Blake Griffin Likes Tweet About Joining Clippers

The Brooklyn Nets have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, meaning Blake Griffin is once again a free agent. The 6x All-Star signed a veteran minimum deal to return to Brooklyn this past offseason. After joining the Nets following his buyout in Detroit, Blake's first season with the team was a productive one; however, year two did not go as planned.

After a slow start to the year, Blake was removed from the rotation, and never found his way entirely back. With several different bigs on Brooklyn's roster, each with their own skillsets and limitations, Steve Nash spent most of the season searching for a reliable center. Having given up on Blake early in the year, Nash tried everyone from LaMarcus Aldridge to Day'Ron Sharpe; however, reliable minutes at the center position were few and far between.

As the Nets began running out of options, with injuries and league protocols hitting the team hard, Nash gave Blake a chance again in the middle of December. Playing well in his extended minutes, including a stretch of three games where he averaged 15.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 4.7 APG on 49% from the field, Blake earned his way back into the rotation.

From that stretch in the middle of December until the trade deadline, the DNPs did not go away entirely, but they were much more infrequent. That all changed when the James Harden trade brought back Andre Drummond in addition to Seth Curry and Ben Simmons. Nash immediately inserted Drummond into the starting lineup, primarily utilizing Nicolas Claxton as the backup, which once again pushed Blake out of the rotation.

For Blake, the timing was especially unfortunate, because he had just began regaining the form that made him a reliable starter for the Nets in the playoffs just a season ago. Blake was a DNP-CD in 15 of Brooklyn's last 19 games, seeing very limited action in the four he appeared in. Despite knocking down 43.8% of his threes after the All-Star break, Blake was unable to remain in the rotation.

With the way the end of the regular season unfolded for Blake, it seemed very unlikely that he would see much playoff action. Unsurprisingly, Blake was not called upon for any minutes in the first two games of the postseason. This was against the wishes of many fans, who had grown frustrated with the play of Andre Drummond, who was essentially unplayable against a versatile Celtics team. With Drummond's poor play finally becoming egregious to the point where even Steve Nash took notice, Blake's number was finally called at the end of Game 3.

Coming off the bench and drilling consecutive threes in his first minutes of the series, Blake Griffin immediately gave the Nets a spark. From DNPs to closing playoff games, Blake saw crucial minutes once again in Game 4. Doing what he does best at this point in his career, taking charges, recovering loose balls, and battling on the glass, Blake was a team-best +10 in his 17 Game 4 minutes; however, it was too little too late.

With the way his year went in Brooklyn, it seems almost impossible that Blake Griffin returns to the Nets next season. Proving his worth both in the second half of the season and in limited playoff action, Blake will certainly draw the attention of teams looking to add impact veterans. On Tuesday, Blake may have hinted at who one of those teams could be:

Blake Griffin liked this Tweet about joining the Clippers next season. pic.twitter.com/6FBxXyxunC
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 27, 2022

Liking a Tweet about returning to the Clippers next season, Blake sparked some speculation that a homecoming with his former team could actually be in the cards. When he reached a buyout with the Detroit Pistons, the Clippers were listed as one of the teams with interest; however, later reports indicated that Blake to Brooklyn was always the plan. Now an unrestricted free agent once again, could Blake actually return to the franchise he became such an icon with?

From strictly a basketball standpoint, there is reason to believe the Clippers may lose backup center Isaiah Hartenstein this summer. Having outperformed his contract, the big man could likely command a greater salary and role than what the Clippers can offer him. If Hartenstein were to walk, Blake could provide additional front-court depth.

While there are obvious limitations to Blake's game at this point, Ty Lue may be the best coach in basketball at maximizing his players. Additionally, as he proved in the last half of the season, Blake still has a lot to offer. Even if this is just limited minutes off the bench, making plays out of short-rolls, taking charges on defense, hitting the occasional three, and battling on the glass, Blake has shown a willingness and ability to thrive in a small role. Despite receiving 27 DNPs, and ranking 286th in total minutes, Blake finished the season tied for the league-lead in charges drawn. That defensive effort combined with his offensive intelligence is largely why he has remained a positive contributor despite his diminished athleticism.

While Blake still does have utility as a rotation player, there is certainly the possibility that he would still not crack the Clippers rotation on a regular basis. Should the team retain Hartenstein, Covington, or both, there's little reason to argue that Blake could once again find himself as the odd man out like he did in Brooklyn. If this is a possibility, would a Blake Griffin to the Clippers reunion still be on the table?

From the Clippers' perspective, the logic is simple. Even if the team felt as if Blake would not contribute much on the court, having him occupy a roster spot is still a positive thing. Should his number get called, Blake is likely to make a positive impact; however, should it not get called, that positive impact still remains. Blake's teammates in Brooklyn repeatedly commended his leadership and professionalism amidst a season that was far from ideal for both him and the team. Having a guy like that around the team, who also happens to be a franchise icon, is a much easier sell than carrying a player at the end of the roster who brings little to no value.

For Blake, at this stage in his career, there are not many chances left to get a ring. With his time in Brooklyn falling well short of that goal, the future Hall-of-Famer is still without an NBA championship. With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George set to return as a duo next season, surrounded by arguably the league's deepest roster, the LA Clippers will once again be on that short list of title favorites. Having a chance to return to a fanbase that adores him, and a franchise that he put on the map, all while competing for the organization's first title, Blake Griffin coming home to the Clippers could be the storybook ending to what has been a fantastic career.