#WojBomb: Clips and Pistons Agree to Blake Griffin Trade

[Forza Juventus]

I like the trade for Detroit

[greece66]

I like this trade for both teams. Detroit finally gets a legit star - it's a risky move but they had to do it.

And I like it for the Clippers too: they got good value back. They have been making good decisions since Jerry West arrived (and Doc stopped being manager).  If I had to choose one of Deandre, Griffin, and Chris Paul, I would have gone for DeAndre too: no injuries, a player who can fit any roster, and does not have the diva issues of the other two. (Also less likely to generate a high return in a trade like the other two).

 IMO the Clippers have a bright future. They got some solid talent and picks. It should all come together in a couple of years. I also see this season as Doc's last opportunity to stay with the team.

[Androslav]

The Clippers FINALLY understood where they really stand and went for a rebuild.
Detroit still fools itself.
2 MAX contract Bigmen don't work in this era.
Especially when none are ALLstars.

[trickybilly]

I wouldn't mind replacing Baynes with Willie Reed..

[Who]

PG: Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith
SG: Luke Kennard, ??
SF: Reggie Bullock, Stanley Johnson
PF: Blake Griffin, Anthony Tolliver or Jon Leuer
 C: Andre Drummond, Willie Reed or Henry Ellenson.

That is not an impressive team. Griffin adds star-power but the Pistons have decimated their wing depth. Their wings are amongst the worst in the league. Their bench is also one of the worst in the league. The PG play is alright. Their big man depth is dodgy. A lot of heavy lifting for Griffin and Drummond do. Not enough help around them at all.

It is hard to see that team doing better in the future either given their cap situation ... and they'll be winning too much to get high draft picks. Limited trade assets. Not a good situation to be in.

I think the Pistons took a step backwards with this deal. I thought they were better off with Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley. They offered the team more balance.

No playoffs for Detroit.

[Who]

 G: Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic
 G: Lou Williams, Avery Bradley
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wes Johnson
PF: Tobias Harris, ?? (Dekker)
 C: DeAndre Jordan, Marjanovich

I like this team. Fun group. A dominant garbage man in DeAndre Jordan surrounded by 3 players capable of creating off the dribble in Lou Will, Tobias Harris and Gallinari plus an extra guard in Beverley or Bradley. Or even 4 players with Teodosic in there. That is unpredictable attack. Lacking in star power but they have real quality stretched across their top 6 guards / forwards.

The Clips frontcourt depth is dodgy though. Lacking a quality backup to DeAndre and lacking in quality bench forwards to keep their style of play going while Harris or Gallo sit. Need a 6th man type off the bench at combo forward and an able bodied backup C. The Clips would do well to package Avery Bradley off in a separate trade to fill that bench forward slot with better talent.

They look a definite playoff team to me.

[Moranis]

Great trade for the Pistons. Acquire by far the best player in the trade, a couple of other young cheap guys for a protected 1st, a nice mid tier player, an expiring guard you weren't going to re-sign and a backup center. Absolutely love the move for the Pistons. Likewise hate it for the Clippers.

You're definitely in the minority on that.  Just listened to the Dunc'd on podcast and they were very down on the trade from a Piston's perspective.  The ringer article was not positive either.  The Pistons cap space situation is terrible.  They've locked themselves into mediocrity and that assumes Blake stays healthy and doesn't decline too fast.

Their cap space situation was bad no matter what.  At least with Blake, they have a legit all star and Drummond is no longer their best player.  Bradley was a disaster in Detroit.  He was playing horribly and they were actually better when he wasn't on the floor.  They weren't going to re-sign him.  Harris is an ok player, but he is what he is going to be at this point.  And yeah he is cheaper than Blake, but he provides no where near the overall offense, rebounding, etc. that Blake provides.  Boban is fine for a back-up center, but they don't need a 7 million a year back-up center.

I just feel better about Blake, Andre, and Reggie as a 3 some going forward then I would with Andre, Tobias, and Reggie. 

[Casperian]

Awful trade for Detroit. They've just made themselves into the LAC of the East -- a team build around Blake Griffin, a dominant defensive/rebounding center, and a bunch of garbage.  They acquired a guy who can't stay healthy and is going to be paid $35 mil per year for the next 4 seasons. (face palm)  They've got almost $60 mil committed to Blake + Drummond per annum and they have two other bad contracts on their books so won't be able to do anything in free agency.  Oh, and they gave up a first and second pick in this draft.  This franchise just shot themselves in the foot.

Nah, that's us...

