The Detroit Pistons are in the midst of a rebuild but Blake Griffin isn’t worried about where he fits in the plan.
When the team shifted its focus, questions were raised about where the 10-year veteran would fit into Detroit’s blueprint for the future. In a video conference call Thursday, Griffin stated he told the Pistons’ front office, headed by new general manager Troy Weaver, that he was willing to take on the role they needed him to assume.
“I’m here to do whatever they ask me,” Griffin, 31, said. “Whether that’s sort of taking on a different role, taking on more of a role, whatever it might be, whatever they feel the need for me to do.”
More than two-thirds of Pistons’ roster is the age of 25 and the team poised to another another young piece with a top-10 pick in this year’s draft.
“We’ll have a lot of young guys,” Griffin said. “So I think spending a lot of time with them and really setting the foundation, making sure that all these guys understand (is important).”
Griffin has already stepped into the character of a mentor. He was sidelined for the majority of the 2019-20 season after undergoing knee surgery in January but tried to coach his younger teammates from the bench.
Like Griffin for much of the past season, the Pistons find themselves sidelined from basketball as 22 other teams compete in the NBA bubble. The Pistons last played on March 11, the night the league decided to pause play.
With the 2020-21 season tentatively set to start in December, Detroit may go nine months without playing.
For Griffin, who has experience with long stretches of not playing, it’s important to use the time to the team’s advantage.
The Pistons are still limited to just one player to one coach at a time in workouts at their facility. So Griffin shared his opinion on what he and his teammates could do to use the time wisely.
It includes watching and being around basketball, playing one-on-one, using most of their time with coaches, as well as understanding the team’s offensive and defensive principles.
“If you put the work in, that work will show,” Griffin said. “So that’s really been my message, just put the work in. You got to come every day and not only work hard but, take that home with you.”
Even though Griffin recommends his teammates to take advantage of their extended off-season, he also said they should pace themselves.
