Coming off a down year in which he was limited to just 18 ineffective games due to a knee injury, Pistons forward Blake Griffin is owed $36.8MM in 2020/21, with a player option worth nearly $39MM for ’21/22. As a result of that onerous contract, he’s not expected to be the most popular player on the trade market this offseason.
Still, on his Lowe Post podcast this week, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said that people around the NBA are keeping an eye on Griffin and asking Lowe what he’s hearing about the six-time All-Star. That doesn’t mean that the Pistons will get positive value in a trade for Griffin – or that they’ll move him at all this fall – but Lowe doesn’t believe that clubs have given up on the 31-year-old.
“I’ve had enough teams ask me about Blake Griffin that I think there’s still interest in what he can do to help you win,” Lowe said (hat tip to RealGM).
With Lowe’s comments in mind, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic put together some trade ideas involving Griffin and had his colleague John Hollinger evaluate each hypothetical proposal. Edwards cautions that he doesn’t think the Pistons are particularly eager to trade Griffin, but puts forth a few scenarios involving Golden State, Sacramento, Brooklyn, and Phoenix.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press considers the three directions the Pistons could go with Christian Wood‘s free agency, weighing the pros and cons of re-signing Wood, letting him walk, or signing-and-trading him to a new team.
- In a conversation with Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Cavaliers center Andre Drummond said his new team “did a really, really good job” of making him feel comfortable after he was acquired from Detroit in February. Although Drummond talked as if he’s preparing to be with the Cavs next season, he was evasive when repeatedly asked by Fedor about his upcoming player option decision and potential free agency, claiming that he’s “not really thinking about it” yet.
- With the Bucks expected to be aggressive in seeking roster upgrades this offseason, Eric Nehm of The Athletic assesses a series of trade ideas from his readers, determining which team would balk at each hypothetical proposal.
Griffin to BK for Dinwiddie, L. Thomas, and D. Jordan. BK would be stacked. Pistons will have a PG of the future.
Not sure if you’re aware but Kyrie and KD pretty much run Brooklyn and they like Jordan. He’s going nowhere.
Well maybe maybe not. But I was just matching contractwith Jordan. I would much rather them get Allen instead.
Lol pistons blew it with dinwiddie obce already.
Griffin is injury prone, Age 31，play 18 games last season？
Wiggins is the most healthy player in the nba, 25
Griffin for Wiggins Poole and peanut
Knicks won’t offer a future First to Pistons for s and t
Griffin is a great fit in GSW but he’s injury prone so his trade value is nothing – and they won’t get both the pick and Wiggins for him, just one of those at most. GSW would love that, not sure the Pistons would.
Christian Wood really seems like he will be one of those big men that people in 3 years will look back and say I can’t believe someone gave this bum $24MM a year. I could be wrong, but NBA history is littered with one year wonders like Wood that parlayed the career year into big deals. Bismack Biyombo just finished a deal that paid him $19 MM a year.
✓ Contract years don’t need to last for long… only as long as it takes to get attached to an acceptable value!
Teams trading for Griffin is the classic high-risk/high-reward gamble.
Yep, I can see a team like the WARRIORS trading for him. Griffin is a willing passer, operates mid-post and had improved his 3-point shot.
Of course, the obvious high-risk part is Griffin’s health.
Do it Bob …….. WEST will be fun to watch, like always.
Griffin stays. He is over the hill…way over paid. Stan VG screwed this team for a long time.