Griffin proud of time in L.A., hasn't talked to Clippers' brass since trade
On the eve of Blake Griffin's return to the Staples Center - though he'll face the Los Angeles Lakers first - the Detroit Pistons star has fond memories of playing in the building where he helped turn around the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I'm proud to be part of the rebranding of the franchise," Griffin told ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz. "It was like a movement. People don't think about the Clippers today the way they did. I remember when I was about to get drafted and I think it was Bill Simmons who wrote a piece about how I should I hold out and tell them I don't want to get drafted there. Tons of people were saying, 'You don't want to go to the Clippers.'
"That's all I heard. And not only did I turn out OK, I had moderate success in the one place where they literally called it the 'Clippers Curse.' That's what it was called! And here I am."
Griffin was drafted first overall by the Clippers in 2009. He made five All-Star teams, won Rookie of the Year honors, and helped the Clippers to six straight playoff appearances before he was traded to Detroit in January 2018.
The 29-year-old doesn't regret signing a five-year, $173-million deal in the summer of 2017 to remain in Los Angeles. But Griffin was stung when he learned the trade was in the works from a friend before the team's front office informed him. Later, he declined to answer calls from president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank, head coach Doc Rivers, and franchise owner Steve Ballmer, and Griffin "has not spoken to any of the Clippers' principals since leaving," Arnovitz writes.
"I get it," Griffin says. "Basketball is a business and they said what they had to say at the time, and that's what I wanted to do. The only thing I wish is that (the trade) had gone down differently."
Griffin's Pistons play the Lakers on Wednesday, the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, and then return to the Staples Center to face the Clippers on Saturday.
Griffin is averaging a career-high 25.3 points to go along with 8.5 boards and 5.2 assists per game this season.