A former Detroit Pistons star hit the trade block early when the Cleveland Cavaliers declared they would explore avenues for moving Andre Drummond. Now, current Pistons star Blake Griffin is also on the block.
The Pistons will sit veteran forward Blake Griffin as they seek trade options. Griffin had one of the best seasons of his career with the team during the 2018-19 campaign, but the last couple seasons have been marked by injury and poor play.
Blake Griffin has been shockingly bad thus far. He is averaging just 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds through his first 20 appearances, and his assist numbers are also below standards in recent seasons. The former No. 1 overall pick is shooting just 36.5 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Blake Griffin's poor performance could make him tough to move, especially given he has a $38 million player option for next season he is all but guaranteed to accept. But the Pistons will try, all the same.
Let's take a look at three potential suitors for Blake Griffin.
Blake Griffin targets:
3. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs seem pretty intent on acquiring a star. So, why not take a chance on Blake Griffin?
Sure, Blake Griffin's shooting numbers are down. But he is still capable of filling a stretch-big role who can also dive to the rim in pick-and-roll and serve as another ball-handler.
Adding Blake Griffin to the rotation might actually open up the floor for guys like Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis to operate because he can score in a variety of fashions. Dallas also has a number of players to make a deal work.
James Johnson and Boban Marjanovic are both on expiring contracts. Johnson has given Dallas a bit of an edge and that toughness the Mavs so desired after last year's playoff exit. But he has struggled to shoot the ball, and offers little outside of his physical presence. Marjanovic is something of a fan favorite and can produce in bunches, but he is not a crucial depth piece in Dallas' frontcourt.
Dwight Powell could be the kicker here in a Blake Griffin deal. Powell looked like something of a budding star in 2018-19, averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds on just over 21 minutes per game for that Mavs team. He has excellent athleticism and might expand his game to the perimeter.
But Powell has not played much amid Dallas' frontcourt crowding. He is on a fairly friendly deal, and the Mavs should move him for the right price.
Pairing Powell with the expiring contracts might be enough to mitigate any potential draft returns Detroit might seek in a deal with the Mavs. It is unknown what the Pistons' asking price will be, but it could be tough for them to accrue draft capital given Blake Griffin's numbers and the looming player option.
Still, the Mavs could make for interesting trade partners.
2. Miami Heat
Blake Griffin would undoubtedly be galvanized by a move to South Beach, and he could fit head coach Erik Spoelstra's structure very well.
The Heat are in need of added playmaking and spacing. Blake Griffin can provide both when he has it going just right, and he also fits the mold of playing power forward in small-ball lineups.
For Miami, the question becomes about priorities. Might the Heat rather pursue a star guard such as a Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo or even a Zach LaVine, if possible? Bradley Beal would be the ideal addition, but the Washington Wizards have given no indication they are prepared to move the star combo guard.
There is also the fact any of the aforementioned players are all but certainly going to cost Miami one of Tyler Herro or Duncan Robinson in a Blake Griffin trade. The Heat might not be willing to part ways with either guy.
So, we come back to Blake Griffin.
The return on investment potential is there for the Heat if they believe Blake can recapture old form. It could be hard for Miami to convince Goran Dragic to accept a trade–which the Heat would have to do–but they have another expiring in Kelly Olynyk, and Blake Griffin offers more potential as another frontcourt player (like Bam Adebayo) capable of setting his teammates up and making plays off the bounce.
1. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs make too much sense as a landing spot for Blake Griffin.
At 16-11, San Antonio is in the thick of things in the Western Conference. DeMar DeRozan is playing at a high level, as is Dejounte Murray and young swingman Keldon Johnson. Point guard Derrick White has hardly even played this season, meaning the Spurs seem to have an even higher ceiling.
It might take the acquisition of another star to make a more concerted push in the West, and Blake Griffin is an option mostly because of the recent injury to LaMarcus Aldridge.
Aldridge has a hip injury, and his timetable for return is unknown. What's more, Aldridge is on an expiring contract.
The Spurs can move Aldridge in addition to Trey Lyles (also on an expiring) and a throw-in like Keita Bates-Diop to the Pistons in exchange for Blake Griffin, who could actually produce similar value to that of Aldridge in San Antonio.
Aldridge is maybe more of an established rebounder, but Blake Griffin is better in transition and diving to the rim, and he also can stretch the floor, something Aldridge embraced and excelled at in recent years.
The other reason this could make sense for the Spurs is other money coming off the books next season, notably DeRozan.
If the Blake experiment fails, the Spurs can just hope to use him as a trade asset on an expiring deal next season. But if it succeeds and Blake Griffin regains his form, San Antonio could possibly surprise some teams out West.
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