Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons legend Ben Wallace, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, will reportedly be selected to the 2021 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class Sunday.

Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported the news Saturday on the impending enshrinement of Wallace, who also played for the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers during a 16-year career that ended in 2012. He won an NBA title with the Pistons in 2004.

Wallace went undrafted out of Virginia Union, a Division II program, in 1996 and played a minor role across 34 appearances with Washington as a rookie.

The Alabama native started to showcase his defensive prowess over the next three years as a member of the Wizards and Magic, but it wasn't until he joined the Pistons in 2000 that he took off.

Wallace never averaged 10 points in a single season, but his impact in every other facet of the game is what reportedly landed him in the Hall of Fame. He averaged 11.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 655 regular-season games across nine years with Detroit.

Along with the Defensive Player of the Year honors and 2004 championship, Wallace piled up accolades that included five All-Defensive first-team selections and four All-Star appearances. He led the NBA in rebounding twice and blocks once.

Wallace left Detroit in 2006 to make brief stops with Chicago and Cleveland, but he returned to the Pistons in 2009 for three seasons to finish his career. The franchise retired his No. 3 jersey in 2016.

"Where I came from and some of the trial and tribulations I went through, I wouldn't change it for the world. Y'all motivated me on nights when I didn't have anything left," Wallace told Pistons fans at the jersey retirement ceremony.

The 6'9'', 240-pound center also credited his seven older brothers for his unusual style of high-end NBA success: "I was always told, 'You have to get loose balls and rebound or try to get a steal because we're not going to pass the ball.'"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kstxcpbXHG0

Now 46, Wallace owns a minority stake in the G League's Grand Rapids Drive and is the team's president of basketball operations. He'll oversee a rebrand before the 2021-22 season as they shift their affiliation from the Pistons to the Denver Nuggets.

The 2021 Hall of Fame class will be announced Sunday in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 2020 class will hold its delayed enshrinement ceremony Saturday.

The Detroit Pistons are reportedly finalizing a contract extension with head coach Dwane Casey, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The deal adds one more year to his current contract, keeping him under team control through 2023-24.

Detroit has struggled to a 20-50 record this year in Casey's third season with the team, currently the worst record in the Eastern Conference. 

It was the second straight disappointing season for Detroit, which finished 20-46 in 2019-20 without getting an invite to the NBA restart in Orlando. 

Casey replaced Stan Van Gundy in 2018 after his predecessor had just one playoff appearance in four seasons. It appeared things were turning around in his first season as a 41-41 record was enough to reach the playoffs.

That team was swept out of the first round of the playoffs, however, continuing a trend of zero postseason wins for the franchise since reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2008. The organization has reached the playoffs three times in this stretch but suffered a sweep each year.

Only once since 2008 have the Pistons finished the regular season with a winning record (2015-16).

It appears the organization still understands it's a rebuild and is willing to stick with Casey. The franchise hasn't had a coach last more than four years since Chuck Daly from 1983 to 1992.

There is still talent on the roster between Jerami Grant, Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, but the pressure is on to turn things around after an extended stretch of disappointment.

Casey fell short of expectations in seven years with the Toronto Raptors, getting fired in 2018, the same year he won the league's Coach of the Year Award. He led the squad to a 320-238 record in the regular season but went just 21-30 in the playoffs.

The hope is his run with the Pistons will lead to more success if given the opportunity.

The Blake Griffin era with the Detroit Pistons has come to an end.

"I thank the Pistons organization for working together on an outcome that benefits all involved, and I wish the franchise success in the future," Griffin said.

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the financial details on Griffin's buyout:

Sources: Blake Griffin gave back $13.3 million in his buyout with the Pistons. He had $75M on his deal for this season and 2021-22. The six-time All-Star will clear waivers on Sunday and the Brooklyn Nets are the leaders to sign him.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 5, 2021

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news.

