Brooklyn Nets star James Harden welcomed the addition of Blake Griffin to their team after he completed a contract buyout with the Detroit Pistons. The 2018 MVP claimed that Griffin's signing with the Nets further amplified his desire to win and contribute to a championship instead of chasing paychecks at this stage of his career, via Kristian Winfield.
James Harden on the news Blake Griffin is signing with the Nets: "I’m sure he wants to win. If he passed up on money, to obviously stay in Detroit, he wants to win and he wants to have an opportunity to play meaningful minutes and I’m assuming one of the reasons why he came."
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) March 8, 2021
Hoping to become a star of his own with the Pistons, Griffin's plan didn't bore fruit as he eventually saw himself gradually fade in Detroit. The 31-year-old forward was able to notch a career-best average of 24.5 points during the 2018-19 season with the Pistons.
However, the past two seasons have been uneventful as he was haunted with multiple injuries which eventually slowed him down. Midway through the 2020-21 season, he recorded a career-low average of 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists through 20 games played with the Pistons.
Aside from seeing the dip in Griffin's individual production, the entire team also failed to attain much success as they are currently struggling with a 10-26 record for the 15th spot in the Eastern Conference. With Griffin's declining performance along with his continuous aging, he would definitely welcome a change in scenery in a bid to give himself a better chance of winning a title.
His arrival in Brooklyn reunites him with former teammate DeAndre Jordan who used to be his frontcourt partner with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2010 to 2017. Griffin may not be the explosive dunker of old but he can still serve as a capable reinforcement in the paint, especially for the Nets who have a shallow big man rotation.
Hopefully, his stint with the Nets will be more fruitful as compared to his short-lived tenure in Detroit. Ultimately, both sides benefited from the signing as Blake Griffin is still valued as a low-risk, high-reward type of acquisition that can make a huge impact once he is given the chance to do so.
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