Blake Griffin out in Los Angeles
He didn’t win a title in Los Angeles, but Blake Griffin’s impact is undeniable.
Five all-star appearances, six consecutive trips to the NBA Playoffs — which had happened only four times in franchise history prior to his arrival — and perhaps as importantly, he made the Clippers relevant in Los Angeles.
Monday, the Griffin’s time in Los Angeles came to a screeching end, as the team sent its second-leading all-time scorer to Detroit, in exchange for Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley. News of the trade was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Clippers entered Monday one game behind Denver for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Detroit trails Philadelphia by four games in the loss column for the last spot in the Eastern Conference, having lost eight straight games.
Griffin is having his usual excellent but injury-plagued season, averaging 22 points per game, but only suiting up for 33 of the team’s 49 contests.
The former slam-dunk champion hasn’t missed fewer than 15 games in a season since 2013-14.
Just prior to the season, the Clippers signed Griffin to a five-year, $175 million free-agent deal to stay in Los Angeles after Griffin canceled a meeting with Phoenix.
First reaction to Clippers trading Blake Griffin: they literally pitched him on being Mr Clipper with a grand free agent presentation in June. Today they ship him to Detroit. Oof!
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 29, 2018
The Clippers gave Blake Griffin a crazy-elaborate free agent pitch, even mock-retiring his jersey to the rafters…six months later he's shipped off to Detroit, a team he'd never have even taken a meeting with. Expect every big free agent this summer to demand a no-trade clause.
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 30, 2018
It’s fair to say that Griffin was stunned by the deal.
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) January 30, 2018
Earlier in the day, Wojnarowski reported the the Pistons were entertaining offers for Bradley, arguably the best perimeter defender in the league. The 27-year-old guard is scheduled to become a free agent at season’s end, and Detroit was just 3-17 with him in the lineup.
This marks the unofficial end of the best stretch in Clippers history, as Chris Paul was traded in the offseason to Houston, and DeAndre Jordan is the last of the team’s “Big 3” remaining.
Jordan has been mentioned in several trades before next week’s deadline as well.
In addition to Bradley, L.A. gets high-scoring forward Harris, center Boban Marjanovic, along with first- and second-round draft picks. For a rebuilding team, those picks may be the most valuable assets.
Detroit will also receive first-round flop Brice Johnson and reserve Willie Reed.
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