Blake Griffin joined Nets for one reason only

Blake Griffin’s mission coming to Brooklyn isn’t about improving stats or winning slam-dunk contests, and certainly not making money. He left money on the table in Detroit to join the Nets for a reason.

A ring.

“My only goal is to help win a championship,” Griffin said during a question-and-answer session with fans on the Bleacher Report Live app. “Some years it’s more realistic than others. But that’s why I came to Brooklyn.

Griffin officially came to Brooklyn on Monday, after being acquired by Detroit. The veteran power forward has sacrificed $ 13 million to leave the Pistons, for whom he’s averaged 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 20 games this season.

James Harden – who rejected a two-way $ 103 million extension from Houston to join the Nets – said the move shows just how serious Griffin is about winning a championship.

“Yeah, I’m sure he wants to win, if he let the money go to obviously stay in Detroit,” Harden said. “He wants to win and he wants to have the opportunity to play meaningful minutes and I guess that’s one of the reasons he came.”

Griffin also came because – since the takeover of Jarrett Allen – the Nets have become a contender with serious needs deep down the front. After forward Kevin Durant and center DeAndre Jordan, the only proven big man is Jeff Green, and he’s undersized to play center.

There are minutes to play with the Nets and a role to play.

“They need a 4 man,” Griffin said. “I’ve always had a lot of respect for Steve Nash and all the guys they’ve got there. [General manager] Sean Marks did a great job there. It was a tough decision and I wanted to be part of a squad that was arguing.

The Nets qualified long before Griffin was added. Adding James Harden in January to team up with Durant and Kyrie Irving made him an NBA Finals favorite.

Griffin joined Jordan on the Clippers from 2011-17, forming Lob City. And he’s played alongside Bruce Brown for the past two seasons in Detroit. He pointed to Brown’s presence as another selling point.

“We’re going back a long way,” Griffin said. “Everyone you know so well always makes it easier. It certainly played a role.

Marks not only landed Griffin, but did so on a minimum contract of $ 1.22 million with a veteran. Maintaining both the mid-level exception and the disabled player exception suggests targets for the March 25 trade deadline or the April 9 redemption deadline. Names such as André Drummond, Otto Porter Jr. and JJ Redick will be mentioned.

Either way, for now, the Nets have Griffin.

Granted, after knee surgery in 2019, he’s not the skywalker who averaged 24.5 points two seasons ago in his sixth All-Star campaign, or who jumped over a Kia in the 2011 Slam Dunk contest. He has dived 1,005 times with the Clippers, but only 55 times with the Pistons – none this season.

But he does provide assists (averaging 3.9 passes), height (6ft 9in, 250 pounds), and intelligence that will play well with the Big Three.

“Obviously we know the athlete and the high jump Blake, but I think in recent years he hits the 3-ball a little better, the ball handling is a lot better and he can be a big contribution to this team, ”said Harden. . “We would be more than welcome and delighted to have him on our Brooklyn Nets squad.”

When asked if he would take more lobs, Griffin replied only, “We’ll see …”

Even if he doesn’t, his muscles and basketball brain will suffice.