Griffin Shares His Thoughts on Clippers' Surprising Move

In a heartfelt statement during the Amazon Prime pregame broadcast on Friday, Blake Griffin weighed in on the Los Angeles Clippers' decision to part ways with his former teammate, Chris Paul. Griffin, who spent six seasons alongside Paul on the Clippers, expressed his disappointment, stating, "I'm just disappointed, to be honest."

Griffin reflected on the shock of the announcement and emphasized his disappointment not just for Paul, but also regarding the Clippers organization, saying, "Chris Paul is a guy who came to the Clippers when DeAndre and I were first and second-year guys. He brought a winning culture."

The former star forward provided insight into the communication gap between Paul and the Clippers management, noting that there were no discussions between Paul and the Clippers' head coach, Tyronn Lue, or team governor, Steve Ballmer, before the release. "I think the biggest reason I'm disappointed is what Chris said," Griffin remarked. He highlighted the lack of dialogue with both Lue and Ballmer, underscoring that this absence of communication was particularly disappointing.

Despite a challenging season, where Paul averaged just 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes per game, the news of his release caught many by surprise. Reports from ESPN's Shams Charania indicated that Paul's leadership style had clashed with the team, mentioning that he had not been on speaking terms with coach Lue for several weeks.

As the 12-time All-Star recently announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, Griffin’s remarks highlight the profound impact Paul has had on the franchise, particularly during their shared playoff runs from 2011 to 2017.