Karen Davidson originally intended to have the sale completed before the season commenced. The negotiations would extend into November, but all early signs pointed to Mike Ilitch purchasing his third Detroit professional franchise. Not long after Ilitch said he he was getting close to completing the sale, Davidson re-opened discussions with other interested parties in what seemed initially like a negotiating tactic. However, things have only gotten murkier and there's really no telling who's going to come out on top of this whole ordeal. And, as a result, the sale will only continue to drag on:
The Pistons are unlikely to be sold until at least February, the firm handling the sale for Karen Davidson has informed potential buyers.
Citibank, which was hired by the widow of the late owner of the Pistons, Bill Davidson, to represent the franchise for the sale, informed potential buyers last week that the deal is unlikely to be completed until the NBA All-Star Game. The advisory to the potential buyers was confirmed by sources close to the deal
I still think the Ilitch name will be wind up owning the Pistons, but Davidson (and Citibank) is clearly content with delaying the process until a fair deal can be completely hashed out.