Raptors: Blake Griffin makes no sense for Toronto right now

Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors have been trying to pry Andre Drummond away from the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing that the front office is looking for an upgrade over Aron Baynes in the frontcourt. If they fail to take Drummond off of Cleveland’s hands, Ujiri’s attention could be turned towards another Central Division stud in Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin.

Griffin is a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA player that could end up in the Hall of Fame thanks to his exploits with the Los Angeles Clippers. While he was traded to Detroit in 2018’s Tobias Harris trade, he started off his career as a Piston in exemplary fashion, averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game while making an All-Star team in 2018-19.

Just a few years, Griffin looks completely shellshocked, as his 36% field goal percentage, 12.3 points per game, and 5.2 rebounds per game show that he is nothing like the electric player that was the cornerstone of Lob City. The Pistons and Griffin confirmed that the rebuilding club won’t play Griffin until they can work out a solution on his playing future.

Should Ujiri and the Raptors try to resurrect Griffin? Considering how bad he’s been this season, he might not be the best fit on this team.

The Raptors shouldn’t go after Blake Griffin

Griffin, once the game’s best dunker, has moved away from attacking the rim and has become a spot-up shooter. However, he’s making just 28 percent of his threes despite shooting six per game over the last two injury-riddled seasons. If Toronto trades Baynes, they need someone who can provide a similar amount of physicality down low, and Griffin doesn’t right now.

Griffin, who hasn’t dunked in a game since 2019, had hit the proverbial trifecta of traits that can deplete value in the modern NBA. He’s expensive, on the wrong side of 30, and had been saddled with injuries over the last few years. Does that sound like a player Ujiri and the Raptors should make a concerted effort to acquire?

Griffin is a bit of a redundant fit on the Raptors anyway, as Chris Boucher can provide Toronto with a much better three-point shot while still maintaining his ability to finish off close looks, all the while evolving into one of the best shot-blocking artists in the league.

The only way Griffin could work in Toronto is by accepting a reserve role and presenting some matchup difficulties in half-court sets due to his face-up game. As a direct replacement for Baynes, he isn’t as physically imposing on defense, meaning that the Raptors would sacrifice on the defensive end for a minimal upgrade on offense.

Griffin’s star power was derived directly from his ungodly athletic ability, and his play over the last few seasons in Detroit shows that his ability to get vertical is all but sapped. Unless Griffin is willing to reinvent himself as a back-to-the-basket big and/or accept a very reduced role, there likely isn’t a spot for him in Toronto.