Just like Andre Drummond, Blake Griffin has been tossed around when it comes to the latest NBA trade rumors.
Like the Cleveland Cavaliers are doing with Drummond, the Detroit Pistons plan to sit Griffin until his future is clear.
While Griffin is getting older and he’s only averaging 12.1/5.2/3.9 on the season on .365/.315/.710 shooting splits, any team that wants to acquire him is hoping that they can see glimpses of his old self.
One drawback is that Griffin has a $39 million player option for next season, so whoever picks him up has to have that in mind.
Which Team will Trade for Blake Griffin?
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, February 16
- Oklahoma City Thunder +325
- Miami Heat +350
- Boston Celtics +500
- Charlotte Hornets +650
- Los Angeles Lakers +650
- Portland Trail Blazers +750
- Brooklyn Nets +1200
- Chicago Bulls +1200
- Golden State Warriors +1200
- Philadelphia 76ers +1200
- Houston Rockets +1400
- Los Angeles Clippers +1400
- Washington Wizards +1400
Thunder Favorites to Land Blake Griffin
After the Oklahoma City Thunder become a rebuilding team when they acquired what seemed like an infinite number of draft picks during the NBA offseason, some may wonder why Griffin could end up there.
For starters, the Thunder have more than enough cap space to take on Griffin. Plus they may be able to take on more draft picks if the Pistons want to get out of Griffin’s contract that badly.
On the other hand, Griffin grew up in Oklahoma City and attended the University of Oklahoma, so a hometown return could give him a fresh start on the back end of his career.
Heat Could be a Good Fit for Blake
It’s simple: the Heat need a power forward. When Kelly Olynyk is your starting power forward, you may want to reconsider things.
While Griffin isn’t the “Lob City” version of himself anymore, he’s shown that he’s capable of being a decent shooter prior to this season. He also wouldn’t be the first, second or even third scoring option in Miami, which means the pressure would be off his shoulders.
Despite being a sub .500 team, the Heat are fighting for a playoff spot and a Griffin trade may give them a boost.
Celtics Need Another Piece to Compete in the East
First, the Celtics were rumored to be in the hunt for Drummond and now they could look at Griffin as an option.
The Celtics could see Griffin as being an upgrade over players like Daniel Theis and Grant Williams at the power forward position. Even if Griffin doesn’t start for the Celtics, his veteran leadership would be welcomed and he could be the occasional scoring option off of the bench.
Yes, Griffin’s player option may be a lot to stomach for the Celtics, but a chance to boost their chances of winning this season could be worth it.
Hornets/Lakers also in the Race for Griffin
The Hornets were supposed to be in a rebuilding phase, but they’re already fighting for lower playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. With such a young team, it makes sense for them to bring in Griffin to help mentor the players.
At 6-foot-9, Griffin would also be one of the tallest players on a Hornets roster that could use some help in the size department.
Meanwhile, the Lakers could use some help at the 4 now that Anthony Davis is out of the lineup for a few weeks with an Achilles injury. Griffin would be a decent substitute until he gets back, even if he’s not the shooter that most of the other Lakers are.
However, being able to roll out a lineup of Davis, Griffin, LeBron James, Dennis Schroder, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at any time in the playoffs is a scary thought.
Even though Davis prefers not to play center, stranger things have happened when it means winning the NBA Championship.
