Shannon Sharpe says that the Brooklyn Nets signed Blake Griffin to their squad just to beat a 36-year-old LeBron James and the Lakers.
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Even All-Star Sunday wasn’t as bombastic of an event to overshadow the news heard around the league, concerning former Detroit Piston star, Blake Griffin and his decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season. After getting bought out of his max contract by the Pistons, Griffin will receive $1.2 million by the end of the 2020-21 season.
This is of course a fraction of what he had earned when compared to his previous contract, which featured an average salary of $34 million a year. The reasoning behind this stems from the fact that Blake Griffin, due to nagging injuries, has become a shell of his former self.
The 31-year-old transitioned from a rim-running lob threat to a spot-up shooter and passer out of the PnR in a matter of 2 short years.
The Nets, thankfully, have depth at the 5 spot when it comes to rim-running centers in Nicholas Claxton and Deandre Jordan. This trade actually adds an element to their offense that was previously absent.
Shannon Sharpe reacts to the Blake Griffin trade, says the Nets are going all out to beat LeBron James
Shannon Sharpe took to his show Undisputed to talk about the Blake Griffin trade with Skip Bayless and discuss its pros and cons. Before delving deep into the matter, Sharpe, a LeBron James fanatic, pointed out that the Nets are doing all this just to beat the 36-year-old in Los Angeles. Skip’s rebuttal to this was that the Nets are actually in the business of trying to beat the Clippers.
From a technical standpoint, the Lakers are the favorite to get out of the West. So yes, the Nets are essentially revamping their roster in hopes of besting the Lakers in the NBA Finals, proving Shannon Sharpe’s point.
The Blake Griffin addition to the team adds a new element to their offense. Brooklyn did not have a competent passing big man out of the pick ‘n’ roll, something which Griffin brings to the table. He can also be a floor spacer at times as he’s proven in prior seasons that he can knock down the 3 (shot 37% from 3 in 2017-18).
If Sharpe’s prediction of a Nets-Lakers Finals comes true, the Lakers will have no trouble in attacking Griffin down low. His defense has taken a literal nosedive over the past few years. Head coach Steve Nash will need to learn to stagger his minutes with guys like Jeff Green and Deandre Jordan.
