Section 215’s Tyler Maher believes the Philadelphia 76ers should move in on Boston Celtics unrestricted free agent Blake Griffin, whose cap hold is still owned by the Cs following a one-year stint.
“One benefit of Philly signing Griffin is that it would take him away from the Celtics, who are one of our biggest rivals in the East,” Maher wrote. “This was evident once again last year, when the two squads battled through a hard-fought series in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. While we ultimately lost in seven, we tired them out enough that they fell to the eight-seed Miami Heat in the Conference Finals.
“Furthermore, Griffin was a fan favorite with Boston and had a positive impact on the locker room with his upbeat attitude. He was a valuable veteran presence and a capable backup for Robert Williams III and Al Horford in the frontcourt. More importantly, we need to do whatever we can to stop Boston from winning the Eastern Conference for the second time in three years, which they’re currently favored to do.”
Warriors analyst believes Golden State ‘could do worse’ than signing Boston Celtics free agent Blake Griffin
Blue Man Hoop’s Peter O’Keefe sees Griffin as a decent center option for the Warriors to help balance out what has become a guard and wing-heavy roster.
“While he may not be a true playoff contributor at this point of his career, Golden State could do worse than signing Griffin if they’re looking for a backup big,” O’Keefe wrote. “The franchise will weigh up any potential center against the prospects of playing time for 23-year-old rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis whom the Warriors acquired with the 57th pick in a draft night trade in June.”
The Boston Celtics brought on Kristaps Porzingis to fortify their frontcourt, but he essentially takes Grant Williams’ roster spot. The Cs would be better off pursuing a point guard than a pivot, but Griffin was a net-positive behind the scenes; having gelled with Jayson Tatum and his other teammates in Boston during the 2022-23 season.