Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics tries to get past Blake Griffin #2 of the Brooklyn Nets during Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 25, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Boston Celtics defeated the Brooklyn Nets 116-112. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
Free agent forward Blake Griffin agreed to a one-year, fully guaranteed contract with the Boston Celtics, ESPN reported Friday.
Griffin, 33, will provide depth in the front court for a Celtics team that will be without center Robert Williams III in the early portion of the season. The Celtics announced last Friday that Williams would be sidelined eight to 12 weeks following surgery on his left knee.
Veteran forward Danilo Gallinari, who signed a two-year, $13.3 million deal with the Celtics in July, is expected to miss the season after sustaining a knee injury while playing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifier late last month. He underwent surgery for a left knee revision ACL repair.
A six-time All-Star and No. 1 overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, Griffin averaged 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 56 games (24 starts) last season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Griffin has averaged 19.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists over 724 career games (676 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers (2010-18), Detroit Pistons (2018-21) and Nets.