Wojnarowski added that Griffin has received interest from "many of the NBA's top playoff contenders" and is expected to pick a new home after talking with clubs "in the near future."

Griffin has played for the Pistons since a 2018 trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He was making $36.6 million in 2020-21 and has a player option for $39 million in 2021-22, per Spotrac.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver announced last month that Griffin would be held out of games as the team explored potential trade and buyout options.

Once an All-Star and All-NBA regular, his status has taken a hit because of chronic injuries. He was limited to 18 games after two left knee surgeries last season and averaged a career-low 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

While Griffin has been healthier this season, his production has not picked up. He averaged 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists through 20 games, showing a lack of burst off the dribble and essentially turning into a jump shooter. The version of Griffin who was once the NBA's most athletic player is nowhere to be found.

This is a salary dump for the Pistons, who will likely continue being one of the league's worst teams into next season.

Griffin will explore the open market and likely land with a contender that deploys him on a limited basis.

Detroit Pistons shooting guard Wayne Ellington is reportedly "expected to receive interest from contending teams" ahead of the 2021 NBA trade deadline on March 25.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported the news Thursday.

Ellington is averaging 10.6 points across 27 appearances for the Pistons this season. Most of that offense is from beyond the arc, as he's knocking down 2.7 threes per game while shooting 43.5 percent from deep.

Players who can make a consistent offensive impact without the need for a lot of minutes or touches are always value to title hopefuls come playoff time.

Ellington has also brought a "steady and professional presence" to the Pistons locker room that's been "very much appreciated' by the organization, per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Those factors combined with his manageable one-year, $2.6 million contract make him a fit with pretty much any contender.

Ellington is a well-traveled veteran who's in his second stint with the Pistons. He's also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and New York Knicks during his 12-year career.

In January, Detroit head coach Dwane Casey credited the guard for setting the right example during the team's slow start to the 2020-21 campaign:

"He's a glue guy. Love his spirit, loves what he brings to the table each and every day. We're 1-6 and he's still out there talking to players and excited about being in the NBA and not dropping his head, dropping his shoulder because he hasn't had playing time. A guy like that, you want to keep rewarding him and what he brings to the table."

With the Pistons sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 10-25 record, moving Ellington to a team closer to the top of the standings for a future asset makes the most since for Detroit.

A contender like the Philadelphia 76ers, who sit atop the East at 24-12 but rank 28th in three pointers made per game (10.6), would be a nice fit on paper.

With the Detroit Pistons in rebuilding mode, Blake Griffin's future with the organization will likely come to an end soon. 

Per Shams Charania and James Edwards III of The Athletic, the Pistons "are expected to work toward a contract buyout" with Griffin. 

Griffin has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate, but his contract and injury history could make it difficult for the Pistons to find a partner willing to make a trade. The six-time All-Star has a $38.957 million player option on his deal for next season. 

Detroit general manager Troy Weaver told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski last month that Griffin would be held out of the lineup as the team explored trade options or negotiate a buyout with his agent. 

The Pistons have already made one notable move by sending Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks on Feb. 8. They currently own the worst record in the Eastern Conference (10-25) and seem poised to miss the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 seasons. 

Griffin had a promising start to his Pistons career. He averaged a career-high 24.5 points per game and shot 36.2 percent from three-point range to help the team make the playoffs during the 2018-19 season. 

Since undergoing knee surgery in April 2019, Griffin has only played in 38 games since the start of last season. He was averaging a career-low 12.3 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting in 20 games this season before being shut down as the team explores trade options. 

Nobody really expected the 2020-21 Detroit Pistons to be playoff contenders this year, so the team's slow start hasn't come as a major surprise. The Pistons then chose to trade Derrick Rose to the New York in February, while Blake Griffin will remain away from the team until he's either traded or bought out.

There have been some pleasant surprises. Jerami Grant has looked worth every penny of the three-year, $60 million deal he signed in the offseason. Veteran Wayne Ellington has been lights-out from beyond the arc. Josh Jackson has carved out a nice role in Detroit. 

