NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 23: Blake Griffin #2 of the Brooklyn Nets is fouled by Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics during Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 23, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images).
With the loss of Danilo Gallinari to a knee injury, the Boston Celtics believe they found an answer to the problem by signing Blake Griffin.
When the Boston Celtics signed Danilo Gallinari, the hope was that he could serve as a viable option off their bench. That’s over.
Gallinari’s knee injury — which will likely keep him out for the entirety of the season — forced the green men to make backup plans, and they seemed to have found a solution in another veteran looking for a chance to win a ring.
On Friday, the team signed longtime Clipper and former Net Blake Griffin to a one-year deal with the belief of using him as a bench player and veteran presence. That, and the fact that Robert Williams will be out for a while after he underwent surgery. Still, all hope is not lost for the reigning Eastern Conference Champions.
Free agent Blake Griffin has agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 30, 2022
Blake Griffin provides a level of stability for the Boston Celtics as they look to defend their Eastern Conference Crown.
Last season, though limited, Blake Griffin showed flashes of what he once was. At the same time, he hasn’t been the same since leaving Detroit for Brooklyn, or LA for Detroit for that matter. So, it’s probably likely that the Celtics are leaning on him just to be a big presence.
At the same time, it’s going to take that type of player to replace Williams in some capacity, and whenever Williams returns, someone will need to come off the bench and take some minutes for Williams to rest. There’s more reward than risk, but not by much.
Ultimately, this amounts to a basic signing for depth, and at this point, the Celtics already have their core and main reserves locked in for the foreseeable future. They need some help on the back end to stabilize the ship and Blake Griffin is more than capable of coming in and doing just that.
One thing Griffin won’t replace for Gallinari is shooting. Gallinari is a career 38.2 percent 3-point shooter. Griffin has improved in that regard throughout his career, but made just 26.2 percent of his 3-point attempts in Brooklyn last season.
