The beginning of the end for Lob City?
The Los Angeles Clippers are at a fork in the road right now. They still can’t make it to the Western Conference Finals. They have a new consultant in Jerry West. They are facing two All-Stars in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin leaving thanks to free agency. One of the two is being courted by everyone from the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, while the other is taking one step into leaving L.A. for greener pastures.
Griffin has decline the $21.4 million player option in his contract for the 2017-2018 season, effectively making him an unrestricted free agent at the moment.
This doesn’t mean the Clippers can’t bring him back, but it will take a little more work for them especially since he’s chasing that max money deal.
No one will deny that Blake has the skills to be one of the best forwards in the league, but injuries have derailed his production in past seasons. He’s been injured on multiple occasions and had to miss extensive time, including at crucial times, like the NBA playoffs. A partially torn left quadricep, broken hand, big toe injury and right knee surgery are some of the reasons he’s missed game time the past few seasons.
Will Jerry West bring him back or start the rebuild in Los Angeles? That is the question. If anything, they should have traded him and got some young pieces back and/or future draft picks instead of potentially seeing him walk away for absolutely nothing.
Los Angeles still has the leverage to pay him the most, with that 5-year contract as an option.
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