Blake Griffin Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Blake Griffin To Undergo Procedure On Knee

December 19th, 2016 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

Clippers star Blake Griffin will be sidelined until the new year, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, who reports that Griffin is expected to undergo minor surgery on his right knee. Dan Woike of The Orange County Register, confirming Charania’s report, adds (via Twitter) that the procedure will clean up “loose bodies” in Griffin’s knee, and will likely keep him out of action for three to six weeks.

While Griffin’s right knee requires surgery, and he has also been bothered by left calf and knee soreness, according to Charania, he has been his usual productive self so far this season for the Clippers. In 26 games, the 27-year-old has posted 21.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 4.7 APG, though his field goal percentage has slipped to a career-low 48.0%.

In Griffin’s absence, the team will have to fill his spot in the starting lineup and find a way to make up the 33.7 minutes per game he has averaged this season. Marreese Speights, Paul Pierce, and Brandon Bass are candidates for larger roles, while the team could lean on guys like Wesley Johnson, Austin Rivers, and Alan Anderson more in smaller lineups. First-round rookie Brice Johnson, who has yet to make his NBA debut due to a herniated disc, still doesn’t seem close to being ready for game action, tweets Woike.

Clippers Notes: Durant, Jordan, Anderson

December 7th, 2016 at 6:33pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kevin Durant said Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul “made it tough” to turn down the Clippers in free agency, as Anthony Slater of The Bay Area News Group passes along.

“Those guys are tremendous, unbelievable talents,” Durant said. “DJ is a close friend. CP, been knowing him since I was in high school…All that other stuff [doesn’t matter]. I’ve been in L.A. every summer. Facilities, all that stuff is the same to me. As long as you have a court and the ball. The players, that’s what made it tough. They did a great job.”

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

Durant met Jordan years ago when he served as the center’s host for a recruiting visit at the University of Texas and the two remain close despite him choosing to play for a rival, Slater relays in the same piece. “He wanted me to come to the Clippers, but he’s going to be my friend no matter what,” Durant said.
Durant’s decision to join the Warriors created backlash, which is something Jordan knows well from his own free agency during the previous summer, Slater notes in the same piece. “I think that’s what we kind of had in common,” Durant said. “Him making [the decision to turn down the Mavericks] was bold, it was a tough decision, it made him uncomfortable, but it grew him as a person and as a basketball player. I felt the same way about my decision. It made conversation. It made us get to know each other better and having things in common as far as work related. It helped having someone that could relate to what I went through.”
Alan Anderson, who signed a one-year, minimum salary deal with the Clippers over the summer, is fitting in with the team despite not receiving the minutes that he’s accustomed to seeing, Rowan Kavner of NBA.com writes. “[Anderson] wants to play, like everyone else, but if you had to vote for the MVP teammate, I think he wins hands down,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s gone through that frustration of trying to train and not play, yet if you watched our bench during the games, you would never know it.”

Clippers Rumors: Paul, Griffin, Trade Options

December 1st, 2016 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers expect Chris Paul to demand a full five-year, maximum salary contract when he becomes eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe. Paul has an option for the 2017/18 season, but given the rising salary cap, he’s expected to opt out – along with Blake Griffin – to secure a more lucrative deal.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement could have an impact on what Paul’s next contract might look like, but under the current CBA, he’d be eligible for a starting salary of around $33.5MM, based on the current cap projections for next year. At that rate, a full maximum salary deal for five years would be worth in excess of $190MM. That would be a huge investment for the Clippers to make in a point guard who will be 32 next summer, and it remains to be seen how negotiations will play out between the two sides. But as Lowe observes, owner Steve Ballmer has indicated he’s willing to spend what it takes to keep the team together.

Here’s more from Lowe on the Clippers:

While Lowe doesn’t cite any sources when he discusses Griffin’s situation, he suggests that maxing out the star power forward would be a “no-brainer” for the Clippers next summer. As the ESPN scribe notes, Doc Rivers has no interest in engaging in a rebuild, and the franchise isn’t well-positioned for one, so expect L.A. to do everything it can to keep its core pieces and remain in contention.
The Clippers are almost out of trade assets, but they could conceivably package Jamal Crawford and a future first-round pick for an upgrade on the wing, says Lowe. Still, he notes that the team loves Crawford and quality wings “don’t come cheap.”
The Clippers currently have two future first-rounders committed to other teams in trades, but they have some flexibility to move another one, despite the Ted Stepien rule. As Lowe explains, the NBA quietly made a change its trade rules this past summer — teams are now allowed to simultaneously owe two separate first-round picks with “two years after” language attached, rather than just one. The Clips are currently set to send the Celtics a first-round pick two years after they send one to the Raptors, and could agree to trade another first-rounder that would change hands two years after that pick is sent to Boston.

