NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Could Swap Al Horford For Blake Griffin, Per ‘The Sixer Sense’
Since the Pistons traded Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers, rumors have been continuously swirling around All-Star power forward Blake Griffin and his future with Detroit. With Drummond gone, most people are expecting the team to move him next and undergo a full-scale rebuild. However, to acquire assets that could help them speed up the rebuilding process, the Pistons may need to absorb another bad contract in any potential deal involving Griffin.
One of the potential trade partners for Detroit in the 2020 offseason is the Philadelphia 76ers. According to Fansided’s The Sixer Sense, the Sixers could reunite Griffin with coach Doc Rivers by sending a package that includes Al Horford, salary cap filler, and a few second-round picks to the Pistons.
“The Rivers-Griffin connection is worth exploring. Griffin is a more freewheeling 3-point shooter than Horford, and he brings a lot of interesting skills to an up-tempo, downhill attack — the offense Rivers advertised in his introductory press conference. If the Sixers are pushing the pace, cutting hard to the rim, and feasting on mismatches, there’s an avenue to Griffin fitting in. Just one year ago, in the 2018-19 season, Griffin was an All-Star, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists while hitting 36.2 percent of his seven 3-point attempts per game.”
There will be some issues with bringing Griffin to the City of Brotherly Love. Aside from his injury history and lucrative contract, Griffin, like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, needs the ball in his hands to excel on the court. Also, his arrival in Philadelphia would force Tobias Harris to spend more time at the small forward spot.
However, when healthy, Griffin is no doubt an upgrade over Horford. He’s more agile and a better three-point shooter, making him a great fit alongside Embiid in the Sixers’ frontcourt. When Simmons needs to rest or suffers an injury, Griffin is also capable of running the floor and making plays for his teammates.
The 76ers wouldn’t need to spend time figuring out how to maximize his full potential on the court since they recently hired Rivers as their head coach. The All-Star power forward formed a strong bond with Rivers during their time together in Los Angeles, and there could be some interest in the idea of reuniting on a team that is aiming to contend for the NBA championship.
Meanwhile, though he has a longer contract, Horford would be a better fit for a rebuilding team like the Pistons. He could not only help in installing a winning culture to their team, but he could also serve as a great mentor to their young core of players.
