As the Detroit Pistons seek to rebuild, their biggest trade chip might just be their biggest star, Blake Griffin. Let’s take a look at some possible trades.
Blake Griffin was nothing short of a superhero for the Detroit Pistons in the 2018-19 season. In dragging the Pistons to the playoffs, he did significant damage to his left knee and ended up cutting short his 2019-20 season and darkening the long-term outlook both for his own career and the future of the organization.
Griffin’s spectacular and selfless performance deserves a better ending in Detroit than being the topic of trade conversations, but for a team looking to rebuild, that’s the unfortunate situation in which they find themselves.
Earlier this week on The Lowe Post, Zach Lowe and Bill Simmons discussed Griffin’s situation with regards to both his improved health and the interest other teams might have in his services.
Lowe said:
"“Enough people have asked me what I’ve heard about Blake Griffin and how he’s looking, that I think Detroit is gonna have a market for him. I don’t think it’s gonna be strong, but I think there is still interest in what he can do to help you win.”"
Blake Griffin is certainly a player who helps teams win when he’s at his best, and his best was as recent as the 2018-19 season. Even though his athleticism has largely escaped him, he’s still as strong as an ox around the basket and has developed a league-average 3-point shot.
Both as a playmaker himself and surrounded by others who can facilitate, Griffin can bring a lot to a team that is in contention mode, but unfortunately, that’s not the situation the Detroit Pistons find themselves in.
It’s worth remembering that teams will likely want to see Griffin play and stay healthy before parting with anything of value, so deals are more likely to happen closer to the trade deadline than in the coming offseason.
A trade could give Griffin the chance to pursue a championship and restock assets for the Pistons, so let’s take a look at a couple of teams that could construct possible trade packages.