Category: Detroit Pistons Blog

Here’s Michigan Live reporting on the end of an era in the greater Detroit area:

The Palace of Auburn Hills is officially closing for business.

Palace Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) confirmed on Thursday, Aug. 24, that Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s sold-out concert will mark the final event on Sept. 23 at the former home to the Detroit Pistons.

Speculation has been flowing for months about the closure of the major sports and concert venue, and a potential transformation into a mixed-use development after the Pistons officially announced their move to the nearly complete Little Caesars Arena in Downtown Detroit.

The Detroit Pistons will make their downtown Detroit debut and open the 2017-18 NBA Season at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, October 18 (7:00 p.m. EST) against the Charlotte Hornets.

The sparkling new state-of-the-art Little Caesars Arena features a dramatic arena bowl with close proximity to the action, great sight lines, a 5,100 square-foot overhead scoreboard with seamless display and some of the most advanced technology and fan amenities in the NBA.

Highlights of the Pistons’ home schedule include two appearances by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Cavaliers (November 20 and January 30) and two visits from Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward and the Eastern Conference finalists, the Boston Celtics (December 10 and February 23). The NBA Champion Golden State Warriors featuring Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Michigan-native Draymond Green visit December 8, all-star point guard Chris Paul, MVP runner-up James Harden and the Houston Rockets come to Little Caesars Arena on January 6 and reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, all-star forward Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder visit January 27.

Other intriguing Eastern Conference home contests include two meetings with John Wall, Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards (January 19 and March 29), who pushed Boston to seven games in last year’s Eastern Conference Semi-finals. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors visit Little Caesars Arena on March 7 and April 9 while NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks make stops in Detroit on November 3 and February 28. Joel Embiid, 2017 first overall pick Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers appear on October 23 and April 4.

Enticing Western Conference home matchups include meetings with Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs on December 30 and Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and the re-vamped Minnesota Timberwolves on October 25. Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and the Portland Trail Blazers make their lone stop to the Motor City on February 5 and rookie guard Lonzo Ball and the new-look Los Angeles Lakers come to Detroit on March 26.

The Pistons begin the first of two five-plus game home stands with match-ups vs. Milwaukee (November 3), Sacramento (November 4), Indiana (November 8), Atlanta (November 10) and Miami (November 12). Detroit then hits the road for five of their next six games: at Milwaukee (November 15), at Indiana (November 17), at Minnesota (November 19), vs. Cleveland (November 20), at Oklahoma City (November 24) and at Boston (November 27). From January 30 to February 28, the Pistons enjoy 10-of-13 games at home including a season-high six-game home stretch with games against Cleveland (January 30), Memphis (February 1), Miami (February 3), Portland (February 5), Brooklyn (February 7) and L.A. Clippers (February 9). Detroit embarks on their longest road trip, a six-game stint, with meetings at Utah (March 13), at Denver (March 15), at Portland (March 17), at Sacramento (March 19), at Phoenix (March 20) and at Houston (March 22).

Detroit will make eight appearances on national television with three on ESPN, one on TNT and four games on NBATV. ESPN’s broadcasts include games vs. Golden State on Friday, December 6 (7:00 p.m. EST), vs. Washington on Friday, January 19 (8:00 p.m. EST) and vs. Toronto on Wednesday, March 7 (8:00 p.m. EST). TNT’s broadcast will be on Tuesday, January 30 at 8:00 p.m. EST against Central Division rival Cleveland Cavaliers. NBATV will broadcast Pistons games at L.A. Lakers on Tuesday, October 31 (10:30 p.m. EST), Monday, January 15 vs. Charlotte (12:30 p.m. EST), Monday, March 5 at Cleveland (7:00 p.m. EST) and Sunday, April 8 at Memphis (2:30 p.m. EST). The club’s local television schedule on Fox Sports Detroit will be announced at a later date. All games will be broadcasted on radio at 97.1 FM The Ticket or WWJ NewsRadio 950.

The Pistons’ schedule features 14 sets of back-to-back games this season. Four of the team’s back-to-back sets begin on the road and end at home, eight back-to-backs are on the road, one begin at home and conclude on the road and one back-to-back is at home.

The Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment (PS&E) announced today that Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Charlie Metzger has been promoted to a newly created position of Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer.

Metzger will report directly to Vice Chairman Arn Tellem and oversee all sales and marketing business operations for the company. Metzger joined the organization in 2012 after successfully leading teams, building brands and driving revenue across a wide array of industries.

“Charlie has served as an invaluable member of our executive team over the last five years, leading marketing efforts to increase brand presence and drive revenue,” said Tellem. “In the last year alone, Charlie has increased his role to include cultivating corporate partnerships and propelling new consumer sales strategies. His unifying and innovative spirit will provide steady leadership and vision as we push to reach new heights as an organization.”

