David Griffin: "I was miserable building around Lebron"

[R.J. MacReady]

Griffin: I was miserable building around LeBron


"Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun. I was miserable," Griffin said. "Literally the moment we won the championship, I knew I was gonna leave. There was no way I was gonna stay for any amount of money."


"LeBron is getting all the credit and none of the blame. And that's not fun for people," Griffin said of the challenge of working with and playing with James. "They don't like being part of that world."


"There wasn't a lot else for him," Griffin said. "I don't think he's the same animal anymore about winning."


Still, in February -- midway through his first season with the Lakers -- James again framed his career in a way that would support Griffin's assertion that James' "animal" side might have dissipated.


LeBron:

"It's nothing I need to get in this league that I don't already have," James said at a shootaround in Boston. "So, everything else for me is just like icing on the cake. Even though I love the process of everything that I go through to be able to compete every single night and put teams in position to compete for championships. But there's nothing that I'm chasing or that I feel I need to end my career on."



You get the feeling the damn is about to break on all the crap you have to put up with when dealing or playing with Lebron.

I'm sure Lebron is calling Brian Windhorst as we speak (his PR guy) to write a hit piece on Griffin.



.

 

[bksballer89]

He already started to backtrack.....

 

[WiggyRuss]

Griffin: I was miserable building around LeBron


"Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun. I was miserable," Griffin said. "Literally the moment we won the championship, I knew I was gonna leave. There was no way I was gonna stay for any amount of money."


"LeBron is getting all the credit and none of the blame. And that's not fun for people," Griffin said of the challenge of working with and playing with James. "They don't like being part of that world."


"There wasn't a lot else for him," Griffin said. "I don't think he's the same animal anymore about winning."


Still, in February -- midway through his first season with the Lakers -- James again framed his career in a way that would support Griffin's assertion that James' "animal" side might have dissipated.


LeBron:

"It's nothing I need to get in this league that I don't already have," James said at a shootaround in Boston. "So, everything else for me is just like icing on the cake. Even though I love the process of everything that I go through to be able to compete every single night and put teams in position to compete for championships. But there's nothing that I'm chasing or that I feel I need to end my career on."



You get the feeling the damn is about to break on all the crap you have to put up with when dealing or playing with Lebron.

I'm sure Lebron is calling Brian Windhorst as we speak (his PR guy) to write a hit piece on Griffin.



.

I mean, I do not think he said anything that is not fairly obvious

that with LeBron playing on one year deals and the urgency that he brings makes it very hard to build for the long term

the Lakers are currently are having that urgency for a different reason- the end of LeBron's prime

but- i mean, ideally- you grow the team "organically" draft guys, let them grow together, add on the margins, keep your cap healthy

but when LeBron comes in all of that goes out the window and every move is a win-now move at the expense of the future.

I mean- thats fine, thats the deal you make when you get LeBron- and obviously you take it- but I think Griff thinks it did not have to be that way and that LeBron's actions made/make it tougher to truly grow a team for the long term.

It was the same in Miami, same in Cleveland, and now the same in LA. Every where he has gone its- trade all the assets, young players, picks to win NOW at the expenses of a sustainable organically grown product.


And, we have all certainly seen the effect of the no-win situation with other guys playing with LeBron. Kyrie wanted to get out from under it. Guys have avoided LeBron like the plague with the Lakers. No one wants all of the blame when things go bad and none of the credit when things go good. There is no upside.

I wonder if Griffin will be pressured into making another statement by LeBron's "camp" or if he just lets it lay how it is.

I do not think Griffin was trying to go after Lebron in anyway-- i think he was just saying honestly what his experience was now that he is secure in a new position.

