NBA: James Harden and 5 other players who most need a trade

2. Blake Griffin – Detroit Pistons

Blake Griffin was acquired by the Detroit Pistons as the last-ditch effort of a dying regime, desperate to regain some relevance in a league that has seen the Motor City as NBA fly-over country for a decade.

In spite of an ultimately disastrous playoff appearance, that effort looks like a failure going into year three of Griffin’s time in Detroit. It’s not for a lack of effort on his or the organization’s part since then, though. He’s been a superhero, lifting his team onto his shoulders and completely reconstructing his game in 2018-19.

Griffin has been a consummate pro in Detroit to the point where he should be awarded a medal or some kind of trophy for it. He’s been the team’s superstar, their barometer for professionalism, the mentor for the growing youth movement, the face and voice of a team that nobody wants to see or hear.

Blake Griffin deserves better, but he’ll have to rehabilitate the image he’s built as injury-prone, and he’ll have the opportunity to do so this season. If Griffin can put together another vintage late-prime season like his 2018-19 campaign, it’s incumbent on the Detroit Pistons organization to make a move and send him someplace where he can contend for championships before it’s too late.