The Detroit Pistons and Blake Griffin have agreed to pursue a buyout or trade to allow him to finish his career with a winning team.
Most agree that the trade market for Blake Griffin is pretty bleak, which is why a buyout is the far more likely option.
It’s not as if the Pistons couldn’t trade Blake Griffin, as there are certainly teams out there who would like to have him, but to do it, the Pistons would likely have to take on a longer contract or give up an asset, things they are probably not willing to do.
Of the rumored trade targets for Blake Griffin, only one makes any sense at all, and that is the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It would seem odd for two lottery teams to make a trade before the deadline, but there is a trade that makes some sense for both teams.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Blake Griffin to the OKC Thunder
Here is a trade that both teams would at least consider.
In this trade, the two teams swap big contracts with Blake Griffin and Al Horford, and the Pistons add an asset in Mason Plumlee to sweeten the deal.
This one might make some sense for both teams, as it would allow both to get a fresh start of sorts, pick up some future cap space and may even make them better.
But who would say no? Let’s take a look.
Detroit Pistons: Trading Blake Griffin for Al Horford
There are really only two reasons the Thunder would consider such a trade.
The first is that it would allow them to get out of Al Horford’s contract, which runs one year longer than Blake’s and would give them some future cap flexibility.
The second is to sell jerseys. It might sound crazy but Blake Griffin is from Oklahoma and would immediately be a fan favorite even though he is a shadow of his former self as a player.
The Thunder would also get Mason Plumlee for their troubles, a guy who has played his way into an asset.
Plumlee has been one of the pleasant surprises of the season and is the type of smart veteran that could fit in on any team and be a good mentor for OKC’s young guys.
He is also on a team-friendly contract that would be easy for the Thunder to trade if they wanted to or just keep, as all teams need guys like Plumlee.
The Thunder could probably just buy Blake Griffin out themselves, take the cap hit next season but save money overall as they’d be losing an extra year of Horford. That would mean Blake leaving some money on the table, but if they waited until next season he is far more likely to be open to it.
This would just be strictly a money move for the Thunder, but what about the Detroit Pistons?
Detroit Pistons: Trading Blake Griffin to the Thunder
The Pistons are staring down the barrel of having to pay Blake Griffin big money to play for another team.
That is precisely what will happen if they can’t find a trade partner, as they will have to buy him out, essentially picking up someone else’s tab and getting nothing in return except a few million in cap space.
Al Horford’s contract does run one more year than Blake’s so the Pistons would be taking on more declining years, but Horford isn’t declining nearly as much as Blake and could still be a valuable member of the team.
Horford is having a decent season, and even though he is 34-years-old, his game does not rely on athleticism, so his last few seasons shouldn’t be a complete disaster.
Horford is a smart veteran and one of the best team defenders of his generation, so he’d be a great guy to mentor players like Isaiah Stewart.
Ariza would be coming off the books after this season, so the Pistons would pick up more cap space than they will in a Blake Griffin buyout, as he is not likely to give up $12-15 million in salary.
It’s not a slam dunk and the Thunder might want additional assets like a 2nd-round pick, but it is something to consider and the Detroit Pistons wouldn’t hang up the phone.
-roun