With the league celebrating its 80th season, countless icons have graced the hardwood, which makes narrowing the list to only five names an almost impossible exercise. That was the challenge presented by content creator Deric Eze, and Griffin did not hesitate when delivering his picks. He went with Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O’Neal.

Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the list was the absence of two figures who frequently appear in these conversations. Griffin left out Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, names that many fans automatically include when discussing greatness. Even so, the players he selected all own résumés that easily support their cases.

Griffin’s choices might be viewed as safe, but they are difficult to dispute. Jordan, for example, captured six championships, six Finals MVP awards, five regular season MVP trophies, a Defensive Player of the Year honor, and 10 scoring titles. His dominance defined an era and still serves as a benchmark for excellence.

The ones who followed Jordan on Griffin’s list

The GOAT debate often swings toward LeBron, whose longevity and versatility continue to rewrite the record books. He owns four championships, four Finals MVPs, four MVP awards, along with both a scoring and an assists title. By 2026, he has been selected to 21 All-NBA teams, six All-Defensive squads, and has earned yet another All-Star appearance.

Abdul Jabbar’s résumé remains one of the most complete the sport has ever seen, featuring six titles, two Finals MVPs, six MVP awards, and two scoring crowns. Right alongside him in Griffin’s hierarchy stands Duncan, the transformative figure of the San Antonio Spurs, who collected five championships, three Finals MVPs, and two MVPs. Duncan also piled up 15 All-Star nods, 15 All-NBA selections, and 15 appearances on All-Defensive teams.

Finally comes O’Neal, one of Duncan’s fiercest rivals and the most physically dominant force of his generation. He secured four championships, three Finals MVPs, one MVP award, and two scoring titles while earning 15 All-Star and 14 All-NBA selections. O’Neal powered the Los Angeles Lakers to a three-peat from 2000 to 2002, and the league has not seen another run like it since.

“We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career,” the Clippers‘ statement read.

This scenario mirrors the experience of the fan base in the 2017-18 season with Blake Griffin, one of their top players, who was traded to the Detroit Pistons despite having a stellar performance with the organization, with no prior warning to fans or even to him.

Griffin was anticipated to cement his legacy with a jersey retirement, but in his final season with the Clippers, he was traded to the Pistons, erasing the prospect of immortalizing a true legend, a similar fate now faced by Paul in his final NBA season.

Clippers do not blame Paul for current performance

The organization clarified in their statement that their decision to part ways with Paul wasn’t a reflection of his performance in the first 16 games of the regular season. The decision to release him comes at what is evidently his concluding season in the NBA.

“I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled,” the Clippers said in their statement regarding Paul.

Explaining the Clippers’ crisis

Paul’s exit compounds the challenges faced by the Clippers, who have been grappling with Kawhi Leonard’s ongoing injury woes and Bradley Beal’s season-ending injury. Initially expected to make a return, Beal now finds his season prematurely ended.

With their record standing at 5-16 and with James Harden and Ivica Zubac striving to lead a team affected by Leonard’s intermittent availability, the Clippers are poised to explore trade market options to rebound from their current standing. The exclusion of Paul from the roster may be central to their recovery strategy.

“I think he’s the most complete player we’ve seen come into the NBA in recent memory. Not saying he doesn’t have room to grow; he still has a ton of room to grow, but I mean, he passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds, he seems like a great teammate,” Blake Griffin said, via Post Moves podcast.

While Cooper Flagg has undeniably showcased tremendous talent, not everyone agrees with Blake Griffin’s recent comments. Critics argue that he has yet to make his NBA debut, and claiming he is the ‘most complete player’ implies he is ahead of past rookies like Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid or LeBron James, a comparison that remains unverified.

Griffin did not stop there as he expanded on his praise by comparing him to Victor Wembanyama. In an engaging discussion on the Post Moves podcast, he stated, “What’s the red flag? Which is very exciting for basketball to have these young guys. Wemby is very complete as well, but Cooper is able to play so many different positions.”

Cooper Flagg under immense pressure heading into highly anticipated NBA debut

Cooper Flagg stands on the cusp of a pivotal moment in his career with an anticipated debut for the Dallas Mavericks that has captured widespread attention. If he can translate his standout performance with the Duke Blue Devils to the NBA, grasping the Rookie of the Year award could turn his aspirations into reality. Conversely, an inconsistent season might ramp up the pressure and hinder his future opportunities.

In light of this, former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expressed confidence on the DLLS Mavs podcast in head coach Jason Kidd’s plan to gradually introduce Cooper to his inaugural season. Kidd intends to help him adapt at a comfortable pace to the NBA’s physical demands, a crucial factor for success. Flagg’s versatility promises to secure him substantial playing time during his rookie year, enhancing the team by effectively complementing the seasoned veterans.

