Blake Griffin is truly in the final stages of his NBA career after a 2-year stint with the Brooklyn Nets that saw Griffin fall out of the rotation by the end of it. He is a veteran that is willing to sign on a minimum, so he has a lot to provide to a contending team with very little risk.
As a result, Griffin was signed by the Boston Celtics after Danilo Gallinari was ruled out for the season with an injury he suffered in EuroBasket 2022. He will provide some depth to the Celtics’ frontcourt but won’t be a featured player for the team. The Celtics revealed that Griffin would be wearing No. 91 this season in honor of NBA legend Dennis Rodman.
Blake Griffin will be the first player in Celtics history to wear No. 91, via @GwashburnGlobe.
His ‘salute’ to Dennis Rodman. pic.twitter.com/11NULLXCK3
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 3, 2022
Another reason why Griffin changed jersey numbers is because the Celtics have all of his old jersey numbers already retired. The No. 32 he wore with the Clippers has been retired for Kevin McHale, the No. 23 he wore with the Detroit Pistons has been retired for Frank Ramsey, and the No. 2 he wore with the Brooklyn Nets has been retired for Red Auerbach.
What Will Griffin’s Role Be On The Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics are going to have a tough start to their season. Not only did they lose Robert Williams for the start of their campaign, but their head coach, Ime Udoka, has also been suspended for the season for having a workplace relationship.
Griffin can play as the center in certain lineup situations as well as provide backup behind players like Jayson Tatum and Al Horford in the front court. He has shown the ability to stretch the floor in recent years, so he will be expected to hone in on that skill to be of use to the Celtics.
Blake is also an underrated passer at his size, so adding him will also lead to some playmaking support for the bench lineups. This is a solid pickup for the Celtics, as Griffin has a lot to prove to extend his NBA career.
