Clippers and Pistons Make Blockbuster Trade
ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowksi has confirmed via his NBA sources that the Los Angeles Clippers and Detroit Pistons have agreed on a deal that will send superstar Blake Griffin to Detroit in exchange for Avery Bradley and Tobias Harris. The full deal is as follows: The Pistons receive Blake Griffin and the Clippers receive Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a 1st-round pick and a 2nd round pick. The first round pick will be protected 1-4 every year until 2021 in which it will become unprotected and the 2nd round pick will be in 2019. It's unlikely that the pick will fall inside the top four this year so we can all assume that the pick will be in this year's upcoming draft.
The trade is really the first big news of this year's trade-deadline as it has been relatively quiet. Many believed that the Clippers would continue to build around Griffin and look to move DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams, but the Clippers felt that the deal gave them enough to move their most valuable asset and face of the franchise since the departure of Chris Paul last year. While Woj is reporting that the Clippers are still looking to move Williams and Jordan, the Clippers have solidified themselves as sellers at the deadline despite being just one games out of the 8th seed in the Western Conference.
The Pistons on the other hand seem to have shifted into a much more "win-now" mode with the trade. Giving up assets Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley is tough, but there aren't a multitude of opportunities to grab a superstar like Blake Griffin often. The Pistons are currently three games back of the Philadelphia 76ers for the final playoff spot in the East, but the move to grab Griffin will likely force them into the playoffs, assuming Griffin can stay healthy. Harris was the Pistons' leading scorer, but Griffin should slot nicely into the power forward roll alongside center and All-Star snub Andre Drummond. Griffin has experience playing with athletic bigs as he has been paired with DeAndre Jordan for many years and the two have built a nice report together.
I would be on the lookout for Los Angeles to work hard to move Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan at this point as the Clippers will more than likely tank this season in hopes of starting a youth movement within the franchise. With the first big move of this year's trade deadline season behind us, hopefully the dominoes will begin to fall and more deals will be made.
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