I didn't say anything about his kid and I even said geography wasn't an issue. When I said "the kid," I meant Eddie. Eddie is a little kid, and I don't think the NBA is helping him figure out life. Just my take.
The Rocket' record in Griffins first season was 28-54. They were the fifth lotto seed and pulled off a statistical long shot to jump to the #1 pick (Yao). The Cavs had 29 wins, the Knicks 30, the Hawks 33 and the Heat and Suns 36 each. You can choose to believe that Jefferson (instead of Griffin) woud not have increased the Rockets record by even 1 game, but given what has transpired since makes that logic seem foolish. Eddie Griffin wasn't even good enough to get asked to play in the Schick Rookie All Star in either of his first two seasons. Richard Jefferson was a finalist in the slam dunk contest and scored 21 points as a "soph". Richard Jefferson played 4 years of college ball and was part of national championship team. Griffins Seton Hall team couldn't even get an NCAA bid in his only season. No Griffin. no Yao.
Forward released by Rockets seeks clean slate EAST RUTHERORD, N.J. -- Troubled forward Eddie Griffin said Sunday he has agreed to play for the New Jersey Nets. Griffin, released Friday by the Houston Rockets, quickly found a new home with the team that originally drafted him. "I've decided to go play for the Nets," Griffin said in an interview with Houston television station KRIV. "I'm excited about going to play for [Nets head coach] Byron Scott and playing with [Nets guard] Jason Kidd. It's just going to be an exciting thing for me and I can't wait." New Jersey president Rod Thorn said Saturday that the Nets were in the running to sign Griffin, who played at nearby Seton Hall. "What do we have to lose here? Nothing," Thorn told the New York Times for Monday's editions, citing Griffin's abilities as a shot-blocker, rebounder and shooter. Pending Griffin's signing with the Nets, the team would pay Griffin about $400,000. Griffin said he had already received calls from Scott, Kidd and Richard Jefferson welcoming him to the team. The Nets have not had a consistent contributor off the bench this season and Griffin, the seventh pick in the 2001 draft out of Seton Hall, could fill that role. But New Jersey is taking a chance by signing a player who brings considerable legal baggage. Griffin was charged in November with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a woman accused him of hitting her three times in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his home before dawn on Oct. 25. He will be arraigned on the charge Jan. 14. A second misdemeanor charge of assault related to the same encounter was dismissed last week. A separate case involving a charge of mar1juana possession is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 20. "He's in the best emotional condition he's been in some time," Rusty Hardin, Griffin's Houston-based lawyer, told the Times. "He knows a lot more about himself than he did before. "Anyone would be silly to guarantee he's not going to have a recurrence. I don't think anyone would say everything is O.K. and hunky-dory now. Two or three months ago, this guy was clinically depressed. But he's in a much better frame of mind now." Griffin hopes to start with a clean slate in New Jersey, although he is uncertain when he will be able to join the Nets because of his legal problems. "New Jersey was the best fit for me," Griffin said. "I can get the most opportunity there. I felt like that's the team I fit in at." Griffin said a number of teams, including Detroit, Toronto, Philadelphia and Orlando, were in the running. He said he will sign for the balance of the season and again become a free agent. "It feels good," Griffin said. "It's a relief just to know where I'm going. I just got to get everything else behind me and I am ready to get back on the court." The 6-foot-10, 232-pound forward averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks in 150 career games with the Rockets. Drafted by New Jersey, Griffin's rights were traded to the Rockets for three first-round draft picks -- Jefferson, Brandon Armstrong and Jason Collins. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Then by the same token, Denver was only 1 game worse than us. Correct me if I'm wrong your chances of getting the number 1 decreases with every pick. Like let's say GS had 500 ballots, Chicago had 250, Memphis 125, Denver 67, us 33 and Cleveland 16. We could easily have had 67 ballots instead of 33, which would give 34 more and if we beat Cleveland we'd only lose 16 more. And if we beat NY's record, we'd lose only 24 more. So early lottery matters more than late lottery. In either case I don't believe EG matters much in the grand scheme of things. I don't really believe in fate, but suffices to say we pulled a fast one getting that #1, so I think it was meant to be. Also, I find it fascinating that people (not saying you Gater, you've been one of the few level headed people) here say RJ is only getting decent numbers because he plays with JKidd (as if he's a scrub or something) and is worse than EG. Yet after Griffin proved to be a bomb we are suddenly saying RJ is better. Boggles the mind.