Other surprises have been less enjoyable, namely the 31-year-old Griffin having the worst season of his career before he and the team decided to part ways. It's possible his past injuries have finally caught up to him. 

Regardless, the Pistons have long seemed doomed to cellar-dweller status. Let's take a look at the schedule they'll face as they try to claw their way back into the playoff picture. 

                   

2020-21 Pistons Schedule Details

Second-Half Opener: at Charlotte Hornets; March 11 at 7 p.m. ET

Championship Odds: +25000 (via FanDuel)

Second-Half Schedule: NBA.com

                   

Top Matchups

Sacramento Kings (First Matchup: April 8)

OK, this one might seem random, but it's a chance to potentially see No. 7 overall pick Killian Hayes matchup up against one of the best rookies taken after him, Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton (No. 12 overall). 

Hayes has been sidelined with a right hip injury for most of his rookie season, and it's possible he won't return for this matchup. 

If nothing else, Pistons fans will get another look at Haliburton, who has been fantastic for the Kings (13.1 PPG). 

Detroit shouldn't be unhappy with the Hayes pick—he's hardly had a chance to prove himself to this point—but the possibility of seeing him stack up vs. Haliburton is intriguing. 

                

Cleveland Cavaliers (First Matchup: April 19)

A possible matchup against former Piston Andre Drummond was ruined when he and the Cavs decided to part ways, similar to the Griffin situation. Regardless, this matchup also gives them the opportunity to get revenge after two losses against the Cavs already. 

The first was a heartbreaker, a 128-119 loss in double overtime on Dec. 26. Drummond put 23 points and 16 rebounds on his former teammates, while Collin Sexton won't off for 32 points. Drummond tagged them in the second matchup, too, putting up 23 points and 16 rebounds yet again, while Sexton popped off too (29 points). 

Suffice to say, Detroit has something coming for the Cavs. Whether they have their revenge remains to be seen, but you can bet Pistons fans will be watching this one eagerly. 

               

Second-Half Forecast

It's possible that Grant helps them steal a few wins, or that Hayes really hits the ground running. It seems more likely they'll continue to be sellers in the trade market and will largely struggle this season. Detroit is in a rebuild. Their record by the end of the season will reflect as much. 

                        

Prediction

The Pistons finish 20-52.

        

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

Must be 21+ and present in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia, Colorado, or Tennessee. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. See sportsbook.fanduel.com for details

If the Detroit Pistons find a taker for a Blake Griffin trade, the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder are currently considered the favorites to land the six-time All-Star.

BetOnline.ag's sportsbook provided odds after the Pistons confirmed Griffin would be sitting out for the foreseeable future while the franchise explores a way to amicably part ways with the veteran forward:

Miami the odds-on favorite to land Blake Griffin if a trade happens, per @betonline_ag. pic.twitter.com/vKo21eWx9p

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) February 16, 2021

The odds are only in place in the event of a trade, but Miami still stands out as a curious favorite for Griffin's services.

The Heat would likely have to trade Andre Iguodala, Meyers Leonard, Maurice Harkless and another small contract to make the deal work, which isn't likely to have much appeal for the Heat, who would lose all of their 2021 flexibility in exchange for a distressed asset in Griffin.

Oklahoma City could find the salaries to trade for Griffin, but it's hard to find much logic in a deal for either team. The Thunder would likely willingly add Griffin's salary to their cap sheet but would require at least one first-round pick in exchange, something a rebuilding Pistons team would not want to give up. Griffin also likely has no interest in trading one rebuild for another.

The likely end to this situation is Detroit and Griffin reaching an amicable buyout, with Griffin taking a sizable cut from his $39 million 2021-22 base salary in exchange for the freedom to sign with a contender. Griffin would then be able to recoup some of his 2021-22 salary with a deal this summer with his new team or as a free agent. 

