Blake Griffin returning to Nets on 1-year deal

Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin is coming back for another season, signing a one-year deal as the NBA opened free agency.

Blake Griffin wants another shot with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

The veteran forward signed a one-year deal to return with the Brooklyn Nets for his 12th season as a pro, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

It wasn’t immediately clear how much Griffin will make with the new contract.

The Nets are bringing back Blake Griffin after a successful stint

Brooklyn planned to bring Griffin back, but it wasn’t necessarily a straightforward situation. They had to choose between Griffin and Jeff Green, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Green ended up signing with the Nuggets.

The former LA Clippers star signed with Brooklyn after the Detroit Pistons waived him in March. He was unhappy in Detroit and wanted out, forcing the issue until they relented and bought out his contract.

While his minutes were reduced playing for the Nets, his effectiveness in those minutes was vastly improved. He averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 21.5 minutes per game.

Griffin came to life in the playoffs especially. He scored 18 points in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals and hit double digits in the final three games of the series.

The hope is for Griffin to continue providing a veteran presence at center with his resurgent form. While the 2021 postseason was disappointing with an earlier-than-expected exit, Brooklyn is set up to contend in the Eastern Conference in 2022.

The Nets still have to figure out what to do with the rest of their free agents. Griffin was the only deal reported on Monday. Other free agents include Spencer Dinwiddie, Tyler Johnson, Bruce Brown Jr., Mike James, Reggie Perry and Chris Chiozza.