GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (March 26, 2014) — The Detroit Pistons will soon be getting an NBA Development League affiliate in Grand Rapids, according to the Detroit Free Press.
A source told the Free Press that they won’t have to share the affiliate with any other NBA teams and that Pistons owner, Tom Gores made the push for the new team.
It’s reported that the team is relocating from Springfield, Mass. where it’s called the Armor, but there’s no word yet on what it’ll be called when they get to West Michigan and get ready to kick-off the next season.
Currently, the Pistons share the Fort Wayne Mad Ants D-League team with the Charlotte Bobcats, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.
An announcement on the D-League’s debut is expected on April 15.
The Detroit Free Press reports that local investors are buying the franchise and that home games will be at DeltaPlex Arena in Walker, north of Grand Rapids – the owner of the DeltaPlex, Joel Langlois told the Free Press that he couldn’t comment at this time.
A spokesperson for the Pistons said that there’s ‘nothing official to report’ yet.
If the D-League team does come to Grand Rapids, it would join two other affiliates in Grand Rapids – the Detroit Tigers’ Whitecaps and the Red Wings’ Griffins.
