Pistons don't have an All-Star but this might be the next best thing
The Detroit Pistons haven’t had an All-Star player since Blake Griffin in the 2018-19 season, an embarrassing drought that tells you everything you need to know about how things have gone since then.
They are hoping Cade Cunningham will get there soon, as they will likely give him a max extension this summer and need to see some positive proof that all the tanking was worth it.
In the meantime, the Pistons are looking to host the NBA All-Star game, an opportunity they’ve been waiting for since Little Caesar’s Arena was first opened back in 2017 and the team submitted their bid for the event.
Related Story. 5 Stars the Pistons missed by a single pick in the NBA Draft. 5 Stars the Pistons missed by a single pick in the NBA Draft. dark
It’s something that is long overdue, as the Pistons haven’t hosted an All-Star game in Detroit since 1959 and last hosted one at all in 1979, in Pontiac when they were still in the Silverdome. They’ve been through two arenas since and still haven’t been chosen to host an All-Star game, something that may be about to change.
The Detroit Pistons hosting the NBA All-Star game
There is currently excitement around Detroit, unfortunately, none of it is for the Pistons. The Lions are coming off a great season and have plenty to look forward to and both the Tigers and Red Wings appear to be on the right paths in their rebuilds. We aren't even in May yet and the Tigers have already won more games than the Pistons did this season.
Detroit recently hosted a successful NFL Draft but talk quickly turned to when the city will finally get an All-Star game.
According to Pistons COO Richard Haddad, that day may be coming soon, claiming that it’s something they’ve been working on with the NBA for some time and the idea is gaining momentum.
Detroit may finally be getting an NBA All-Star Game. Pistons COO Richard Haddad told us NBA executives were in town this weekend for the NFL Draft.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 28, 2024
"NBA All-Star Game, NHL All-Star Game, you can count on 'em. They're comin'," Visit Detroit's Claude Molinari told @WXYZDetroit. pic.twitter.com/HiBXmyvTu2
It’s wild that the Pistons never hosted an All-Star game in The Palace considering how much success they had there, but its distance from Detroit and lack of viable hotel options may have been factors.
Those issues are largely solved, as the team has moved downtown and recent improvements to the area have made for far more options when it comes to hotels and restaurants.
This would be great for the city of Detroit, but I am sure fans of the Pistons would far rather have some players in the All-Star game than host it.
manual