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There are players who move from team to team and there are those who stay with one team for their entire career. Blake Griffin thought he was the latter and the Clippers declared him as such last summer. He was a ‘lifelong Clipper,’ they impressed upon him. And then the trade to the Detroit Pistons happened.
Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Lee Jenkins reminded everyone what transpired during the summer of 2017.
“The Clippers held their free agent meeting with Griffin at Staples. They lowered the lights in the arena and raised his jersey to the rafters as a choir sang. The PA announcer said: ‘Tonight, we’re honoring a lifelong Clipper.’”
The Clippers held their free agent meeting with Griffin at Staples. They lowered the lights in the arena and raised his jersey to the rafters as a choir sang. The PA announcer said: "Tonight, we’re honoring a lifelong Clipper."
— Lee Jenkins (@ByLeeJenkins) January 29, 2018
As a free agent during the summer of 2017, Griffin was met by Clippers team owner Steve Ballmer, president and coach Doc Rivers, and their new special consultant Jerry West, together with other players.
In a piece written by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, he details the pitch they made to Griffin, letting him know and feel that he was going to be with the Clippers ‘til his last minute on the playing court.
“When Griffin arrived at Staples Center for his free-agency pitch meeting on July 1, he found the Clippers had erected something of a maze for him with temporary walls. Griffin walked his 3-year-old son, Ford, through the art gallery-style corridors, and found photos hanging at each turn: Griffin on his green Huffy bike with his brother, Taylor, when they were kids; Griffin playing in college; Griffin as a Clipper.
The maze spit Griffin out onto a couch overlooking the Staples Center court, above the lower bowl. Crowd noise pumped in. The team's public address announcer declared the Clippers were retiring Griffin's number. Team employees raised an actual banner into the rafters — a vision of the future they wanted.”
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who broke the news of the trade, shared Griffin’s response to the Clippers’ presentation.
“At the end of the two-hour fete, Griffin rose and spoke, telling teammates, his coach and the owner, ‘I want my legacy to be a Clipper.’”
Sadly, the Clippers have decided to rebuild without him. Griffin is now left to wonder what could have been.
