In acquiring five-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin from the LA Clippers last night, the Detroit Pistons showed — if nothing else — they weren’t about it stand pat. Their current eight-game losing streak has led to calls for change in the Motor City and that’s exactly what the team delivered with last night’s blockbuster trade.
How much adding Griffin helps the Pistons climb out of their funk and back into the upper crust of the Eastern Conference — where they were in the early part of this season — remains to be seen. Team owner Tom Gores, though, made it clear in a statement via Twitter early this morning that the trade is a part of his larger, championship vision he has had for the team. Kirkland Crawford of the Detroit Free Press has more from Gores:
Early Tuesday morning, Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores released a statement after his team acquired five-time All-Star Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pistons are sending Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and two draft picks to L.A. for Griffin, forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed.
“We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team,” Gores said in the statement. “Blake Griffin is one of the NBA’s elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it.”
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“The move is not without risk. We gave up a lot to get him, including Tobias Harris – one of the hardest-working, highest-character players I know – and two high quality young men in Avery Bradley and Boban Marjanovic.
“But we are very excited to bring Blake Griffin to Detroit. He is a great fit for our team and will bring a combination of toughness and athleticism that will elevate our team and excite our fans.”
— Tom Gores (@TomGores) January 30, 2018
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