The Detroit Pistons have acquired All-Star power forward Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, League sources tell ESPN that the Clippers and Pistons have agreed on a deal to trade Blake Griffin for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a first-round and a second-round draft pick.
Protections on Detroit’s 2018 first-round pick include 1-4 in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and unprotected in 2021, per ESPN.
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Earlier today the Pistons announced they put Avery Bradley on the trading block and seemed to signal that the team might be considering a rebuild. Instead, they pull off the biggest trade of the NBA season thus far in acquiring Griffin.
The 28-year-old 5-time All-Star has wreaked havoc offensively since making the jump to the NBA, but his durability has been questioned as he hasn’t played more than 67 games in a season since 2014. Griffin is doing it all this year, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
His career averages are 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
Here is Blake’s reaction:
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) January 30, 2018
There is no word yet on whether Detroit’s first-round pick is protected or not. Griffin is in the first year of a five-year max deal he signed over the summer worth $171 million dollars. Avery Bradley was set to become an unrestricted at season’s end, Tobias Harris’ and Boban Marjanovic’s contracts are set to expire following the 2018-2019 season.
Bradley is averaging 15.0 points per game and is in the last year of his deal that pays him $8.8 million. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Harris is averaging 18.1 points per game and 5.1 rebounds. Boban is averaging 6.2 points per game.
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This is clearly a Pistons team that wants to make the playoffs. Losers of eight straight and sitting in the 9th position of the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a record of 22-26, they currently sit three games out of a playoff spot. It is clear that Stan Van Gundy is not going to throw in the towel and is willing to throw out all the stops to make sure that the Pistons are playing basketball well into April.
Stats via Google
