Griffin on James

It’s easy to see why David Griffin went on the defensive as soon as the Sports Illustrated (SI) article focusing on his career hit the Net. Written by regular staff member Jake Fischer, it tracked his ascent to top-rung positions with the Suns and Cavaliers, and, most importantly, how his experience informs his plans as executive vice president of the Pelicans. And it should have been all well and good. Unfortunately, it wound up highlighting a handful of quotes he made throughout his conversations with the scribe spread over the National Basketball Association’s Summer Camp, and particularly as they related to LeBron James.

If there’s anything that matches Griffin’s eloquence, it’s his candor; those who have dealt with him over the years — including his recent stint as talking head with NBA TV while between front-office gigs — know he speaks his mind, but with not inconsiderable measure and gravitas. No doubt, it’s also how he went about his business with Fischer; he was open and honest, with the end-view of showing that he has hit the ground running with the Pelicans, and that they aim to be competitive quickly despite having been rocked by the trade demand of erstwhile foundation Anthony Davis.

In so doing, however, Griffin wound up discounting the value of the Cavaliers’ remarkable title run in 2016. He described himself as being “miserable” in building the roster via an “inorganic and unsustainable, and, frankly, not fun” process that ensured his departure. “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.” Moreover, he concluded that James changed priorities after having given Cleveland its first major sports title since 1964. “There wasn’t a lot else for him. I don’t think he’s the same animal anymore after winning.”

Why Griffin said what he said, only he knows. Perhaps he was burned out by the pressure borne of working with James, especially since the latter “is getting all of the credit and none of the blame. And that’s not fun for people.” In any case, he made some major backpedaling as soon as the poop hit the fan. After contacting a member of the four-time league Most Valuable Player’s inner circle, he went on a media blitz to argue that his words were taken out of context. “The fact that there was so much scrutiny in everything that we did, when I was speaking about being uncomfortable and being miserable, it was my inability to deal with that media scrutiny,” he claimed. “It wasn’t the man himself. It was everything that came with a team led by LeBron James. It had nothing to do with being miserable with LeBron. We had and have a very positive relationship.”

True enough, although it’s fair to wonder if the relationship Griffin spoke of will continue to be the same. After all, he did engage in revisionist history while enunciating his thoughts. For one thing, he did remain with the Cavaliers after earning a ring; he left the following year, and only after he said back then that he and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had a difference of opinion on “fit.” For another, James’ record after orchestrating the first one-three comeback in Finals history speaks volumes of the four-time Most Valuable Player’s continued commitment to winning. The latter battled for the Larry O’Brien Trophy twice more, with a body of work in the 2018 Playoffs deemed arguably the best of any player ever in league annals.

In any case, James seems to be motivated to prove Griffin wrong. As he tweeted after the SI article hit cyberspace, “Enough is enough. The throne has been played with to[o] much and I ain’t for horseplay. Ether coming soon.” Not that he needs any more fuel; in an ESPN survey of 20 NBA coaches, executives, and scouts, not one mentioned him as a candidate for MVP. Clearly, he needs to show all and sundry that he’s still primed to compete with the best of the best, never mind his advancing age, the miles on his odometer, and his evidently increasing susceptibility to injury.

It’s too bad, really. Prior to the SI article’s publication, Griffin counted James as a friend, even a good friend. Just last week, the most “connected” athlete in the world retweeted his mention of his wife Meredith’s wine business to 43.3 million followers. As he goes about mending fences, though, his bigger problem is this: The same emotional baggage that had him privately weeping the night the Cavaliers claimed the hardware will crop up anew as he finds ways to improve the Pelicans’ standing. There will come a time when he’ll encounter the same stressors, and to a point where he will wonder about his love of the game. What he will do then, especially in the absence of a boogeyman, is anybody’s guess.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since ����ý introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.