Pistons pumped by Griffin acquisition

Detroit's season was looking promising until a late-December injury to point guard Reggie Jackson. The Pistons have stumbled while he's been out with a sprained right ankle, and the team is facing the prospect of missing the playoffs in its first season at its new downtown arena.

Detroit's next six games are at home, so the Pistons will have a chance to turn their season around - and an opportunity to build for a future with both Griffin and Drummond.

"His presence will help us offensively and his size gives us another rebounder and weapon in the paint," said Stan Van Gundy, Detroit's coach and team president.

"Willie Reed and Brice Johnson are two young players that give us size and depth."

For the Clippers, moving Griffin continues a makeover of a franchise that has never made it past the second round of the playoffs.

The Clippers traded All-Star point guard Chris Paul to Houston last summer. He had been credited with bringing respectability to the team that was once the laughingstock of the league.

Without Paul, Los Angeles won its first four games to open the season, then lost nine of its next 11.

Paul's replacement, Patrick Beverley, has missed the entire season after right knee surgery. Also missing time have been DeAndre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari, Austin Rivers and Milos Teodosic.

Los Angeles receives a protected first-round draft choice and a second-round pick from the Pistons.

The Clippers drafted Griffin first overall out of Oklahoma in 2009. However, he missed the 2009-10 season after surgery on his broken left kneecap, the first of several injuries that have marred his career.

Griffin missed 21 games last season and 47 in 2015-16 because of injuries.

As a rookie, he was an All-Star, won the slam dunk contest and was named NBA Rookie of the Year.

He has averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his career.

Even before the Pistons announced the deal, there was plenty of reaction on social media on Monday night.

Harris posted messages thanking Detroit for its support, while Griffin's Twitter account had its own message with no words - just an image of actor Will Smith with a surprised expression on his face.

Associated Press