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According to Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin are “superstar players” without “superstar attitudes.”
Thomas, the best point guard to ever suit up for Detroit, says the young guys on the Pistons have two perfect veterans leading the franchise moving forward in Rose and Griffin.
“The professionalism and competitiveness that both Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose show when they get on the floor, they have that and that’s what young players need to see,” Isiah Thomas told Rod Beard of The Detroit News.
“Looking at both as Pistons, they are superstar players, but they don’t have superstar attitudes. They don’t appear to be me-first guys. Most superstars say they need theirs and everybody get out their way.”
The Pistons are hoping Griffin can recapture his 2018-19 form whenever the 2020-21 season starts. The former Los Angeles Clippers star was a shell of himself this season, as he averaged just 15.5 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting a woeful 35.2 percent from the field and 24.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Griffin underwent another left knee surgery in January and his season was over. The ex-high-flyer was a stud in 2018-19, putting up 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while making the All-Star team and All-NBA third team along the way.
The Pistons are set to pay Griffin $36.6 million in 2020-21.
Rose, meanwhile, was averaging 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 50 games for the Pistons before the 2019-20 season was suspended due to COVID-19. The former MVP was shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 30.6 percent from beyond the arc and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line.
The Pistons have aspirations to make the postseason in 2020-21. For that to happen, both Rose and Griffin will have to stay healthy and put up All-Star numbers.