Western Rumors: Rubio, Lakers, Westbrook, Griffin

November 26th, 2016 at 3:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio is off to a disastrous start, due to an elbow sprain and his struggles to run new coach Tom Thibodeau’s scheme, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Rubio is averaging 6.1 points on 32.7% shooting and a career-low 6.7 assists in 29.9 minutes. “I think everybody’s got to look at the mirror and see if they’re bringing everything in the game,” Rubio told Zgoda. “Talking personally, I’m not doing it and I have to do it more. I have to be more aggressive. I have to find myself again and lead this team like I’m supposed to.” Rubio’s name has often popped up in trade rumors, particularly after the team drafted Kris Dunn in the lottery in June. He has two years and $29.2MM remaining on his contract after this season but his poor play isn’t enhancing his value.

In other developments around the Western Conference:

Injuries have put a damper on the Lakers’ hot start, Eric Pincus of the Bleacher Report writes. D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Nick Young all sat out against the Warriors on Friday with various ailments. Jose Calderon, Jordan Clarkson and rookie Brandon Ingram were thrust into the lineup, weakening the team’s bench. “It’s hard. It’s hard losing big pieces of our team,” Clarkson told Pincus. “We need a team to beat anybody in this league. With everybody back, we’re a complete team.”
Thunder coach Billy Donovan is trying to not overwork his franchise player, point guard Russell Westbrook, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman reports. Westbrook is averaging 35.2 minutes after the team’s overtime victory against the Nuggets on Friday. That’s an uptick from the past two seasons, when he averaged 34.4 minutes during each campaign, but Donovan is satisfied by the way he’s managing Westbrook’s playing time. “Outside the overtime games, I’m pretty pleased at where his minutes have been,” Donovan said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate there.”
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said there’s a simple reason for forward Blake Griffin‘s hot start. “His health,” Rivers told the media prior to Friday’s game at Detroit. “He, I thought, was going to have this (type of) year last year. Just getting injured kind of sidetracked him. Even before he was injured (with a quad issue), his knee was bothering him. You can tell he worked all summer on his game and he has great focus.” Griffin, who will be one of the hottest unrestricted free agents on the market next summer, is averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 33.0 minutes.

Paul: Relationship With Griffin “Better Now Than Ever”

November 22nd, 2016 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers teammates Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are on track to be two of the top free agents on the market in 2017, but based on how things look right now, there’s no reason that they’d want to leave Los Angeles. After beating the Raptors on Monday night, the Clippers have a league-best 13-2 record, and Paul tells Sam Amick of USA Today that his relationship with Griffin is in a great place.

“Oh, no question (it’s) better now than ever,” Paul told Amick. “Like I’m saying, we both have matured so much, and our communication is amazing right now, so sometimes it takes time. That’s what (happened) with me and BG, and there’s nothing like it right now. We are having some of the most fun that we’ve had in our time together.”

As Amick details, Paul and Griffin have been able to bond over shared experiences, ranging from both having two young children to both being sidelined by injuries during the team’s playoff series against the Trail Blazers last spring. Griffin pointed to some of the team’s postseason disappointments in past seasons as a reason why he and Paul and the Clippers are appreciating their success so far this season.

“Year to year you go through those ups and downs,” Griffin said. “A lot of heartbreak in the playoffs, obviously, well documented, well talked-about everything that we’ve gone through. And some of it has been, for lack of a better word, back luck. Injuries here or there. Some of it has been our own fault, but I think you go through a year like last year, where CP and I both get hurt, and you’re not even really 100 percent to start with, and you cherish these moments, you cherish being a good team. Whether people want to admit it or not, we’re a solid team.”

It will be worth watching Paul, Griffin, and the Clippers this year, since perhaps a turn in the club’s fortunes or another early playoff exit would prompt one or both of them to consider another team in free agency. For now though, all indications are that neither player wants out of the partnership, and that the Clippers are confident about keeping the duo together for the long term.

