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The LA Clippers won the Blake Griffin trade

By Ryan Snellings

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 12: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons hi-fives fans as his exits the court after the game against the LA Clippers on January 12, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 12: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons hi-fives fans as his exits the court after the game against the LA Clippers on January 12, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With news that Blake Griffin may have season-ending surgery surfacing, it has become even more apparent that the LA Clippers won the trade that sent him to Detroit.

Even though he’s not with the LA Clippers anymore, fans still have a soft spot for Blake Griffin. I know I sure do. When the news dropped today that he will see a specialist and may have season-ending knee surgery, I immediately felt awful for him. Blake seems like a solid guy and obviously loves the game. To have yet another season cut short by injury has to be devastating to him.

While I felt bad on a personal level, the sports fan in me immediately thought back to the trade that sent him to Detroit. At the time, I wasn’t too big of a fan. Yes, I understood the logic behind making the deal but did Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, and a few draft picks really make up for my favorite player being moved?

Today, I can finally and firmly say it did.

Last season, I put out a tweet highlighting just how much Blake netted the Clippers. At the time, I was pleased with the haul and what it had turned into, but Blake was also playing some of the best ball of his career, so there were still some questions floating in my head.

When trading Blake, the front office obviously knew it was a long-term play. Instead of treading water, they opted to tear the team down, gain a bunch of assets and hope a superstar became available. It worked better than expected. This summer, that cap space turned into Kawhi Leonard while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (among a trove of picks and Danilo Gallinari) turned into Paul George.

Next. Why the Clippers shouldn't trade for Marcus Morris. dark

The championship aspirations this team now contrasted to the Detroit Pistons current predicament of Blake Griffin being injured yet again just prove that the Clippers absolutely won this trade. Blake will always have a special place in the heart of all of Clipper Nation but moving him when his value was highest was ultimately the best decision.

Get well soon, Blake.

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