errr. Correct me if I'm wrong your chances of getting the number 1 decreases *by half* with every pick
I love the rockets and all but I REALLY hope if Eddie does start playing soon he comes back and bites the Rox in da A**!!! They should have given him another chance but they didnt!
To me it does not matter whose decision it is. When you have to be playing Padgett then it was clearly a bone-head move. As I have said before these times are as good as ever for moving on from this rockets thing for me. The pile of bad moves are just getting to me big time.
I don't blame CD: At the time, we were ALL stoked about getting EG. We were all singing praises to him and commending CD on such a steal as getting EG in the first round. Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but he and we had no idea. It's not CD's fault. I don't blame JVG either: He's trying to move the team forward, and having EG on the team has been a huge hindrance. JVG wants to do whatever it takes to win, and having EG on the roster, but inactive, means that other players have to fill his space and it makes us play in a different structure. There is one person to blame: BLAME EDDIE F***ING GRIFFIN!!!. He is entirely to bame, for obvious reasons. He has, flat out, ripped off the Rockets for millions and betrayed his friends, team, fans, and the city of Houston. BOO Eddie Griffin with all your might!!!! He's much worse than Pippen! -- droxford
Really? Pretend we're talking about some player that doesn't end up in your handle. Think about it. The player... 1. Underachieves in a pretty major way. Decides he doesn't want to play inside, and instead lofts nearly more three-point attempts than two-point attempts. 2. Gets a minor drug charge. 3. Skips a team flight. 4. After a giving him another chance, he skips practices. 5. Ends up making headlines for allegedly punching a woman and shooting a gun at her. 6. Checks into some sort of mental health facility. Again, pretend this is some chump not named Eddie. How many chances would you give him? Would you commit another year of millions to him? If not, then you can't really keep him around, since he knows you don't believe in him.
Actually, it wouldn't have costed you a quarter more to keep him on the roster till at least the trade deadline to use his contract slot as trade bait. What was the advantage to releasing him instead of keeping him on the IR untill Febuary?
How ironic would it be if Eddie got his act together and both he and Jefferson became consistant all stars and then along with Brandon Armstrong made up the best front court in the Eastern Conference! Imagine what we will be saying if in 2 years or so Eddie is averaging 4 blocks and 11 boards for the Nets while scoring with a decent shooting percentage. What a major coo for the Nets and a major fleecing of the Rockets if that happened and their entire front court was provided by the Rockets.
Well, I don't want to say he looks dumbass hell (for a number of reasons ), but I'm afraid that he's emotionally in a dumbass hell.
He's only scheduled to make $400K for the remainder of the 2003-2004 season and then he beomes a free agent once more.
For what I just heard is that there was'nt a single good trade proposal from the other team and definitely we don't want those over paid players with long term contract in return for EG! I mean who would'nt want to get something for your No.3 pick in the draft. there is no way they will just let this thing slip away from CD's grasp without exhausting other options.
i think this is a pretty relevant question that remains unanswered. How in the heck is Griffin supposed to play with the curfew? When will it be waived?
NJ may not get a lot out of Eddie if he is in a Texas prison. Seems like we ought to get some kind of Exception though since the Rockets still have to pay him.
i am disapointed with the decision of the traded the first time and im still with the idea then i saw that is really a blow out we can't get nothing of that .that bull*hi* at least some first rounders will be good i see why San Antonio want to trade turkuglo or wathever his name is for cutino i think that with the mental capacity that CD have he would pull the triger on that trade just to have a some kind of good at power foward 4
