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And it might not be the relocated Grand Rapids Drive, but an expansion franchise.

Detroit — Built in 1965, the Matthaei Center has been the hub of Wayne State’s athletic campus in midtown Detroit. Intramural and club sports, the swimming facility and almost every other sport were housed in the same outdated facility.

The upgrade is coming.

With an 8-0 vote, the school’s Board of Governors unanimously approved a plan Wednesday to build a new $25-million on-campus athletic facility that will house its men’s and women’s basketball teams. In addition, the Pistons announced that the new facility will be home to their affiliate in the Gatorade League.

The new 70,000-square-foot facility — seating 3,000 — will be near the corner of Warren and Trumbull, where an intramural field currently sits, and replace the Matthaei Center as the athletic centerpiece. Construction could be completed late in 2021 and the facility is slated to be ready for the start of the 2021-22 basketball season.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2019/05/01/wayne-state-university-nears-plan-build-25-m-athletic-facility-detroit-pistons-g-league-team/3639957002/

Grand Rapids dilemma

The Pistons’ commitment in the new deal doesn’t bode well for the Grand Rapids Drive, their current affiliate. Although both sides signed a two-year extension agreement that extends through 2020-21, it’s unclear how things will move forward.

The Pistons don’t own the Drive but have an affiliate agreement. There could be a buyout forthcoming or the Pistons could pursue an expansion G-League team, with approval from the NBA.

“We’re in discussions right now and I don’t know. We have a commitment that we can get an expansion team, and it may be an expansion team,” Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem said. “We’ll see how our discussions are resolved as we talk with the NBA and the Grand Rapids team.”

WSU president talks about the school approving plans to build a $25-million arena and partnering with the Pistons to bring a G-League team to Detroit. James Hawkins, The Detroit News

The Drive, who have been the Pistons’ affiliate for five seasons, have indicated in a team statement that they are not planning to leave the DeltaPlex in Walker, Mich. and move to Detroit, which leaves that franchise — as well as their fans — in limbo.

“We have no plans on relocating to Detroit but continue to have great communication and a positive relationship with the Pistons organization,” the Drive said in a team statement. “We are solely focused on our sixth season this upcoming fall, in partnership with the Detroit Pistons and the NBA.”

I can't imagine it not being the GR Drive - the value of that team would tank without an NBA affiliation and no other NBA team would consider it without relocating it themselves. I have to believe their stance right now is lip service and posturing to not alienate their current fanbase for the next two seasons.

I believe in the next couple of years the G-League will become a more true minor league for the NBA with teams controlling most aspects and having multi-year contracts with all their minor league players who would be eligible for call-ups and the like.

3000 seats seems like the ideal size venue for minor league basketball, and putting it on a college campus seems pretty smart as well. It would be only two miles from the LCA and the new Pistons Training facility for a lot more synergy between teams.

There is drawbacks to basing the team so lose to the parent pro team and in putting it in Detroit given so many other professional choices. In GR you are a bigger deal with your own fanbase/market being 2.5 hours outside of Detroit. Wayne State has around 30,000 enrolled though, and I'd guess Pistons would paper the attendance by giving away tickets to schools and youth groups and the like. GR folks ain't driving 2.5 hours to go see the Pistons regularly, so using the G-League franchise to build a future in Detroit fanbase makes sense.

I know that Ben Wallace is a part owner of the Grand Rapids Drive... Seems like he will get screwed in this deal but I can understand why it is important for the Pistons to own their own G-League team so they have more control over the entire process and how their players are handled when they are sent down.

Not really a big deal, but that drive over to grand rapids was a limiting factor in sending guys up/down. It didn't really matter to us, but you can't really play in GR and then make it back to detroit for a flight that night. We've basically only used that send down process on long home stands .

Billl wrote:Not really a big deal, but that drive over to grand rapids was a limiting factor in sending guys up/down. It didn't really matter to us, but you can't really play in GR and then make it back to detroit for a flight that night. We've basically only used that send down process on long home stands .

Yeah, that drive is so long and boring. The logistics of it sucked, and hopefully this gets our developing of miscasted talent in much better form.

Another G League team in an NBA city? How original.

