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Now at 31 years of age, it is probably safe to say that Detroit Pistons star Blake Griffin is already nearing the twilight of his career. In a recent interview, the six-time All-Star revealed just how much gas he thinks he has left in the tank.
As it turns out, Griffin believes that he still has a fair amount of good basketball years ahead of him.
On a media conference call, Blake Griffin says he doesn’t see his current contract as his last, and doesn’t view himself as being in decline. Said he feels “great” and met with his trainer recently to discuss escalating his training regime.
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) June 11, 2020
Griffin is currently on a five-year deal that he signed in 2017 with the Los Angeles Clippers. This runs out in 2022, with the last year being a player option for him. It is worth noting that the former first overall pick is looking to earn upwards of $72 million over the course of the next couple of seasons.
In Griffin's mind, he fully expects to sign another deal before he finally calls it a career. He did not indicate if this will be an extension with Detroit, or if he intends to sign for another team as a free agent (potentially in the summer of 2021). By that time, Griffin will be 32 or 33, so it's not hard to believe his claim here.
Injuries have played a huge role in Griffin's career, however, especially over the past few years. One cannot help but wonder if all his high-flying acrobatics early in his career is now taking its toll on his body.
Nevertheless, Griffin himself stated that he does not feel like he is on a decline. His performance last season is testament to this fact. He averaged 24.5 points (on 46.2 percent shooting), 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, while also connecting on a career-best 2.5 triples per game on a 36.2-percent clip, earning him an unexpected return to the All-Star stage after a three-year absence.
Griffin also played 75 games last term — the most he's played since 2014, so at this point, it is clear that it's just a matter of staying healthy for the former Rookie of the Year.
