(Photo: Rex Larsen, special to The Detroit News)
When the Pistons announced Wednesday that they were moving their Gatorade League affiliate to Detroit, Steve Jbara wasn’t the least bit surprised.
Jbara, co-owner of the Grand Rapids Drive, the Pistons’ current affiliate, knew for months that the final word was coming, but the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on a path forward.
Pistons owner Tom Gores doesn’t own the Drive franchise; the Pistons have a hybrid agreement with Jbara’s ownership group, which now must figure out what its future will be. The Pistons and Drive have a two-year agreement through 2021, which is when the new affiliate will begin play at Wayne State’s new basketball facility after it's completed.