While it is tempting to draw parallels between Cooper Flagg and stars like Victor Wembanyama or Luka Doncic, such comparisons could be premature and potentially detrimental to his development. Both stars averaged over 19 points in their rookie seasons, setting a high benchmark. Also, a rookie season does not necessarily dictate a player’s long-term success.

Nearly a year after announcing his retirement, Griffin sat down for a candid conversation on The Adam Friedland Show on YouTube. The discussion turned toward the perks of his youth basketball days and naturally pivoted to some of the most influential names in the sport. When LeBron James was mentioned, Friedland asked Griffin directly if he considered James to be his GOAT.

“I loved LeBron—I mean, he got into the league in ’04, and I was still in high school,” Griffin said. “He’s still playing. I went to college, played 14 years, retired, and he’s still out there. That’s crazy.” The former Clippers star pointed to James’ longevity as a major factor. “What he’s doing at age 40 is insane,” Griffin added. “I think the problem is when you’re in the GOAT conversation, people expect you to win championships every year. The Lakers just weren’t good enough. That’s the burden of being in that debate.”

Blake Griffin’s NBA journey

Griffin began his NBA career as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Clippers. Although a knee injury sidelined him for his rookie season, he made a dominant debut in 2010–11, earning Rookie of the Year honors with averages of over 22 points and 12 rebounds per game. His explosive athleticism, powerful dunks, and relentless motor made him one of the league’s most exciting players from the start.

During his prime years in Los Angeles, Griffin was a central figure in the Clippers’ “Lob City” era, teaming up with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. Under head coach Doc Rivers, the Clippers became a consistent playoff presence in the Western Conference, although they were never able to advance past the conference semifinals. Griffin was named an All-Star five times with the Clippers and established himself as one of the most dynamic offensive power forwards in the league.

In 2018, Griffin was traded to the Detroit Pistons in a blockbuster deal that marked the beginning of a new chapter. Despite ongoing injury concerns, he delivered an All-NBA-level season in 2018–19, carrying the Pistons to the playoffs while averaging over 24 points per game. However, injuries again limited his availability in subsequent seasons, eventually leading to his departure from Detroit.

Griffin later had short stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, taking on a veteran leadership role in each locker room. While his on-court impact had diminished, his presence was valued on contending teams for his experience and professionalism. Over the course of his 13-year career, Griffin tallied more than 14,000 points and 5,000 rebounds, cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant players of his generation during his prime.

But all sports are a ruthless business, and basketball isn’t the exception to that rule. You can be on top of the world one day, then barely see the hardwood next season. Being a former star doesn’t grant you anything.

That’s why some players who were once considered franchise cornerstones may not even be on a team’s roster by the start of next season. Here, we’ll talk about three former All-Stars who could be forced to retire now.

NBA Rumors: 3 Former All-Stars That Could Retire Now

3. LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge was the leading scorer in the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs, but he could never reach the NBA Finals. He joined the Brooklyn Nets and was forced to retire with a heart condition, and now could be out of the league for good.

Aldridge outplayed Blake Griffin and took away his minutes with the Nets, but he’s still unsigned even though they need more depth and size at the four and the five. He’s 37 years old already, so he’s unlikely to be signed.

2. DeMarcus Cousins

There was a point where DeMarcus Cousins was the most dominant big man in the league, and it wasn’t even close. The saddest part is that it wasn’t that long ago, and he would still be a force if it wasn’t for injuries.

Cousins is also one of the unluckiest players in recent memory. He joined contenders trying to win a ring with a lesser role, yet neither of his teams was able to go the distance. Today, he’s still not signed and may not find a new home.

1. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin was the franchise cornerstone for the Los Angeles Clippers, but everything went south for him as soon as he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. Constant injuries and a lack of motivation took a toll on his career.

Griffin is no longer the high-hopping dunk machine he used to be. He’s lost that quickness and is not much of a factor on the defensive end of the floor. So, the former first-overall pick could be out of the league at age 33.

This list is based onthe future of player, what’s his background and the possibilty to move to another NBA Franchise. Although this list doesn’t include Miles Bridges, for example. This due to his obvious off-court problems, although he was a most-wanted free-agent during the last couple of weeks.

Also, the list doesn’t includeDwight Howard, Rajon Rondo andDeMarcus Cousin. This because it is most likely they will sign-and-trade or stay at their current franchises as there any better options available for both the player and their team on the market.

