Report: Pistons struggling to find Blake Griffin trade partner

Blake Griffin is waiting for his departure from the Detroit Pistons, but it sounds like the team is really struggling to find takers for the former All-Star.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Pistons have struggled to trade Griffin, and executives around the league expect the forward to ultimately be bought out instead.

“I know they’ve been trying to trade him for months and can’t find a taker,” one Western Conference executive told Scotto. “Part of it is Blake also saying there are certain teams he would prefer to go to. This is a weird one. Non zero chance they buy him out, which just seems crazy.”

Two other executives also felt a buyout was the most likely option for Griffin, with his contract proving to be a major stumbling block. The good news for Griffin is that the executives expect him to receive “significant interest” if he does hit the open market.

When the Pistons decided to sideline Griffin as they pursued a trade, they might not have anticipated having such a hard time moving him on. While Griffin remains a big name, his production is far from what it once was. Over the last two seasons, the 31-year-old has averaged a modest 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while being hindered by injuries.