The 2023-24 NBA season is less than three months away and Blake Griffin is still looking for a job opportunity.
The 34-year-old veteran excelled in a supporting role with the Celtics last season, averaging 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 points on 59.0% true shooting over 41 games. Even when he wasn’t contributing on the floor, he was a fan-favorite presence that kept the energy going.
Griffin isn’t in his prime anymore, but last season’s performance proved that he still has a spot in the Association. Any team that adds him to their lineup will be better on and off the court because of it.
Here’s a look at three of Griffin’s most likely free-agent destinations.
Blake Griffin Free Agency
1. Boston Celtics
Boston basketball fans would love to see a reunion between the Celtics and Griffin. After all, Griffin fit perfectly in last season’s lineup and stepped up whenever called upon.
The Celtics provide familiar scenery for Griffin, where he already knows what to expect. He only averaged 13.1 minutes last season and would likely average the same amount this year, meaning he doesn’t have to worry about being overplayed at his current age.
It also wouldn’t hurt the C’s to add to their big man depth. Robert Williams, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are all great at what they do, but things tend to get weaker down the middle beyond that trio.
Whether it’s as a center or power forward, Griffin has the ability to fill in for either position in short bursts. His offense isn’t what it once was, but he still recorded 13-15 points four times and was a reliable rebounder, finishing with at least 5 rebounds 16 times.
Rejoining Boston also gives Griffin a great shot at winning his first-ever championship ring. The C’s are currently FanDuel Sportsbook’s +470 favorites to win the 2024 NBA Championship.
Considering how Boston has been to the Eastern Conference Finals five times and the NBA Finals once in the last seven seasons, there’s no better place for him to be.
2. Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have their sights set on a championship run after bringing in Bradley Beal to form a ‘Big 3’ with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
The one downside to the trio’s formation is that Beal’s massive contract has left the Suns with room only for players on veteran minimum deals.
In other words, they sure could use someone like Blake Griffin.
Phoenix’s frontcourt is one of its most glaring weak spots, as there’s little to like beyond Durant and Deandre Ayton. Drew Eubanks and Bol Bol are decent backup options down the middle, but neither big man’s résumé compares to that of Griffin, who has 765 games and nearly 15,000 points under his belt.
Griffin also has experience playing with Durant from their days with the Brooklyn Nets. Even though they didn’t accomplish much together, the two-time Finals MVP can vouch for the character his ex-teammate would bring to the locker room.
3. Golden State Warriors
Blake Griffin isn’t a stranger to playing in the California sun, having spent his first 7 1/2 seasons with the LA Clippers.
Fast forward to his 14th season in the league and it makes sense for him to return to the West Coast, albeit with a different team.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Golden State Warriors are interested in Griffin’s services. For starters, they could use the size up front considering that their only players standing 6-foot-9 or taller are JaMychal Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Kevon Looney and Dario Saric.
While Looney is great at collecting boards, having multiple reliable rebounders is never a bad thing. Griffin isn’t going to go out there and produce double-doubles every night (or at all), but the fact that he averaged 9.8 rebounds per 36 minutes at this stage of his career is still impressive.
Another reason why I like the idea of Griffin joining the Warriors is that it would reunite him with Chris Paul. The duo played together for six seasons on the Clippers and led Los Angeles to six consecutive postseason appearances.
Griffin and CP3 reuniting for a chance to win a championship is a movie script in the making. With players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins around them, the ex-Clippers pair would have a legitimate shot at accomplishing their goal.
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