Pistons to Leave Palace of Auburn Hills for Little Caesars Arena

The Detroit Pistons' days at the Palace of Auburn Hills are numbered.

The Pistons confirmed on Tuesday that they will move to Little Caesars Arena for the start of the 2017-18 campaign after Ian Thibodeau and Louis Aguilar of the Detroit News first reported the move on Monday.

Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press confirmed an announcement could come on Tuesday.

Thibodeau and Aguilar noted the Pistons have played at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Michigan, since 1988.

The Pistons and Olympia Development of Michigan—the development arm of the Illitch family that owns the Detroit Red Wings and is building Little Caesars Arena—are holding a press conference Tuesday at Cass Technical High School, per Thibodeau and Aguilar.

According to Thibodeau and Aguilar, the Detroit Downtown Development Authority approved zoning changes in 2015 that would let construction start on the new 20,000-seat arena, which will also house the NHL's Red Wings.

It will open by the beginning of the 2017-18 NHL campaign.

John Gallagher of the Detroit Free Press speculated about the future of the Palace of Auburn Hills and said current owner Tom Gores could redevelop the area, use the Palace for events such as concerts or sell it and leave the choice to a new owner. Gallagher said that "demolition seems the most likely course if the Pistons move, given the potential value of the site for redevelopment."

While the Pistons' future lies in downtown Detroit, some of the most memorable teams in basketball history played at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Bad Boys Pistons won back-to-back NBA titles in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons behind players such as Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer. They battled against Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals and Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls teams in numerous Eastern Conference playoff series.

Detroit also won the 2003-04 NBA title against Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and the Lakers.

Despite the rich history, if the 6-9 Pistons don't turn things around this season and surprise in the playoffs, the franchise's next postseason triumph will have to wait for Little Caesars Arena.