Pistons executive vice president of basketball operations Michael Blackstone has spent the past three years privately living with Stage 4 lung cancer.
He is speaking about it now because he believes his experience might help someone else.
In an interview with Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, Blackstone explained that persistent pain in his right shoulder eventually led to the discovery that cancer had spread from his lung to his shoulder and spine.
“The reason I’m talking about it now versus the past three years is because time is basically all I have now, right?” Blackstone said. “Time is what matters.”
Blackstone, 54, was diagnosed in 2023 while working in the Pelicans’ front office. He joined the Pistons in July 2024 and continues to receive treatment through the Mayo Clinic. The disease has not stopped him from working.
Blackstone remains active at the Pistons Performance Center and regularly attends practices, shootarounds and games. He views basketball and his role alongside president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon as sources of purpose while undergoing radiation treatments.
“If it all ended tomorrow, I’ve lived a great life,” Blackstone said. “I am so lucky with the types of things I’ve been able to do. … Of course I don’t want it to end tomorrow, and nobody is telling me it’s going to.”
Blackstone only recently informed members of the Pistons organization about his condition. His message is not one of surrender. He pointed to advances in lung-cancer treatment and expressed hope that the disease eventually can be managed chronically. He also urged people not to dismiss unexplained physical discomfort.
“Pay attention to the signs, don’t ignore them,” Blackstone said. “If I can get one person to do a double take, to have a conversation, to go to their doctor, to make different choices, it will all be worth it.”
Blackstone intends to keep working at a high level for as long as he can. By telling his story, he hopes to give someone else more time.
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