NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that he would speak with Pistons Owner Tom Gores "about the possibilities" of a downtown home for the team, according to Rod Beard of the DETROIT NEWS. Asked about where the league stands on the team moving to downtown Detroit, Silver yesterday said, "The league doesn’t have a position on that. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I’m here today, to talk more to Tom Gores about the discussions he’s been having." Beard notes Gores recently has invested upward of $40M in upgrades at The Palace of Auburn Hills, but the "notion that he could be eyeing a move downtown isn’t out of the question." There could be "other options, including creating a partnership with the Red Wings and playing at their new downtown arena," which is scheduled to open in '17. Gores at a Pistons Business Leaders luncheon yesterday said that The Palace "was their home but that didn’t preclude the team from exploring other options." Gores: "We all probably have thought about moving one day from our current houses -- but you still take care of that home and you respect it and it needs to be touched with all your emotions." Gores admitted that it is a "tough spot to be in, as The Palace remains one of the top basketball venues in the league, but the allure of downtown and the possibilities there could make it an interesting proposition." But Gores "stopped short of saying that a move -- at any point -- was coming" (DETROIT NEWS, 1/19). In Michigan, David Mayo noted the Pistons retained veteran sports agent Arn Tellem last year "as a special liaison to Gores last year, with an eye toward establishing a relationship with the Ilitch family," who own the Red Wings. Tellem's "hands-on role with the Pistons has him expanding community relations, exploring new media deals, and delving into the logistics of moving downtown" (MLIVE.com, 1/18).
THINGS WILL BE GREAT: In Detroit, Drew Sharp writes the Pistons giving back to the city "only heightens the sense that Gores hasn’t given up on the possibility of the Pistons moving back to downtown Detroit, after spending nearly four decades in suburban Oakland County." While all parties involved "remain publicly evasive, it’s becoming increasingly apparent -- behind the scenes -- the chances of the Pistons returning to their namesake in the next five years are better than a coin flip," which is something many "wouldn’t have believed barely a year ago." Gores yesterday added that he and Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert have "frequently talked about potential long-range opportunities." Gores would not offer specifics, but he said that he "expected more announcements in the near future regarding the Pistons." Gores: "Where we play our games is secondary right now to our increased interest in getting more involved in the city" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 1/19).
