Blake Griffin was limited to just 18 games this season for the Pistons and hasn’t seen the court since December 28, having undergone knee surgery in early January. However, appearing today on The Encore with Sage Steele (Twitter video link), Griffin shared some positive news on his recovery.
“I feel great,” Griffin said (8:30 mark in video; hat tip to Josh Weinstein of TheScore). “I’ve basically been cleared for a while now, I just have been stuck in my house. I’m ready to go whenever things pick back up. I’m just working out and trying to stay ready and stay sane. It’s nice to be healthy though.”
The Pistons didn’t provide a specific timetable for Griffin’s recovery when he underwent surgery at the start of the year, simply ruling him out “indefinitely.” A couple weeks later, Detroit received a disabled player exception as a result of Griffin’s injury, a signal that he was expected to be sidelined through at least June 15.
Of course, if the 2019/20 NBA season resumes, it will almost certainly happen after June 15, and Griffin’s comments suggest he could suit up at that point. However, there’s no guarantee that will happen.
Although we don’t know yet what a resumed season will look like, it seems unlikely that the lottery-bound Pistons would play more than a handful of regular season games, if they’re required to play at all. As such, Detroit may proceed with caution and decide it’s not worth the risk to have Griffin return for those games, even if he feels as if he’s fully healthy.
Still, the update from the six-time All-Star is a good sign that – at the very least – he should be fully ready to go whenever the 2020/21 season gets underway.
For about 5 games
That many?
Detroit has played 66, so they only need to go four more, so Blake should make it alright.
I’m so droll today, it’s not even funny.
Why even come back? Pistons are practically eliminated as it is. Just tank the rest of the way.
Ready for what? The league isn’t coming back for two years. It’s over.
Wish you were over too. Man you must be such fun to have around in parties, right?
Two years?
I still severely doubt this season is going to be concluded, but there will be a next year.
He and Kevin Love need to get on the floor to showcase some more for an off-season trade.
I think the Sixers would be interested in both – primarily b/c Al Horford does not fit the line-up.
Horford + Mike Scott = 32.5 M
Blake = 36.5 M
Love = 31.3M
Trade would work for salary purposes. Cavs have some kind of beer goggles on when the evaluate Love’s trade market though. And I’m not suggesting a Horford + Scott deal is all that you put together to make a trade work. Zhaire Smith is probably thrown into any deal, and the OKC 1st.
From a 6ers perspective, who would they get at #22 (currently) that would be better than Blake/Love as a stretch 4? And both players are better fits to play on the court with Embiid and Simmons. Have the wheels fallen completely off for Blake though? And Love is a better shooter – 2P, 3P, FT and better rebounder.
Worst move by Detroit since 2003 draft.