Blake Griffin Traded to Pistons for Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris and More (2024)
Danny Moloshok/Associated Press
The Los Angeles Clippers traded superstar forward Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons on Monday in exchange forTobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a 2018 protected first-round pick and a 2019 second-round selection.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com first reported the trade.Per Wojnarowski, the protections on the first-round pick will be, "2018: 1-4; 2019: 1-4; 2020: 1-4; 2021: unprotected." He added that the Pistons would also receiveBrice Johnson and Willie Reed.
The Clippers may not be done there, however—Wojnarowski reported that the Clippers "will continue to pursue packages of young players and picks in talks for DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams."
Although there were rumblings in previous seasons that suggested Griffin could get moved, it's still surprising to see one of the league's top power forwards dealt in his prime. It's a risky move by the Clippers, even when considering the return package.
Speculation about the 28-year-oldUniversity of Oklahoma product's future first began to heat up after a fight with equipment manager Matias Testi in January 2016 at a restaurant in Toronto during which Griffin injured his hand, as Sam Amick of USA Today reported.
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times passed along comments at the time from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who stated "there needs to be consequences." He also suggested Griffin would remain a franchise cornerstone, however: "Blake's a key part of our team. There's no question about that."
While that incident didn't lead directly to a trade, Griffin didn't end up staying on the roster through the organization's current rebuilding efforts. He joins Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford among the high-profile players moved by the front office since the offseason.
Griffin's trade comes as a bigger surprise, however, as he's just months removed from signing a five-year, $171.2 million contract extension with the team.
Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists across 33 appearances this season. He has theNBA's 10th-best Player Efficiency Rating among power forwards, per ESPN.com. He finished third in PER at the position last season.
Ultimately, superstars such as Griffin are hard to find, but the Clippers made the difficult choice to push forward with the move as they attempt to restructure their roster. It's the type of trade that's going to have a lasting impact on the organization as they clearly plunge headlong into a rebuild.
Detroit, meanwhile, made a win-now decision. In Griffin, the team has a legitimate superstar to build around as it seeks to reach the postseason. The 22-26 Pistons are ninth in the Eastern Conference standings.
One factor that cannot be ignored is the long-term financial flexibility Detroit just sacrificed, however, as outlined by B/R's Dan Favale:
Dan Favale @danfavale
combined cost for Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin:2017-18: $53.3 million2018-19: $57.3 million2019-20: $61.3 million2020-21: $65.5 million (AD $28.8M player option)and then Griffin has a $39M PO for 2021-22.this is legitimately terrifying.
The Pistons are now built around one of the best frontcourts in the Eastern Conference in Drummond and Griffin, along with guard Reggie Jackson, and will be expected to make the playoffs. But if Griffin isn't enough to push the Pistons into the NBA's elite—and if the team can't work around the salary cap in future years to add talent given the contracts of Drummond and Griffin—the trade may never be worth it.
As a basketball enthusiast with a deep understanding of the NBA and player transactions, I can confidently analyze the trade involving Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Detroit Pistons. My expertise in the realm of professional basketball allows me to dissect the various components of this trade, including the players exchanged, the draft picks involved, and the potential implications for both teams.
Firstly, the trade, reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com, saw the Clippers send Blake Griffin to the Pistons in exchange for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a 2018 protected first-round pick, and a 2019 second-round selection. The protection details on the first-round pick are crucial, and Wojnarowski provided the specifics: "2018: 1-4; 2019: 1-4; 2020: 1-4; 2021: unprotected." Additionally, the Pistons acquired Brice Johnson and Willie Reed as part of the deal.
This unexpected move by the Clippers is part of a broader organizational shift, following the departure of high-profile players like Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford in previous seasons. Despite Griffin signing a lucrative five-year, $171.2 million contract extension just months ago, the Clippers opted for a bold rebuilding strategy by trading their star power forward.
The decision to trade Griffin is rooted in various factors, including his involvement in an incident in January 2016, where he injured his hand during a altercation with the equipment manager. While this incident didn't directly lead to the trade, it marked a turbulent period for Griffin and the Clippers.