Thunder Rumors: Westbrook, Gay, Oladipo, Griffin

November 17th, 2016 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of another huge performance by Russell Westbrook on Wednesday night, which culminated in a game-clinching dunk over Clint Capela, ESPN’s Zach Lowe takes a closer look at the Thunder as they adjust to life without Kevin Durant. As Lowe details, the extension Westbrook signed earlier this year quieted trade speculation surrounding the star point guard for the time being, but the deal only added one extra year to his contract. If things go south in Oklahoma City and teams start calling again about Westbrook, the Thunder may have to “hold their noses and test the market,” since they can’t afford to lose another superstar for nothing, Lowe writes.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits of note from Lowe:

The Thunder continue to have interest in adding a bigger wing to their roster, and Rudy Gay is among their potential targets, Lowe reports. Acquiring such a player would allow some of the members of the Thunder to move to more natural positions.
One of those players who would be affected by an incoming wing is Victor Oladipo. The former Magic guard has started every game so far for the Thunder, but Lowe indicates that the team acquired him with the intention of making him a sixth man, in a role similar to the one James Harden once played in OKC. Trading for Gay or another wing would give the club the flexibility to shift Oladipo to the bench.
Several sources tell Lowe that there is “no sign” that Blake Griffin has any interest in coming home and signing with the Thunder as a free agent next summer, despite reports from earlier this year that OKC had its eye on him. Of course, after extending Oladipo and Steven Adams, the Thunder aren’t expected to have any cap room in 2017 anyway, even if they were to move Enes Kanter‘s contract.
The Thunder remain on the lookout for “incremental” roster moves, like the trade in which they acquired Jerami Grant. However, Lowe believes they’d have enough pieces to make a bigger move – perhaps for a player like Gay – when Cameron Payne gets healthy, if they want to.

Western Notes: Dieng, Dudley, Mavs, Griffin

November 10th, 2016 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves big man Gorgui Dieng vows not to get complacent after agreeing to a four-year, $62.8MM extension, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders reports. “You can get a contract, but you gotta earn it,” Dieng told Taylor. “I want to show that I’m worth every penny and I’m gonna try the best I can to help this team get better and myself.” Despite the team’s slow start, Dieng is averaging 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.

In other news around the Western Conference:

Jared Dudley has been moved to the Suns’ second unit to give it an offensive boost, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic relays. Phoenix has placed rookie Marquese Chriss into the starting five at power forward. Dudley was expecting to be a starter until about midseason, when either Chriss or fellow rookie Dragan Bender would take that spot, but coach Earl Watson felt he needed to make a switch much earlier because the reserves were getting dominated, Coro adds. “The second-unit was suffering, especially we need to get B-Knight (Brandon Knight) going, and he’s such a huge part of us,” Dudley told Coro.
Mavs center Andrew Bogut has no problem with playing more minutes this season, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. Bogut is averaging nearly 26 minutes, an uptick from the 20 minutes he typically played for the Warriors last season. “Yeah, a good number for me is around 30,” Bogut told Sefko. “I didn’t play that the last couple of seasons, obviously. But in Milwaukee I was playing high 30s, low 40s. That’s probably a bit too much. But I’m comfortable around 30.”
Blake Griffin isn’t being wooed by his friends to return to his hometown and join the Thunder next season, according to Andrew Han of ESPN.com. The Clippers power forward becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. “They know that my main focus is this season and this team,” Griffin told Han and other writers. “And they know that I enjoy playing here and I love this team, coaching staff, everybody. So they know that that’s my main focus. So I think they pretty much know not to bring that up.”

Pacific Notes: Goodwin, Jones, Clippers, D’Antoni

October 26th, 2016 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Suns guard Archie Goodwin cleared waivers today at 5 pm Eastern time and is now officially a free agent. Phoenix released Goodwin on Monday after being unable to deal him to another team. The 22-year-old out of Kentucky spent three seasons with the Suns. He appeared in 57 games last season, averaging 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per night.

There’s more news out of the Pacific Division:

Derrick Jones overcame long odds to earn a spot on the Suns‘ roster, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. The 19-year-old wasn’t taken in the draft after being ruled ineligible at UNLV, then missed all of summer league with an injury. Jones signed a four-year contract that could be worth up to $3.6MM, but all he is guaranteed for now is $42.5K of his $543,471 salary. Still, he is elated about the opportunity. “When I was the last one here from training camp, I knew there was a reason I am here,” Jones said. “I feel as though I’m a NBA player. I have NBA athleticism. My game is going to come a long way. I just got to be able to knock down my jump shots consistently. That’s one thing I’m going to put in work to do.”
The Clippers understand they may be facing their final season with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, relays Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. Both are expected to opt out next summer and become free agents. With J.J. Redick also headed toward free agency and L.A. well over the salary cap, it will create a serious financial strain to keep the current core together. “We’re not really worried about what happens after this season. We’re worried about what happens in the season,” Griffin said. “Every year, if you don’t have a sense of urgency, if it takes somebody being like ‘This could be the last year to have a sense of urgency,’ then you’re already kind of playing from behind. I don’t think it really affects us.”
New Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni thought his career might be over when he left the Lakers in 2014, writes Bill Oram of The Orange Country Register. Not only did that team underachieve, but D’Antoni spent much of the season fighting with Kobe Bryant. D’Antoni revived his career as an assistant with the Sixers last season before being hired by Houston over the summer. “It’s a privilege to be able to coach in this league,” D’Antoni said. “It’s very rare you can dictate where you want to go, and usually where you’re going they have problems or you wouldn’t be going there. You just try to find the right situation, and if it’s not the right situation, try to make it work. If it doesn’t work out, try to live to fight a battle someplace else. It was a privilege to coach the Lakers. It was a privilege to coach Kobe and those guys. I’m better for it.”

