NBA refutes report that Middle Eastern investors bidding on Pistons; Tom Gores could be the frontrunner to buy team

Yesterday, The National, a newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, reported complete with seemingly supportive comments from David Stern that new bidders, based in the Middle East, were involved in trying to purchase the Pistons.

Well, not so fast. The Detroit News, which has consistently been ahead of everyone else on reporting on the sale of the team, says the NBA has denied The National’s report. Greg Krupa of the News also offered this interesting tidbit:

"A spokesman for billionaire financier Tom Gores, a native of Flint, said Thursday that Gores “remains very interested in trying to do something” to purchase the Pistons. A source close to the negotiations says Gores is now “the leading bidder.”"

The biggest selling point for Ilitch is the fact that, like him or not, at least he’d keep the team in Michigan. Gores, as a native Michigander, also appears likely to have no interest in moving the team and, unlike Ilitch, Gores has wanted a NBA team for a while, so it’s also likely he’d invest the proper resources in making the team successful again.