According to ESPN & multiple sources, the Los Angeles Clippers have finally traded four-time All-Star Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons Monday evening. In addition, the Clippers are also trading center Willie Reed and power forward Brice Johnson to the Pistons, who in return will send back forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley, center Boban Marjanović and draft picks to Los Angeles, league sources said.
The trade brings Griffin, who spent his entire career in Los Angeles, to an underachieving Pistons team that is 22-26 and three games behind Philadelphia 76ers for the eighth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Griffin, who last Summer signed a maximum five-year, $173 million contract to return to the Clippers in free agency, averaged 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33 games this season. He is a four-time All-NBA player, but missed this year’s cut.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski says the trade talks began about six days ago between the two teams, but really picked up momentum over the past 24 hours. And reports say that the Clippers aren't done dealing either. Apparently guard Lou Williams and center DeAndre Jordan are also both being shopped around at the moment, with the Clippers wanting to go to a younger route moving forward.
While many people have been taking to Twitter to voice their frustration and/or excitement with the trade, one former teammate of Griffin's, Matt Barnes, suggested that head coach Doc Rivers is to blame for the trade. Barnes said in the comments of an IG post that "everyone who played there knows DOC IS THE PROBLEM," before wishing Blake luck on his next adventure.
Check out the various reports & comments from Twitter & analysts (below) and sound off in the comments. Who got the better end of the deal in this trade?
https://twitter.com/_/status/958120113332506624
https://twitter.com/_/status/958120223286185984
https://twitter.com/_/status/958123078407544832