No, Warriors shouldn't pursue Griffin in trade or buyout

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The odd Blake Griffin era with the Detroit Pistons appears to be coming to an end. So, let's get this over with: That doesn't mean the Warriors should start a new chapter for Griffin here in the Bay Area. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that Griffin and the Pistons have agreed he will be out of the lineup until the two sides find an answer for his future either through a trade or buyout. Two things will make this tough for the Pistons and should make Golden State steer clear of the six-time All-Star. Griffin's contract the next two seasons is extremely expensive, and he simply just isn't very good right now. 

As we've seen in the past, nearly every contract is moveable. But at nearly 32 years old and rapidly declining on the court, Griffin's deal is a disaster. Not even a buyout will be easy for Griffin and the Pistons to pull off. 

That's just showing the monetary side to this situation, too. Now let's get to the player. 

Griffin is averaging a career-low 12.3 points over 20 games this season. He's also averaging 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Those are all middling numbers for an aging veteran being paid like a superstar.

Remember the Lob City years of Griffin on the Clippers? The Dunk Contest days? Those are long gone. At this point, it feels like they never even existed. Want to know how many dunks the 6-foot-9 forward has thrown down this season? Zero. 

Seriously. Blake Griffin hasn't dunked once in all 20 games this season.

When a player is shooting 31.5 percent from 3-point range and literally won't dunk after being one of the most explosive players in the league, it's time to move on. The Warriors also got a front-row view of Griffin's decline earlier than season, and it wasn't pretty. He scored five points, went 1-for-8 from the field and was minus-28 in plus-minus. 

This isn't the Griffin that made five straight All-Star Games to start his career. It isn't even the same one as who we saw two years ago, his first full season with the Pistons, when he regained his All-Star form. 

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Injuries have derailed Griffin's career, a fact far from his fault. At this point in his career, he wants to play for a contender, and that's not the Pistons. The Warriors want to contend but also know they have to develop their young players like Eric Paschall and James Wiseman. 

Unless Griffin took a minimum deal after a buyout, Warriors general manager Bob Myers shouldn't even search for Detroit's area code. Griffin and the Warriors had plenty of memorable moments as rivals during his time as a Clipper. However, him coming to Chase Center to become a Warrior can't be an option for this team.

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