is Fired

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Detroit Pistons today fired coach Ron Rothstein after one season on the job.

Although they closed the season with a 116-110 win over New Jersey yesterday, the Pistons failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Rothstein, club president Tom Wilson and director of player personnel Billy McKinney met this morning.

"We talked at some length about the problems, both real and perceived, that we all sort of lived through this year," Wilson said. "I guess the bottom line was, we all sort of looked at this and said, `If we're going to go on in a positive direction . . . change is the only thing to do.' "

McKinney said club officials didn't know when they would name a new coach. He said officials would meet with Pistons assistants tomorrow.

Detroit, which won consecutive NBA championships in 1989-90, finished sixth in the Central Division this season with a 40-42 record.

Rothstein had the unenviable task of replacing Chuck Daly, who quit a year ago and became coach of the Nets.

McKinney said Rothstein's situation was unusual.

"I don't know who could have come in here and done any better than Ron Rothstein," McKinney said. "But there are things beyond anyone's control."

"This was not an easy year, there's no question about that," Rothstein said yesterday. "Circumstances were difficult. But you can't erase it."

The 42 losses were the most for Detroit since it went 37-45 in

1983, Isiah Thomas' second year in the NBA. That also was the last time the Pistons missed the playoffs.

Rothstein has a guaranteed four-year contract worth a reported $2.1 million. But all season he has worked amid reports of a player rebellion, injuries to key players and criticism from fans and the media.

He also has had to put up with the strange and disruptive behavior of Dennis Rodman, the league's top rebounder. Rodman felt it was Rothstein who pushed Daly out the door, after Rothstein spent a year as Pistons' broadcaster. Daly had been a father figure to Rodman.

Yet Rodman said he felt it would be wrong to fire Rothstein.

"The same thing would have happened, no matter who had been coach," Rodman said.

Rodman missed 20 games with various ailments and injuries. The Pistons were 4-16 when he didn't play.

"It's not a thing with me and Ron Rothstein at all," Rodman said. "I acted the same way when Chuck was here."