Blake Griffin - What is His Role?

[Roy H.]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

[Surferdad]

Tatum: "I give Blake a lot of credit. A guy that was a superstar in this league, multiple All-Stars, All-NBA, was really at the top. Whether it's through injuries or whatever, has really taken on a different role. It's been really unique to see just his attitude every day. Doesn't play for two weeks, certain guys out, he might play four, five games in a row. Takes the first bus, on off days, he plays pickup with the guys that maybe don't play. Gotta keep their cardio up. You just don't see that with guys that was at his level. It's been really unique to see. I appreciate that a lot, the guys do as well, never makes it about himself, and it's contagious. His energy, his enthusiasm, his personality, we're all very fortunate to have him as a teammate. Everybody respects him, respects what he's accomplished and his voice carries. Somebody that is always going to be ready whenever his number is called."

https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/news/jayson-tatum-amazing-quote-about-blake-griffin-after-celtics-hawks

[Moranis]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

[Roy H.]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Pat Beverley thought he did:

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/patrick-beverley-on-blake-griffins-behavior-before-the-los-angeles-clippers-traded-him

[Phantom255x]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Yeah I don't think Blake had a big ego. Maybe he actually did behind the scenes? Idk. On that Clippers "Big 3" team I thought CP3 was the one who had an ego/attitude

[LilRip]

I think he can get playoff minutes. Am I crazy? Guys like Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford, TL, White, and Brogdon will always get their minutes. That’s already 7 out of a 8 or 9 man rotation. So I think guys like Sam, Blake or Grant can see minutes, depending what the team needs.

I think Blake’s played well when he’s been out there vs other bench units.

[Moranis]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Pat Beverley thought he did:

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/patrick-beverley-on-blake-griffins-behavior-before-the-los-angeles-clippers-traded-him

That seems like a Pat Bev issue.  Also, good on him for not taking Doc's crap. 

[Goldstar88]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Yeah I don't think Blake had a big ego. Maybe he actually did behind the scenes? Idk. On that Clippers "Big 3" team I thought CP3 was the one who had an ego/attitude

Even if Blake did have a big ego, you’d have to think every team passing on him during the off-season would curb that. C’s brought him in late Sept, only after Gallo went down.

[Roy H.]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Pat Beverley thought he did:

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/patrick-beverley-on-blake-griffins-behavior-before-the-los-angeles-clippers-traded-him

That seems like a Pat Bev issue.  Also, good on him for not taking Doc's crap.

All kinds of guys have talked about the pettiness, lack of mental toughness, in-fighting, etc., on those Clippers teams.  Barnes, Beverley, Redick, Davis, Doc, etc.  Some of it was Glen Davis being a bad apple, the Austin Rivers situation, and guys tuning out Doc.  But, Griffin contributed, just like every player up and down that roster did.  We can't just ignore contemporaneous reports because they don't fit our narrative.

And its not like the locker room stuff was the only evidence of Blake's ego.  He was notorious for getting into it with refs, he got into a squabble with Daryl Morey about MVP voting, he ghosted the Clippers front office as they tried to inform him about his trade, etc. 

[Moranis]

Yeah, in the last few years there have been a couple of guys who became great mentors that I never expected it from.  Blake is one of them, and Vince Carter is another.  Vet players that totally put their egos aside -- and both had big egos -- and just blended into teams to help in whatever way they could.

Did Blake have a big ego?  I know he had a lot of sponsorships and what not, but I don't recall him really coming off as a big ego guy.  I could just be not remembering correctly.  Vince, absolutely had those issues, I just don't remember it with Blake.

Pat Beverley thought he did:

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/patrick-beverley-on-blake-griffins-behavior-before-the-los-angeles-clippers-traded-him

That seems like a Pat Bev issue.  Also, good on him for not taking Doc's crap.

All kinds of guys have talked about the pettiness, lack of mental toughness, in-fighting, etc., on those Clippers teams.  Barnes, Beverley, Redick, Davis, Doc, etc.  Some of it was Glen Davis being a bad apple, the Austin Rivers situation, and guys tuning out Doc.  But, Griffin contributed, just like every player up and down that roster did.  We can't just ignore contemporaneous reports because they don't fit our narrative.

And its not like the locker room stuff was the only evidence of Blake's ego.  He was notorious for getting into it with refs, he got into a squabble with Daryl Morey about MVP voting, he ghosted the Clippers front office as they tried to inform him about his trade, etc.

Oh I have no doubt there were issues on that team, but that doesn't mean Blake had a big ego.  Maybe the stars just didn't like each other or get along.  Maybe they go about things differently.  Or countless other maybes that have nothing to do with ego.  A team without chemistry doesn't mean they all have big egos.  There are lots and lots of reasons guys don't have chemistry with each other.

[Who]

There was a lot of friction between CP3 and Blake over how many touches, shot attempts, time on the ball as well as off court being viewed as a franchise player or a 2nd option behind CP3.

Personally, I blame CP3 more than Blake because CP3 was so ball dominant and selfish that he was incapable of giving Blake the touches and time on the ball that he required. He had no adaptability to him despite having a wonderfully talented teammate.

It was always a talking point when one of them was injured and the team would keep winning with the healthy one stepping up. Particularly when CP3 was injured because we saw how much better Blake was without CP3 (All Star to MVP candidate) monopolizing the ball all the time.