The Detroit Pistons have reportedly been trying to trade forward Blake Griffin for months, but have been unable to find a partner thus far.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype spoke to seven NBA executives about Griffin's situation, and an anonymous Western Conference exec said there hasn't been a taker due in part to the fact that there are certain teams Griffin prefers to play for.

That exec said there is a "non-zero" chance of a buyout, while an Eastern Conference executive expressed their belief that a buyout is the most likely endgame.

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday that the team and Griffin have mutually agreed for him to sit until they come to a resolution on his future.

The 31-year-old Griffin is a six-time All-Star, but the past two seasons in Detroit have been the worst of his NBA career.

Griffin was an All-Star in each of his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and was viewed as one of the NBA's most exciting players. He was also one of the most productive players in the league, averaging at least 20 points per game in six of his seven seasons in L.A.

That form carried over to Griffin's first full season in Detroit in 2018-19, as he enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career.

Griffin was named an All-Star that season by virtue of his career-high 24.5 points and 2.5 three-pointers made per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists.

For the first several seasons of Griffin's career, he was a fairly one-dimensional player who primarily worked in the paint on offense and thrived on scoring close to the basket. Since the 2017-18 season, however, he has expanded his range significantly.

After 2018-19, though, injuries derailed his progress in a big way last season. Griffin was limited to just 18 games with a knee ailment, and his per-game averages plummeted to 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 trifectas.

Things haven't really gotten better for Griffin this season, as he is averaging a career-low 12.3 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 threes in 20 contests.

The Pistons own the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 8-19, and since a full rebuild appears to be their best course of action right now, there is little reason for them to keep Griffin.

Griffin could be a significant asset to a contending team if he can stay healthy and recapture some of the magic from two seasons ago, but his contract is a potential issue.

Per Spotrac, he is making $36.5 million this season and has a player option for next season at just under $39 million. If a team trades for Griffin, it would risk taking on a huge financial commitment for next season.

Detroit's best option to move on from Griffin at this point may be a buyout. It is far from ideal since it would be a costly endeavor, but giving Griffin a chance to play for a contender would be a respectable move on the Pistons' part.

The Blake Griffin era in Detroit appears to be over. 

Both Griffin and the team announced Monday that the veteran forward would be held out of the lineup going forward, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that "the Pistons will continue to pursue trade scenarios involving Griffin, and talks on a contract buyout with his agent Sam Goldfeder of Excel Sports could eventually come into focus."

Pistons general manager Troy Weaver told Woj:

"After extensive conversation with Blake's representatives, it has been determined that we will begin working to facilitate a resolution regarding his future with the team that maximizes the interests of both parties. We respect all the effort Blake has put forth in Detroit and his career and will work to achieve a positive outcome for all involved."

Griffin added in a statement: "I am grateful to the Pistons for understanding what I want to accomplish in my career and for working together on the best path forward." 

Blake Griffin wants to play meaningful games. The Pistons are in a different direction, with young players who need minutes. Therefore, an amicable breakup was inevitable

— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) February 15, 2021

Trading the 31-year-old will be tough. Generally when aging stars—or former stars, depending on whether you think Griffin's struggles this year are a rough patch or his new normal—have huge contracts like Griffin, teams trying to deal them are able to make two types of moves:

• Deal him for another player with an equally large and prohibitive contract. Think the Russell Westbrook-for-John Wall swap. 
• Deal him to a team with salary-cap space to absorb the player's large contract. Generally, you also part with some assets like young players or draft picks in such a deal.  

Both scenarios will be difficult for the Pistons to make work. The former is tricky for two reasons. One, Griffin is really struggling this year, averaging just 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting 36.5 percent from the field. He wasn't much better last year, posting 15.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting an abysmal 35.2 percent from the field.  

