Sorry about stealing & modifying your thread title Swopa. I was just looking at the Clipper's team salary on RealGM for this year & next year. They have a total team salary for this year of $33.7 mill & depending on whether or not they sign Kandi to a new contract, will have a payroll of $18.5 mill next year. The $18.5 mill doesn't include Kandi's $6 mill qualifying offer, Maggette's team option of $2 mill, or FA's Piatkowski/McInnis/Ekezie. If they just go with Kandi's qualifying offer & pick up Maggette's team option, they'll have a total team salary of ~ $24.5 mill, with just the 3 FA's to resign. The point of this post is to point out that the Clippers are in a very good position to be major players in the FA market this next year. With a starting lineup of: C: Kandi/Rooks PF: Brand/Ekezie SF: Odom/Maggette/Piatkowski SG: Miles/Q PG: McInnis/Dooling/Boykins This'll be an exciting starting lineup. Since they won't have to resign Odom or Brand until the following year (which should knock them out of future FA markets), they'll have to make their final push for FA acquisitions this year. If Kandi's game doesn't improve dramatically this year, I would think that the center position would be their main need & they would definitely need some added depth. Now, here's what gave me the idea of starting this thread. If the Clippers continue the improvement of last year & make it into the playoffs, that should make them more appealing to FA's (read as plenty of money & a chance at the playoffs). If Denver doesn't get LaFrentz under contract, Issell doesn't patch things up with LaFrentz, & Denver takes a step backwards this year (McDyess injury), LaFrentz might be open to changing teams. I know that Denver has his Bird Rights, but if LaFrentz were to say he wanted to go (I know, a lot of ifs), he could force a sign & trade or just sign outright with the Clippers. A sign & trade would probably involve Kandi going to Denver for less than LaFrentz's contract. Assuming that all of this were to happen, that'd give the Clippers a starting lineup of: C: LaFrentz PF: Brand SF: Odom SG: Miles PG: McInnis Now, that team would be scary & if signed to long term contracts, could be together for a long time.
The only problem the Clips face is the same one they've always faced: Donald Sterling. If he's had a change of heart and would like to make the financial commitment to making the team great, I think it could be great. But, he is looking at potential max deals for Odom, Brand, and Miles and big money for Kandi/LaFrentz, Richardson, and Maggette. I don't see him wanting to commit so much money, given his history.
very good post there hot...as much as i don't like teams improving, other than the rockets, it would be nice to see the clippers do some good...
dont bet on it unless you have too much money and cannot figure out ways to lower your bank accounts and thus must revert to making bad bets that you will lose and thus owe someone else money. then you can bet on it
I think the Clippers have gone from being an exciting young team that could surprise to a young team overburned by expectations. The Clippers might be good. But then, Elton Brand might not hold up as well when he plays real PF's more often, Darius Miles might not develop a shot, Maggette might continue to play mediocre, and Odom might never become quite the playmaking star others have envisioned him as. They're still burdened by a soft, underachieving 5 and an overachieving 1. Clips have a realistic chance at the playoffs. But I'm not sure they're worth the heighth. It's not that I don't like them... just that I'm betting against the spread .
Juan, Actually, this article on your RealGM site gives a hint that he might be changing his position. If he ever wants a winning team, this is his best shot at it. I know that it's just a small move on his part, but the article makes it sound like a major policy shift on his part. As for them going after LaFrentz, I doubt that it'll ever happen, but they might be able to get Keon Clark. He's young, can run with the other young pups & brings great shot blocking abilities with him. Either way, they're a team to be wary of. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clipreport30oct30.story CLIPPER REPORT Release of Strong Shows Times Have Changed By STEVE SPRINGER, Times Staff Writer Looking for proof this really is a new era for the Clippers? Look no further than Monday's list of transactions. The team waived two players, forward Derek Strong and guard Miles Simon, and placed forward Harold Jamison (contusion of the left shin) on the injured list to reach the 12-player limit. The Strong move raised eyebrows, considering the Clippers still owe the 10-year veteran $8 million, which will now be paid over the next four seasons. In the past, owner Donald Sterling would rather eat crow and keep a player he didn't need than eat a contract. But no longer. "Derek wants to play minutes," Clipper Coach Alvin Gentry said, "and there are not a whole lot of minutes on this team for him right now. "But Derek is a good player. I don't want anybody to think he is not. He will be a good fit for somebody and I think he'll get picked up and be back in the league by next week." Kenton Edelin, Strong's agent, said he had received a call from one team he declined to name by midday Monday. Last season, his only one with the Clippers, Strong, 33, appeared in 28 games, averaging 4.2 points and 3.9 rebounds. Simon, who has played only one season in the NBA (1998-99 with the Orlando Magic), spent last year playing in Europe. He had signed with the Clippers before training camp. The Clippers obtained center Will Perdue, 36, from the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, then immediately waived him. The Clippers had no intention of keeping Perdue, making the move strictly for salary-cap purposes. In exchange for freeing money up for the Trail Blazers, who are well over the cap, the Clippers received monetary compensation from Portland. But since the Trail Blazers weren't allowed to simply give Perdue away, the Clippers made it legal by giving Portland the draft rights to Doron Sheffer, a 1996 second-round draft choice who retired after playing in Israel two years ago.
