Blockbuster Trade: Clippers Send Blake Griffin to Detroit

Pistons send 3 players and a pair of draft picks to Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been struggling during the early goings of their first season without  Chris Paul who is now doing the point guard duties for the Houston Rockets. Four of their 5 starters have been hit with different injury problems plus the DeAndre Jordan trade rumors that have been making noise for some time now. Oh and don't forget about the fact that even super sub, Lou Williams is being targeted by an Eastern Conference team.

With the trade deadline under two weeks away, expect the NBA to be rocked by some mind-blowing brow-raising trades. And they already began.

In a surprising move, the Los Angeles Clippers, who are a game down behind the Denver Nuggets for the 8th spot in  the Western Conference with a 25-24 record, sent star forward, Blake Griffin alongside Willie Reed, Brice Johnson and a draft pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and a pair of draft picks.

Why is this trade surprising?

Most NBA pundits didn't expect the Clippers to pull the trigger on Blake Griffin as it was actually DeAndre Jordan who has been predicted to be traded before the trade deadline next month. According to sources, one of the reasons why the Clippers decided to part ways with Griffin is the fact that he didn't elevate the Clippers to greater heights even with both Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan healthy and playing.

Clippers are still the winner

While there's no denying that Blake Griffin has become one of the most explosive dunkers the NBA has ever seen, there's also a reason why the Clippers did the right decision to let him go: he has been prone to injuries during the big chunk of his career so getting Harris, Bradley and Marjanovic plus two future picks will help the Clippers in their rebuilding process. Who knows? Avery Bradley has been recognized as one of the best defenders in his position and can also become Doc Rivers' primary scorer. This trade might help the Clippers keep their playoff streak alive and might even help them make it past the first round. MIGHT. 

Conclusion

The Pistons may have gained a dynamic duo after acquiring Griffin as he now gets to play alongside Andrei Drummond. Assuming that Griffin finally learns to stay healthy in the long run, he might give the Pistons a fighting chance. After all, Detroit is currently in 9th place in the East. Give it a little push and who knows? But then again, it's up to Griffin's health plus chemistry issues.