Clippers 'Guarantee' Griffin Won't Leave Via Free Agency

Post #1 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:42 pm

This sounds encouraging

Blake Griffin is not eligible to become an unrestricted free agent until the summer of 2014, but the Clippers are already talking about offering him an extension during the preceding summer.

"I can guarantee you he will only ever be a Clipper," general manager Neil Olshey said of Griffin. "If [Oklahoma City Thunder general manager] Sam Presti arrived on Kevin Durant's doorstep at midnight on July 1st with an extension, understand that Blake Griffin lives two blocks away from me in Manhattan Beach so it's going to be a much shorter commute for me."

Griffin is averaging 27.6 points, 14.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the new year.

"When it comes time for him to be a free agent, we won't be losing," Olshey said. "We're not losing now. We're 10 out of 14 now with our All-Star center [Chris Kaman] sitting around in a suit. The future looks pretty good. The only question will be, in two or three years with Blake, is how much more we'll be winning."

Read more: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archi ... z1BbPQHEUB

Leor_77 · Post #2 » by **Leor_77** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:32 pm

I really like his confidence, and the fact that they know that they will be committed to him financially, however, I think he is over-confident. Blake is his own man, and he knows that every team in the league will be throwing all kinds of money to get him...I can tell you one thing, though: If Griffin does sign that extension, we can all meet up and pop the cork off some champagne.

Leor_77 · Post #3 » by **Leor_77** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:42 pm

Also, I guess you have to remember that Griffin is living right next to the beach and gets to enjoy this great L.A. weather - Only other place with such good weather would be Florida. When can the Clippers offer their extension to him?

donemilio21 · Post #4 » by **donemilio21** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:07 pm

since he'll be a RFA in 2014, he'll have to stay if the match the offer.

Post #5 » by **mkwest** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:09 pm

It was definitely a bold thing to say, but I'm sure that Neil was tired of hearing the BS that the media has been spewing just like the rest of us. Enjoy the dude for what he is bringing right now instead of predicting doom and gloom. We should be able to retain him as a restricted free-agent if he isn't extended after his 3rd season (2nd season). Everybody wants to say the Clippers suck and that he'll leave because of that. Well damn. Give us a chance to actually have a great player to see what we can do. Franchises need great players to win titles and to win period. This Franchise has had some great players, but made stupid moves back in the day. Buffalo could have had McAdoo, Moses Malone, Dantley & Randy Smith at the same time. They ended up trading Malone after a few days, McAdoo and Dantley not too long after.

There are numerous teams that have been considered laughingstocks of their respective sports at one time or another, but when everything aligns then the past is simply that. The past. There have been only 8 champions in the last 25-30 some-odd years. Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Pistons, Rockets, Heat & 76ers. If you put together a team that can compete for a title and win, then you're joining the company of only a few in recent times. At that point, who cares how things were up until that point.

mj_shoefanatic · Post #6 » by **mj_shoefanatic** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:03 am

Laker homers can officially put the pipe down now.

H20KilledHeat · Post #7 » by **H20KilledHeat** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:31 am

donemilio21 wrote:since he'll be a RFA in 2014, he'll have to stay if the match the offer.

He was part of the Draft class of 2009, so he will be RFA in 2013... If he decides to take the risk and play on just the QO for the 2013-2014 season then he would be Unrestricted in 2014.
Don't get me wrong though, i want him to STAY with you guys, he is gonna be a NICE player and i think you guys finally have something going for you, personally it'd be sweet to see this team become something nice in a few years:
Eric Bledsoe
Eric Gordon
Al-Farouq Aminu
Blake Griffin
De'andre Jordan

CKRT · Post #8 » by **CKRT** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:37 am

OKC fan here: it'd be nice if Griffin came to play for his home state.

too bad we wont have the cap space for him assuming we can get Howard(gosh damn thatd be nice) or Marc Gasol.

Durant
Westbrook
Harden
Howard
Griffin

that would be crazy.

SportsFan215 · Post #9 » by **SportsFan215** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:53 am

He'll be a restricted FA in 2013, unrestricted in 2014 if we don't sign him to a long term deal, but that's a no brainer, so this guarantee doesn't mean much to me. Of course we'll sign him long-term as a RFA in 2013.

DubaLakers · Post #10 » by **DubaLakers** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:06 am

I think this Blake Griffin HYPE machine was caused partly by the new radio kid in town..Max Kellerman. He won't shut up about it. Everyday he brings it up to whomever will listen, "Blake should go to the Lakers." "Can you see him playing next to Kobe" "Is he the best PF of all time ?" It's like these people have seen a UFO they get all loopy.