Griffin: Free Agency “Nothing I Really Think About”

October 13th, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

As the first installment of our 2017 free agent power rankings shows, Blake Griffin figures to be one of the biggest names available next summer, trailing only a pair of probable Warriors free agents – Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry – in terms of star power and value. However, Griffin didn’t exactly jump at the chance to discuss his potential free agency, telling SiriusXM NBA Radio that it’s “nothing I even really think about” (SoundCloud link).

“[I] haven’t had the conversation with anybody,” Griffin said about his free agency. “That includes friends, family, agents, coaches, teammates. It’s not a conversation I have. I got a lot of basketball left to play this year. I got a full season and postseason, still got some preseason. So that’s on the back on my mind. I’ll deal with that one when the appropriate time comes, but right now isn’t the time.”

Technically, Griffin remains under contract with the Clippers through the 2017/18 season, but that final year of his contract is an early termination option, which functions similarly to a player option. The star forward could reach the open market in 2017 by exercising that option to terminate his contract a year early.

Even if he intends to re-sign with the Clippers, it makes a lot of sense for Griffin to opt out, since he could ensure he gets a raise for 2017/18 on a new deal. Currently, Griffin is slated to earn a salary of $21,373,952 for the ’17/18 season. If he opts out and signs a new contract next July, he’d be eligible for a starting salary in the neighborhood of $28.8MM, based on the NBA’s most recent cap projection.

While Griffin doesn’t seem eager to discuss his looming free agency, there are no indications yet that the Clippers are at risk of losing him. As head coach Doc Rivers noted when he addressed the issue over the summer, as long as L.A. plays well this season, there’s no reason the team shouldn’t enter next summer as the strong favorite for Griffin, and for teammate Chris Paul, who also has an early termination option for 2017/18.

“With Steve [Ballmer as team owner], I’m extremely confident that we can keep both,” Rivers said in July of Griffin and Paul. “You know, listen, winning is the key. The better we play on the floor, the better chance we have of not only keeping those guys but actually adding to our basketball team. That’s always the key factor in this. Quality of life is important, being comfortable, players getting along with the staff and each other. All that goes into it. But I think we’re in a good place there. I know both of them have said they want to play here. They want to play for us forever.”

Western Notes: Powell, Hairston, Payne

October 1st, 2016 at 12:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Mavs big man Dwight Powell, who inked a four-year, $37MM deal to remain in Dallas this offseason, will be counted on to play center more this season as well as to expand his shooting range to help stretch defenses, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. “The 3-point shot is a natural progression,” coach Rick Carlisle said regarding his expectations for Powell. “We’ve worked extremely hard with him on it. And exhibition season is a great opportunity to [work on it]. He’s a two-position player who gives us flexibility because he can switch and move his feet and stay in front of little guys, too. He’s a player at four and five that is starting to really define our game, the ability to play big and small, to some degree.” The 25-year-old is a career 18.5% shooter from beyond the arc, connecting on just 5 of his 27 attempts.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The Rockets‘ deal with P.J. Hairston is non-guaranteed and will pay him $980,431 for 2016/17, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (via Twitter).
Thunder coach Billy Donovan is taking a positive approach to Cameron Payne‘s broken foot that will keep him out of action indefinitely, believing that the missed time won’t necessarily impede the second year player’s development, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman writes. “I think any player, when they get back, it’s just getting into that rhythm of being able to play and that comfort and getting back in shape,” Donovan said. “So, I think once he gets back to that point — then I think that there may be this opportunity for him — sitting out could be the best thing for his growth. Sometimes, you get a chance to grow when you’re not playing.”
With Chris Paul and Blake Griffin able to opt out of their deals and become unrestricted free agents next summer, the Clippers will have some decisions to make regarding their futures in Los Angeles. Based on owner Steve Ballmer’s track record and the word of team sources, the franchise will pay whatever it takes to retain both players, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com writes. The scribe adds that both players have deep business and personal ties to the area, which increases the likelihood they will re-sign with the Clippers. Shelburne also notes that the only way the team would net a decent return if it decided to trade one of the duo this season, would be if Paul/Griffin would agree to waive their player option for 2017/18. With the cap set to jump to over $100MM next summer, there is no logical reason for either player to agree to that stipulation, Shelburne opines.