Photo: Erik Drost / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
The Detroit Pistons are a three-time NBA champion franchise. In January 2018, they pulled off one of the decade's most shocking trades, acquiring Blake Griffin from the Clippers months after he signed a $171 million "Clipper for life" deal. Griffin responded with a career-best 2018–19 season — 24.5 points per game, an All-Star return and All-NBA honors — carrying Detroit to the playoffs. Injuries mounted, and a 2021 buyout ended his Pistons tenure.
His Detroit reinvention — adding a three-point shot and playmaking duties — is now a case study in star adaptation.