Tayshaun Prince talks about the end of the championship Pistons run: "When Ben Wallace left in free agency"

After stunning the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals, the Detroit Pistons proved that they were not flukes. They made four Eastern Conference Finals appearances after that season and even had a second trip to the NBA Finals in '05.

But like every other dominant team before them, they eventually started to fade. During his appearance on the recent Knuckleheads Podcast with Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson, former Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince revealed how the fall of the 2004 Pistons began.

"The ultimate thing that transpired that ended up sinking the ship is when Ben Wallace left in free agency," said Prince.

Ben butted heads with Flip

Wallace was synonymous with Detroit's success. When he was traded there, the Pistons emerged as contenders. In Big Ben's six seasons in Motor City, he won four Defensive Player of the Year awards and led the league in rebounds twice. Meanwhile, the Pistons made five playoff appearances during that stretch, including four trips to the ECF and the 2004 title year.

But things began to change after Flip Saunders replaced Larry Brown as head coach starting the 2005-06 season. Ben felt Saunders' style was moving away from the defensive identity that made the Pistons successful. At the end of the season, the Bulls offered Wallace a $60 million deal, and he took it.

"That was the first piece that kind of like, and then you talk about the Chauncey trade. So at that point, everything just starts trickling down, and then obviously, you know, you get to, like Sheed, Rip, I'm like, all right man, I'm the last man standing. It was going on, and we were struggling, and obviously, at that point, we're not making the playoffs no more, and stuff like that, so man, everything just started trickling down from there," Tayshaun added.

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Wallace did not want to be there at the end

Many thought that money was the main reason Ben left, which was also what Tayshaun talked about during his interview with the Knuckleheads. However, Wallace said it was more than just about the cash. The big man stated he knew that things would eventually decline with Saunders, and he didn't want to be there when it fell apart in the end .

"I felt I had to leave or otherwise stay and watch the team fall apart," he admitted . "I thought it would be easier to leave, but it was a difficult decision. I still think about it today and whether it was the right decision, but it was the decision I had to make at the time. Chicago gave me a great contract ($60 million) but it was hard to leave when your heart is still in Detroit. But I knew that when I left that one day, I would return and play for those great fans again."

After two seasons each in Chicago and Cleveland, Wallace returned to the Pistons in 2009. When he returned, however, Mr. Big Shot was already traded to the Nuggets, while Sheed left for Boston in free agency. Tayshaun was still there, but things were never the same again, as both never saw the postseason again in Detroit.

Related: Ben Wallace believes Tayshaun Prince wouldn't have blossomed if the Pistons drafted Carmelo Anthony: "We won the championship off the back of the best block that I ever seen"