5 big names left in the NBA Free Agency

1. Collin Sexton

The Marrieta-born player is near a closing line with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although, he isn’t happy with the deal. this is the most likely move he will make on what’s left of the NBA Free Agency. Sexton averaged16points, 3rebounds and 2assists in 11 games in the 2021-22 NBA Season.

2.Montrezl Harrell

Harrell played for the Charlotte Hornets last season. And despite he had problems with the law lately, he is already playing at the Drew League. Therefore, he might be back to talks with many NBA franchises. The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year averaged13points, 6rebounds and 2 assists in 71 games in the 2021-22 NBA Season.

3.Dennis Schroder

The German player has been bouncing back and forth from NBA team to NBA team. Although, he had a good perfomance last season. He averagedaveraged 13points, 5assists and 3rebounds in 64 games in the 2021-22 NBA Season.

4.Blake Griffin

The Oklahoma-born player has been struggling with many factors lately. His injuries, his lack of minutes, his lack of intensity when he plays. In fact, he averaged6points, 4rebounds and 1assistin 56 games in the 2021-22 NBA Season. Not acceptable for a No.1 pick overall.

5. Carmelo Anthony

The New York City-bornplayer had a one-year-deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. In which he averaged13points, 4 rebounds and 1assistin 69 games in the 2021-22 NBA Season. It wasn’t bad but the overall team had a bad season. Theyare currently in seek of a trade for Kyrie Irving, but Anthony is not in question. It is still unclear if he is going to stay in Los Angeles.

In fact, theteam with higher selected players look forward to this tournament in Las Vegas. They want to watchhow their young talentplay for the first time in thehigher level of intensity as well as with theirnew NBA environment.

Although, most of themdeal with the NBA world very well, others may feel the pressure and then sunk their ability as the time passes through. However, the following list presents themosthighlighted players in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

NBA Summer League MVP: Complete list of all Most Valuable Players by year

The MVP award was given since the second edition of the Las Vegas tournament. Since then, this award hasn’t predicted how good or bad a new player is going to be in the NBA. However, there are at least a couple of names that are recognizable in today’s NBA such as Blake Griffin, John Wall, Damian Lillard, Jonas Valanciunas and Lonzo Ball.

Coincidentally, none of these players have won the NBA championship with their teamyet. However, there still time for some of them. Nevertheless, check out the complete MVP award winners list in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League.

The 2022 NBA Summer League award winner is Keegan Murrayas he averaged23 points with 7 rebounds, 1steals and 2 assists in 31 minutes of play. Also, the Sacramento Kings ended up 8th in the 2022 NBA Summer League standings.

The Miami Heat, for instance, are already preparing for a possible departure of P.J. Tucker, who is expected to sign for the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-year deal that could go as high as $30 million.

While Kyrie Irving will finally not hit the free agency after opting into his player option, the Brooklyn Nets will lose another veteran star as Blake Griffin runs out of contract. And it seems that many teams are ready to knock his door on Thursday.

Rumor: Blake Griffin on the radar of Bulls, Heat, Lakers

(Via Sean Deveney of Heavy.com)

“There will be a number of teams that look at him,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “Chicago, Miami, the Lakers, maybe even Boston. They’d be in the mix, at least.

“The thing about Blake is, it is obvious he can’t do much of what he used to do, even when he was in Detroit,” the executive said. “But he made a big, big impression around the league with the way he played against Boston, even though it was just a couple of games

“But he was flying around, throwing his body around, taking charges, hitting the floor. He had a care factor that was off the charts, and a lot of teams took notice. This is an All-Star and a former MVP candidate and he is sacrificing himself. As your 10th man on a minimum deal, you take that. It raises everyone’s level.”

Griffin left a lot to be desired during his time with the Nets, but when the Celtics put their backs against the walls in the playoffs, he was up to the challenge. At 33, he could still be useful for a team that wantsa veteran player withpositive impact in the locker room.

That has been the case with multiple NBA players who have been entangled with the Kardashians-Jenners. It’s gotten up to the point where the fans have deemed this situation as theKardashian Curse.

Needless to say, most people talk about it as a joke and there’s no logical connection between dating them and struggling on the floor. But here, we’ll talk about all players who have been ‘cursed’ by them, so you can be the judge at home.

All NBA Players Hit By The Kardashian Curse

Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom was married to Khloe Kardashian between 2009-16. Their marriage was full of scandals as Odom struggled with alcohol and substance abuse, up to the point where he was comatose and suffered from multiple ailments. His career’s downfall can’t be credited to his significant other, but he was never the same player again.

