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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

What Blake Griffin Instructed Celtics’ Brad Stevens Earlier than Retirement


Blake Griffin not coming again for a second season in Boston was not attributable to a scarcity of curiosity from the Celtics.

Griffin wasn’t a serious on-court issue for the C’s within the 2022-23 marketing campaign — he posted a career-low 13.9 minutes per sport — however the veteran ahead offered intangibles the group vastly valued. Actually, a pair of Celtics guards admitted they “begged” Griffin to finish his NBA hiatus and put the Boston uniform again on.

However the six-time All-Star by no means returned after the Celtics got here inside one win of the 2023 NBA Finals, and he formally introduced his retirement Tuesday. Showing on Wednesday’s episode of Barstool Sports activities’ “Pardon My Take” podcast, Griffin shed gentle on his current contact with Boston and why he didn’t decide to a second marketing campaign on Causeway Avenue.

“I type of left it open for some time,” Griffin stated, as transcribed by MassLive. “I did have a form of standing supply to return to Boston. I bear in mind finish of December hit, and I referred to as Brad Stevens and I used to be like, ‘Man, I actually respect it.’ I had communication with him the entire time. I wasn’t there, man. I don’t know. One thing modified. And I knew when one thing modified like that, it was time to be performed.”

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Griffin added: “If I had gone wherever, I might’ve gone again to Boston. I like these guys. I’m pulling for them, and so they have an excellent shot. But it surely was simply time for me to be performed. I wouldn’t have been capable of give what I ought to give to a group if my coronary heart actually wasn’t in it.”

The 35-year-old additionally was involved with Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics head coach a number of months in the past revealed he spoke with Griffin about probably coming again however moved off these conversations as soon as he realized the 14-year veteran was prioritizing household time over every little thing else.

As for the Celtics, their postseason journey will start Sunday afternoon with a sequence opener towards both the Miami Warmth or the Chicago Bulls.

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