Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Blake Griffin on Nets' Critics: 'All I Heard for 2 Years Was How Bad I Am'

Rob Goldberg

After being criticized for his play over the past few seasons, how can Blake Griffin unfairly shape the landscape of the NBA title race?

That's what Griffin wants to know after the response to his signing with the Brooklyn Nets:

The six-time All-Star joined the Nets after agreeing to a buyout with the Detroit Pistons in early March. Brooklyn has also added LaMarcus Aldridge, who received a buyout from the San Antonio Spurs.

With superstars such as Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving already on the roster, some have complained that the Nets have unfairly created a superteam heading into the postseason.

It's a welcome change for Griffin, who has seen few positive headlines during his struggles over the past two years.

The 2009 No. 1 overall draft pick was a superstar earlier in his career with the Los Angeles Clippers. He also had big moments during his time with the Pistons, including an impressive 2018-19 campaign where he averaged a career-high 24.5 points per game.

Knee injuries slowed him down from there. Griffin appeared in 18 games in 2019-20 while scoring 15.5 points per game, shooting 35.2 percent from the field.

After he failed to make much of an impact early in the 2020-21 season, Detroit attempted to find a trade for him before agreeing to a buyout.

Even with Griffin's issues over the past two years, there have been numerous complaints about the Nets' and Los Angeles Lakers' use of the buyout market, including from general managers and team executives, per Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated.

It seems Griffin is both too good and not good enough.

   

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