Detroit Pistons: 4 thoughts about the kids and Blake Griffin’s future
By Duncan Smith
2. Blake Griffin’s likely outcome
At this point, we can see clearly that Blake Griffin is very unlikely to be traded at any point this season, or next for that matter. He’s in a clear state of decline and can’t produce the way he used to, but in a perfect world, he would be able to get on board with a contender sometime down the road in the hopes of winning a championship.
Related Story. Pistons: Tough questions about Blake Griffin. light
Assume that his remaining gargantuan contract is unmovable, but if he can wait it out this year and find a role that makes sense for him and the Pistons, the organization should do right by him next season after the trade deadline and buy him out. This would allow him to sign with basically any team that wants him, and if he’s able to show he can do something or anything to help a contender, he becomes much more palatable at a veteran’s minimum than the final days of his current contract.
He wouldn’t have to become some kind of fixture on his new team, he could even just be a good locker room presence en route to a championship with (dare I say it) the Los Angeles Lakers, perhaps. At this point, it seems like playing out this season and then getting bought out after the 2022 trade deadline is probably the best option for Blake Griffin and the Detroit Pistons alike.