Blake got more of the criticism than CP3 because CP3 was media darling & advanced stats efficiency darling ... but like I said, I thought CP3 was more in the wrong than Blake.

Anyway, there was a lot of childishness between the two of them. And they were both so reluctant to have it out and solve the problem. Instead it was this passive-aggressive type relationship that lasted several years and caused disharmony within the team. Neither had the maturity to step up and deal with the problem. Both were immature guys who let their egos derail their team. It was shameful.

[Roy H.]

There was a lot of friction between CP3 and Blake over how many touches, shot attempts, time on the ball as well as off court being viewed as a franchise player or a 2nd option behind CP3.

Personally, I blame CP3 more than Blake because CP3 was so ball dominant and selfish that he was incapable of giving Blake the touches and time on the ball that he required. He had no adaptability to him despite having a wonderfully talented teammate.

It was always a talking point when one of them was injured and the team would keep winning with the healthy one stepping up. Particularly when CP3 was injured because we saw how much better Blake was without CP3 (All Star to MVP candidate) monopolizing the ball all the time.

Blake got more of the criticism than CP3 because CP3 was media darling & advanced stats efficiency darling ... but like I said, I thought CP3 was more in the wrong than Blake.

Anyway, there was a lot of childishness between the two of them. And they were both so reluctant to have it out and solve the problem. Instead it was this passive-aggressive type relationship that lasted several years and caused disharmony within the team. Neither had the maturity to step up and deal with the problem. Both were immature guys who let their egos derail their team. It was shameful.

That's my take, as well, mixed with some bads fits brought in by Doc.  I'm not saying that Griffin had any more of an ego than the average superstar player, but at his peak -- and even in Detroit -- it was hard to see him accepting the role of 13th man dispensing wisdom on the bench.  I don't think many former stars transition to that role well.  They usually think the guys they're sitting behind are worse than they are, or think that being a mentor is beneath them.

[Big333223]

There was a lot of friction between CP3 and Blake over how many touches, shot attempts, time on the ball as well as off court being viewed as a franchise player or a 2nd option behind CP3.

Personally, I blame CP3 more than Blake because CP3 was so ball dominant and selfish that he was incapable of giving Blake the touches and time on the ball that he required. He had no adaptability to him despite having a wonderfully talented teammate.

It was always a talking point when one of them was injured and the team would keep winning with the healthy one stepping up. Particularly when CP3 was injured because we saw how much better Blake was without CP3 (All Star to MVP candidate) monopolizing the ball all the time.

Blake got more of the criticism than CP3 because CP3 was media darling & advanced stats efficiency darling ... but like I said, I thought CP3 was more in the wrong than Blake.

Anyway, there was a lot of childishness between the two of them. And they were both so reluctant to have it out and solve the problem. Instead it was this passive-aggressive type relationship that lasted several years and caused disharmony within the team. Neither had the maturity to step up and deal with the problem. Both were immature guys who let their egos derail their team. It was shameful.

That's my take, as well, mixed with some bads fits brought in by Doc.  I'm not saying that Griffin had any more of an ego than the average superstar player, but at his peak -- and even in Detroit -- it was hard to see him accepting the role of 13th man dispensing wisdom on the bench.  I don't think many former stars transition to that role well.  They usually think the guys they're sitting behind are worse than they are, or think that being a mentor is beneath them.

It's hard not to wonder what Blake's career might have looked like if the Chris Paul trade never happens. Griffin's ballhandling and passing were two of his bigger assets, especially at his size but he never got an opportunity to be the kind of point-forward that would've maximized his skills.

[Neurotic Guy]

There was a lot of friction between CP3 and Blake over how many touches, shot attempts, time on the ball as well as off court being viewed as a franchise player or a 2nd option behind CP3.

Personally, I blame CP3 more than Blake because CP3 was so ball dominant and selfish that he was incapable of giving Blake the touches and time on the ball that he required. He had no adaptability to him despite having a wonderfully talented teammate.

It was always a talking point when one of them was injured and the team would keep winning with the healthy one stepping up. Particularly when CP3 was injured because we saw how much better Blake was without CP3 (All Star to MVP candidate) monopolizing the ball all the time.

Blake got more of the criticism than CP3 because CP3 was media darling & advanced stats efficiency darling ... but like I said, I thought CP3 was more in the wrong than Blake.

Anyway, there was a lot of childishness between the two of them. And they were both so reluctant to have it out and solve the problem. Instead it was this passive-aggressive type relationship that lasted several years and caused disharmony within the team. Neither had the maturity to step up and deal with the problem. Both were immature guys who let their egos derail their team. It was shameful.

That's my take, as well, mixed with some bads fits brought in by Doc.  I'm not saying that Griffin had any more of an ego than the average superstar player, but at his peak -- and even in Detroit -- it was hard to see him accepting the role of 13th man dispensing wisdom on the bench.  I don't think many former stars transition to that role well.  They usually think the guys they're sitting behind are worse than they are, or think that being a mentor is beneath them.

I never think I really know players based on watching them interact or on interviews, but my impression of Griffin as a Celtic is of a really good guy, sense of humor, bright.  He’s great in the Daily Harvest commercial.

As for role on this team outside of veteran positive influence, he’s one of a half-dozen non/end of rotation players on this team who can come into a playoff game and make a positive difference. One of PP, Sam, Grant, Muscala, Gallo (if healthy), Blake will make a significant contribution to at least one win per series.

[SHAQATTACK]

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