LA receives reliable role players and draft picks. Detroit adds an all-star forward to pair up with Andre Drummond.
The Los Angeles Clippers have traded star Blake Griffin to Detroit Pistons. Here’s the deal. The Clippers receive Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and protected first and second-round picks. The Pistons receive Griffin, Brice Johnson, and Willie Reed.
Courtesy: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The 28-year old Griffin was drafted first overall by the Clippers in 2009 and has played in LA ever since. The trade was surprising. Griffin had signed a fresh 5-year $173 million dollar contract with the Clippers and said recently that he wanted to stay in LA.
This season Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
The Clippers, at 25-24 and 9th in the Western Conference, have been dealing with injuries this season, including issues experienced by Patrick Beverly, Danilo Gallinari, and Austin Rivers. Griffin missed 16 games due to knee issues and a concussion. He’s back in shape so Detroit fans have nothing to worry about.
Prior to the trade, it was rumored that the Clippers had been exploring trades involving DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams, but no one with the team would confirm that speculation.
What will happen now is anybody’s guess, but trading a star like Griffin–after losing Chris Paul in the off-season–smells like a rebuild.
But there’s no reason for Clippers’ fans to wring their hands over this deal. LA receives a set of reliable role players and future draft picks. The Pistons, on the other hand, add an all-star forward to pair up with Andre Drummond.
Stay tuned: these two teams meet in Detroit on February 9.
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All data updated as of Jan. 30, 2018. Sources: Bleacher Report, Slam Magazine, Basketball-Reference.com
