Who owns the Detroit Pistons? Tom Gores, the founder, chairman and CEO of the investment firm Platinum Equity, owns the Pistons. He bought the team in 2011 in a deal worth about $325 million and became its sole owner in September 2015, when he bought out his own firm’s share.
Gores is the person who signs off on the big decisions, but he is not the one drafting players or drawing up plays. Below is who owns the team now, who runs the basketball side day to day, how ownership has changed since the franchise began in Fort Wayne, and what else Gores owns.
Last updated: Oct. 31, 2026. Sources: tomgores.com, NFL.com, Chargers.com, SportsPro, WXYZ-TV, Crain’s Detroit Business, Forbes (via Wikipedia’s Forbes NBA valuations list).
Jump to: Who owns the Pistons now · How Gores bought the team · Who is Tom Gores? · Front office · Ownership history · What else Gores owns · FAQ
Who owns the Detroit Pistons now?
Tom Gores is the Detroit Pistons’ sole owner. In NBA language his title is “governor,” the term the league now uses for team owners, and his official website describes him as governor of the Pistons and of Detroit’s future WNBA franchise.
Who is Tom Gores?
A few facts that explain who the Pistons owner is:
- Michigan roots: Gores was born in Nazareth in 1964 and moved with his family to Genesee, just outside Flint, when he was about 5. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1986 with a degree in construction management.
- Day job: He founded Platinum Equity in 1995 and still serves as its chairman and CEO. The firm buys and runs businesses across many industries.
- Ownership structure: When Gores and Platinum Equity bought the Pistons in 2011, Gores personally held 51%. In September 2015 he bought the remaining 49% from Platinum Equity, according to SportsPro, making the team his alone. A Platinum partner said at the time that the change did not alter leadership or control.
How much are the Pistons worth? Forbes valued the franchise at about $3.65 billion in its most recent NBA list (updated Jan. 8, 2026), 27th of 30 teams. That is more than 10 times what Gores paid in 2011, though valuations are estimates, not sale prices. Gores has not announced any plan to sell.
How Tom Gores bought the Pistons
The sale grew out of the Davidson era. Bill Davidson, the glass-industry businessman who owned the Pistons for 35 years, died in March 2009, and control passed to his widow, Karen Davidson.
In April 2011, she agreed to sell to Gores. The deal, approved by the NBA and completed in June 2011, covered more than the team: Gores and Platinum Equity bought Palace Sports & Entertainment, the Pistons’ parent company, which also ran The Palace of Auburn Hills. Crain’s Detroit Business put the price at $325 million and called it a bargain at the time.
The biggest change under Gores came six years later. In 2017 the Pistons left Auburn Hills and moved downtown to Little Caesars Arena, sharing the building with the Red Wings. If you are heading to a game, our Detroit sports venues guide covers the arena’s bag policy, parking and transit.
One footnote connects two Detroit teams: Rich Haddad, who spent 14 years with the Pistons’ business operation and served as chief operating officer during the move downtown, was named president and CEO of the Lions in August 2026. Our guide to who owns the Detroit Lions has that story.
Who runs the Pistons’ front office?
The owner hires the people who make basketball decisions and approves the big ones, such as major contracts and coaching hires. Roster building belongs to the president of basketball operations, and the head coach runs the team on the court. As of the 2026-27 season, these are the key names:
| Role | Person | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Owner (NBA governor) | Tom Gores | June 2011 (sole owner since Sept. 2015) |
| Vice chairman | Arn Tellem | Joined the organization June 2015 |
| President of Basketball Operations | Trajan Langdon | May 31, 2024 |
| Head coach | J.B. Bickerstaff | July 3, 2024 (extension agreed May 2026) |
Trajan Langdon is the top basketball decision-maker. He came to Detroit from the New Orleans Pelicans, where he had been general manager since 2019, and before that worked in the Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs front offices. The Pistons have not used a separate general manager title under him.
Arn Tellem, a longtime agent for NBA and MLB players, left the sports agency business in June 2015 to join the front office of Palace Sports & Entertainment, the Pistons’ parent company. Local reporting in 2024 still described him as the team’s vice chairman, and he has been a public voice for projects such as the WNBA bid.
