Former Clippers star Blake Griffin isn't someone who often gets mentioned in the modern NBA. But according to his former teammate DeAndre Jordan ( who made an appearance on Podcast P ), the longtime power forward would be a $500 million max player if he were currently in his prime.
Paul George: "How special was Blake [Griffin] when you watch him up close? I don't think he gets the credit that he deserves."
DeAndre Jordan: "Blake is one of the most talented players... he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Just the way that his game was able to adapt over the course of his career, I thought that was amazing. When he first came in, he was a highlight-reel, dunker, but when injuries started to affect him he was like 'You know what, hey, I can still dunk on y'all a** but I'm gonna work on my 15-footer, work on my three, work on my ball-handling so I can become a dominant point forward.' If Blake was in his prime right now he’d be making $500 million. If Blake wanted to play now he could still be playing basketball. And his work ethic was one of the hardest that I've ever seen."
DeAndre Jordan (a 3x All-NBA player) was drafted by the Clippers at 35th in the 2008 NBA Draft. At just 20 years old, Jordan averaged just 4.3 points per game in his rookie season before developing into one of their most reliable big men. In 2017, he made his first All-Star team with averages of 12.7 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
For most of his 10-year stint with the Clippers , Jordan was paired with Blake Griffin in the frontcourt and they created a dangerous combination of strength, size, and athleticism. While they ultimately broke up without winning a championship, it was no fault of Griffin, who had some of the best years of his career with the Clippers.
As a high-flying, uber-athletic forward, Griffin made the perfect partner for Chris Paul , whose passing and playmaking expertise elevated the floor of all his teammates. For Griffin, it opened a whole new world of opportunity and their dynamic together turned the Clippers into "Lob City."
But even after Griffin left the Clippers, and endured the second half of his career, he still found ways to be effective. In the 2018-19 campaign, he was an All-Star for the Pistons with averages of 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on 46.2% shooting. He led them to the first round of the NBA playoffs before injuries cut his time short.
Considering the entirety of his career, it's tough to say how his game would translate to today's NBA. While his interior play style might serve as a disadvantage, he adapted his skills over time and learned how to shoot and handle the ball on par some of the best in his position.
The truth is, while the guy made over $260 million in his career, he might have made even more if he had a chance to thrive in the modern league. Sadly, we'll never get the chance to find out for sure and all we can do now is appreciate what he was able to accomplish for his time.
Related: Blake Griffin On How Clippers Tricked Him With Jersey Ceremony And Then Traded Him 4 Months Later
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