Detroit Pistons trade: Blake Griffin for Gordon Hayward

Do not trade Blake Griffin

If both are healthy and playing at the top of their game, Blake Griffin is simply a better player than Gordon Hayward and should stay with the Detroit Pistons.

Griffin is a better rebounder, passer and can play, in a pinch, center defensively. Hayward is the superior outside shooter.

Age-wise, there is not much difference, Griffin is 31 while Hayward is 30, so it is not like the Pistons are getting much younger with a trade.

With the position of center really up in the air for Detroit, would the Pistons want to get smaller by losing Griffin? They would need last year’s first-rounder,  Sekou Doumboya, to really develop quickly if Griffin left.

There are also more things to consider than simply stats and Xs and Os.

Griffin is a team leader, someone the younger players respect and look up to. The Pistons are young, but you can not have an entire team of kids (see Timberwolves, Minnesota). You need role models who can teach the newbies what is expected of an NBA player.

Despite the problems the Pistons have gone through the past couple of seasons, Griffin has never uttered a word about wanting to leave. Having a top-of-the-line player who wants to to stay, and be part of the community is something that must be considered these days, where even star players hop around from team to team.

But there are certainly some positive reasons why the Pistons should accept a Griffin for Hayward trade: