The Brooklyn Nets made headlines earlier in the week when it was revealed that Blake Griffin has decided to sign with the Eastern Conference powerhouse. According to Paul Pierce, though, Griffin's arrival does not make as much of an impact for the Nets as most would like to think.
In a recent episode of The Jump on ESPN, Pierce had this to say about Griffin taking his talents to Brooklyn:
“No. Blake didn't move the needle,” Pierce stated. “It moved when James Harden came. He's not the Blake of old, but does have experience. The Nets should be in the Finals.”
Fair point from Pierce here. Griffin certainly carries the star power and his move to the Nets is another big-name addition for a squad with title aspirations this season. Nevertheless, there's also no denying that at 31, Griffin is now a shadow of his former self.
After a resurgent 2018-19 campaign with the Detroit Pistons wherein he returned to the All-Star squad after a three-year hiatus, Griffin has since fallen off a cliff. He's only played 38 games over the course of the past two seasons (this year included) and has produced averages of 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
Nevertheless, it's also hard to argue against the notion that Griffin's arrival further boosts Brooklyn's championship hopes this term. They were already a heavy favorite to come out of the East this season, and the arrival of a tested veteran who is expected to provide a scoring punch for the second unit, only makes them a more formidable force.
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