[Somebody]

G: Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic
 G: Lou Williams, Avery Bradley
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wes Johnson
PF: Tobias Harris, ?? (Dekker)
 C: DeAndre Jordan, Marjanovich

I like this team. Fun group. A dominant garbage man in DeAndre Jordan surrounded by 3 players capable of creating off the dribble in Lou Will, Tobias Harris and Gallinari plus an extra guard in Beverley or Bradley. Or even 4 players with Teodosic in there. That is unpredictable attack. Lacking in star power but they have real quality stretched across their top 6 guards / forwards.

The Clips frontcourt depth is dodgy though. Lacking a quality backup to DeAndre and lacking in quality bench forwards to keep their style of play going while Harris or Gallo sit. Need a 6th man type off the bench at combo forward and an able bodied backup C. The Clips would do well to package Avery Bradley off in a separate trade to fill that bench forward slot with better talent.

They look a definite playoff team to me.

Bev is out for the season, so their lineuo is more like:
G: Rivers, Lou, Milos
G: AB, CJ Williams, Thornwell
SF: Gallo, Wallace, Dekker
PF: Harris, Wesley
C: DaJ, Harrell, Boban
Their big spot solid enough imo, Harell can hold down the C spot as a big and rugged 4 man ala a young Nene while Boban is useful in the matchups. Also imo a combination of Wallace/Wesley/Dekker is good enough for a backup combo forward. Think they're a WC contender tbh, truly love the fit of the team. Also Lou is a star to me, think this team has a star duo with a bunch of super role players.

[Androslav]

Great trade for the Pistons. Acquire by far the best player in the trade, a couple of other young cheap guys for a protected 1st, a nice mid tier player, an expiring guard you weren't going to re-sign and a backup center. Absolutely love the move for the Pistons. Likewise hate it for the Clippers.

You're definitely in the minority on that.  Just listened to the Dunc'd on podcast and they were very down on the trade from a Piston's perspective.  The ringer article was not positive either.  The Pistons cap space situation is terrible.  They've locked themselves into mediocrity and that assumes Blake stays healthy and doesn't decline too fast.

Their cap space situation was bad no matter what.  At least with Blake, they have a legit all star and Drummond is no longer their best player.  Bradley was a disaster in Detroit.  He was playing horribly and they were actually better when he wasn't on the floor.  They weren't going to re-sign him.  Harris is an ok player, but he is what he is going to be at this point.  And yeah he is cheaper than Blake, but he provides no where near the overall offense, rebounding, etc. that Blake provides.  Boban is fine for a back-up center, but they don't need a 7 million a year back-up center.

I just feel better about Blake, Andre, and Reggie as a 3 some going forward then I would with Andre, Tobias, and Reggie.

Hey Mo,
When Blake was an all-star last time, so were Wade and Korver.
That ship has sailed.

[Moranis]

Great trade for the Pistons. Acquire by far the best player in the trade, a couple of other young cheap guys for a protected 1st, a nice mid tier player, an expiring guard you weren't going to re-sign and a backup center. Absolutely love the move for the Pistons. Likewise hate it for the Clippers.

You're definitely in the minority on that.  Just listened to the Dunc'd on podcast and they were very down on the trade from a Piston's perspective.  The ringer article was not positive either.  The Pistons cap space situation is terrible.  They've locked themselves into mediocrity and that assumes Blake stays healthy and doesn't decline too fast.

Their cap space situation was bad no matter what.  At least with Blake, they have a legit all star and Drummond is no longer their best player.  Bradley was a disaster in Detroit.  He was playing horribly and they were actually better when he wasn't on the floor.  They weren't going to re-sign him.  Harris is an ok player, but he is what he is going to be at this point.  And yeah he is cheaper than Blake, but he provides no where near the overall offense, rebounding, etc. that Blake provides.  Boban is fine for a back-up center, but they don't need a 7 million a year back-up center.

I just feel better about Blake, Andre, and Reggie as a 3 some going forward then I would with Andre, Tobias, and Reggie.

Hey Mo,
When Blake was an all-star last time, so were Wade and Korver.
That ship has sailed.

His numbers this year are better than his last all star season pretty much across the board.  He just missed too many games.  And that is a real concern, but his production isn't. 

[smokeablount]

Awful trade for Detroit. They've just made themselves into the LAC of the East -- a team build around Blake Griffin, a dominant defensive/rebounding center, and a bunch of garbage.  They acquired a guy who can't stay healthy and is going to be paid $35 mil per year for the next 4 seasons. (face palm)  They've got almost $60 mil committed to Blake + Drummond per annum and they have two other bad contracts on their books so won't be able to do anything in free agency.  Oh, and they gave up a first and second pick in this draft.  This franchise just shot themselves in the foot.

Nah, that's us...

Yeah, cuz it's so LA Clippers being one of the last 4 playoff teams standing and then *drastically improving* in win % the following year, after your 2nd best player / all star goes down.

