Blake Griffin Expresses Sympathy for Clippers Amid Historic NBA Punishment

Blake Griffin is watching his former franchise handle a storm, and he feels no satisfaction in it. The Los Angeles Clippers, the team that drafted him and later traded him under contentious circumstances, have been hit with one of the harshest penalties in NBA history for circumventing the salary cap. Griffin, the face of the franchise's 'Lob City' revival, told reporters he gets no joy from seeing the organization in this state.

Griffin Takes No Pleasure in Clippers' Historic Penalty

The NBA's punishment, handed down recently, is severe. The league stripped the Clippers of five first-round draft picks, levied a $30 million fine, and imposed a five-year compliance program. Owner Steve Ballmer and team president Gillian Zucker must stay away from the team for a full year, while basketball operations leader Lawrence Frank faces a six-month suspension. This all stemmed from improper dealings related to the acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, who has since been traded back to the Toronto Raptors. Griffin, traded to Detroit in 2018 just months after signing a 'Clipper for life' max deal, said his heart goes out to the fans. "I get no joy in like seeing this happen to the Clippers," Griffin said. "The people I feel the most bad for are Clipper fans."

Griffin also pointed out a lingering sore spot for the players who built the Clippers' modern identity. He revealed the organization has never formally invited back or honored the core of the 'Lob City' era teams he led with Chris Paul. Those squads, active from 2011 to 2017, made the playoffs six consecutive years and transformed the Clippers from a league-wide punchline into a perennial contender. "I don't think we've ever been asked to come back or do anything to honor that team," Griffin stated. He expressed pride in that group's legacy, noting they shifted expectations for the franchise entirely.

An Awkward Shirt Haunts Griffin's Clippers Legacy

One particular memory from his final contract negotiation still makes Griffin cringe. In 2017, when he signed a five-year, $173 million deal, Clippers staff wore a T-shirt that controversially depicted Griffin alongside iconic historical figures like Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Gandhi under the word 'Pioneers.' Griffin discussed the incident on the show 'Pablo Torre Finds Out,' explaining how it resurfaced years later. When Amazon Prime Video launched its NBA coverage last season, an executive told his new production team they were all 'Pioneers' and directly reminded Griffin, now a broadcaster for them, that he had been one before.

Griffin Contrasts Sterling's Era with Ballmer's Spending

Reflecting on the franchise's journey, Griffin drew a sharp contrast between its past and present ownership. He criticized former owner Donald Sterling for being 'cheap' during his tenure, calling that reluctance to spend 'among a lot of the more serious problems' the organization faced. Griffin made these comments in an interview ahead of the October 20 premiere of his new comedy talk show, 'The Stepback with Blake Griffin.' He juxtaposed Sterling's approach with the free-spending, ambitious style of current owner Steve Ballmer, under whom the Clippers have moved into a new arena and pursued top talent aggressively.

Griffin Calls for NBA Award Voting Overhaul

Beyond Clippers history, Griffin is speaking out on league-wide issues. As he carves out a post-playing career in media, he used his platform on 'Pablo Torre Finds Out' to argue for a change in how All-NBA teams are selected. The current system grants media voters significant power, which can directly determine whether a player qualifies for a supermax contract worth tens of millions more. "The beauty of it, I guess, is that there are people with votes who have a vast, vast NBA knowledge," Griffin said. "But I also think with that there are probably some that I don't think should have that much control." A five-time All-NBA selection himself, Griffin highlighted the high stakes of selecting just 15 players annually for this honor.

• Griffin expressed sympathy for Clippers fans following the team's historic penalty of five lost draft picks and a $30 million fine.
• He revealed the franchise has never formally honored the 'Lob City' teams he led to six straight playoffs.
• Griffin criticized ex-owner Donald Sterling's cheapness and called for an overhaul of media voting for All-NBA awards.