New York Knicks: Three reasons to take a flier on Blake Griffin
By Allen Settle
Blake Griffin: The Low Price Point
Griffin’s high-flying reputation and time in the major Los Angeles market made him a household name.
However, his services could certainly be acquired at a very discounted rate. Of course, there are obvious reasons why this is the case. Griffin is currently 31-years-old, has an extensive injury history, and (most notably) has two years with a +$35 million annual cap hit left on his contract.
Bleacher Report has speculated that he could be exchanged for Elfrid Payton, Bobby Portis, and Taj Gibson. Of course, the Knicks would need to guarantee both Payton and Gibson’s contracts and exercise Portis’ team option before trading them. If the Knicks want to use their cap space to sign free agents before adding a large salary like Griffin, they could get creative in exceeding the cap by trading expiring contracts.
I’d venture to say the Pistons would be desperate enough to shed the financial commitment owed to Griffin that they would be willing to add additional assets. We know the Knicks are open to the idea of absorbing a bad contract as a means to acquire sweeteners.
Could the Knicks move up a spot in the 2020 draft with a pick swap? Or add future draft capital? It’s certainly worth the phone call to find out.