High-profile NBA agent joining Palace brass

Arn Tellem's own words get to the root of his next challenge.

In a first-person account to SI.com posted late Friday afternoon, one of the most powerful sports agents lays out the case for why he is joining Palace Sports & Entertainment as the organization's vice chairman.

"This week, after 34 years as a player agent, I tendered my resignation to the Wasserman Management Group in Los Angeles and accepted an offer to, later this summer, become vice chairman of Palace Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Detroit Pistons. This decision to change careers has been the most difficult of my professional life."

The key part to note is PS&E comes before the Pistons, which signifies Tellem is being hired mainly to spearhead Palace business strategies — not create some advantage in attracting potential Wasserman clients.

But of course that was the main conclusion when the surprising news broke early Friday morning that Tellem would be joining PS&E.

Tellem, 61, will report directly to PS&E and Pistons owner Tom Gores as the ownership group enters its fifth year.

"Arn is one of the most accomplished and respected sports executives in the world," Gores said in a released statement. "He has great passion, integrity and honesty, and he shares my belief that sports can be a catalyst for change in the community. He is an outstanding addition to our leadership team who will help us make a real difference in Detroit."

The news comes just four weeks before the start of the NBA free-agency period. Tellem's client list includes prominent free agents Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge.

To that end, the organization and Tellem have agreed on a start date of Aug. 3, which would allow Tellem to transition his responsibilities at Wasserman. Tellem's role with Wasserman during the transition period isn't clear given his coming role of joining management after representing labor.

Tellem's hiring will set off speculation that Pistons will try to use it as an inside track to Wasserman clients -- particularly Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green, the former Spartan from Saginaw who will be a highly regarded restricted free agent next month.

That's not the case.

A person with firsthand knowledge of the Pistons' off-season plans said Green is not a priority because it is expected that the Warriors, playing in the NBA Finals this week and moving into a new arena soon, would match any offer sheet for arguably the team's second-best player. The person, not publicly authorized to discuss the team's plans, said the Pistons did not want to tie up cap space for 72 hours -- the time allotted the Warriors to match any offer -- when more easily obtainabke free agents could be available.

Also, the word around the league is that Green, 25, has grown to realize he's part of something special in the Bay Area and considering his leadership role, he's committed to the Warriors -- despite sentiments for his home state.

It's obvious the Pistons would be interested in Green if he were an unrestricted free agent, so the situation bears watching whenever he truly hits the open market.

Tellem, a Philadelphia native who received his law degree from Michigan, will be joining management after representing labor for more than 30 years. His bio on the Wasserman website boasts that he has negotiated more than $3.5 billion in deals for basketball and baseball clients since 2008 alone.

But in his words to si.com, it appears Tellem is ready for a new challenge and is motivated to take part in Detroit's recovery.

"I'm excited by the 21st century potential of Detroit — in commerce, the arts and on its playing fields," he wrote. "I hope to make a constructive impact as the Motor City emerges from bankruptcy. I want to augment and expand the Pistons' Come Together Foundation, which enriches the lives of Detroiters by mentoring local youth, encouraging volunteerism, and partnering with businesses, government and charitable causes. Outreach programs like Come Together can make a real difference in the community."

Tellem does have previous sports franchise experience, having served as executive vice president and general counsel for the Los Angeles Clippers in 1982-88.

The organization's interest in Tellem goes back several months, with negotiations starting in earnest over the past couple months.

When Tellem starts in Auburn Hills, he will join an organization at a crucial juncture.

PS&E is mulling many options for moving the business forward. One such area could be the TV deal with Fox Sports Detroit. They could renew the deal when it expires or partner with Olympia Entertainment (the umbrella organization for the Red Wings and Tigers) to form a regional sports network.

Tellem will be tasked with pinpointing the best option and negotiating the best deal. He also will work to strengthen ties with the other professional sports franchises in the market.

PS&E president and CEO Dennis Mannion, who was hired in 2011, will continue to oversee day-to-day operations of the organization that also owns DTE Energy Music Theatre and manages Meadow Brook Music Festival. Mannion recently signed a contract extension.

"Arn's experience and expertise will complement an organizational structure that has been built as one of sports and entertainment's most innovative management models," Mannion said in the statement. "I've known Arn for years and have deep respect for his knowledge of both industries. I am really looking forward to working with him."

Tellem will leave behind an extensive client list that once included former Pistons great Ben Wallace. Former Pistons guard Brandon Knight, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, is a current Tellem client.

Tellem will be available to Pistons president and coach Stan Van Gundy for consultation. Van Gundy, hired in May 2014, also reports directly to Gores.

"Arn brings a unique perspective that will make our entire organization stronger," Van Gundy said in a statement. "His responsibilities may be focused on the business side, but we won't be shy about taking full advantage of his knowledge on the basketball side as well."

Tellem, based in Los Angeles and head of Wasserman's Team Sports Division, will relocate to the Detroit area, which will be a homecoming, of sorts. He graduated in 1979 from U-M's law school.

Tellem's wife, Nancy, is a former executive with CBS and Microsoft.

Tellem will be one of the Pistons' representatives to the NBA's board of governors, along with Platinum Equity partners Robert Wentworth and Phil Norment.

Gores is chairman, CEO and founder of Platinum Equity, the private equity firm based in Beverly Hills, Calif., that oversees the Pistons and PS&E.

Contact Vince Ellis at vellis@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @vincent_ellis56.