Blake Griffin Agrees to Sign With the Nets

Blake Griffin, a six-time N.B.A. All-Star, signed with the Nets on Monday, one day after clearing waivers and becoming a free agent, the team announced.

The terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We’re fortunate to be able to add a player of Blake’s caliber to our roster at this point in the season,” Sean Marks, the team’s general manager, said in a statement. “Blake is a versatile frontcourt player with a long track record of success in our league, and we’re excited about the impact he’ll make for us both on and off the court in Brooklyn.”

The deal adds another big name to a stacked Nets team, but it also carries some risk. Griffin, 31, had one of the best years of his career in 2018-19, when he made the all-N.B.A. third team, but his production has significantly slipped since then as a result of injuries. This season, Griffin struggled in 20 games for the Detroit Pistons, averaging 12.3 points on 36.5 percent shooting and 5.2 rebounds.

There’s also a question of fit: Griffin’s best attributes have been his scoring and passing abilities. He has never been known as a defender. The Nets are already the best offensive team in the league with three players who dominate the ball: James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/08/sports/basketball/blake-griffin-brooklyn-nets.html