NBA Rumors: Blake Griffin agrees to buyout with Detroit Pistons; LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors among 6 teams interested in him
Blake Griffin has finally agreed to a buyout with the Detroit Pistons as per the latest NBA rumors. Griffin was traded to the Pistons by the LA Clippers midway through the 2017-18 season. He notched up an All-Star berth the very next year but injuries hampered his run as things went into a downward spiral.
As per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Blake Griffin is now an unrestricted free agent after the Pistons agreed to buy him out.
Griffin is now free to join any franchise of his liking and potentially pursue a championship. The sharks are already circling as both Wojnarowski and The Times' Marc Stein reported a list of teams that will be vying for the six-time All-Star's signature.
Consolidating both the aforementioned reports, a total of six teams are seemingly interested in Blake Griffin, namely LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat.
NBA Rumors: Who will win the Blake Griffin sweepstakes?
Blake Griffin could sign with any of the aforementioned teams but there's a good chance he would want to move closer to his residence. He's spent a good chunk of his life in Los Angeles and owns multiple properties in the City of Angels.
The LA Lakers and the LA Clippers would become the favorites to land Griffin in this scenario but there's a caveat regarding the latter. The power forward's relationship with owner Steve Ballmer soured when he was traded after signing an extension. That puts the Purple and Gold in the driver's seat.
Averaging 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game this season, Blake Griffin is definitely having the worst run of his career. However, several players have turned their fortunes around with a change in scenery. Both Griffin and the teams recruiting him in free agency would be hoping for a similar outcome.
Also read: NBA Trade Rumors - PJ Tucker expected to force a move to the Philadelphia 76ers