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NBA approves Pistons move to Little Caesars Arena

ByDuncan Smith|
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 22: Detroit Mayor, Mike Duggan shakes hands with Detroit Pistons owner, Tom Gores during a press conference to announce that the Detroit Pistons will move to downtown Detroit and begin playing at the new Little Caesars Arena starting next season on November 22, 2016 at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 22: Detroit Mayor, Mike Duggan shakes hands with Detroit Pistons owner, Tom Gores during a press conference to announce that the Detroit Pistons will move to downtown Detroit and begin playing at the new Little Caesars Arena starting next season on November 22, 2016 at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)

The NBA’s board of governors has unanimously approved the Detroit Pistons’ move to Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.

The NBA’s board of governors convened on Thursday, and the Detroit Pistons’ move back to Midtown Detroit was on the agenda. As expected, the NBA voted unanimously in favor of the Pistons moving back home to Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons will depart their home of almost 30 years, the Palace of Auburn Hills, in suburban Detroit. They won three NBA championships at the Palace, went to the NBA Finals five times and had a stretch of six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances in the mid-2000’s.

Great players have called the Palace home over the decades, including guys like Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars (as both player and president of basketball operations), Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and more.

In a league where parity doesn’t exist and most franchises don’t sniff one championship let alone three, the Pistons have been an organization frequently blessed with both excellent front offices  (under Jack McCloskey in the 80’s and Joe Dumars in the mid-2000’s, in particular) and Hall of Fame talents.

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While the Palace will be missed, the return to Detroit will signal a new chapter, hopefully on the floor as much as off it. Less than two weeks ago the city of Detroit observed the 50th anniversary of the 1967 riots, and now the Pistons are moving back to the city they departed decades ago.

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