Superstar vs. Samaritan - A Debate

[Wammy Giveaway]

Ever since the Clipper's elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the Ultimate Warriors, the franchise has earned something they desired for more than 35 years: love and respect. Once the laughingstock of the league with no place to go but mediocre or a repeat of the Sterling years sans the disgraced owner, the arrival of Jerry West prompted the Clippers to look in the mirror and see what they can really become when stripped of superstars, and the finish was a hard working, happy, humble team. So much so, articles and tweets have popped up regarding the Clipper's brief Cinderella run:

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With just love, friendship and family, the Clippers have earned the right to acquire a superstar. But, do they need it?

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This article by Jovan Buha contends that superstars have ego, and if they were to sign one, their Spursian culture will really be tested. The last time they had superstars on the roster, it didn't really go well. Sure, Blake Griffin was their no. 1 draft pick and savior, and Chris Paul was a David Stern gift, but there was a lot of in-fighting, blaming, complaining and pettiness among the team. By having their superstars taken away from them, the Clippers re-examined themselves through the likes of Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. When there are no superstars, everybody is a star: egalitarian in talent, skill and IQ, but high on the character, morale and chemistry charts. Doc Rivers went on the record about how this was the best team he's ever coached, players fighting and playing for each other, carrying chips on their shoulders to prove to the world they belong in the NBA and not as a highly coveted championship piece. They united under the banner of an underdog, or as Doc puts it best, roaches. One Christopher Martin, A.K.A. DJ Premier of the hip hop duo Gangstarr (R.I.P. Keith "Guru" Elam), once said about being like roaches: "Never dyin', always livin'."

What are the odds a superstar might take away from the blue collar mentality this Clippers team possesses? The media are like paparazzi, chasing the shining object with their flashing cameras and multi-purpose Apple iPhones or Google Androids or what have you. The focus goes away from the team ethos and back into the idealistic world of superstar power. If the Clippers are the new Spurs, why go back to the superstar method which failed spectacularly for them?

Remember this: no team in NBA history has ever won a championship without an All-Star on the roster. The role player system brought the Clippers back into the light. The world loves you for being an underdog. Stay in the unheralded path, keep chugging away with role players - not only will it atone for the 3-1 collapse in 2015, who knows, you might just make your first ever conference finals visit because you did something different that was also herculean.

I set up a poll to get a vibe of the Clippers 2019 off-season. The poll will last until the end of the 2018-19 season.

1. If you voted Yes, tell me who and why.
2. If you voted Yes and No, what is it about Leonard that makes him different from other superstars and why he's the only one willing to be a Clipper. Is he all they really need?
3. If you voted No, tell me why and give me a key role player to go after. Will the Clippers ever have an All-Star player during the Jerry West era, and if so, who.

[madmaxmedia]

I voted yes, I think adding 1 superstar will not change the vibe of the team because we won't be trading away players to create cap space, and might be able to bring some of our FA's back.

I would be equally happy with KD or KL. I think KD is a little better, but KL is younger.