Kris Humphries

Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian were married for a grand total of 72 days. They got married in 2011 and Kim even admitted that she wanted to leave him right before the wedding. He was coming off the best two seasons of his career before his averages dropped by nearly half.

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin was a perennial All-Star and one of the biggest stars in the league when he started dating Kendall Jenner in 2017. He was traded to the Detroit Pistons shortly after and a series of injuries derailed his career. Now, he’s not even a part of the Brooklyn Nets rotation and isn’t likely to go back to his All-Star level.

Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson is a somewhat successful story despite the so-called Kardashian Curse. But the fact that he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers shortly after he started dating Kendall Jenner can’t be ignored. Clarkson eventually found a new home in Utah and was named Sixth Man of the Year.

Chandler Parsons

Albeit this didn’t last long, Chandler Parsons’ brief fling with Kendall Jenner might as well be the biggest example of this trend. They started dating when he was an up-and-coming player for the Dallas Mavericks. Then, he signed a massive contract with the Memphis Grizzlies but was barely able to play after being ina car crash.

Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons sparked multiple trade rumors as soon as he started dating Kendall Jenner, with most people thinking he’d end up in the Lakers. Then, Jenner allegedly cheated on him and left him right in the middle of the playoffs, prompting one of his many mental meltdowns in the postseason. Now, he hasn’t played in over a year.

Tristan Thompson

To be fair, Tristan Thompson hasn’t been a role model in terms of his relationship. He’s cheated on Khloe Kardashian multiple times, even impregnating other women. But his career hasn’t exactly been successful since he joined the family, either. He went from being the starting big man on a championship team to bouncing around the league every year.

Devin Booker

Devin Booker was living the dream. The Phoenix Suns finally turned the page, he was a blossoming superstar, and he had Kendall Jenner by his side. Then, his team blew a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals in 2021. The Suns were back in the playoffs in 2022 but again blew a 2-0 lead and Booker was MIA in the final two games of that series.

Father Time spares no victims. Even the great Kobe Bryant struggled to stay on the court towards the sunset of his career. Regardless of how much you take care of your body, your athletic prime will eventually come to an end.

That seems to be the case with James Harden and three former NBA All-Stars who have looked completely washed this season. Here, we’re going to talk about them and how drastically they fell from grace.

NBA News: 3 Former All-Stars Who Are Now Washed

3. Blake Griffin

Remember when Blake Griffin was a walking highlight reel? He dunked over people, cars, and pretty much every single thing on Earth. Griffin’s athleticism left even his colleagues in awe every time he took off.

Unfortunately, injuries got the best of him. Griffin adapted his game and stopped playing above the rim so much. However, he was never much of a defensive force, and once his hops went away, so did his playing time.

2. Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double in multiple seasons. He could rebound like a big man while putting up big numbers all over the statsheet. But that player is long gone.

Westbrook’s shot stopped falling way too long ago. His defensive effort disappeared last season, and his athleticism and speed can’t bail him out anymore. He’s a Hall of Famerbut not worthy of all the money he makes.

1. James Harden

James Harden was a shell of himself all season. He struggled to get to the line, lost his explosiveness, and defenders stopped falling for his foul-baiting moves. His on-ball defense improved, but he lost a step anyway.

Harden’s fall from grace was predictable. He didn’t take proper care of his body, and eventually, father time caught up to him and his hamstring. Now, that offensive juggernaut he once was will never show his face again.

The Lakers won the ring in James’ second season in L.A, adding Anthony Davis and multiple veterans. Now, following a disappointing season as reigning champions, they’ve also added Russell Westbrook to that mix.

It seems like, barring a major surprise, the Lakers should be the team to come out of the Western Conference and make it to the NBA Finals. Nonetheless, not every one of their rivals seems too preoccupied about that.

Blake Griffin Isn’t Impressed By The New-Look Lakers

Brooklyn Nets big man Blake Griffin recently said that, even though the Lakers look pretty good on paper, that’s not a guarantee to success, as the most stacked teams don’t always go the distance:

“You look at it but at the end of the day, things on paper, it’s tough to say. I’ve been in situations where a team stacks up and it doesn’t work out,” the former Los Angeles Clippers star said, as quoted by Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

Griffin sure knows a thing or two about that. His Clippers from the Lob City era constantly fell short in the playoffs, and the Nets’ offensive juggernaut couldn’t get the job done last season due to injuries.

Whether Griffin is throwing shade at his rivals or not is not for us to decide. But he definitely has a valid point right there. But the best part about his words is that – also barring a disaster – the Nets are expected to make it to the NBA Finals, so he could put his money where his mouth is.