Utah Jazz: J-Notes staffers evaluate every NBA trade deadline deal
By Ryan Aston
Clippers trade Blake Griffin to Pistons
TO CLIPPERS: Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Avery Bradley, 2018 protected first-round pick, 2019 second-round pick. TO PISTONS: Blake Griffin, Brice Johnson, Willie Reed
Ryan Aston: I think both teams accomplished something here, but I would advise caution to Pistons fans who think this changes everything for your franchise. Blake Griffin has a spotty history with injuries and if he can’t stay healthy, that contract becomes pretty problematic. Also — if Griffin, CP3 and DeAndre Jordan couldn’t break through, I don’t know how the Griffin-Andre Drummond combo does. They’ll be better, but there’s still work to be done.
Jared Barker: The Pistons look like the early winners of this one. The problem is they took a huge risk shrinking their team’s depth. Blake’s health will be a big deal. Blake is shooting near league average from 3 this year so it hasn’t completely killed the spacing. They’ve got a to fix some issues. On the Clippers side you’re betting a lot of the ability of Jerry West to help you lure a marquee free agent. I mean… You’re the Clippers!
Tyler Crandall: This is a risky “win-now” move for Detroit and a little baffling for LA. It makes sense for LA to get rid of the hefty contract for an aging big man with an injury history, but they stopped at that move and decided to compete with the rest of the squad, when they probably should have looked to move DAJ and Lou, as well. Detroit will be tied up in big contracts for a long time with limited ability to bring in other difference makers and their ceiling is already capped.
Tyler D Thorpe: Clips get a plus for finally hitting the reset button on a group that was never going to be anything but mediocre. Blake is a solid piece, but I never saw them really contending with him as their focal point. Pistons take a risk here, however, I won’t ever blame a team for taking a chance on an All-Star level player. Especially in a wide-open Eastern conference.
Zack Padmore: With Detroit being in win-now mode, I like the aggressive move of going after a proven star like Blake Griffin. The Clippers are clearly going in a different direction, and need to rebuild their roster. Tobias Harris is an underrated, young-ish player who will do a lot of things for them over the next few years. I believe Griffin and Drummond can wreak havoc together in the frontcourt. I like this move for both teams, Detroit in particular.
Jared Woodcox: The Pistons certainly won this deal in the short-term since they acquired the best player of the bunch in Blake Griffin who’s off to a good start in his new home in Detroit. My biggest reaction to this though is don’t sleep on Tobias Harris. He was having a great year in Detroit and if Jerry West and Co. can continue to put some good pieces in LA, Harris could work wonders for them down the road. Both teams advanced towards their respective goals in this trade, but given that Blake had largely run his course with the Clips, it could turn out better for LA in the long run.
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