JULY 18: With the Clippers having taken care of most of their other offseason business, Griffin has finally made his new deal official, according to the NBA’s transactions log.
JUNE 30: Forward Blake Griffin will remain with the Clippers, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. After cancelling meetings with the Suns and Nuggets, Griffin has come to agreement with the Clippers on a five-year deal worth the maximum salary, putting the overall value of the deal in the neighborhood of $173MM.
The two parties apparently finalized a five-year max deal during their meeting and Griffin didn’t feel the need to entertain offers from any other ball clubs. As Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports explains, such a deal was likely so long as the Clippers were willing to fully commit to the 28-year-old power forward.
Per Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers pulled out all the stops in their meeting with Griffin and the forward was impressed. The meeting included what Turner describes as a “museum of Blake,” a recap of all the different parts of life that Griffin has experienced with the franchise, essentially.
With Chris Paul now out of the picture, this will mark the first time since his rookie year that Griffin is the focal point of Los Angeles’ offense. This, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman implies, could have increased the likelihood of a deal.
Despite the trade of Paul and the probable departure of J.J. Redick, the Clippers don’t appear to be ready to enter rebuilding mode. The club’s haul in its deal with the Rockets included multiple solid veteran players – Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams – and a pair of youngsters who could play rotation roles in Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell. If the club adds another veteran piece or two in free agency, it looks like a roster capable of contending for a playoff spot.
As we’ve laid out in our max salary projection chart, so long as the NBA’s most recent $99MM cap projection holds up, Griffin will make $29.7MM in 2017/18, gradually increasing up to $39.2MM in 2021/22. That’s a huge investment in a player who has battled injury issues for much of his career, but the former first overall pick is one of the game’s most talented bigs when he’s on the court, and the Clippers will keep him through the rest of his prime years.
According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the deal will not include a no-trade clause.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Didn’t see that coming.
So he went for the money instead of trying to win in OKC or elswhere.
Now I see what kind of guy he really is.
Cha Ching
because okc is so close to winning huh?
Well they traded for Paul George, so…
They couldn’t do it with Durant and now they have to do it against a GS team they couldn’t even beat before adding Durant.
Actually they could’ve been
People need to make up their minds. If he goes somewhere else, he’s selling out for rings ala KD. If he stays, he’s only doing it for the money. Ridiculous
Big difference between leaving a team that is clearly about to be on a serious decline after loosing Paul vs being 1 game from making it to the Finals vs the GSW, be responsible for an epic choke to the GSW and then depart to sign with the team that handed you your lunch. Add to the fact that the team that beat you had the best record in NBA history, and yeah, he ring chased. Even worse, he d-rid himself to a ring.
But yeah, disappointed in Griffin. Not sure if OKC even offered him a deal but to resign to the Clips for another 5 years? Lame.
Yea, $173m dollars to play basketball in LA. That’s so lame.
Agree totally lacking about lame who is the new Clipper pg?
So when KD leavs to win he unloyal, cupcake liser ect. When someone stays for money he is greedy. Make up your mind
leaves, loser*
griggin????
Extremely obvious this was going to happen once CP3 left. Blake can’t turn down 35 million a year. No other team could have offered that much.
And nobody should have.
I second that. But LA taxpayers will foot the bill probably with the season tickets rising
I agree but Steve Ballmer doesn’t care
always been my favorite clipper, now he shoots even farther up. The goat clipper, cannot wait too see his numbers as point blake.
Shocking he stayed and shocking Ballmer was that desperate to give him that much money. He chose money over winning. I thought he wanted to win, guess not. Although I can’t say that I’d say no to that contract!
That is a waste of money for the Clippers. Why spend that kind of money on a player when your team is rebuilding after losing Chris Paul and the locker room was a mess
Hey they are and will be the Clippers
Why clippers ?? Get a new coach tank and rebuild !
Nice. Don’t have to worry about this as a Heat fan
For Blake, it’s probably the right fit, considering the start they’ve made around him so far. They still need another wing shooter and a backup 5, but if Blake can finally play all 4 quarters, and not disappear, amd he continues to expand his range, that’s going to give them a chance to be at least a good team.
The only thing that can warrant my respect (not that he needs it) is if management told him they were joining the “arms race” and were on the verge of signing a less talented but solid point-guard like maybe Teague and had another star on the verge of signing as well. Not sure who, but maybe someone like Hayward? Or maybe they go for Lowry instead of Teague?
Good for Blake. Won’t have to jump over another car ever again.
Good luck finding another Super star in the NBA.
Remember how the Clippers were BEFORE they drafted Blake?
Worth every penny,
took the money over winning
Just where was he going to win?
Hello Clippercfans whachall think? I’m a Lakercfan for over fifty years, We run this town always have always will