Blake Griffin: Anthony Davis Shouldn't Worry About Backlash After Trade Request

Detroit Pistons star Blake Griffin wants Anthony Davis to ignore any negative reaction he receives after reportedly requesting a trade. 

"The player has to do what's best for him, and not worry about the backlash," Griffin said Monday, per James Edwards III of the Athletic. "It's going to happen, and you can't really control it. Teams are able to do whatever they want, and they don't get backlash unless they don't do it the right way."

Davis reportedly told the New Orleans Pelicans he won't sign a new extension with them and requested a trade Monday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Griffin went through an opposite situation with the Los Angeles Clippers, re-signing with the team on a five-year deal when he hit free agency in 2017. However, his loyalty was not reciprocated as he was traded to Detroit just a few months into the next season.

Seeing what a team can do to a superstar—he also alluded to the Toronto Raptors trading DeMar DeRozan last offseason—it's clear he wants to shield Davis from criticism as he makes his own decisions.

The 29-year-old also explained how things have changed compared to past generations, via Edwards:

"You can talk about back in the day all you want, but back in the day is not today. The NBA isn't structured the same way, contracts aren't structured the same way, teams aren't structured the same way, so you can't expect players to keep doing the same thing. It's such an outdated view on life. I get the whole loyalty thing, but at the same time, you have to do what's best for your family, best for you, and a lot of the times, sometimes, those things don't align."

While past stars like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird stayed on one team their entire career, this generation has already seen its biggest names change cities like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, albeit to mixed reactions.

The Pelicans have shown support for Davis so far, with point guard Jrue Holiday especially supportive.

"Anthony had to do what’s best for him. It's business," Holiday said, per Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune, adding, "... He’s a brother to me. We understand."

The key now might be keeping fans off the center's back.