Blake Griffin has had a pretty steep fall from grace over the past few seasons. The former “Lob City” member has lost his burst since his Los Angeles Clippers heyday, and has since spent time with the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets. Griffin is now looking for a new home, as he is reportedly not interested in returning to the Nets this offseason.
Despite not being the player he once was, Griffin still has a lot to offer as a bench option for a playoff team. He proved last season in the Nets first round series against the Boston Celtics that he can be a sparkplug when called upon on offense. He's a bit of a liability on defense, but if he's hitting his shots, it doesn't really matter.
Griffin is still figuring out how to be a consistent contributor off the bench nowadays, but if given the right situation, its clear that he has what it takes to be a successful role player in the NBA. As Griffin searches for a new team to join, here are three teams that should seriously consider bringing Griffin on board for the 2022-23 season.
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3 teams that should sign Blake Griffin
3. Miami Heat
The Miami Heat once again proved all their detractors wrong during the 2021-22 season, going on another deep player run despite having a fairly mediocre team on paper. They very nearly made it to the 2022 NBA Finals, but were bounced in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Boston Celtics. The goal this offseason for the Heat is going to be making moves to push them back to the top of the East come next season.
The Heat have been heavily involved in trade rumors for star players such as Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell. The other option would be to keep their current core in tact, and reinforce the depth around them. That's where adding a bench piece like Blake Griffin would make sense.
Miami has reportedly been looking into adding Griffin now the P.J. Tucker has taken off and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Griffin would be a solid replacement for Tucker, as he can be a floor-spacing wing on offense who keeps opposing defenses honest with his shooting. Tucker was an offensive liability for the Heat down the stretch of the postseason, so getting a potential offensive upgrade in Griffin would make sense here for Miami.
Blake Griffin is reportedly hoping to make his way back out to Los Angeles this offseason, making the Lakers a potential suitor for his services. The Lakers have already revamped their bench pretty heavily this offseason, but they would probably have room for Griffin if he were willing to sign for a cheap price.
The Lakers could use another wing scorer off their bench, and that's exactly what Griffin is nowadays. He wasn't really used enough by Brooklyn last season to be super effective, as he averaged just 6.4 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game. But just two seasons ago Griffin finished the season averaging 15.5 points per game. Give him shots, and he will put points on the board.
The problem with Griffin is he is an extremely streaky shooter, which is what he relies on for most of his scoring nowadays. He shot just 26.2 percent from behind the arc last season, but he has shown a bit more willingness to get back into the paint after all but abandoning it during his time with the Pistons. Griffin still has the talent to help the Lakers, and he could be the final piece their bench needs to be successful next season.
1. Los Angeles Clippers
Of course, if Blake Griffin is going to return to Los Angeles, it would make more sense for him to return to his old stomping grounds with the Clippers. The Clippers are hoping to be championship contenders now that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George figure to be returning to the fold next season, and they are looking to reinforce their bench as a result.
Not only does it make sense for Griffin to pursue a homecoming with the Clippers, but they could probably use him more than any team in the league right now. Los Angeles doesn't really have a backup center behind Ivica Zubac, and while Griffin isn't really a center, he could be the perfect complement to the paint heavy presence of Zubac.
Griffin would serve as a great change of pace from Zubac, and give them a solid backup big man option behind him that they currently do not have. The Clippers would be getting a different version of Griffin from the one they are accustomed to, but he could be just as effective if given the opportunity to succeed. A talented Clippers team may be the perfect situation for Griffin to join, as they look to chase a championship after an injury-riddled 2021-22 campaign.
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