Detroit Pistons: Possible trade packages for Blake Griffin
By Duncan Smith
Could the Utah Jazz make a trade for Blake Griffin?
Going back to The Lowe Post podcast, Zach Lowe described the following trade as something an NBA executive has suggested to him:
This trade takes both of the Pistons’ biggest trade chips off the table in one fell swoop for an aging Mike Conley, so needless to say the Utah Jazz will need to impress them in draft assets. Conley makes $34.5 million next season, but his contract expires and will come off the books a year before Griffin’s (he makes $36.6 million this year and $39.9 million next season).
As Donovan Mitchell continues to ascend as the lead ball-handler/facilitator/scorer for the Utah Jazz, Blake Griffin can play in a secondary role off the ball and Rose can come off the bench or spot start as needed.
For the Pistons, the most important thing in any Griffin trade is to hit the reset button sooner than the 2022 season, when his contract expires. This would afford them future draft capital (the Jazz don’t have a first-round pick to trade until 2022, which might end up being a fantastic class) and will take Griffin’s contract off the books a year early.
On the court, Conley can run the point as either a starter or a reserve (depending on Piston free agency), and assuming Christian Wood re-signs would give him free rein as the primary big on the roster.
This isn’t likely to happen, but it offers some interesting benefits to both teams.