COMMENTARY: Blake Griffin has earned his shot at a ring
Tonight, Blake Griffin begins his next chapter in the NBA.
After about three total seasons with Detroit, the former Oklahoma star and the Pistons agreed to a contract buyout, letting the 31-year old test the free agent market as he heads into the backstretch of his career.
While he won’t actually take the court for Brooklyn on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics, Griffin made it clear that he chose the Nets because he wanted to join a contending team.
Blake Griffin
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
And at this stage is his career, Griffin has earned the ability to chase a title.
After being selected No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2009 NBA Draft, things haven’t gone according to plan. Multiple injuries have set Griffin back, but also the evolution of the NBA around him.
Gone are the days of building around a truly dominant big, as Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and Griffin realized when they couldn’t take the “Lob City” Clippers to an NBA Finals berth.
As time has worn on, the big man has worked hard to evolve his game to remain a key contributor. Griffin has added the 3-point shot to his game, knocking down 36 percent of his attempts from deep in 2018-19, and then regressing to 24 percent last season as he struggled to even stay on the floor for Detroit.
Griffin continued to do whatever he could to help his teams win, even after the Clippers infamously promised him the world and then shipped him to the Pistons mere months later.
So now, he’ll have a chance to be a role player and chase a title. Griffin won’t bring massive defensive improvements to Brooklyn, but he’ll bring a will to win and playoff experience to lean on to potentially lead the Nets' second unit.
Blake Griffin backing down James Harden
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Agreeing to the buyout with Detroit meant the former dunk champion is betting on himself, something Nets start Kevin Durant recognized. In one of his first media availabilities with Brooklyn, Griffin said Durant was central in his recruitment to the Nets, showing Griffin isn’t the only one who thinks he has something to offer in the Barclays Center.
“In Detroit our goal was to get to the playoffs — that’s great, but now my goal is to contend for a championship,” Griffin told the Brooklyn media.
Alongside Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Griffin has a clear path to the NBA Finals through the Eastern Conference.
He’s played second fiddle to Paul in LA. He’s put up with the ever-futile Pistons. It's time Griffin is afforded a real chance to win at the highest level.
