Acquiring Blake Griffin wouldn’t solve any problems for the Miami Heat
Nearing the NBA Trade Deadline, it’s widely expected that the Detroit Pistons and Blake Griffin will part ways. Blake has a player option for next season, but if the Pistons can’t facilitate a trade the expectation is that the two sides will try to agree to a buyout.
Blake hasn’t looked anything like his former all-star self over the past two seasons, but is still only 31 years old and could potentially play a vital role for a playoff contender in the right role. Blake might not be a starting-caliber power forward but could play a key role off the bench (if he’s open to it).
It wouldn’t be surprising to see many teams interested in Blake Griffin, especially if he hits the open market after a buyout. One team that should stay away from Blake, however, is the Miami Heat.
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Just when it seemed as if the Heat were beginning to turn the corner after a terrible start to the season, Miami turns around and flops on a night in which they simply couldn’t afford it. After winning four games in a row, the Heat has dropped two games this week.
While the first wasn’t exactly surprising, losing to the Utah Jazz is nothing to be disappointed about, it’s the second loss that will sting. The Heat dropped a game to an LA Clippers team that was playing without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Patrick Beverley.
After back-to-back losses, the Heat is now 11-16 on the season and sitting in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Miami is just one game out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the East but looks nothing like the team that made a run all the way to the NBA Finals in the 2019-20 restart bubble.
Adding Blake Griffin might be appealing to fans on paper, but I’m not sure there’s any one area of his game that would help Miami significantly. Miami’s issues range from offensive and defensive inconsistency to the lack of a primary playmaker (sans Jimmy Butler) and the lack of a true interior presence next to Bam Adebayo.
You can make the argument that Blake would be another playmaking big that could take some pressure off Jimmy, but there are a few questions regarding fit.
Would he take minutes away from Precious Achiuwa? Would he be able to play next to Bam? Would his defensive issues make Miami even more vulnerable in the paint and on the boards?
These are legit questions that could – and probably should – keep the Heat from pursuing Blake Griffin, even if he emerges as a cheap option on the buyout market.
Blake Griffin is a big name and generally, that’s something that attracts a team such as the Miami Heat, but this is one name that the team should stay away from. Miami has way bigger issues than what Blake can solve.