The Detroit Pistons sit at No. 26 in an NBA valuation report released by Forbes, but can the team sustain their growth after a rocky season?
A Forbes report which released its “Business of Basketball” List valuing each NBA franchise places the Detroit Pistons at No. 26, worth $1.27 billion, $5 million dollars less than the Cleveland Cavaliers – who sit at No. 25. Although, the list puts the Pistons towards the bottom of the pack, it flaunts a 15 percent increase in value since last year. The growth makes plenty of sense when taking into consideration the Detroit Pistons’ move to Little Caesars Arena and the blockbuster trade for Blake Griffin.
So, what does this all mean? Well, in Tom Gores’ case – owner of the Detroit Pistons – this is great news. He footed $325 million dollars for the squad and thus far is reaping the benefits of both the individual growth of the Pistons’ infrastructure and the progression of the Association overall. The NBA’s reach has usurped expectations and every team is compensated equally from the $24 million TV deal with ESPN and TNT, so of course Detroit is gathering revenue from the league’s popularity climb.
But, can the Pistons maintain this type of growth? Although the valuations were calculated by using multiple variables such as market, stadium and brand, the performance of the team will affect the Detroit Pistons’ value moving forward. The hiring of Dwane Casey ultimately signaled a change in direction for the franchise, but the 2018-19 NBA season has been full of inconsistencies, photo bombs and wide open shots that just are not falling.
The Detroit Pistons have two salaries due this season that rank in the top 25 around the league with Blake Griffin ($32,088,932) and Andre Drummond ($25,434,263). Yet, they are the only franchise out of six with two such players whose salaries rank within the top 25 that are not currently in position to compete in the postseason. The other five teams are the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trailblazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. The Washington Wizards just missed the cut, as both Bradley Beal and former Wizards’ player Otto Porter’s salaries dwell within the top 25.
Although the New York Knicks sit atop the league valuing in at $4 billion, the Detroit Pistons cannot hope that poor standings will result in a loyal by any means fan base. Between the 2016-17 and 2017-18 NBA seasons, the Pistons attendance climbed from 25th in the league to the 19th in the league. Currently, Basketball Reference estimates the Detroit Pistons’ attendance has fallen to 22nd in the league.
The Detroit Pistons are in an interesting position this season as two trades resulted in the loss of an efficient three-point shooter and an elite wing defender, which knock the Pistons down the competitive scale a bit. However, it’s not too late to turn things around. With Reggie Jackson settling into his role as a spot-up shooter and off-the-ball savant and Blake Griffin running an offense that Andre Drummond cleans up around the rim, Detroit is heading down a path of stability and continued evolution. We won’t see 15 percent increase in value next year for the Pistons. But, as long as the franchise treks forward, the numbers will come.