NBA notebook: Pelicans' Griffin was 'miserable' with LeBron

[August 02, 2019]  David Griffin was not fond of his time with LeBron James, when Griffin was the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers and James was in the background calling the shots.

Griffin, the vice president of basketball operations with the New Orleans Pelicans, told Sports Illustrated in an article published Thursday that his days in Cleveland were pressure-packed and "miserable."

"Everything we did was so inorganic and unsustainable and, frankly, not fun," Griffin told SI. "Literally the moment we won the championship I knew I was going to leave. There was no way I was going to stay for any amount of money."

Griffin said part of the rub for him and others in that position is James will get all the credit and zero blame. "That's not fun for people," he said. "They don't like being part of that world."

--Hall of Fame point guard and former NBA head coach Jason Kidd officially joined the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching staff, the team announced.

New coach Frank Vogel's staff also includes former NBA head coach Lionel Hollins, Phil Handy, Miles Simon, former Lakers guard Mike Penberthy and Quinton Crawford. Simon is the only assistant who was part of former coach Luke Walton's staff.

Kidd joins the Lakers after head coaching stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. He was fired by the Bucks in January 2018. Kidd, 46, ended his playing career in 2013 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. He was the second overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in 1994.

--The Oklahoma City Thunder and Patrick Patterson agreed to a buyout, with the forward intending to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Patterson first has to clear waivers before he signs with the Clippers. The nine-year veteran could join a loaded frontcourt in L.A., headlined by free agent additions Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Lakers forward LeBron James listens during an introductory press conference for Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (not pictured) at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Patterson, 30, has career averages of 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds in 622 games (81 starts) with the Oklahoma City, Toronto, Sacramento and Houston.

--Five-star recruit MarJon Beauchamp, a high school junior in Arizona, plans to pass on college to enter a training program designed to prepare him for the 2021 NBA Draft.

Beauchamp turned down multiple Division I offers, including Gonzaga, Texas, Arizona, Georgetown, USC and UCLA. The 6-foot-6 guard will enter the Chameleon BX 12-month training program founded this year by trainer Frank Matrisciano.

--Lance Stephenson signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Chinese Basketball Association's Liaoning Flying Leopards, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

The 28-year-old guard has spent nine years in the NBA playing for seven different teams. He played in 68 games for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018-19, averaging 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

--Field Level Media

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