Getty Blake Griffin #91, Boston Celtics
Blake Griffin is no longer the high-flyer he was during his days with the Los Angeles Clippers, but Boston Celtics fans have eagerly awaited when he would have his first dunk with the team. Griffin gave the fans what they wanted on November 28 against the Charlotte Hornets when he finished a lob from Derrick White in the second quarter.
VINTAGE BLAKE GRIFFIN 🤯
In light of Griffin turning back the clock, Celtics fans were excited to see the six-time NBA all-star finish lobs as he did during his days with the “Lob City” Clippers.
Others also noted that it was about time that Griffin dunked the ball for the Celtics, given both his reputation for dunking in the league and how long he’s played for the team.
Others took Griffin dunking as a possible omen that it could be the Celtics’ year that they will win their 18th championship as a franchise this season.
This would go on to not be a one-time occurrence, as Malcolm Brogdon set Griffin up again for another wide-open dunk in the closing seconds of the first half.
In the first half, Griffin put up nine points while shooting four-of-four from the field, including a three-pointer, which was the first shot of the game.
Before the Celtics took on the Hornets, Griffin is averaging 3.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three. With the nine points he’s put up against the Hornets, Griffin will have put up his season-high as a Celtic.
Exec Says Celtics Aren’t Trading Griffin
An Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that, should the Celtics decide to shake things up mid-season, Griffin will not be among their expendable players.
“They are not going to get rid of Blake Griffin,” the executive said. “They like his presence there, his experience level.”
Griffin is playing on a fully guaranteed contract, unlike some of the other players on the Celtics roster. The executive added that the Celtics intend to keep Luke Kornet.
“They like Luke Kornet. They have until January until he gets guaranteed. I think they wind up going ahead and guaranteeing him,” the exec told Deveney.
Kornet is on a partially guaranteed contract that will be fully guaranteed on January 10 if the Celtics do not waive him by then.
‘Good Chance’ Two Celtics Players Get Waived
The exec also told Deveney that he believes that one or both of Noah Vonleh and Justin Jackson could potentially be rid of as the season progresses.
“Either (Vonleh) or Jackson or maybe both, in the end,” the exec told Deveney. “Robert Williams comes back and Vonleh is, what, your fifth big guy? If they’re looking to add something, though, it is probably a wing. That would mean Jackson probably is out.”
Both Jackson and Vonleh are playing on non-guaranteed contracts. The Celtics have various assets in their arsenal that they could use to add reinforcements mid-season, such as the $6.9 million Juancho Hernangomez trade exception, the $5.9 million Dennis Schroder trade exception, and the $3.23 million Disabled Player Exception to offer to free agents when the buyout season starts.