Blake Griffin played his 13th NBA season in Boston last year, getting into 41 games as a reserve big for the Celtics. He’s well-liked in the locker room, was on an affordable veteran minimum contract, and the Celtics have an open roster spot this season. Boston also has been looking to add depth to the frontcourt, which is why they traded for Xavier Tillman at the trade deadline.
Teammates wanted Griffin back and reached out to him trying to get the return, both Derrick White and Payton Pritchard said on Barstool Sports “Pardon My Take” Monday (hat tip Brian Robb at Mass Live).
“I don’t know [if he’s coming back]. We begged him to,” Pritchard told PMT.
“I think the whole team has been begging him to,’ White added…
“I texted him actually a week ago or two jokingly being like, ‘Coming back for one last ride?’ He says he’s enjoying his life,” Pritchard said.
Griffin was a player who had a true sense of himself, found things he loved to do off the court (comedy among them) and was comfortable moving on from basketball. He and former NFL player Ryan Kalil are partners in the production company Mortal Media (the company behind the “White Men Can’t Jump” reboot).
Still, it has to be difficult to turn down one more playoff run with a team that is the current favorite to win it all. Boston has an open roster spot but is already into the second tax apron ($18.3 million above the luxury tax line), so that minimum contract will hit harder. If the Celtics are open to it, would Griffin be?
It sounds like a firm no, but never say never around the NBA.
Source link: https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-players-begged-blake-griffin-012511827.html