A post shared by InsideHoops.com NBA Basketball (@insidehoops) on Jul 26, 2017 at 1:22pm PDT

The Detroit Pistons and Flagstar Bank, the largest savings bank headquartered in Michigan and the fifth-largest bank mortgage originator in the country, are unveiling a multi-year corporate partnership deal that brands Flagstar Bank as the franchise’s first-ever jersey partner and designates it the official banking and mortgage sponsor of the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit becomes the tenth NBA team to announce a jersey partner.

“This is a dynamic partnership between two organizations committed to building a better Detroit,” said Pistons owner Tom Gores. “Beyond putting the Flagstar name on our Pistons jerseys, we will be partnering on an education initiative that will benefit schoolchildren in Detroit. I’m really proud that this is more than just a business and marketing initiative. It’s about working together to support the revitalization of our city.”

Flagstar Bank President and CEO Alessandro DiNello described the partnership as a win-win for two of Michigan’s most dynamic and innovative companies. “Like the Pistons, Flagstar is a community-focused Michigan organization committed to instilling pride in our region and contributing to its vitality,” said Mr. DiNello. “At Flagstar, we have a 30-year history of community involvement and investment. We’re pleased to partner with the Pistons to bring good things to the community we share.”

Flagstar Bank will have their logo prominently featured on the left front strap of official Detroit Pistons team jerseys at the start of the 2017-18 NBA season.

“Thanks to the brand exposure with the Pistons, we will have an unmatched opportunity to tell the story of Flagstar’s transformation to a full-service community bank with a thriving commercial business,” Mr. DiNello said. “And the chance to share crafted solutions Flagstar customers love with Pistons fans through co-branded credit and debit cards and checking accounts built just for them, is truly exciting.”

Flagstar’s jersey partnership coincides with the beginning of the NBA’s new partnership with Nike, who will provide all uniforms and apparel for the club also beginning with the 2017-18 season. Nike used advanced technology to design a refined version of the Nike Aeroswift basketball uniform with significant changes to weight, fit and construction. A tailored chassis provides precision fit to ensure supreme comfort for the athlete and a combination of Alpha Yarns and recycled polyester to remove moisture, wicking sweat 30-percent faster than current NBA uniforms. Built with finishing details that enable freedom of movement, the Nike Aeroswift uniform features relocated armhole, neck and side seams, modified hemlines on the bottom of the jersey and shorts, and an altered back shoulder for a vastly improved fit.

The Pistons have signed guard/forward Luis Montero to a two-way contract.

Montero, 6-7, 190, played 49 games last season with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. In 36 games with Sioux Falls (15 starts), Montero averaged 8.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.4 minutes per game. He was traded to Reno on March 2, 2017 and averaged 8.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 13 games with the Bighorns. Montero played in four games with the with the Santa Cruz Warriors during the 2015-16 season and averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game. He saw action in 12 NBA games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2015-16 season and averaged 1.2 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.1 assists.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Montero played one year at Westchester Community College (2013-14) where he averaged 15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two Two-Way players on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster. Two-Way players for the Pistons will provide services primarily for the Grand Rapids Drive, the team’s G League affiliate, but can spend up to 45 days with the Pistons, not including any time prior to the start of the Drive’s training camp and at the conclusion of their season.

The Detroit Pistons on Saturday requested waivers on guard Michael Gbinije.

Drafted by the Pistons with the 49th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, Gbinije appeared in nine games last season with averages of 0.4 points, 0.3 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 3.5 minutes per game. Gbinije also appeared in 16 games with the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ NBA G League affiliate, and averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 35.0 minutes per game.

The Detroit Pistons have withdrawn their qualifying offer and renounced the rights to guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound shooting guard appeared in 76 games (75 starts) last season and averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, a career-high 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Caldwell-Pope led the team in scoring 17 times and among NBA league leaders, he ranked 37th in minutes per game (33.3 mpg).

Selected by Detroit in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft (#8 overall), the Thomaston, Georgia native compiled averages of 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 30.2 minutes in 314 career NBA games (274 starts). Caldwell-Pope was selected to the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star 2015.

The Detroit Pistons have signed free agent center Eric Moreland.

Moreland, 25, appeared in 44 games (41 starts) with the Canton Charge of the NBA’s G League last season, averaging 12.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.7 blocks, 1.7 steals and 33.4 minutes. He was named a NBA G League All-Star, named to the All-NBA G League Third Team and to the NBA G League All-Defensive Team last season.

The 6-10, 238-pound forward/center last appeared in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings during the 2015-16 season. He averaged 1.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.5 blocks and 6.0 minutes in eight games. For his NBA career, Moreland has appeared in 11 games, averaging 0.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.4 blocks and 4.5 minutes with the Kings. The Houston, TX native went undrafted out of Oregon State in the 2014 NBA Draft. During his final season with the Beavers as a junior, Moreland averaged 8.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.4 assists and 29.4 minutes in games. He finished his college career as Oregon State’s all-time leader in blocked shots (184).