[Detroit News]

ROB PARKER: O'Brien skips on Flip
My moles are telling me that Jim O'Brien is not joining the Pistons after all.

O'Brien, the former 76ers and Celtics head coach, appeared to be heading to Motown to join Flip Saunders ' coaching staff.

O'Brien, currently in Greece, interviewed for an assistant's gig. The Pistons wanted him. It seemed as if O'Brien wanted back into the league after sitting out last season.

Now, moles say, there are some family issues that will prevent O'Brien from taking the job.

[Detroit Free Press]

Pistons stay on the flip side
Coach Flip Saunders, meet your newest reserve, Ronald (Flip) Murray.

A person within the Pistons organization confirmed Friday that the team will introduce Murray, a guard, alongside Ben Wallace's stand-in, center Nazr Mohammed, at a press conference next week.

Terms of the deal could not be confirmed, but it is almost certain Murray will accept the team's biennial exception, a $1.75-million salary slot for teams over the league's salary cap to spend every second year on the free agent market.

[MLive.com]

A. SHERROD BLAKELY: Another Flip to the D
Flip Murray has agreed to a two-year deal with the Pistons, starting at $1.7 million for this upcoming season. He will be play behind Chauncey Billups, and at times, can be used as a backup to Richard Hamilton as well.

Although Murray, who was with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, struggled in the playoffs against the Pistons, he seems to be the kind of change-of-pace guard Joe Dumars said he was looking for.

FULL-COURT PRESS: Bulls frontload Wallace's contract
The Bulls had about $17.5 million in salary-cap space for this season, and general manager John Paxson said Thursday that most of it is going to Wallace.

Wallace benefits by getting more money up front, and the structure of the deal helps the Bulls absorb contract extensions to Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng in the coming seasons.