I've seen the future, we're in trouble!

I wouldn't talk so soon. The Clippers also have played the most home games in the league by the ridiculously wide margin of 5+ games on everyone except Utah who they have a 3 game margin on. They have not won an away game, yet.

at 0-5, they are tied with the Bulls for the 3rd worst away-win to home-loss record in the league. Memphis is 1-7, and Miami is 1-8.

 

What does that team look like after a couple of 2 for 1 trades, you ask?? Not to argue, but that looks like they ridded themselves of their great bench and are banking everything on signing Brand, Odom and Miller. What makes that team good is they are deep. I would not trade away that depth in 2 for 1s. That is classic Clipper boneheaded strategy, imo. There best strategy is staying pat and listening to one for ones.

imo, they have a stud PF and a flake, undependable, could-be stud SF (who so far is sucking this year). There are a lot of teams with that. Look at Indiana; they have Rose, O'Neal, Tinsley, Harrington, Bender, and Foster (Superman! at 6pts/8rbd)...at 28, 23, 23, 21, 20 and 24, respectively....not to mention Croshere. I have to think that packaging Harrington and Bender in a trade is going to open a lot more doors than Miles and Dooling. It is all potential for the Clippers and Dooling/Miles/Maggette are not showing the numbers, yet, imo.

Hell, why can't I just say that we could trade Griffin and Torres for stud PF.

btw: Mobley is better than Piatkowski, Maggette and Quentin...unless you are going to disrespect Mobley by weighing in Quentin's "potential!"

 

With a healthy Francis, Taylor, & Mobley, a growing Griffin, and a supporting cast including KT, we're close to the playoffs too.

 

If this was 6 years ago you could have said the same thing about the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Lakers. You saw what happened to them (in the case of the Lakers, it's a completely new and rebuilt team from the early to mid-90s team). I would take a wait and see approach, the Clippers might look good now but how will they look even later this year? And what happens when contract time comes calling and Sterling has to shell out big bucks?

 

It's the Clippers, we can count on the owner and management to make a bad move somewhere down the line.

 

I wouldn't call Mo Taylor a 2nd rate player by any stretch of the imagination.

Think back to the very beginning of this season, before Francis went out. There were 2 main complaints about this team:
1. We can't shoot.
2. We don't score in the 1st quarter

Now think about last year.
1. Mo Taylor's presence would improve our offensive efficiency.
2. Mo Taylor's time to shine was always in the first. My major complaint was he'd score 8-10 points in the first quarter and then they'd never go to him again.

So yes, I do believe that with a healthy Francis, Taylor and Mobley as well as a growing Griffin and a supporting cast including KT (who's impressed me this year) we'll contend in the playoffs.

 

As an East Coaster, I'd say that the Clippers make League Pass a worthwhile investment. They are truly exciting to watch, particularly their sixth and seventh men -- Q-Rich and Miles. Fans start oooh-ing anytime Miles touches the ball near the paint in anticipation of a raucous dunk. And Q-Rich just doesn't miss these days. (btw, does anybody know the origination of the Q-Rich/Miles post-basket celebration -- the one where it looks like they're making imaginary moose antlers on their headbands?)

I'm looking forward to the LA-LA match-up tomorrow night (technically a road game for the Clips). This is the first round series that a lot of NBA fans are waiting for.

 

Leebigez, you are right in many aspects, but so are your critics about what happened to Orlando. Portland, etc. The Clippers look ahead of the Rockets in many aspects. So do the Indiana Pacers if you are just looking at young talent. If you are optimistic even Chicago looks loaded with young talent.

Noone ever said it would be easy to become the Laker's successor. There will be more than one contender to be the successor. All we can hope is that we are one of the two or three that will arise. If you were to try to project who will be best in five years it is nearly impossible. Much will depend on future moves and quite frankly luck. Who gets a Cuttino in the second round, or a Torres or a Karl Malone or John Stockton relatively late in the first round. Bad luck like major injuries. etc.

I think that we will be able to rope in top free agents when Walt's and then Glen's contracts expire. As an aside does anyone know if Cato's and Glen's contract expire at the same time. That would be enough for any free agent.

You are overlooking an important intangible with the Rockets that can overcome some deficit in plain position by position talent on the floor. Clutchcity and the heart of a champion. All you x's and o's guys tend to overlook this. Rudy is perhaps the master in the nba at acheiving this. Pat Riley, no slouch and considered a motivation expert, has commented on Rudy's ability to get his team to play hard.

 

I know this thread is assuming that Sterling won't mess it up, but they are perennially a lottery bound team for a reason, he does mess up. Yeah his team is improved but as soon as these players become free agents they will bolt and no one wants to come to Clipper land(the place where they skim on every thing because Sterling is extremely cheap). Look at all the players that have left their team and the Clippers get little or nothing in return even though they could've done sign and trades or traded in the last year of their contract like everyone else: Mark Jackson(a long time ago a little past his prime), Danny Manning(ditto), Ron Harper(in his prime), Derek Anderson(in his prime), Mo Taylor(his prime b4 injury). The list goes on and on.
They will lose Kandi this year(not a big loss) then odom soon enough. When(not if) they lose odom it will be sad but will bring balance back to the force where the clippers are on the dark side of the nba again.

 

Well, you can put the Pacers in that group of up-and-coming teams as well.

Right now the Pacers are a solid, but not great, team. O'Neal and Harrington, to name a few, are still learning how to play the NBA game. Right now they are good players who can\will be great in the near future.

 

Does it really take guys 4 or 5 years to learn how to play "the NBA game" or does it just take them 4 or 5 years to start getting the calls which help make their game?