Pistons Exec Signs Deal To Become Detroit Lions President

From one year to the next, turnover is an inevitable part of every offseason, and the Detroit Pistons have embraced the opportunity to build a squad that can continue to improve. During the 2026 NBA Draft, the Pistons saw their opportunity to trade up in the first-round in order to select former Stanford point guard Ebuka Okorie, and he’s expected to help usher in a slightly new shade of Detroit basketball, one with more balance. 

Along those lines, the Pistons made several moves to bolster their perimeter shooting after focusing so intensely on attacking the paint last year. Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris are no longer part of the squad, and Detroit will rely on Isaiah Joe, John Collins and Taurean Prince to provide a three-point shooting threat that the Pistons needed last season. 

After winning 60 games in the regular season but departing the playoffs after just two rounds, the Pistons needed to make a few on-court changes during the summer, but the team will also need to adjust to an organizational shift with their Chief Operating Officer Richard Haddad set to join the Detroit Lions as their new president. 

“Rich is a proven leader who understands what it means to steward an iconic sports franchise in the city of Detroit, and we are thrilled that he is bringing that experience to the Lions,” owner Sheila Hamp said. 

For the last 14 years, Haddad has served in the Detroit organization as an integral piece of their business operation with his role extending to all Pistons Sports & Entertainment properties across six different entertainment venues, which is an extensive profile of responsibility for any period of time. 

“I am thrilled to join the Detroit Lions organization as its next President and CEO,” Haddad said. “I want to thank Sheila Hamp and the Ford family for their trust in me, along with Tom Gores and Arn Tellem for 14 great years with the Pistons. As a life-long Lions fan, I understand firsthand how much this team means to this city and state, and I’m honored and humbled to lead this franchise.”

When Haddad took over his post with the Pistons nearly a decade and a half ago, the team was consistently drawing in a crowd that ranked in the bottom 20s in terms of average attendance. Since that time, the Pistons have steadily brought in more fans during each five-year increment, and the club ranked fifth in the NBA for attendance last season after a ninth-place finish the season before. Haddad has been impactful during that process, but he’s going to transition his experience to the Lions organization as their President moving forward. 

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