Why Blake Griffin Chose Not To Rejoin Celtics For Banner 18 Run
Blake Griffin left the Boston Celtics following a brief one-year run, with an invite to return last season before the team’s championship victory.
Griffin, despite consideration and teammates pleading for a reunion, declined Boston’s offer. The 35-year-old father of two flirted with the idea, but it never gained any traction as Griffin settled with retiring after 13 seasons, six All-Star appearances and an iconic Slam Dunk Contest win in 2011 after leaping over a Kia Optima.
“I thought about it,” Griffin said during an appearance on the “7PM in Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony” podcast. “I had nine surgeries in my career. Like, every surgery it takes a little bit longer to get back from. My last one was a noticeable like, I step on the court (and) I can’t do the things that I want to do. I can see it happening. I can’t do the things that I wanna do. It takes a toll.”
The Celtics signed Griffin to a one-year, fully guaranteed contract ahead of the 2022-23 season. Griffin was far from his prime, fresh off a failed championship pursuit with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, and didn’t have much left in the tank. But Boston’s locker room quickly embraced Griffin, as did the city.
Griffin filled a veteran leadership leader with the Celtics, playing 41 games and averaging 4.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists off the bench.
It wasn’t about the numbers, however. Griffin’s presence alone was enough for guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard to flood their ex-teammate with phone calls and text messages asking him to come back.
Griffin, despite having a red-carpet path to his first championship, didn’t budge. But it wasn’t indicative of Boston or the Celtics experience.
“I love Boston,” Griffin said, per the “7PM in Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony” podcast. “Like I love those guys. I was so happy for them when they won. That is like a different experience. When you playing as an opponent there is one thing. You go play there, all those are people rocking with you who used to just be yelling crazy (expletive) at you. You gotta understand, I played in LA for the Clippers, I played in New York for the Nets. It’s a Lakers town. It’s a Knicks town. That was the first time I really played for a team where everybody in that city is rocking with you. I went out to dinner 10 times. No check.”
The Celtics had been hungry for a championship for over a decade and nearly reached the promised land with Griffin on board. Boston suffered an Eastern Conference finals elimination at the hands of Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat after an intense seven-game series. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens offered Griffin a contract to return the following offseason, but Griffin was in no rush.
Griffin remained in touch with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, but those conversations ended as Mazzulla respected Griffin’s desire to devote time to his family instead.
Considering how much Mazzulla prioritizes bringing back former Celtics, whether for practice at Auerbach Center or with a spot in the coaching staff, Griffin — and his championship ring — might not be gone for good.