Grand Rapids Drive was great. AAA hockey & baseball works great because of the cities they're in. Secondary markets seem to do well for attendance. The G League is doing things wrong in my opinion because nobody in NBA cities really care about the G League, they seem content being a practice squad league compared to what the AHL or PCL/IL are.

I used to love attending Utah Flash games when they were in Orem/Provo, Utah. It wasn't as fun of an experience when the Jazz brought back a team and put it in the Salt Lake City area.

bstein14 wrote:I know that Ben Wallace is a part owner of the Grand Rapids Drive... Seems like he will get screwed in this deal but I can understand why it is important for the Pistons to own their own G-League team so they have more control over the entire process and how their players are handled when they are sent down.

Seems like Ben would get paid as the Pistons would have to buy out of the contract. Probably get 50-75% of the contract with no actual future costs.

He probably would be free to invest in future teams as well.

Not a bad deal.

srt4b wrote:

bstein14 wrote:I know that Ben Wallace is a part owner of the Grand Rapids Drive... Seems like he will get screwed in this deal but I can understand why it is important for the Pistons to own their own G-League team so they have more control over the entire process and how their players are handled when they are sent down.

Seems like Ben would get paid as the Pistons would have to buy out of the contract. Probably get 50-75% of the contract with no actual future costs.

He probably would be free to invest in future teams as well.

Not a bad deal.

Depending on what type of money a contract buyout is versus what Ben originally paid for his share of the team you might be correct or he might be getting a raw deal. Hopefully this move isn't screwing over a Pistons legend who's been at games and supporting the team as of late.

If Pistons get an expansion franchise over purchasing Drive the Drive value tanks as an unaffiliated team in the league. They'd get no NBA two way players or affiliate players or rehabbing players or rookie players sent down for minutes sorta deal. They'd also offer none of the scouting, coaching connections or benefits to players to consider signing there.

I still think it's all about the Drive not alienating their current fanbase by declaring they're going to move but they'll be at Wayne State when that new facility opens when it's all said and done.

Kilo wrote:If Pistons get an expansion franchise over purchasing Drive the Drive value tanks as an unaffiliated team in the league. They'd get no NBA two way players or affiliate players or rehabbing players or rookie players sent down for minutes sorta deal. They'd also offer none of the scouting, coaching connections or benefits to players to consider signing there.

I still think it's all about the Drive not alienating their current fanbase by declaring they're going to move but they'll be at Wayne State when that new facility opens when it's all said and done.

They could be unaffiliated and take on Denver & Portland's two way players & assignees.

But I'm a follower of the G League and I can't say I'm a fan of G League teams in NBA cities, it makes sense financially and from a development standpoint. But nobody in a lot of these NBA cities give a crap about the G League. At least Sioux Falls, Grand Rapids, Rio Grande Valley, Wisconsin Herd, Maine Red Claws, etc have support.

UtahJazzFan88 wrote:

Kilo wrote:If Pistons get an expansion franchise over purchasing Drive the Drive value tanks as an unaffiliated team in the league. They'd get no NBA two way players or affiliate players or rehabbing players or rookie players sent down for minutes sorta deal. They'd also offer none of the scouting, coaching connections or benefits to players to consider signing there.

I still think it's all about the Drive not alienating their current fanbase by declaring they're going to move but they'll be at Wayne State when that new facility opens when it's all said and done.

They could be unaffiliated and take on Denver & Portland's two way players & assignees.

But I'm a follower of the G League and I can't say I'm a fan of G League teams in NBA cities, it makes sense financially and from a development standpoint. But nobody in a lot of these NBA cities give a crap about the G League. At least Sioux Falls, Grand Rapids, Rio Grande Valley, Wisconsin Herd, Maine Red Claws, etc have support.

I think in this case it's more a facility issue. The Deltaplex where they play was built in the 1950's and then refurbished in late 1990's. It's the secondary arena even in Grand Rapids behind the Van Andel Arena. Problem with the Van Andel is that it seats 11,000 for basketball, and the G-League only attracts around a little less than 3000 fans in GR (and elsewhere mostly). New Wayne State facility will seat 3000 and will be brand spankin' new and state of the art rather and with that seating will be better filled and provide a much better atmosphere.