It's hard to market Griffin as a star at this point. A string of injuries have simply turned him into a shell of his former self, which included five All-Star Game appearances in his first six seasons. Maybe a new environment gets more out of him, but the Pistons aren't going to get a major return for him based on his play. 

It gets even harder to deal him when you take into account his $36.5 million contract for this season or the $38.9 million player option for next year he'll absolutely exercise. Even if you could find a player-for-player fit in a trade—let's say the San Antonio Spurs wanted to move off the struggling LaMarcus Aldridge (14.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 47.6 FG percentage) and were willing to roll the dice on Griffin, hoping he was able to work his way closer to his previous form—matching the money would be tricky.

Aldridge, for instance, is making $24 million this season. San Antonio would have to throw another player into the deal to make the money work. But most teams likely see Griffin as a negative asset given the contract-to-production ratio you're getting back.

Westbrook, for instance, averaged 27.2 points a season ago. The biggest concern with the 30-year-old Wall was that he was returning from an injury-lost season and might have lost some of his burst. He was still playing at a high level before that injury.

But the Pistons likely aren't going to be interested in giving up assets to get off Griffin's contract, either. They're in a rebuild. If anything, they'd likely prefer to be the team getting assets in exchange for using cap space to absorb bad contracts in the short term.  

Given Griffin's declining game and huge contract, the Pistons' task is equivalent to trying to fire proton torpedoes in an exhaust port. First-year general manager Troy Weaver is going to need some serious Jedi mind tricks on this one, especially considering the buyout route isn't ideal unless Griffin is willing to slash a huge portion of his salary. 

Even if Griffin elects to give back let’s say $10M, Detroit would take on a massive cap hit of $32.7M in 2021-22.

A buyout should be off the table unless Griffin is willing to give back at least half of what he is owed. https://t.co/L3sHutarRY

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 15, 2021

With Dewayne Dedmon ($2,866,667) and Zhaire Smith ($1,068,200) already on the books for next season, Griffin's stretched player-option salary ($12,985,676) would put the Pistons over the limit of 15% of the salary cap.*

*Based on the projected 20221-22 salary cap

— Dan Feldman (@DanFeldmanNBA) February 15, 2021

It seems unlikely Griffin will want to throw away that much money. It seems just as unlikely the Pistons will want to dispose of that much money without getting anything back in return. And if nothing else, the looming possibility of a buyout lessens Detroit's leverage in trade talks. If Griffin might just become a free agent on the buyout market, why not wait it out?

It's a tough situation for the Pistons and Griffin, but one they are now committed to figuring out after Monday's news.

Derrick Rose is looking forward to his second stint with the New York Knicks.

The Knicks confirmed Monday they acquired Rose from the Detroit Pistons, bringing him back to the Big Apple for the second time.

"Other hoopers always used to tell me that if I ever had the chance to play in the MECCA go for it. I'm getting a second chance," Rose wrote on Instagram. "Got to make this one count. But I'm built for it. What’s Pooh spelled backwards???? The s--t just in my blood. Peace and Love King and Queens."

Individually, Rose had a pretty solid season with the Knicks in 2016-17. He averaged 18.0 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.1 percent from the field. New York finished 31-51 that year, though, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in a row.

Now, the 32-year-old is joining the Knicks as they sit in the thick of the Eastern Conference postseason race. They're eighth in the conference, which would qualify them for the play-in tournament.

Adding Rose is a sign of the franchise's priorities. Failing to at least make the playoffs will likely be considered a disappointment for head coach Tom Thibodeau.

"He Wants To Win"@RickKamlaSports: The #Knicks and Head Coach Tom Thibodeau are the clear winners in the Derrick Rose trade #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/H5IhqdL5Z4

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 8, 2021

Rose figures to have a prominent role in New York's rotation, with Dennis Smith Jr. having gone the other way to Detroit. The 2010-11 MVP will either back up Elfrid Payton or assume his starting duties at the point, so he'll have a big say in whether the Knicks end their drought.