After undergoing surgery on his left knee in January to fix major lingering soreness, the NBA shutdown hit and Blake Griffin has effectively been away from competitive basketball for nearly a year. New Pistons general manager Troy Weaver quieted down the concern about Griffin’s continued rehab by telling reporters on Thursday that he fully expected Griffin to be available for the start of the 2020-21 season.
Weaver: "We anticipate Blake being ready to go when the season starts. Absolutely."
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) November 5, 2020
Throughout the offseason, there had been rumors that Griffin was doing well, and he spoke with reporters in June, telling them he felt “great” and had been fully working out individually for most of the summer. It wasn’t just that Griffin was recovering from his January surgery, but also an arthroscopic procedure last April, shortly after a a gutsy return in the 2019 playoffs.
With Griffin healthy, the Pistons not only get their best player back, but could turn Griffin into a genuinely interesting trade chip. While his health is a clear red flag and his salary is sizable, many of the players on the market, from Gordon Hayward to Andrew Wiggins to Chris Paul to Al Horford, also sit on huge salaries. This offseason could see one or two of those be flipped for one another, in which case Griffin could come into play.
No matter what Weaver sees as Griffin’s future with the team, it’s obviously promising to see him return to the court considering how much injuries have hampered him throughout his career.
