The 2021-22 NBA season is part of the past and the rumor mill is in full swing. With the Free Agency period looming around, many teams are ready to pounce and go after the biggest names on the market.
The Miami Heat, for instance, are already preparing for a possible departure of P.J. Tucker, who is expected to sign for the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-year deal that could go as high as $30 million.
While Kyrie Irving will finally not hit the free agency after opting into his player option, the Brooklyn Nets will lose another veteran star as Blake Griffin runs out of contract. And it seems that many teams are ready to knock his door on Thursday.
Rumor: Blake Griffin on the radar of Bulls, Heat, Lakers
(Via Sean Deveney of Heavy.com)
āThere will be a number of teams that look at him,ā one Eastern Conference executive said. āChicago, Miami, the Lakers, maybe even Boston. Theyād be in the mix, at least.
āThe thing about Blake is, it is obvious he canāt do much of what he used to do, even when he was in Detroit,ā the executive said. āBut he made a big, big impression around the league with the way he played against Boston, even though it was just a couple of games
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
āBut he was flying around, throwing his body around, taking charges, hitting the floor. He had a care factor that was off the charts, and a lot of teams took notice. This is an All-Star and a former MVP candidate and he is sacrificing himself. As your 10th man on a minimum deal, you take that. It raises everyoneās level.ā
Griffin left a lot to be desired during his time with the Nets, but when the Celtics put their backs against the walls in the playoffs, he was up to the challenge. At 33, he could still be useful for a team that wantsa veteran player withpositive impact in the locker room.
