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Any chance Detroit Pistons get James Harden?

By Stuart London

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 14: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on December 14, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 14: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on December 14, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Blake Griffin and James Harden
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) attempts to dribble the ball around Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin (23). Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Easy peasy: Griffin for Harden

The Detroit Pistons already have their own highly-paid star player in forward Blake Griffin.

After an injury-plagued season limited him to 17 games last year, coach Dwane Casey reports that Griffin is ‘back to the old Blake’ in training camp.

The old Blake averaged 25 points and made All-NBA just two years ago.

Like Harden, Griffin is 31-years-old. He also has two years remaining on his contract, to the tune of a total of about $75 million, about $8 million less than Harden.

Right now, the Rockets two top players are both ball-dominant guards in Wall and Harden. In terms of balance, Houston would be much better off if they could have one standout in the frontcourt and another at guard.

With Wall running the show, Griffin could be in a similar situation when he was with the Clippers and Chris Paul was the point guard. The all-small ball lineup the Rockets tried last year fell apart against the much bigger Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs.

It would also reunite Griffin with Wood. They did not play much together last season but their games do compliment each other.

To balance things out salary-wise, Wright will be thrown in there. With Harden arriving, there is little need to have Wright on the court.

Harden, teaming with Derrick Rose and promising rookie Killian Hayes, would be a scary backcourt.

Related Story. Derrick Rose looking to be a team leader. light

Center Mason Plumlee is great on the pick-and-roll. He and Harden, together, would be a lethal combination.

This would also allow big-money free agent acquisition Jerami Grant to play full-time at his more natural power forward position. It also opens up the small forward spot for Saddiq Bey and Svi Mykhailuk to play more and develop quicker.

In terms of fit and chemistry, the Pistons would be a better team than before. Would they be title contenders? Maybe not, but they definitely should finish in the top six of the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in tournament.

With a combination of size, shooting and depth, Detroit would be the kind of team Milwaukee or Boston would want to avoid in the first round. That is a massive improvement on last season.

Rolling out a starting line up of: Harden, Rose, Grant, Plumlee and Bey would sure be a lot of fun.

But, if somehow, the Pistons could maneuver to keep Griffin and still bring Harden aboard, that is a whole another level the team could go to.