NBA Rumors: Should The Oklahoma City Thunder Target Blake Griffin?

Blake Griffin is one of the hottest names in the NBA right now with all of the trade rumors that have been surrounding him. He has been linked to the Boston Celtics in recent weeks, but there are plenty of other teams that are interested in acquiring him. There is no guarantee that the Los Angeles Clippers will trade him, but we certainly haven’t heard the last of the trade rumors surrounding Griffin this offseason.

The NBA landscape was shaken up this offseason when Oklahoma City Thunder superstar forward Kevin Durant left town to sign with the Golden State Warriors. Oklahoma City is now in serious trouble and will be looking to make some moves.

Could the Thunder look into the possibility of trading for Griffin ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season or trying to sign him in 2017 NBA free agency and possibly convince Russell Westbrook to stay by doing so?

First of all, bringing Griffin to Oklahoma City would be a homecoming for the star big man. He was born in Oklahoma City back in 1989 and would likely welcome the idea of playing in his home city.

Sam Presti has to figure out what to do with Westbrook before he thinks about anything else. Westbrook is currently expected to be traded ahead of the season by many league general managers due to his contract being up after this season, but that isn’t a done deal. If the Thunder could sign another superstar in free agency next offseason or acquire one before this season, there is a chance they could convince him to stay.

Griffin is one of the most talented big men in the NBA, and it wouldn’t be easy for the Thunder to acquire him without trading Westbrook. Oklahoma City could package a deal centered around Enes Kanter and multiple first round draft picks. Doc Rivers and the Clippers may not be interested in that deal, but it is worth a shot.

Oklahoma City could also wait until next offseason and try to work out a deal with Griffin in free agency. He does have the option to stay one more season with the Clippers, but he is almost sure to use the early termination option on his deal to get more money in free agency.

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 free-throw attempts.

If the Thunder were able to bring Griffin on board, Westbrook would have no choice but to be intrigued. Griffin is one of the most athletic players in the NBA and would fit perfectly alongside Westbrook. Both players would feed off of each other, and it wouldn’t be as difficult to balance shots as it was for Westbrook with Durant in town.

At 27-years-old, Griffin is in his prime and is the same age as Westbrook. It wouldn’t be easy for the Thunder to lock both Griffin and Westbrook up in free agency next offseason, but it certainly isn’t impossible.

Obviously, pairing Griffin with Westbrook isn’t incredibly likely, but the Thunder should certainly do what they can to engage the Clippers in trade talks.

Westbrook isn’t going to stick around Oklahoma City without a second star alongside him. He wants to contend for a championship, and the current makeup of the Thunder roster won’t get the job done for him. Adding Griffin to it would certainly make them a threat in the Western Conference.

Expect to continue hearing a lot of rumors about Griffin in the coming weeks. Los Angeles certainly seems to be entertaining the idea of trading him, although that route doesn’t seem too likely for the Thunder. Next offseason in free agency could be an incredibly busy time for Oklahoma City and they would be wise to target Griffin if they can’t land him in a trade.

Do you think the Oklahoma City Thunder should do whatever it takes to pair Blake Griffin with Russell Westbrook? Would the duo make the Thunder a serious competitor of the Warriors? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[AP Photo/David Zalubowski]