J.B. Bickerstaff, formerly the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coach, is in his third season leading the Pistons. The team agreed to a contract extension with him on May 4, 2026.
When Langdon built out his staff in July 2024, the Pistons announced Michael Blackstone as executive vice president of basketball operations, Dennis Lindsey as senior vice president of basketball operations and George David as senior vice president of basketball administration, according to WXYZ-TV. Former head coach Dwane Casey stayed on as a senior advisor. Titles can change between seasons, so check team releases for the latest list.
How to check Pistons ownership news yourself
- Start with official announcements. Ownership changes, sales of minority stakes and front-office hires are announced by the team and the NBA first. Anything else is a report until the Pistons confirm it.
- Watch for league approval. NBA ownership deals need approval from the league’s Board of Governors, as the 2011 sale and the 2026 WNBA expansion approval both did, so a reported deal is not final until that vote.
- Use the newest Forbes list for team value. Forbes updates its NBA franchise values each year, so compare figures from the same edition.
Detroit Pistons ownership history
The Pistons have had only three principal owners, counting the Davidson family as one line. The franchise began in Indiana as a company team, which explains the name.
| Years | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1937–1974 | Fred Zollner (with his sister Janet) | Founded as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, named for the family’s piston-making business; moved the team to Detroit in 1957 |
| 1974–2009 | Bill Davidson | Bought the team for about $7 million; NBA titles in 1989, 1990 and 2004 |
| 2009–2011 | Karen Davidson | Took control after her husband’s death; sold to Gores |
| 2011–2015 | Tom Gores and Platinum Equity | Gores held 51%; Platinum Equity held 49% |
| 2015–present | Tom Gores | Sole owner after buying Platinum Equity’s stake |
All three of the Pistons’ NBA championships came under Davidson, during the “Bad Boys” years and the 2004 title run. Detroit’s other pro teams have similar long ownership lines, including the Ilitch family’s Tigers and Red Wings.
What else does Tom Gores own?
Gores’ sports holdings now reach beyond the Pistons:
- Los Angeles Chargers (minority stake): NFL owners approved Gores’ purchase of a 27% stake in the Chargers on Oct. 15, 2024, according to NFL.com. The Spanos family keeps control, Gores has no role in daily operations, and the purchase was made by Gores personally, not Platinum Equity.
- Detroit’s WNBA team: Detroit was named one of three WNBA expansion cities on June 30, 2025, with Gores leading the ownership group. League governors formally approved the team on April 9, 2026, and it is scheduled to begin play in 2029 at Little Caesars Arena.
- Platinum Equity: his main business, which he still runs as chairman and CEO.
Gores also funds community work in Michigan, including the FlintNOW Foundation, which he launched in 2016.
Detroit Pistons ownership FAQ
Is Tom Gores the sole owner of the Detroit Pistons?
Yes. Gores has been the Pistons’ sole owner since September 2015, when he bought Platinum Equity’s 49% share. He had held the other 51% since buying the team in 2011.
Do the Detroit Pistons have a general manager?
Not under that title. Trajan Langdon, president of basketball operations since May 2024, leads roster decisions, supported by a team of vice presidents announced in July 2024.
Who owned the Pistons before Tom Gores?
The Davidson family. Bill Davidson owned the team from 1974 until his death in 2009, and his widow, Karen Davidson, sold it to Gores in 2011. Before Davidson, founder Fred Zollner owned the team from its start in Fort Wayne in 1937.
Is the Pistons’ owner from Michigan?
Gores grew up in Genesee, near Flint, after moving there with his family at about age 5, and he is a Michigan State University graduate. He founded Platinum Equity in 1995 in Sherman Oaks, California.
How much did Tom Gores pay for the Pistons?
About $325 million in 2011, a price that also included the team’s parent company and The Palace of Auburn Hills. Forbes now values the franchise at roughly $3.65 billion.
The bottom line
The Detroit Pistons belong to Tom Gores, who has owned them since 2011 and outright since 2015. Trajan Langdon runs basketball operations and J.B. Bickerstaff coaches the team, with Arn Tellem as vice chairman. To see what that group has built, the Pistons host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Check where to watch Pistons vs. 76ers and the full Pistons 2026-27 schedule.
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