Eddie Griffin Works Out with Hawks

by **SkipToMy_Lou** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:03 pm

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1892571

Atlanta Hawks general manager Billy Knight and director of basketball operations Chris Grant were in Houston on Thursday to watch troubled forward Eddie Griffin work out, a television station reported.

Griffin, cut last season by both the New Jersey Nets and the Houston Rockets, said Atlanta and the Los Angeles Lakers are among several teams considering signing him for the upcoming season.

"Definitely L.A. with Rudy [Tomjanovich] over there, Miami, Minnesota and Atlanta," Griffin told Houston television station KRIV in a report aired Thursday.

Hawks spokesman Arthur Triche told The Associated Press the team would have no comment Thursday night.

"It means a lot," Griffin said. "Now I am on the rebound and trying to get back in the league. It makes me feel good to have some teams out here watching me and wanting me to come play."

Griffin was the seventh pick overall in the 2001 NBA Draft.

He missed the entire 2003-04 season because of ongoing legal battles and substance abuse issues. He has been working with former NBA coach John Lucas, who overcame his own substance abuse issues.

Griffin was given 18 months probation in March after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of deadly conduct. He was ordered to continue outpatient treatment for alcohol abuse.

Griffin also was fined $1,000 by a judge who suspended his driver's license for six months following a marijuana conviction in January.

"He's done six months, eight months of care and is doing what he needs to do, and it's time to move on with his life," Lucas said. "He's doing very well right now. Basketball has never been the issue."

Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks in 150 career games with the Rockets.

Griffin did not appear in any games for the Nets after signing with them on Jan. 8.

by **Bill Russell** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:40 pm

What can I say? Well, the Hawks need players... Too bad Griffin is a playa...

by **Jowe** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 5:57 pm

I hope the lakers sign him. The lakers seem to be higher on his list then the hawks.

by **Rens** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:10 pm

SkipToMy_Lou wrote:Griffin, cut last season by both the New Jersey Nets and the Houston Rockets, said Atlanta and the Los Angeles Lakers are among several teams considering signing him for the upcoming season.

"Definitely L.A. with Rudy [Tomjanovich] over there, Miami, Minnesota and Atlanta," Griffin told Houston television station KRIV in a report aired Thursday.

This doesn't seem like he's mentioning teams that want to sign him, it seems he's mentioning teams he'd like to sign with...

by **Fresh8** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:31 pm

I hope he signs with LA.. he's talented- but I'm not sure if they want him- lol

It'd be good if Keon Clark and Eddie Griffen take paycuts to play!

by **J@3** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:34 pm

Gotta find Keon Clark first

by . on Fri Oct 01, 2004 6:53 pm

Id heard that its 60% for Miami, and 40% for the Lakers.....I wouldnt mind having him in LA.

by **NNpF** on Fri Oct 01, 2004 10:36 pm

If he did go to Miami and played like he used to at PF, then the Heat will be a much better team at PF than they are now.

by **Rens** on Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:55 am

Sit wrote:I hope he signs with LA.. he's talented- but I'm not sure if they want him- lol

It'd be good if Keon Clark and Eddie Griffen take paycuts to play!

Typical Laker arrogancy. Everyone should just take a paycut and go play for the Fakers.

by **John-John Joe** on Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:58 am

Mr T wrote:Id heard that its 60% for Miami, and 40% for the Lakers.....I wouldnt mind having him in LA.

As talented as this kid is, I have to give an emphatic NO. This would be the worse signing for LA since 1999 with Dennis Rodman and 2001 with Isaiah Rider.

by **John-John Joe** on Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:59 am

Rens wrote:
Sit wrote:I hope he signs with LA.. he's talented- but I'm not sure if they want him- lol

It'd be good if Keon Clark and Eddie Griffen take paycuts to play!

Typical Laker arrogancy. Everyone should just take a paycut and go play for the Fakers.

Why in the world is my favorite team hated so much?

by . on Sat Oct 02, 2004 6:10 am

Because our team is better then his :twisted:

by **cklitsie** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:49 am

Mr T wrote:Because our team was better then his

Here I fixed it for you, Bobcats>Lakers :lol:

by **Rens** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:56 am

Dre Naismith wrote: Why in the world is my favorite team hated so much?

Because of the large number of dumb fans it attracts.

by **John-John Joe** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:14 am

Rens wrote:
Dre Naismith wrote: Why in the world is my favorite team hated so much?

Because of the large number of dumb fans it attracts.

Whoa, that's kind of harsh wouldn't you say?

by **Repole** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:17 am

the truth hurts?

by **John-John Joe** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:20 am

Repole wrote:the truth hurts?

