The Brooklyn Nets were able to sign power forward Blake Griffin following his release from the Detroit Pistons. It was a move that many think will power the Nets to the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference. However, others are skeptical and believe that Griffin’s best days are far behind him.
No matter what you believe, the Nets are happy to have convinced Griffin to sign with them. There was one thing and player in particular that sold the Nets to Griffin.
In a quote shared by Rachel Nichols of ESPN, Griffin shared that Kevin Durant was the one that recruited him to Brooklyn.
During the 20 games he played this season with the Pistons, Griffin averaged 12.3 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He shot 36.5 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 31.5 percent of his three-point attempts.
At 31 years old, there are a lot of split opinions on what the Nets will be able to get from Blake Griffin. Just a few years ago, Griffin was one of the top stars in the NBA. Now, he is a supporting role player at best.
Brooklyn has to feel good about their chances this season with a “Big Three” of James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving. Adding a talent like Griffin could be exactly what puts them over the top. They needed help in their front-court and perhaps Griffin can provide them what they need.
It will be interesting to see how Griffin fits with this team. The hype is definitely there and now it will be up to him to prove that he can still perform at a high level as a role player.
Expect to see a lot of eyes on the Nets moving forward this season. They have put together one of the most star-studded starting fives that the NBA has seen in awhile. Griffin could be the piece that they were missing.