 

[WiggyRuss]

could LeBron possibly listen/read Griffin's quotes and say- "thats not fair- thats not true"--- I mean- I dont think he could.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

 

[lebron23james]

I believe some of what he is saying tbh, and some is sour grapes because Gilbert wouldn't pay him

Think about it

Kyrie Irving couldn't stand Lebron demands trade

Lue quits for months with emotional distress

Magic Johnson Quits midseason because he is unhappy

Dan Gilbert has a stroke

Half the Lakers quit on Lebron after he tries to get rid of them

No star signs up in free agency with the lakers

Can't wait for the drama of next season...

 

[WiggyRuss]

 

[shopson67]

Magic Johnson Quits midseason because he is unhappy

Half the Lakers quit on Lebron after he tries to get rid of them

No star signs up in free agency with the lakers

Do you only post in hyperbole?

Only 1 star has turned down the Lakers in free agency the past two years; Kawhi Leonard. Paul George re-signed with the Thunder before free agency, after which they attempted to trade for Kawhi with no success. This summer they waited for Kawhi's answer, after which there were no superstars left (unless you want to count injured Boogie, who they did sign but may never be the same player again).

Magic Johnson resigned just before the Lakers last game on April 9th, not midseason.

Lakers' kids struggled for a few games around the trade deadline, but came back strong (those that were still healthy anyway). Nobody quit.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Do you only post in hyperbole?

Only 1 star has turned down the Lakers in free agency the past two years; Kawhi Leonard. Paul George re-signed with the Thunder before free agency, after which they attempted to trade for Kawhi with no success. This summer they waited for Kawhi's answer, after which there were no superstars left (unless you want to count injured Boogie, who they did sign but may never be the same player again).

Magic Johnson resigned just before the Lakers last game on April 9th, not midseason.

Lakers' kids struggled for a few games around the trade deadline, but came back strong (those that were still healthy anyway). Nobody quit.

PLEASE lets live in reality- it was clear that they were after George for years.

LeBron reached out to Kyrie, Butler, to Kemba, to Kawhi, to multiple guys.

 

[WiggyRuss]

do you think anything Griffin said is not true?

 

[bksballer89]

do you think anything Griffin said is not true?

No but the way he said it looked ungrateful IMO

 

[shopson67]

PLEASE lets live in reality- it was clear that they were after George for years.

LeBron reached out to Kyrie, Butler, to Kemba, to Kawhi, to multiple guys.

Sure, but the Lakers pursued none of them directly and none of them would be options until Kawhi decided otherwise. It's not like the Lakers were going to sign all of those guys, they were fall back options if Kawhi fell through. Kyrie had his destination locked well before free agency began and Kemba had his agreement in place before free agency as well.

George wanted the Lakers initially, then was swayed by stupid things in OKC. They can't fail to get him in free agency if he never actually hit free agency. Simple concept.

 

[shopson67]

do you think anything Griffin said is not true?

Now or before? Which time was he lying, and does that make the other statement any more believable?

 

[WiggyRuss]

Now or before? Which time was he lying, and does that make the other statement any more believable?

what did he say "before". If you have quotes from Griffin from "before" and can define what "before" is I am all ears.

 

[gohusk]

Same shit people have been saying for years, which is LeBron holding teams hostage with his whole "win now" mentality preventing moves that make sense long-term.

 

[bksballer89]

Same shit people have been saying for years, which is LeBron holding teams hostage with his whole "win now" mentality preventing moves that make sense long-term.

If you win a title then who gives a fuck ?

 

[bksballer89]

Don't try and sign lebron if you have such a problem

 

[bksballer89]

 

[trojanfan12]

Same shit people have been saying for years, which is LeBron holding teams hostage with his whole "win now" mentality preventing moves that make sense long-term.

This is what every team does when they are their "window of opportunity" to win titles.

Once a team is a true contender/has won a title, it is no longer about building long term or looking to the future. It's about winning titles right now.

Your Warriors are a great example. They spent a few years building to be a contender. Once they reached the finals and won...it was all about continuing to win now and sustain it as long as possible. Not about trying to be a contender in 5 years by developing young talent.