Why Joe Mazzulla Abandoned Talks About Blake Griffin’s Return to the Celtics.
A pair of Celtics guards recently expressed their wish for Blake Griffin to return to the Boston roster. This desire was shared not only by players but also by Joe Mazzulla, who was keen on keeping the six-time NBA All-Star.
During the 2022-23 season, Griffin became a favorite among both Celtics players and fans, especially as Boston narrowly missed securing a second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. However, the 34-year-old did not rejoin the Celtics in the subsequent season, much to the disappointment of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. In a recent episode of Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast, White and Pritchard revealed that they had “begged” Griffin to come back to the team, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Addressing the media on Monday, Mazzulla was questioned about the Celtics’ interest in Griffin and why it ultimately waned. Mazzulla explained that when Griffin emphasized the importance of his family at the end of the previous year, he stopped discussing the matter, understanding the challenges of being away from one’s kids and family.
Griffin seems content with his decision to prioritize family time, as he mentioned on “Pardon My Take” that he has been “enjoying life” since stepping away from the game. Consequently, White, Pritchard, and the rest of the Celtics may need to accept that Griffin will be supporting them from a distance.
