Suns sell G-League team to Pistons
The Phoenix Suns have sold their G League team, the Northern Arizona Suns, to the Detroit Pistons, the Suns and G League both announced Wednesday.
“After an extensive internal review we determined that ownership and management of the Northern Arizona Suns does not align with the Phoenix Suns’ strategic plan for player development over the next three-to-five years,” Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement.
The Northern Arizona Suns will play in Phoenix “at a to-be-determined venue” for the 2020-21 season before moving to Detroit for the 2021-22 season where they’ll begin playing in a new arena currently being constructed at Wayne State University.
“I’m excited to welcome Tom Gores and the Detroit Pistons as NBA G League owners,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim in a news release. “It’s always bittersweet for a team to relocate, and I thank (Suns team owner) Robert Sarver and the Phoenix Suns for their time in this league and the fans in Northern Arizona for their ongoing commitment to the team.”
The Northern Arizona Suns spent four seasons in the G League as they played at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.
“I’m sure the fans in Detroit will welcome the team with open arms and I look forward to watching NBA G League basketball at Wayne State for seasons to come,” Abdur-Rahim concluded in the release.
The Phoenix Suns provided “factors” for selling the Northern Arizona Suns.
The Suns’ team priorities drive our decision-making which in this case is the development of the youngest roster in the NBA.
Roster positions 11-15 is the focus of the organization’s developmental time and efforts.
The teaching experience of the Phoenix Suns coaching staff operating within a shared set of guidelines creates an effective learning environment and growth opportunities for our players.
The value of daily practice and the competition against NBA players provides significant improvement opportunities for developing players.
We will maintain our emphasis on evaluating/scouting NBA G League players for future roster consideration.
The Pistons currently have a “hybrid” affiliation with Grand Rapids Drive that’ll continue through the 2020-21 NBA G League season. Detroit has a “multi-faceted partnership” with Wayne State that includes having a NBA G League team play in a new arena that’s for its men’s and women’s basketball programs.
The new arena is less than two miles from Little Caesars Arena where the Pistons play and the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center.
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