Hehehehehe, hey, if you say so. :lol:

Feel free to say whatever about us Laker fans, just curious to know why that's all.

by **Repole** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:33 am

hehe well i dont mean you, i mean all those people who just jump on the LAL bandwagon cuz they were good.....like yankee fans not from new york..

by **John-John Joe** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:37 am

Repole wrote:hehe well i dont mean you, i mean all those people who just jump on the LAL bandwagon cuz they were good.....like yankee fans not from new york..

I got'cha! But hey, don't all winners produce bandwagonners? The worst ever? The Bulls! Now you can't deny that one can you?

by **Eugene** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:13 am

This is something that I've always wondered...

Why is it a bad thing to support a winning team? When did this become unacceptable? When a team struggles for a while, after which they make some personnel changes and start winning, and the team gains more fans... duh! Of course people like them more because they play good basketball.

I mean, I'm all for supporting your hometown team, but having moved around far too often, I personally don't have a hometown team to root for. That being said, supporting your hometown team seems kind of counter-intuitive to me. I mean, if your a true fan of the game, the game of basketball, shouldn't you be disgusted by the Celtics, or the Magic, or the Knicks? Even if you live in that area?

For example:

Me: What's your favorite basketball team?

Friend: The Raptors.

Me: Yeah, but they're terrible.

Friend: I don't care, they're my hometown team. You support your team through thick and thin. That's loyalty, man.

Now, I can sympathize (although the above was a completely hypothetical situation). I really can. But doesn't that sound just as ignorant as some of you accuse the stereotypical Laker fan of being? In fact, doesn't that sound like your stereotypical Laker fan? They don't know anything about basketball, they just support the team because it's the Lakers.

I am not saying that you shouldn't support your city's team. You should. The type of team-fan loyalty goes deeper than just basketball, and I think that's very important. But you also shouldn't be so quick to judge people who support winning teams. Winning teams are good teams. Good teams play good basketball. And thank God for them.

All the best,

Eugene.

by **Repole** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:35 am

Dre Naismith wrote:I got'cha! But hey, don't all winners produce bandwagonners? The worst ever? The Bulls! Now you can't deny that one can you?

Nope, i hate the lakers more than the bulls though because well, my brother is one of those bandwagoners, and everytime the lakers win he rubs it in my face. If only we were around for all those celtics championships...

by **NNpF** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:36 am

Repole wrote:hehe well i dont mean you, i mean all those people who just jump on the LAL bandwagon cuz they were good.....like yankee fans not from new york..

Ya...isn't it amazing how Detroit fans are beginning to just appear everywhere?

And I just can't figure out why... :roll:

by **Colin** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:00 pm

Good point Eugene. It doesn't neccessarily make sense, but many things don't. I think bandwagoners seem to be looked down upon because they don't really have a reason or story behind why they cheer for a certain team. I mean people who root for the hometown team usually started liking the team when they were at least a decent team when they first learn about basketball/move to an area. I mean there are a lot of Hawks fans from the 80's who still support the team.

This may be completely wrong, but it may be some testosterone-driven 'never give up' attitude. Switching from good team to good team may seem like they give up on a team. Whereas hometown fans are more committed.

Fans who just plain like the way good teams play may get a bad rap due to casual fans. I'm sure there are people who became Pistons fans this season who aren't bandwagoners, but rather like the style of play. Then there's all the people who cheer for the winning teams to try and look like they know anything. But these people really couldn't tell you where the post was. Cheering for the good team is the uneducated fan's choice.

I'm done.

Eddie was a kickass player to have on your team in Live 03. I always used him. Hope he makes his way to a good team and fufills even a bit of his potential.

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:26 pm

Great points Eugene. I think Colin summed it up nicely though. Dedicated fans of good teams are usually grouped in with the casual fans who claim to be lifelong (insert team here) fans but are gone as soon as the team goes through a rough patch. It's the casual fans who constantly bandwagon that "true" fans usually despise; most of us bandwagoned at some point.

by **NNpF** on Mon Oct 04, 2004 1:40 pm

Speaking of bandwagoners.

Recently I have bought a couple of magazines that give predictions and give reviews for every team.

And almost every review that I read about teams said something like "This year they are looking to play defense first" or "They are trying to sign players who can play defense".

So looks like NBA teams are also 'jumping on the bandwagon', although you can't blame them since teams that have made or won the finals the past couple of years were strong defensive teams (Detroit, San Antonio, New Jersey etc.).

Eddie Griffin Works Out with Hawks

Eddie Griffin Works Out with Hawks

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