Earlier this week, it was reported that the Detroit Pistons and disgruntled forward Blake Griffin had reached a buyout agreement. Now a free agent, Griffin is able to sign with whichever team he wants that offers his a contract. Given the Bucks’ lack of depth in the front court, Milwaukee has been speculated as a possible destination. How realistic is that, though? How would it work? Here, we present three pros and three cons to signing the six-time All-Star.
Pros
Pro #1- Depth
As mentioned, the Bucks lack depth in the front court. Specifically, they lack backups at the power forward and center positions. As it stands, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez start while Bobby Portis comes off the bench to spell either one. The Bucks also have DJ Wilson on the roster, but he does not get much playing time. Oftentimes, shooting guard Pat Connaughton ends up playing/defending the power forward position. This has not brought about great results. Adding Blake Griffin, even at his age, would be beneficial in this regard.
Pro #2- Moving Giannis to Center
As the season as progressed, Giannis has gotten more and more looks offensively from the center position. Down on the block, Giannis has improved his post game and is able to find open shooters when he gets double-teamed. Additionally, he is far more athletic than most centers, making him a nightmare for them to guard down low.
Should the Bucks sign Blake Griffin, Brook Lopez could move to a reserve role while Griffin starts at power forward and Giannis starts at center. A move like this may open up Giannis’ game even more and Griffin could still start. In addition, a Lopez-Portis combination off the bench would be a nightmare for opposing bench bigs to guard and stop.
Pro #3- You Know What You’ll Get
At this point in his career, Blake Griffin is not the explosive scorer that he was even two seasons ago. However, he is also consistent in what he produces on the court, which is not something the Bucks can say about DJ Wilson. Presumably, if the Bucks were to land Griffin, DJ Wilson would see even fewer minutes than he already does. However, whereas Wilson is streaky and inconsistent, Griffin at least puts out at least 12 points a game on a night-to-night basis.
Cons
Con #1- Price
Even if the Bucks are interested in signing Blake Griffin, it is very likely they will not be able to afford him. Griffin has already been bought out by Detroit, so he probably will not look for a massive contract. However, the Bucks will not be able to offer him much above the veteran minimum. Even if he does take a vet minimum deal with the Bucks, the team will not be able to sign any additional free agents after the waiver deadline. At that point, better players may be available, and the Bucks would miss out.
Con #2- On the Decline
Even though any team that signs Griffin knows what they will get on a night-to-night basis, there is no getting around the fact that he has fallen off drastically in the last few seasons. In 2018, Griffin averaged a career-high 24.5 points per game. It looked like he was resurrecting his career in Detroit. However, in 2019 he played just 18 games, averaging just 15.5 points. This season, he has dropped off even more, and is averaging just 12.3 points per game. Maybe a change of scenery will help him, but that is no guarantee. The Bucks would be better off waiting for other potential free agents near the waiver deadline.
Con #3- Team Chemistry
For the Milwaukee Bucks, team chemistry is something that they take immense pride in. While adding a player does not mean chemistry will take a hit, adding Blake Griffin might. Over the past few seasons, Griffin and other Bucks’ players have gotten into heated discussions on the court. There appears to be some bad blood there, and adding him to the locker room could ruin the chemistry the Bucks have worked so hard to build this season. It would be better for the Bucks to sit out the Blake Griffin sweepstakes.
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