2. Blake Griffin
After joining the Pistons via trade last February, Griffin’s first full season in Detroit comes with pressure to perform up to his A-level superstar salary, pressure to lead the Pistons back to their old winning ways, and pressure to make the team culturally relevant again.
What needs to happen for any of that to come to fruition is Griffin staying relatively healthy.
The last four years have been a series of injuries for the five-time All-Star power forward, literally from his fingers to his toes. Going back to 2014-15, the most games Griffin has played in a season is 67. He’ll need to be on the court for at least 70 to make the Pistons a serious playoff team.
Griffin is slated to make $31.8 million this season. Only four players in the league are being paid more: Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and LeBron James. That salary comes with high expectations.
In 25 games with Detroit last season following the trade, Griffin averaged 19.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. That represented a career-high in assists, but a career-low in rebounding, and his lowest scoring output in five years.
Griffin goes into this season with a new head coach, however, as the Pistons hired reigning NBA Coach of the Year winner Dwane Casey, formerly of the Toronto Raptors. Casey has said he wants to use Griffin in a point-forward role and speaks very highly of his top scorer.
While Griffin isn’t Detroit’s only star — depending on how you feel about center Andre Drummond, Griffin may not even be Detroit’s best overall player — Griffin is the No. 1 offensive option, the most mainstream figure on the team, and it sounds like he’s going to be the focal point of Casey’s game plan.
Detroit’s success or failure this season will largely fall on Griffin’s shoulders, at least in the eyes of most fans and media.