The HoopsHype Daily: Blake Griffin might get shut down for the year, and the Pistons are in an impossible spot

A TROUBLING FUTURE: With yesterday’s news about Blake Griffin’s injury, indicating that the All-Star big man might get shut down for the season, one has to wonder about what the future holds not just for Griffin, but the Detroit Pistons as a whole. As is, the team boasts a 13-24 record and has the league’s 10th-worst net rating, trailing the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns, amongst many others. And they’re doing that with the sixth-most expensive roster in the NBA.

Luckily for Detroit, some of their bad money does come off the books this summer, as Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway will hit free agency and Josh Smith will no longer be owed any more buyout checks from the Pistons. But they have other roster questions that need to be answered.

For starters, what are they going to do with Griffin, who looked like an All-Star last season but could not get it going whatsoever this year due to lingering knee issues. Could the team decide to trade Griffin, with his value at an all-time low? Unlikely, unless they’re willing to attach assets to the deal, which would be shortsighted. And what does the future hold for Andre Drummond, who is receiving a ton of trade interest this season and is all but certain to hit free agency in a few months? Detroit might be wise to ship the stud center and try to accrue some assets for the rebuild that is sure to come.

Because the one thing that is certain is that this brief run of Pistons basketball, which featured two playoff appearances in the last four years, is more than likely over.

LATEST TRADE SCUTTLE: With the NBA trade deadline just under a month away, scuttle league-wide is starting to get busier and busier. We have the latest.

The Kings are interested in Kyle Kuzma, and Bogdan Bogdanovic would be part of the deal. No, seriously. If anyone knows what in the world Sacramento is thinking here, please let us know.

Davis Bertans has blossomed into one of the best shooters in the league this year for Washington, and rival teams have taken notice. Philadelphia, Atlanta, the L.A. Lakers, Denver and Boston are reportedly interested in acquiring the sharpshooter. 

Teams are registering interest in Knicks big man Bobby Portis, who is shooting 38.2 percent from three this year. He’s essentially on the last year of his deal, too, since the 2020-21 portion of his contract has a team option on it, so Portis could be a solid investment for a contender. 

ROTATION PLAYER WAIVED: The Warriors will reportedly waive big man Marquese Chriss, who was averaging 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds this year. The move will allow Golden State to promote Damion Lee from his two-way deal to a full-time contract.

MVP RANKINGS: For the first time in weeks, James Harden made the top selection in our MVP rankings a tough decision.

ALL-STAR FESTIVITIES: We received word on one surefire participant in the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest, and two players reportedly considering it. Dwight Howard, who’s enjoying a relative career renaissance with the Lakers, will join the festivities, while Ja Morant and Zach LaVine are thinking about it. Those two guards would put on an absolute show.

COMEBACK SEASON: Speaking of Howard, the Lakers are set to his fully guarantee his contract for the rest of the season, an easy decision to make considering Howard’s strong level of play off the bench this year.

NO PUNISHMENT: Despite spending most of Saturday’s game for the Cavs showing up his head coach, and reportedly berating his GM before that, Kevin Love won’t be disciplined by the organization. Interesting decision by Cleveland, to say the least.

TRAE’S DEVELOPMENT: When he was in ninth grade, Trae Young would shoot 500 threes a day, with 50 of those attempts coming from deep three-point range. It was the only way he could find a way to play back then, since he was 6-feet tall and weighed under 150 pounds. If it weren’t for that work ethic as a young kid, there’s no shot Young would be the player he’s become today, so kudos to him.

A CROSSROADS: Many expect Marcus Morris to get traded to a contender within the next month, but Morris has stated multiple times that he’d rather stay in New York. The New York Daily News argues the Knicks should keep Morris to prove to everyone they’re serious about turning things around as a franchise. 

FLOOR GENERALS: Point-guard whisperer Doc Rivers is trusting Patrick Beverley with calling plays on offense, much like he used to do with Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo. And though he really isn’t that type of point guard, the fact that his coach has put that much trust in him can only be motivational for Beverley.

DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA: Pacers big man Myles Turner made waves recently by deactivating his social media platforms. Although he was forced to reactivate his social media due to business obligations, he thinks those platforms can be toxic for someone in his position and that he started playing better once he disconnected. 

SALARY QUIZ: WHO’S THIS NBA PLAYER?

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