Blake Griffin entered free agency for the first time in 2017 and it gave him a reality check.
In a draft class that featured the likes of Stephen Curry, James Harden, and DeMar DeRozan, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft was Blake Griffin.
The Los Angeles Clippers trusted the high-flying forward with the top pick as they entered the ‘Lob City’ era with Griffin, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan forming amazing chemistry.
Fast forward to the summer of 2017, the era was over with CP3’s departure to the Houston Rockets. While Griffin signed a humongous extension with the organization, he was given a brutal reality check just six months later.
Blake Griffin on LA Clippers trading him to Detroit Pistons
By the summer of 2017, it was obvious that the ‘Lob City’ Clippers wouldn’t win an NBA Championship. Injuries during key moments in the postseason was the biggest reason behind the front office ending the experiment.
However, when they offered Griffin a five-year, $171 million contract extension, most expected the veteran forward to remain a focal point in the future, but he was soon traded to the Detroit Pistons.
“My first true free agency where I had a decision, I chose to go back to the Clippers, then six months later I was in Detroit. I look back on it people are like ‘That must have been awful,’ Nah,” Griffin said.
“It was a very defining moment for me in my career to be away from that. To show people that I’m playing 75 games, playing as much as I possibly can, I’m playing as hard as I can.
“I’m trying to take that team to the playoffs. It was a proud moment for me,” he added.
By the time the Clippers parted ways with Griffin, many believed that he was already out of prime. But Blake proved his doubters wrong during his time in Detroit.
In fact, he played out of his mind in the 2018-19 NBA season, leading the Pistons to a playoff berth. On top of that, Griffin also became an NBA All-Star for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
- Read More: Blake Griffin says Boston Celtics gave him experience he had never had before, he loved it
Why playing for the Pistons was a proud moment for Griffin
Coming back to the former NBA star’s stint with the Pistons, he explained why it was a proud moment.
“You are not in LA. You don’t have Chris Paul next to you. You don’t have all these guys and you got to go get it. I was thankful for my years with CP, with all those guys, because I learned how to bring people along.”
“I learned how to be the leader. Every night, you are expected to go out. In LA, I could have an off night, CP might have 30, JJ [Redick] might go off for 25, DeAndre might have 20 and 20, Jamal Crawford might go and get 30.”
Leaving the Clippers may have been a tough choice, but Griffin doesn’t regret his decision at all.
“But Detroit was a little bit different. Different dynamic. That moment, ‘I’m going to go back to LA, re-sign with the Clippers.’ That was really like a fork in the road for me. I wouldn’t change anything if I had to do it again.”
Playing for the Pistons was the last time Griffin was among the stars of the league. Following that, injuries further ruined his career as he was reduced to a role player by the end of his NBA career.
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