Griffin's on-court performance is noteworthy, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 33 appearances during the season of the trade. Despite his statistical prowess, the Clippers chose to part ways with Griffin as they embark on a rebuilding phase.
On the Detroit Pistons' side, acquiring Griffin signifies a win-now mentality. The team, currently sitting at ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, aims to leverage Griffin's superstar status to propel them into playoff contention. However, the trade comes at a cost, as highlighted by B/R's Dan Favale, who pointed out the long-term financial commitments Detroit made with Griffin and Andre Drummond, potentially limiting their future flexibility.
In summary, this trade between the Clippers and Pistons is a significant shake-up in the NBA landscape, with both teams making strategic decisions aligned with their respective goals—rebuilding for the Clippers and contending for the Pistons. The nuances of the players involved, draft picks, and the financial implications underscore the complexity of NBA transactions and team-building strategies.
The Clippers and Pistons have agreed on a deal to trade Blake Griffin for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic
Boban Marjanovic
Boban Marjanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Бобан Марјановић; born August 15, 1988) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Boban_Marjanović
As the season went on, the Clippers became convinced that they not only weren't a real contender this season, but wouldn't be next season as well with the current roster. So they were amenable when the Pistons came to them in the last couple of weeks with a proposed deal for Griffin.
The Clippers were 25-24, hanging tough in ninth place in the Western Conference, when they traded Griffin. The Clippers sent Griffin, Brice Johnson and Willie Reed to the Pistons for Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, a first-round draft pick and a 2019 second-round pick. It was a blockbuster deal.
The answer is $13.3 million, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic — a considerable financial gift to the Pistons. Sources: Blake Griffin gave back $13.3 million in his buyout with the Pistons. He had $75M on his deal for this season and 2021-22.
A multi-player deal that broke early Wednesday morning, the Sixers acquired Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanović and Mike Scott in a trade with the Clippers, sending L.A. Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and Landry Shamet to the Clippers in the deal.
Injuries mounted, including a left knee injury that would keep Griffin sidelined almost four weeks, and the Clippers began to lose optimism over the future of their core. Part of their pitch to Griffin in free agency had been that they would remain competitive around him.
Alongside Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, Griffin's high-flying plays rejuvenated the Clippers franchise and earned it the nickname “Lob City.” He was traded to the Detroit Pistons during the 2018 season as his ability to soar dwindled and injuries piled up.
In 1988, just four years into Jordan's career, the Bulls were interested in dealing him to the Clippers in exchange for the No.1 and No.6 picks in that year's draft, according to The Jordan Rules (h/t Bleacher Report).
The LA Clippers said goodbye to fan favorite Reggie Jackson today in a move that the team legitimately needed to make. Reggie Jackson and a 2028 second-round pick were sent to the Charlotte Hornets for Mason Plumlee. The Clippers desperately needed a backup center, and Mason Plumlee is someone that could fit the role.
Griffin was selected first overall by the Clippers in the 2009 NBA draft, and was a six-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA selection. In January 2018, Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons and played for them until 2021. In March 2021, Griffin signed with the Brooklyn Nets.
Tobias Harris signed a 5 year / $180,000,000 contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, including $180,000,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $36,000,000. In 2024-25, Harris will earn, while carrying a cap hit of $45,850,000.
Doctors said at the time that Ratliff would miss four to six weeks. But Brown clearly had other ideas, pulling the trigger on the deal that sent Ratliff (along with Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez) to the Hawks for Mutombo and Roshown McLeod.
The blockbuster trade former Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy pulled off in January 2018 — acquiring Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers for three players and two draft picks — ends with the franchise paying Griffin not to play.
The Warriors announced the move Thursday night as part of a four-team trade that sent center James Wiseman to Detroit. Golden State also will receive unprotected 2026 and '28 second-round draft picks from Portland while giving up Memphis' 2026 second-round pick and its own 2028 second-round selection to Portland.
Ultimately, Detroit settled for one of the most hated trades in franchise history. Rodman, Isaiah Morris, a second-rounder (which became Antonio Lang) and a first-rounder (which became John Wallace) for Sean Elliot, David Wood and a first-rounder (which became Jerome Williams).
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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