It’s been a week since the 2020 free agency started, and several interesting trade ideas continue to surface in the league. One of these includes a three-way blockbuster deal that would send Russell Westbrook to the Golden State Warriors and Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons. In the proposed trade scenario by Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report , the Warriors would receive Westbrook, the Rockets would acquire Griffin, and the Detroit Pistons would get Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney.
The potential deal should be a no-brainer for the Warriors. By simply trading Wiggins and Looney, they would be able to acquire an All-Star and a former MVP in Westbrook that could serve as Stephen Curry’s backcourt partner in the 2020-21 NBA season while Klay Thompson is recovering from an injury.
“With Klay Thompson lost for the year to an Achilles injury, the Warriors should explore all areas to add talent. By absorbing Kelly Oubre Jr. into their trade exception, they proved they clearly aren’t afraid to spend, either. While Westbrook is overpaid, he’s a clear talent upgrade over Wiggins and could start in the Warriors backcourt alongside Stephen Curry. Filling out the rest of the lineup with Oubre, Draymond Green and James Wiseman could put the Warriors back toward the top of the West.”
Westbrook may not be able to provide the same impact as Thompson on both ends of the floor, but he could still help the Warriors become a more competitive team in the Western Conference next year. Westbrook would give them another prolific scorer, rebounder, playmaker, and a decent perimeter defender. Last season, the 31-year-old point guard averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, seven assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 47.2 percent from the field, per ESPN .
Though they play the same position, Westbrook and Curry aren’t expected to have a hard time building chemistry in the Warriors’ backcourt. While he’s used to running the offense and making plays for his teammates, Curry has proved on numerous occasions that he could excel on the court even without the ball in his hands, which makes him an ideal fit alongside a ball-dominant superstar like “The Brodie.”
The proposed scenario would also benefit the Pistons as it would allow them to hit two birds with one stone. Aside from successfully dumping the injury-prone Griffin and his lucrative contract, they would be receiving two young and promising talents in Wiggins and Looney that could help them speed up the rebuilding process.
Meanwhile, it remains a big question if the Rockets would be willing to part ways with “The Brodie” without receiving a young player and/or a future first-round pick in return. However, if James Harden decides to stay in Houston, swapping Westbrook for Griffin would make a lot of sense for the Rockets. If he could return to perfect shape and bring back his old self, Griffin would provide a major frontcourt upgrade for the Rockets, giving them an All-Star caliber big man capable of knocking down shots from beyond the arc.