[Who]

G: Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic
 G: Lou Williams, Avery Bradley
SF: Danilo Gallinari, Wes Johnson
PF: Tobias Harris, ?? (Dekker)
 C: DeAndre Jordan, Marjanovich

I like this team. Fun group. A dominant garbage man in DeAndre Jordan surrounded by 3 players capable of creating off the dribble in Lou Will, Tobias Harris and Gallinari plus an extra guard in Beverley or Bradley. Or even 4 players with Teodosic in there. That is unpredictable attack. Lacking in star power but they have real quality stretched across their top 6 guards / forwards.

The Clips frontcourt depth is dodgy though. Lacking a quality backup to DeAndre and lacking in quality bench forwards to keep their style of play going while Harris or Gallo sit. Need a 6th man type off the bench at combo forward and an able bodied backup C. The Clips would do well to package Avery Bradley off in a separate trade to fill that bench forward slot with better talent.

They look a definite playoff team to me.

Bev is out for the season, so their lineuo is more like:
G: Rivers, Lou, Milos
G: AB, CJ Williams, Thornwell
SF: Gallo, Wallace, Dekker
PF: Harris, Wesley
C: DaJ, Harrell, Boban
Their big spot solid enough imo, Harell can hold down the C spot as a big and rugged 4 man ala a young Nene while Boban is useful in the matchups. Also imo a combination of Wallace/Wesley/Dekker is good enough for a backup combo forward. Think they're a WC contender tbh, truly love the fit of the team. Also Lou is a star to me, think this team has a star duo with a bunch of super role players.

Ah, I didn't realize Beverley was out for the season. That is a bummer. Cannot trade Avery for more forward depth then. Not enough guard depth without Beverley.

I don't like Harrell as a backup center. He is too small. Only 6-7 / 6-8. He is a old school undersized PF pretending to be a center. Lacks the size and length to anchor a team's defense and protect the basket. He is a 3rd string caliber player in my opinion give his limitations (as is Boban = lack of speed / mobility).

Dekker and Wes are adequate as bench forwards but I think LAC needs a top quality bench forward to win big without a legit star on their team. They need that extra quality in depth. They are about 6-7 guys deep but they need 9 guys to win without a top tier player. Without a top 10 player in the league type. Right now, LAC figures to lose too much offense (for a team without a top star) while one of their starting forwards goes to the bench. If LAC managed to add that high level bench forward and a solid backup center, I'd rate them as WCF contenders too.


Edit: I think that unpredictability / versatility in offensive options is what LAC has to have to compete without a top 10 talent in their team. Right now when they only have 1 of Tobias Harris or Danilo Gallinari on the floor alongside Lou Will -- I don't think they have firepower to maintain that through a 7 game playoff series. When the 3 of those guys are on the court together, I think they have that firepower. I think they need more offense, more shot creation, from their bench forwards to maintain that offensive threat.

[Irish Stew]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2756649-marc-stein-says-clippers-clearly-believe-lebron-james-will-consider-signing

Trading away Blake Griffin was reportedly the beginning of a larger plan for the Los Angeles Clippers.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the organization plans to target LeBron James this offseason and believes it will be on his shortlist.

DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams are also expected to be moved to help clear space.

This all comes after Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons Monday, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Griffin had just signed a five-year deal in the offseason worth $173 million. With more than $30 million owed over the next three years, plus a player option in 2021-22, the chances of landing another top free agent weren't great.

More of that LA exceptionalism! 

I have always agreed with you and Stein that the Clippers would be the better option for James. I just can't believe that he would relish the idea of playing with Ball or dealing with the drama of the Ball crime family off the court. A team constructed around the trio of James, George, and Tobias with Boban and Beverley as complementary starters would be interesting. It looks like it would require moving both Jordan and Gallinari for expiring contracts plus other smaller moves. Jordan seems doable but Gallinari would certainly require attached picks to even be remotely possible. Even if none of this comes to pass, the Clippers have better positioned themselves for a complete rebuild if that is their chosen path. In the end, Houston may be Lebron's best non-LA choice.

[GreenEnvy]

Awful trade for Detroit. They've just made themselves into the LAC of the East -- a team build around Blake Griffin, a dominant defensive/rebounding center, and a bunch of garbage.  They acquired a guy who can't stay healthy and is going to be paid $35 mil per year for the next 4 seasons. (face palm)  They've got almost $60 mil committed to Blake + Drummond per annum and they have two other bad contracts on their books so won't be able to do anything in free agency.  Oh, and they gave up a first and second pick in this draft.  This franchise just shot themselves in the foot.

Nah, that's us...

Care to elaborate?

Because that makes zero sense to me.