Kellerman is pretty terrible, he needs to leave yesterday. The Lakers have Pau Gasol, arguable the best PF in the league, just shut it Max. Now if Griffin was a SG lets say then it would make more sense, Kobe's getting older by the time Griffins contract ended it would be perfect.

Let the Clippers enjoy their player and if Griffin stays healthy hopefully there's a good chance he retires a Clipper.

I gotta admit though I've only seen him twice when he's played the Lakers and our size gives him trouble, but it does to most teams when the Lakers get around to playing defense, but Blake kills everybody else.

I see his obnoxious stats, what about on the defensive end ? How would you grade him on the elite PF's?

DubaLakers · Post #11 » by **DubaLakers** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:14 am

CKRT wrote:OKC fan here: it'd be nice if Griffin came to play for his home state.

too bad we wont have the cap space for him assuming we can get Howard(gosh damn thatd be nice) or Marc Gasol.

Durant
Westbrook
Harden
Howard
Griffin

that would be crazy.

Crap that's a great question. Hypothetical: Assuming the salaries were the same would you guys trade Blake for Durant?

CKRT · Post #12 » by **CKRT** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:41 am

DubaLakers wrote:
CKRT wrote:OKC fan here: it'd be nice if Griffin came to play for his home state.

too bad we wont have the cap space for him assuming we can get Howard(gosh damn thatd be nice) or Marc Gasol.

Durant
Westbrook
Harden
Howard
Griffin

that would be crazy.

Crap that's a great question. Hypothetical: Assuming the salaries were the same would you guys trade Blake for Durant?

Hmmmm...If we kept Green and brought Griffin in that would solve some of our problems being weak at SF but we would still be weak at C so I would say no. I'd say Durant's ceiling is higher than Griffin's too and I think that Griff is only one bad dunk away from an career ending injury and he absolutely goes all out on every single one. Dude is so much fun to watch though, he was a joy to watch here at OU too. Honestly, that's very close to being a trade that would be laughed at.

Post #13 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:53 am

DubaLakers wrote:
I see his obnoxious stats, what about on the defensive end ? How would you grade him on the elite PF's?

Blake isn't the greatest defender, but I think he's getting better. We usually put DeAndre Jordan on the best offensive post player. So there is room for Blake to become a better defender.

SportsFan215 · Post #14 » by **SportsFan215** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:03 am

^ I also think that if we went out and got a good defensive SF, like Battier, Iggy, or Wallace it would help Blake's defensive progress as well. The overall team defensive would get better as a result.

Det the Threat · Post #15 » by **Det the Threat** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:17 am

A lot of Griffin staying depends on this summer, when DJ will be a RFA and EJ will be looking for an extension.

If the FO can handle both and keep the guys longterm, then Griffin should follow next summer, cause that would mean we're commited to winning and keeping our guys together.

thesportsfan30 · Post #16 » by **thesportsfan30** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:55 am

I hope they do everything they can to keep him, he is one of the most amazing players I have ever seen and I'm actually watching Clipper games for the first time in my life. I honestly rather watch a Clippers game than a Lakers one now. I actually wrote my last blog on Blake Griffin and how he should be an all-star and is transforming basketball in L.A. Check it out in my sig.

illastrate · Post #17 » by **illastrate** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:29 am

DubaLakers wrote:I think this Blake Griffin HYPE machine was caused partly by the new radio kid in town..Max Kellerman. He won't shut up about it. Everyday he brings it up to whomever will listen, "Blake should go to the Lakers." "Can you see him playing next to Kobe" "Is he the best PF of all time ?" It's like these people have seen a UFO they get all loopy.

Kellerman is pretty terrible, he needs to leave yesterday. The Lakers have Pau Gasol, arguable the best PF in the league, just shut it Max. Now if Griffin was a SG lets say then it would make more sense, Kobe's getting older by the time Griffins contract ended it would be perfect.

Let the Clippers enjoy their player and if Griffin stays healthy hopefully there's a good chance he retires a Clipper.

I gotta admit though I've only seen him twice when he's played the Lakers and our size gives him trouble, but it does to most teams when the Lakers get around to playing defense, but Blake kills everybody else.

I see his obnoxious stats, what about on the defensive end ? How would you grade him on the elite PF's?

God, I hate Kellerman. It's beyond annoying. Now I know how Cavs fans felt when there was a LeBron to the Knicks rumor everyday for years.

Post #18 » by **mkwest** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:41 am

We just have to extend him next summer and shut these clowns up.

Post #19 » by **thanumba2clippersfan** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:09 pm

mkwest wrote:We just have to extend him next summer and shut these clowns up.

+100

One thing I liked when I was in Pennsylvania was that I didn't always have to hear so much negativity about the Clippers.