A few days ago, we released the list of big names still without a team three weeks before the start of the regular season. Blake Griffin was one of them, but now we can remove him. This Friday, the former face of the Clippers reached an agreement with the Celtics.
The news was announced by Adrian Wojnarowski ofESPN at the end of the followingnoon: direction Boston therefore for Blake Griffin, for one year with a full guaranteed salary. The Woj did not specify the amount of the latter but there is no doubt that we are starting from the veteran minimum for Blakounet. With training camp just kicking off and pre-season games looming on the horizon, Celtics movement was more or less expected following Danilo Gallinari’s big injury and the prolonged absence of pivot Robert Williams III for the start of the season. Several rumors had also leaked in recent days and weeks, such as those mentioning a potential arrival of Carmelo Anthony, or even LaMarcus Aldridge and Dwight Howard. Finally, it is therefore towards Blake Griffin that the boss of Boston basketball ops Brad Stevens has decided to turn, thus offering a new opportunity to the former Clipper to play the title and show that he is not burned.
BLAKE GRIFFIN IN BOSTON!! https://t.co/WdjuyBwWtX
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) September 30, 2022
The question we ask ourselves is what can Blake Griffin still bring today to a team that is playing for the title like Boston? He may be “only” 33 years old but seemed to be at the end of his game last season in the chaotic world of the Nets. Apart from a few flashes, Blakounet struggled quite a bit in Brooklyn and even chained the DNPs (Did Not Play) at the end of the season. His stats in 2021-22? 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds on 42% shooting in 17 minutes per night, which is his lowest career numbers and production well below what he had shown the previous season alone with the Nets. We still remember his 2021 Playoffs, where he helped Kevin Durant push the future champions of Milwaukee to their limits by providing valuable assistance in his role player costume. It is this Blake Griffin that the Celtics hope to recover today to fill in the absences and help Boston once once more play the leading roles in the Eastern Conference. His experience will be invaluable in any case and we can expect him to give everything to try to obtain this first NBA champion ring that he had come to seek at the Nets.
While the Celtics are trying somehow to prepare for their season despite the hard knocks and the Ime Udoka affair which obviously hangs over the franchise, they have decided to bet on Blake Griffin to complete their roster. We will see what role and the number of minutes that the new coach Joe Mazzulla will give him behind Al Horford and Grant Williams, but in any case it is a great opportunity for Blake to seize.
Source texte : ESPN