The NBA has fined Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin $50K for “public criticism of the officiating and comments detrimental to the NBA,” the league announced (via Twitter).
Griffin’s comments came Friday in response to a fractured finger that could keep Zion Williamson out for the rest of the season, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Griffin called the injury “avoidable” and said referees are allowing opponents to enjoy an “open season” on the second-year forward.
“We told the NBA through every means available to us … that the way they were officiating Zion was going to get him injured,” Griffin said. “Quite frankly, he’s injured because of the open season that there’s been on Zion Williamson in the paint. He has been absolutely mauled in the paint on a regular basis to the point where other players have said to him, ‘I’m going to keep doing this to you’ because they don’t call it. There is more violence encouraged on him in the paint than any player I’ve seen since (Shaquille O’Neal). It was egregious and horrific then. The same is true now.”
Griffin said Williamson’s injury didn’t occur on a single play, but was the result of excessive contact “over a period of time.”
“It’s a blunt-force injury,” Griffin said. “He was being beaten on the hand over and over and over again. For me to tell you one time, I don’t think I can do that. I don’t think he knows one time.”
Sooner New Orleans ownership recognize the mistake of hiring Griffin and SVG, it can save itself witnessing the slow moving car wreck of wasting Zion’s controllable years. Where ‘ll Zion go will be the endless story.
So still no meeting between players, union reps & refs??? NBA…where the refs are like cops on the court…no accountability for their actions happens…
Looking at facts Williamson is in the top 3 of shooting free throws. Sounds like he gets the calls. Also of note in Williamson last 2 full games refs only called 1 foul on him even though he uses his body to push around players. Sounds like griffin should keep his mouth shut because Williamson is getting favors from Refs.
Zion is incredibly physically gifted and takes almost all his shots near the rim. What do they expect to happen? Are the defenders supposed to move out of the way and give him free shots?
If you don’t want to get hit play tennis!!
It’s all fun and games until someone takes a tennis ball to the nether regions
The NBA didn’t trade a 1st round pick for Steven Adams to help clog the paint for Zion. The NBA didn’t trade out of a top 4 pick, to take Jaxon Hayes in the lottery. And the NBA didn’t allow the team’s best fitting piece for Zion (Lonzo Ball) to get to Restricted Free agency.
David Griffin will be fired two years before they get any of the late 1sts they have coming from the Lakers and Bucks. LOL
ESPN though will put out 5 articles, 3 podcasts, and dedicate part of The Jump to explain why Griffin is the best GM and did nothing wrong when it happens.
ESPN motto is to praise any NY or Boston team while ignoring rest of the country.
The NBA gave Zion to him for losing AD. Griffin should he happy they rigged it for that to happen and save the franchise in NO.
Rigged? Lol
There’s a lot of the draft rigging theories out there. Just too many coincidences and if you watch NCIS you know Rule 39, there’s no such thing as a coincidence.
If the Bulls keep their pick this year, I will be a believer.
Embarrassing for the Pels.
The players need protection from Zion. What a cry baby. When you use force and physically like Zion. What do you think is going to happen. His time will come when he gets bs calls. Like most stats do today.
It’s not a good look when your teams head of basketball ops / GM needs to go on a lengthy rant about your players not getting any calls.
Zion is a force of nature. When he drives to the basket, people around him bounce around …….. when he does get to the basket, fouls may not be so obvious due to him just absorbing the contact.
Good on the kid for not flopping around, but he’s way young …… he’ll learn the tricks of the trade as he gets older plus he’ll get more respect from the refs.
I for once I do wholeheartedly agree with Griffin… I don’t usually do as I think the guy is pretty useless, but when it comes to what he says ’bout Zion he is absolutely spot on, guys are mauling him with violence when he gets anywhere near the rim… the NBA must protect their stars, that is the whole point of the league, get on with it instead of fining people for callin’ you out for not doing your job!
But…he is getting a huge number of foul calls. So do you think there should be more technicals?