Pistons: Analyzing a Blake Griffin trade with the Miami Heat

Does this trade work for the Miami Heat?

Any time you have a huge win for one side in an NBA trade conversation, the other side is destined to fare poorly. Sometimes two home runs get hit, but never by both teams at the same time.

For the Miami Heat, they’re making a big gamble that Blake Griffin has been essentially playing possum, and that they may be the beneficiaries of a Nicolas Batum-style revival once the taste of winning touches his lips once again.

Maybe that’s the case, although nothing shy of pure, unadulterated optimism suggests that the Heat have reason to hope for such a thing. Griffin is already a tireless worker who has poured uncomprehensible time and effort into getting his body into playing form after many injuries, so it’s not like he’s a layabout who can be rescued by “Heat Culture”.

His work ethic and leadership would probably fit well in Miami, but this is already a team full of leaders like Jimmy Butler and Udonis Haslem. If there’s something left in the tank for Griffin, maybe there’s some reason for president Pat Riley to pull the trigger, but could there possibly be enough value to justify absorbing almost $39 million in 2021-22 salary when they’re so close to getting off the cap space hook themselves?

As with any contenders (or supposed contenders, because the Heat aren’t fooling anybody right now) that may want to kick the tires on Blake Griffin, they’re better off waiting until the eventual buyout comes, and then throwing a waiver claim out there and seeing what happens. Paying a premium in the form of expiring salaries just doesn’t make sense.

This deal does not work for the Miami Heat.