LOS ANGELES — The Blake Griffin trade caught the entire NBA community off guard Monday night, including Griffin himself, who said he found out through Twitter that Detroit would be his new home. The news came as a shock to the the Clippers in particular, the team Griffin had been with his entire career.
"It came quickly. It's rare when things come quick in this league," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday after the trade had been finalized. "But it came out of nowhere, and it came pretty quick. We have been talking about it for I don’t know how long. It hasn’t been that long."
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The rumors surrounding a Clippers rebuilding campaign had been floated around all season, but Griffin was never included. It seemed as though he was completely unavailable after signing a five-year, $171 million deal in the offseason.
But things can change overnight in the NBA. The Clippers received an offer from the Pistons that they felt could not be turned down, as questions lingered about paying an exorbitant amount of money for an injury-plagued big man. No matter how much the Clippers loved and appreciated what Griffin had done for the franchise, they decided it was time to move on.
Upon being taken No. 1 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, Griffin gave the Clippers a face of the franchise, something the team had been missing over the course of its 34 years in Los Angeles. He almost single-handedly made the Clippers relevant in a city that had all but ignored them since they came to town. He brought an energy and excitement to Staples Center, which was rare in games that didn't feature the Lakers.
"Once Blake got here with CP3 [Chris Paul] and DeAndre [Jordan] we became a franchise that was talked about," Rivers said. "Blake is responsible for all of that."
Griffin’s time in a Clippers uniform will be seen as the most successful and exciting era in the history of the Clippers organization, but it will also be looked at as a major disappointment. The failure to reach a Western Conference finals series and fulfill the potential of a star-laden team will leave a bitter taste behind.
"We all have the regret of not going to the finals," Rivers said. "We had our chances. The Oklahoma year [2014, when the Clippers lost to the Thunder in the second round], which I thought was the beginning of the end, and then the Houston debacle [blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Rockets in 2015]. After that we have had a lot of injuries. We had our shot and we didn’t come through."
Despite Griffin's five All-Star selections and six consecutive playoff appearances, Clippers executive Jerry West and the rest of the front office made the decision to part ways with the centerpiece of the franchise, proving management wants to reach more than just "pretty good" status. The many playoff failures and injuries eventually took their toll on a franchise that did not see this current roster as one that could finally get over the hump.
"We had a nice run. But we didn’t get it done," Rivers said. "You win 57 games a year and have multiple All-Stars, but the ultimate goal is to win a title as a group. We were fun and we were exciting, but didn’t get it done."
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There was a sense of sadness and shock in the Clippers' locker room the day after the trade. Rivers and his players seemed stunned by the news that their star player and leader was no longer around. The move clearly had an effect on some of the younger players who undoubtedly looked to Griffin as a mentor in the locker room.
"Blake taught me a lot. That's why yesterday I thanked him for all the stuff he’s taught me," 27-year-old rookie guard C.J. Williams said. "He’s a great guy to have in the locker room. He’s very intense, and out of your guy you want that passion and mentality. Blake was a great teacher, a great teammate. He taught me how to be a professional."
This Clippers team will take on a much different look for the rest of this season as they attempt to retool, and possibly rebuild depending on their moves in the next week. If the Clippers stand pat and decide to keep DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams, they will still be competitive in the West and remain in the mix for the final playoff spot.
But without Griffin, the feeling around the Clippers is different. His years will be looked back on fondly, but there will always be the thought of what could have been.