After finally reaching a buyout agreement with the Detroit Pistons, Blake Griffin has finally decided on his next destination in the NBA, as he signed on with the Brooklyn Nets to pair with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. As if the Toronto Raptors didn’t have enough to deal with already.
The Raptors are 17-19 and in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, but they are currently in last in the Atlantic Division. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have carried the Boston Celtics to wins, the New York Knicks have a terrific defense, the Philadelphia 76ers have an MVP candidate in Joel Embiid, and the Nets have their lethal trio.
While the Raptors did take down the Nets earlier in the season on national television, fans have every right to be a bit unnerved after Brooklyn added yet another potential Hall of Famer into the mix.
While Toronto has proven they can go toe-to-toe with the Nets on any given game day, do they stack up well now after Griffin agreed to join them?
Blake Griffin has cleared free agency waivers and the six-time NBA All-Star is expected to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 7, 2021
Can the Raptors still beat the Nets with Blake Griffin in Brooklyn?
The Raptors proved that they can beat the Nets this year, provided Durant is in and out of the lineup due to the league’s inconsistent enforcement of COVID-19 protocols. While Kyrie and Harden are likely the game’s most dangerous perimeter duo, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet are not dozens of tiers below them. They’re a solid pairing that can give those two fits.
Even though the Nets have become notorious for their lack of interior defense, which Griffin instantly makes worse given his limited mobility, Toronto doesn’t exactly have the 1990s Spurs inside. Pascal Siakam might be able to impede KD just a bit, but Siakam and 2020-21 LVP Aron Baynes could struggle against Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and ascending youngster Nic Claxton.
What could really kill the Raptors is Griffin, shooting just 36% from the floor, rediscovering his jump shot. Putting both Griffin and Jeff Green out on the floor could allow the Nets to space the floor well without having to use an ultra-small lineup that Toronto could exploit. This combination’s success hinges entirely on Griffin.
The Raptors already faced an uphill battle in order to overcome the odds and take down the Nets. While Griffin might not move the needle too much, he does provide another experienced veteran on the offensive end that can give Toronto problems. If he somehow reverts to Lob City Blake, the Raptors, and the league, have a problem.