Celtics top assistant Lawrence Frank remains in the hunt for the Detroit Pistons' coaching vacancy. From ESPN.com's Marc Stein:

Of the five known candidates for job, sources say that former Pistons assistant Mike Woodson is still the closest thing to a favorite, thanks largely to Woodson’s good working relationship with Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars and the fact that Detroit would know exactly what it’s getting after Woodson’s work under Larry Brown during the Pistons’ 2004 title run.

Yet sources say that one reason Detroit’s search has dragged out so long is the strong impression that Lawrence Frank made on new Pistons owner Tom Gores and his advisers, among them former New York Knicks executive Dave Checketts.

Detroit’s choice, then, appears to be a tossup between the unattached Woodson and Frank, who remains part of Doc Rivers’ staff in Boston.

Stein suggests the Pistons are inching closer to a decision. Frank has already been a finalist for jobs in Houston (Kevin McHale), Golden State (Mark Jackson), and Toronto (Dwane Casey). The Celtics have maintained their interest in bringing back Frank as Rivers' top assistant if he doesn't land a head coaching job. If he does go, the lockout will not prevent Rivers from searching for a new addition to his staff.