This stands to be an interesting offseason for the Pistons. They have the seventh overall pick in the draft and the third most cap space in the NBA.
They don't project to be major players in free agency, but they could certainly be active on the trade market in an effort to add assets for the future. At the center of this is Blake Griffin, an aging star on a team getting younger.
"We have a lot of decisions to make this summer and a lot of changes will probably be made," Griffin said in June.
Could Griffin be part of those changes himself? New general manager Troy Weaver said the veteran is 'definitely in our plans moving forward' and Griffin said he's looking forward to setting the tone for a young team.
Still, there's a sense the Pistons will get some offers for Griffin before next season. NBA insider Zach Lowe said on his podcast last week during a conversation with Bill Simmons that there's already 'interest' in Griffin around the league.
"Enough people have asked me what I've heard about Blake Griffin and how he's looking, what am I hearing, that I think Detroit is going to have a market for him," said Lowe. "I don't think it's going to be strong. They're not getting two first-round picks or even a first-round pick unless they take back something onerous, too.
"But I've had enough teams ask me about Blake Griffin that I think there's still interest in what he can do to help you win."
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Griffin, 31, is owed $36.5 million next season, with a player option of about $39 million for 2021-22. He missed most of last season with a knee injury that required surgery, but he's only one year removed from an All-NBA selection.
Simmons thinks the Pistons should trade the six-time All-Star while they still can -- and he thinks the Warriors are the perfect landing spot.
He proposed a trade where the Pistons send Griffin and the No. 7 pick to Golden State for Andrew Wiggins and the No. 2 pick, plus Jordan Poole "to make the contracts work."
Wiggins, 25, is owed about $95 million over the next three seasons. He hasn't lived up to his potential as the first overall pick in 2014, but he did average 21.8 points and 5.1 rebounds last season. He'd add some more talent to the Pistons' young core -- and Detroit would move up five spots in the draft.
"If I'm the Pistons, I get out of the Blake deal, I have Wiggins -- whatever -- and I'm in the top 3 now (in the draft) and I can potentially get (Anthony) Edwards and build my team around him and hope he's good," said Simmons. "Not bad."
Lowe said he was also pitched a Griffin trade by an NBA executive (whose team wouldn't be involved in the deal): Griffin and Derrick Rose to the Jazz for Mike Conley.
Simmons said Utah would have to add picks to make it work for the Pistons.
"The Conley contract is expiring, though," said Lowe. "I don't think they would do that personally, I just thought it was an interesting trade."
"I'm bullish on the 'Detroit should trade Blake Griffin' thing," Simmons said. "Two years left, you're rolling the dice that this year he's healthy and (then) whatever, next year he's an expiring (contract). Even if he's unhealthy, whatever. If you're the Warriors and you have Blake making $38 million in the last year, but it's an expiring, that has trade value as well."