The Los Angeles Lakers are one of several teams with championship aspirations who are interested in the biggest name to the buyout market at this point this season: former Pistons forward and six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin, who reached a buyout with Detroit this week.
However, while the Lakers have interest in Griffin as someone who could add additional playmaking and score to their frontcourt, the potential interest doesn’t actually seem to be there. Marc Stein of the New York Times reported that the Brooklyn Nets are considered the frontrunners to sign Griffin, where he could reunite with his former Clippers teammate DeAndre Jordan. The Los Angeles Times confirmed the report.
Griffin’s numbers this season have been disappointing by his standards, averaging 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. And for the second straight season, Griffin has shot below 40%, something he’d never done before the 2019-20 season.
Still, with Griffin having been part of a terrible situation for veteran players in Detroit over the past few years, NBA history teaches us there is a good reason to wonder whether he might have more in the tank if he gets to play with better players on a team with higher aspirations.
While the Laker frontcourt looks loaded, the concerns about Anthony Davis for the rest of the season could be a reason the Lakers are pursuing Griffin, though that looks like the pursuit won’t be fruitful.
