NBA Rumors: Could Cleveland Cavaliers Acquire Blake Griffin?
The Cleveland Cavaliers are without question still looking to make roster moves if the right deal comes along. They know that they need to make another move if they want to seriously contend with the Golden State Warriors this coming season. Russell Westbrook has been mentioned as a potential trade target in a previous article here at the Inquisitr, but there is another star that the Cavaliers could target in a deal.
According to CSNNE.com, Blake Griffin has been linked to the Boston Celtics in the last couple of weeks, and it sounds like Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers would be willing to move him for the right deal. There is no guarantee that he is available, but discussions have happened.
That being said, could the Cavaliers try to acquire Griffin from the Clippers to fill out their big three with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving?
Last season with the Clippers, Griffin ended up averaging 21.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. He shot 49.9 percent from the field overall and knocked down 72.7 percent of his foul shots. There is no question that the Cavaliers would be a perfect fit for Griffin, and his numbers would skyrocket alongside James and Irving.
Love may not be extremely valuable after the struggles that he had last season in the playoffs, but there is no denying his talent. He averaged 16.0 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. His shooting numbers were solid as well, at 41.9 percent from the field overall and 36.0 percent from the three-point line.
Cleveland would have to add picks to the deal in order to have any chance at pulling it off with the Clippers.
If the Cavaliers were able to acquire Griffin, however, they would bolster almost ever aspect of their team. He is capable of scoring at an incredibly high level, can rebound well, and he is also a capable playmaker. Griffin can put the ball on the floor, and there are very few players with even close to the kind of athleticism that he possesses.
Is there much of a chance that the Clippers and Cavaliers will come to an agreement on a trade? Probably not, but there is no question that the Cavaliers could offer a very fair package for the star forward.
Los Angeles would likely be more than happy to bring Griffin back for another season. There is no reason for them to force a deal, although if they feel that they will lose Griffin in free agency next offseason, they should try to get something of value back in return for him rather than just watching him walk away.
One thing is for sure, which is the fact that the Cavaliers have to make a move to counter the Warriors’ signing of Kevin Durant. They are a much better team now than they were last month in the NBA Finals.
Expect to hear plenty of rumors surrounding the Cavaliers in the next few weeks. Griffin will likely have quite a bit of speculation and talk surrounding him as well. It may not happen, but Griffin heading to the Cavaliers would be extremely entertaining and would set the stage for a star-studded NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers for the third straight season.
Do you think the Cleveland Cavaliers should show interest in acquiring Blake Griffin? Would the Clippers even consider a deal with Love as the centerpiece? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[AP Photo/Winslow Townson]
