LeBron James and la familia clearly were not expecting to read what they read on Thursday from former Cavaliers general manager and current New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin.
The former Cavs executive questioned LeBron’s desire to win and also illustrated what he called a ‘miserable’ working environment during his seasons in Cleveland in an interview with SI’s Jake Fischer.
Before Griffin took the job with the Pelicans, he was an analyst on NBA TV and frequently praised LeBron James for his greatness. And that change in tune resulted in a ‘shock’ for the LeBron camp, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin during Thursday’s episode of The Jump.
Perhaps it took some separation from the situation for Griffin to realize what happened in Cleveland, but he was an interesting messenger for this particular message after a cascade of pro-LeBron comments after his separation from the Cavaliers following the 2017 NBA Finals.
Now with the Pelicans, Griffin has to worry first and foremost about his franchise. But it clearly took LeBron by surprise that the biggest interview Griffin had about the Pelicans since trading Anthony Davis and drafting Zion Williamson would turn into a referendum on his leadership, legacy and immediate future.
