Late Monday night, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Detroit Pistons shocked the entire NBA world by pulling out a huge trade, maybe one of the biggest trades of 2018. The Clippers are giving up their star forward Blake Griffin, Willie Reed, and Brice Johnson, and for what in return? A first and second round pick, Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, and Boban Marjanovic.
For someone who loves the NBA and loves the Clippers, this trade just showed me that there is no such thing as loyalty in the world of professional basketball. The players are not just people playing a sport that they love but are pawns in this so-called game called the NBA.
Blake Griffin was the Round 1: Pick 1 draft for the Clippers in 2009. He has lived and breathed the Clipper organization for the last nine years, that is including the unforgettable Donald Sterling controversy of 2014. He had a 9-year loyalty to the Clippers and how do they repay him? Oh yeah, breaking his contract and trading him with no warning signs. This action just showed that the Clippers organization is more concerned about the politics than their players and their fans.
To my surprise, Griffin has only said thanks to the Clippers organization and his fans. This shows me that he is taking the higher road. I like to think that Griffin is going to take this trade as a fresh start with a new team, and it will light a fire in him to get out on the court and play harder then he ever has.
I know if I were in his position, I would want to show the Clippers that they gave up one of the greatest assets that they've ever had. The Clippers already lost Chris Paul, now Blake Griffin, and it does seem that Deandre Jordan already has one foot out the door as well. This all means that my OG Clippers team is no nothing but history.
With this trade, I know am packing up my Los Angeles Clippers gear and trading it all in for some new Detroit Pistons memorabilia. To some, this seems crazy but to me, my loyalty is with the player and not the team because I know and understand that it is every player for themselves.
But at least the Griffin fan base is so loyal that they will follow him to whatever city he goes to. This trade may very well be the best change for his career, he may become one of the greats by playing at Detroit.
