Ex-Piston Blake Griffin won't play against old team Saturday night

The Pistons won’t have to worry about facing Blake Griffin on his new team — at least not yet. He has been ruled out for Saturday's Pistons-Brooklyn Nets game.

Griffin, who agreed to a contract buyout from the Pistons last week, signed with the Nets for the remainder of the season. Griffin, who turns 32 next week, was looking to latch on with a contending team, and the Nets (25-13) are a half-game behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, the Nets are considered the favorites to win the East, but with the addition of Griffin, likely to bolster their bench, they have surpassed the defending-champion Lakers as the favorites.

“My main focus now was to play and contend for a championship,” Griffin said told reporters this week, following his first practice with the Nets. “So my mindset doesn’t change; I’m always trying to win every time I step on the court.

“(It’s about) playing these meaningful minutes, playing with these guys and really contributing in any way possible.”

Griffin, who is coming off knee surgery in the offseason, played just 20 games with the Pistons this season, and is having one of his worst years in terms of statistical production, with 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

More: Pistons storm back, fizzle late in 105-102 loss to Hornets

It’s a stark difference from 2018-19, Griffin’s first full season with the Pistons, when he led them to the playoffs, earned his sixth All-Star selection and earned All-NBA honors.

After a couple of knee surgeries, Griffin’s production has fallen off, but after agreeing to the buyout and agreeing to take $13.3 million less than his guaranteed contract, Griffin was looking for a good fit.

The Nets have enough scoring in their starting lineup, but could get a boost from Griffin in helping to facilitate the offense and provide veteran leadership.

Griffin sat out a couple of games this season with the Pistons, which was termed “injury management,” but it was more to reduce the strain on his knees on back-to-back games.

“I’m not injured at all,” Griffin said. “I haven’t played in three weeks, so I think it’s smart to sort of ramp me up. There’s no injury.”

The Pistons and Nets are scheduled to play again on March 26 at Little Caesars Arena.

Smith enters quarantine

Dennis Smith Jr. is entering health and safety protocols and will be out for an undetermined period as he quarantines. It’s unclear how Smith may have come in contact with a potential positive case, but he was the only Pistons player with that designation on the injury report.

Smith had been coming into his own as a part-time starter and entering the rotation at point guard. With his absence, it’ll mean more playing time for rookie Saben Lee and possibly Rodney McGruder, with some of the ballhandling responsibilities spread around to others as well.

“It means next man up. We’ll have Saben ready to roll. Maybe Mason (Plumlee) handling the ball more as our quarterback. It’s unfortunate but it’s a great opportunity for someone else to step in, whether it’s Saben or Rodney McGruder,” coach Dwane Casey said. “Whoever it is has to be ready to step into that position and take those minutes and produce.”

The timing isn’t good for Smith either, as the Pistons are entering the second half of the season, with games coming every other day for the next week or so.

They’ll likely spread the minutes around, and if Killian Hayes is able to return soon, that could clear up some of the dilemma about who will fill in. Even when Smith is able to return, he’ll need some time to get re-acclimated and get back up to game speed.  

“There’s a quarantine number and I don’t know exactly what number of days that is. You have to add that it’s a young man who hasn’t touched the ball and played in a number of days,” Casey said, “so, it’s not like he’s going to walk back in and get that rhythm and feel and conditioning, so it may  be a couple of days added to that for his conditioning and safety on the court.”

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Pistons at Nets

Tipoff: 7 Saturday, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

TV/radio: FSD/97.1

Outlook: The Pistons (10-27) are coming off a loss to the Charlotte Hornets in the first game back from the All-Star break. Kevin Durant (left hamstring strain) will not play.