Blake Griffin is sticking with the villains.
The Nets re-upped the six-time NBA All-Star on Friday, agreeing to a one-year deal with Griffin on the opening day of free agency.
The 32-year-old joined the Brooklyn after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons mid-season, and immediately embraced the Nets’ NBA villain status.
“It’s kind of funny to me, because for the last couple years all I’ve heard is how bad I am. You sign with this team and everybody’s like, ‘That’s not fair!’” Griffin said in March.
In 26 games with the Nets, Griffin posted 10 points per game with 4.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He upped his game in the postseason averaging 5.9 rebounds as Brooklyn fell short of its championship-or-bust goal.
“He was absolutely terrific and found a niche with the team,” GM Sean Marks said earlier on Monday. “We’d love him back. That is certainly the plan.”
While the Nets were able to keep Griffin in the fold, they were unable to keep the whole band together. Fellow small-ball big Jeff Green agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Nuggets in the early hours of free agency.