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What's the rumor?
Back in January 2018, the Detroit Pistons pulled off a blockbuster trade for Blake Griffin as the team went all-in on the duo of Griffin and Andre Drummond. However, the Pistons missed out on the 2018 playoffs before being swept in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks back in April.
The Pistons have once again struggled this season, making a 4-9 start to the season, and Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes Detroit could offload their All-Star duo ahead of the trade deadline:
Teams around the league should be keeping an eye on the Detroit Pistons, who FiveThirtyEight currently forecasts to finish well shy of a playoff spot. If things continue to go poorly in the Motor City, a fire sale might be in order. The two biggest targets would be Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin.
In case you didn't know...
Drummond was selected by the Pistons with the ninth pick of the 2012 draft. The 26-year-old has made more than 550 regular-season appearances for the team and is this season averaging career-highs in points (19.6) and rebounds (17.0). However, the two-time All-Star has expressed his intent to test his value in free agency next summer, and due to the lack of talent hitting the market, Drummond could attract a max deal.
Meanwhile, Detroit signed Griffin from the Clippers back in early 2018, and while the move was criticized at the time, the 30-year-old has excelled with the Pistons. During the 18-19 season, Griffin averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds as he made his first All-Star appearance since 2015. Nevertheless, Griffin has continued to struggle with injuries, and he is still owed around $110 million over the next three seasons.
The heart of the matter
The Pistons remained ambitious during the 2019 offseason, however, it is becoming increasingly evident that the current roster isn't good enough to compete for a title. With Drummond also set to enter free agency next summer, it makes sense for the Pistons to trade him now, while Griffin could follow as the organization heads towards a rebuild.
What's next?
The Pistons will be looking end their four-game losing streak when they face the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night.
