Detroit Pistons: What if no team wants Blake Griffin?

The Detroit Pistons get tough with Blake Griffin

It is not outrageous for Detroit (meaning owner Tom Gores) to take the position: Why am I paying Blake Griffin for a season in which he will never even play for us?

Remember, the 2021-2022 season is officially a player option in Griffin’s contract. Of course, why wouldn’t he exercise that option (Would you turn down $39.9 million?).

But what if the Pistons take a tough stand. They tell Griffin he needs to waive the player option for next year if he wants a buyout.

That may not be nice, but when you are discussing tens of millions of dollars, it really is not a place for Mr. Nice Guy.

There is also a basketball component to this. If you remove Griffin’s salary for next year, the Pistons have a whole lot more cap space to play with. It gives Weaver a chance to maneuver a lot more, knowing he can take a toxic contract in return for a nice player or a draft choice.

But again, it would mean Griffin is kicking away tens of millions of dollars. He might not want to do that.

That might cause a standoff, and it could get ugly. Money disputes tend to do that.

Conclusion

Since neither Griffin or Pistons management is talking right now, all we know is they agreed it would be mutually beneficial for Griffin to stop playing, while Detroit tried to find a new home for him.

Is there a timetable? Well, Blake Griffin does not want to just hang around doing nothing, his fate twisting in the wind. One would think something should be done by the end of February.

Maybe there were at least the parameters of a buyout between the two parties when Griffin stopped playing. We will soon find out if Griffin’s exit will be easy or not.

And what if no team wants Blake Griffin?