Detroit Pistons: Pros and cons of potentially trading Blake Griffin

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 9: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons handles the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 9, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /

Con: He’s Still A Special Talent

This is an admittedly lukewarm take, as we haven’t seen a healthy Blake Griffin in upwards of a year. Assuming he can even get back to 80 percent of where he was in 2018-19, however, he’d still be playing at an All-Star level.

If Griffin can use this extended time to recover and get back to who he used to be, then he would be an All-NBA player with a remarkable offensive skill set.

Griffin finished the 2018-19 season with averages of 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.5 three-point field goals made per game. He did so on an efficient slash line of .462/.362/.753. He also led Detroit to its second postseason appearance since 2009.

In turn, Griffin was both an All-Star and an All-NBA Third Team honoree—honors that few around the Association argued against him deserving.

For what it’s worth: Only four players in NBA history have averaged at least 24.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 three-point field goals per game. Those players are Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Griffin.

In other words: Griffin played at a level that only a select few superstars in NBA history have been able to reach—as recently as one season ago.

More importantly: If the Pistons decide to trade Griffin, there’s a good chance that they’ll be removed from the realm of competitiveness for the foreseeable future.

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