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Why Blake Griffin suddenly matters to Sixers‘ playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Pistons bought out Blake Griffin on Friday, paving the way for the former All-Star to sign with a contender as he chases his first NBA championship.
It’s unlikely, for now, that the Sixers will pursue Griffin’s services. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be a factor in their hopeful playoff run.
Because the second-place Brooklyn Nets are reportedly leading the chase for Griffin’s services, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania:
The Brooklyn Nets are believed to be leaders to sign six-time All-Star Blake Griffin, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. Rival teams with interest are expecting Griffin to choose Nets as a title favorite for chance to win a championship.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 5, 2021
Now, adding Griffin to a superteam in 2021 isn’t the same thing as adding him to a superteam back in, say, 2014-15 when he was a dominant force in the league.
Through 20 games this season Griffin is averaging his career low in points (12.3), his second-lowest in rebounds (5.2), and his second-lowest in eFG% (45.3%). Not great! And his foray into three-point shooting, which seemed promising in 2018-19, hasn’t exactly been fruitful the past two seasons.
He’s certainly a recognizable name, and while he turns 32 years old this month he still has some talent in the tank. The question is how much, and also whether he’ll stay healthy over the next four months.
Ultimately, I wouldn’t worry too much about Griffin joining a team that already has Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Outside of the big three, the Nets’ offensive looks are already fairly limited. Griffin won’t exactly be some game-breaking presence. He might be a headache here or there in the playoffs, but there are scarier prospective moves for Eastern Conference rivals to make.
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