Los Angeles Clippers Aim to Re-Sign Blake Griffin After Trading Chris Paul to the Rockets
It's the end of an era for the Los Angeles Clippers.
With perennial All-Star Chris Paul traded to the Houston Rockets, "Lob City" is no more. Some will argue that they should just let Blake Griffin leave and rebuild after they moved Paul. However, the Clippers seem to think that they can still field a competitive team next season if they build the roster around the high-flying power forward.
Griffin has already informed the team that he is opting out of the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder are among the teams that have expressed interest in signing him. But with Paul gone, ESPN has reported that the Clippers are now planning to focus all their efforts on retaining Griffin.
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Still, they have to be wary of the forward's injury history. He has missed a lot of games in the last three seasons, and the report says that ESPN's Michael Eaves was told that Griffin might not be available until December because he's still recovering from his toe injury. But another source told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that Griffin's toe was healing and he's probably going to be ready to play at the start of next season.
As an unrestricted free agent, Griffin has a lot of options right now. Will he re-sign with the Clippers even though Paul is no longer there? Can the team stay competitive without one of the best point guards in the league?
Well, ESPN's Jeff Goodman has pointed out that the two weren't exactly close off the court, and the Clippers can offer him the most money. There are a lot of reasons for him to stay, but Griffin still has to consider his other options.
The Clippers can probably fight for a spot in the playoffs if they re-sign Griffin. However, it remains to be seen if they can compete against the likes of the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and the Rockets.
