While everyone always wants to weigh in and make their voice heard when a big trade goes down, not all opinions are made equal.
In the case of the reported Blake Griffin deal that will see the longtime Los Angeles Clippers star head to the Detroit Pistons, the opinion of a former teammate of Griffins’ matters more than most.
Recently retired NBA forward, and Griffin’s teammate on the Clippers from 2010-2015, Matt Barnes took to Instagram shortly after reports of Griffin’s trade were coming out and threw some serious shade at his old coach.
So you trade this guy after paying him this much money..? When everyone in the organization & everyone who’s played there knows DOC IS THE PROBLEM!!! Smfh cold game! Make sure you pack a jacket BG!!! Love Bro
10.5k Likes, 567 Comments – @matt_barnes9 on Instagram: “So you trade this guy after paying him this much money..? When everyone in the organization &…”
“So you trade this guy after paying him this much money,” Barnes’ post reads with a photo of Griffin. “When everyone in the organization and everyone who’s played there knows Doc [Rivers] is the problem.”
Barnes is referencing the five-year, $173-million contract Griffin signed with the Clippers this past summer when talking about the money.
As for the comment made about Rivers, it’s not known right now where this hostility is coming from, but Rivers did hold the odd position of the Clippers’ president of basketball operations from June 2014 to August 2017, so his influence within the organization can’t be understated, particularly coming off an off-season that saw superstar point guard Chris Paul depart for the Houston Rockets.
Barnes just may have opened up a Pandora’s Box of sorts.
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