Blake Griffin Traded to the Detroit Pistons

Apparently Blake Griffin won't be a "Clipper for life".

Blake Griffin during his time with Los Angeles Clippers. Photo by Austin Mcafee/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

As the NBA trade deadline gets closer, we got ourselves a first blockbuster trade. Los Angeles Clippers shipped off power forward Blake Griffin alongside Brice Johnson and Willie Reed to Detroit Pistons, getting Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic – 2018 first-round and 2019 second-round draft pick in exchange. The first rounder has a 1-4 protection from 2018 to 2020.

Blake Griffin had a tremendous impact on this organization and his legacy within the community of Los Angeles will be permanent,” – said Clippers owner Steve Ballmer after the deal was announced. “It was a pleasure getting to know and cheer for Blake. I wish him, as well as Brice and Willie, the best of luck. While change is hard, my confidence in our front office, led by Lawrence Frank and Michael Winger, along with the sage counsel of Jerry West, has never been higher. I believe today, more than ever, in our ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship.

Los Angeles Clippers trading away Blake Griffin was something no one expected, mostly because the organization gave Griffin a max deal in the offseason and intended to make him a franchise cornerstone. Six months after, the Clippers are hitting a soft reset button. Although a borderline All-Star caliber player, Griffin never managed to elevate his game and become a true superstar due to all the injuries he had over the years. Clippers managed to take his huge salary off their books and also acquire young players who have a big upside.

On the Detroit Pistons side, they are currently in danger of missing the playoffs and had to make a move in order to boost their roster. Also, the team has just got a new arena, and Griffin is certainly a name that sells tickets.

We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team,” – said Pistons owner Tom Gores said. “Blake Griffin is one of the NBA’s elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it.

Ben loves sports so much but prefers watching other people do it. He prefers not to share what teams he's supporting but he is willing to admit that Lebron James is, in fact, the king.