Detroit Pistons stock exchange: Is it time to trade Blake Griffin?

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Langston Galloway

Langston Galloway had the best week of any Piston, scoring 18 against the Timberwolves, 11 against the Heat and a career-high 32 against the Hornets. Galloway has shot lights out, hitting 46.2% of his 3-pointers and 92.5% at the free throw line, where he is getting 3 attempts per game. Galloway has played solid defense, often against bigger opponents, and has been the most consistent bench player for Detroit.

At the beginning of the season, it looked as though Galloway would be a throw-in in a trade, an expiring contract that the Pistons would have to talk another team into absorbing. Now, it looks as though Galloway is a guy the Pistons might try to re-sign, or someone who might fetch an actual asset in a deadline trade. Either way, Galloway has increased his value and been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise miserable season.

The idea of trading Blake Griffin

Griffin has only played two games and it would be unfair to judge his performance as he tries to get into game shape and integrate into an offense that was actually clicking in his absence. Detroit has the 10th best offensive rating in the league and have looked great at times running the offense through Drummond and Luke Kennard. When the Pistons are moving the ball effectively, they have proven that they can score and are fun to watch.

That is why it was so disappointing to see the Pistons almost instantly revert to bully-Blake isolation ball when Griffin returned. Any team would have some challenges getting their superstar back involved after an injury but watching the Pistons sometimes dynamic offense regress to the boring, ineffective isolation team from last year had some wondering if now might be the time to trade Griffin and if the Pistons could possibly be better without him.

Obviously, the Pistons are not going to get back a player of Griffin’s talent or stature in any trade, but would they be better off with a few solid players than one great one? Detroit lacks depth at practically every position. They are also terrible defensively, which isn’t likely to improve much, as Griffin is not a great defender and the Pistons still lack a reliable backup center and small forward.

Trading Griffin now would be selling low, but if Detroit continues to falter, they have to consider this option, even if it means eating a trade that might not be palatable to some fans.

We’ve seen what this offense can do without Griffin, so it is now fair to ask if the Pistons would be better off solidifying their porous defense and adding some depth than they would be counting on Griffin to bail them out. If Detroit could get a competent 3-and-D wing, a backup center and a future pick for Griffin, they must consider it.

It is also fair to question the front office’s choice to build a team around so many injury prone players. Even if they get lesser players in return for Griffin or Jackson, if those players are consistently on the floor, they’ll still be coming out ahead.

The Pistons can’t keep putting themselves in a position where their entire season rests on whether Griffin and Jackson can stay healthy. Detroit would be selling low but could still end up being a better team in terms of defense, depth and health. If the Pistons want to get better without a full-blown rebuild, trading Griffin might be their best move.