RealGM

Who starts? Griffin or Zbo?

Since Griffin figures to be the Clippers latest franchise player, he should be getting the nods to start from day 1.

What if Zbo doesn't like his role off the bench and disrupts team chemistry? I mean Zach Randolph isn't exactly someone you want to tutor a young talented PF. Do you waive him? Do you tell him not to bother to show up and just stay home and collect the benjamins?

Is there a realistic chance that Zach Randolph could be a free agent next year?

I smell Marbury 2.0

Yoshi2kx wrote:I smell Marbury 2.0

You mean he's going to be a Celtic? Perfect!

If you can't move Zach:

Starters: Baron/Gordon/Griffin/ZBo/Camby
Bench: Mike/FJones/Mardy/Novak/Jordan

Trade Kaman/Thornton
Do some thing about Ricky Davis

*Early on, I think Griffin might have to guard SFs, while playing in the block, since ZBo got more range on offense.

Smartest thing then is to pull a Jamaal Tinsley on him... ZBo is a cancer, why have him poison Gordon, Thornton and Griffin?

I know nearly nothing about Griffin, but if he can play SF then I agree with Stutter. I'd move Kaman and Thornton. I'm not really sure for who though.. I'd like Mike and DeAndre to get some minutes to develop into good bench players. Mardy is decent off the bench, and Novak played great in the 2nd half of the season. Freddy(I don't think he's under contract?) and Ricky would probably be the odd men out.

Anyways I don't think Z-Bo would have any issues coming off the bench. The man isn't as horrible as you folks make it out to be. Quit living in the past.

I'd say the two teams that would need one of our big men would be Houston and Chicago. Front court depth killed Houston in the playoffs this year, and Chicago doesn't really have anyone to begin with. Each team has some nice players. Hinrich for Kaman is still interesting.. Or perhaps work out a deal for T-Mac's expiring so we can rebuild around EJ and Griffin.

You guys are acting like this team doesn't have half it's roster hurt at any given moment. Too much talent is the least of the team's problems.

Guy986 wrote:Who starts? Griffin or Zbo?

I see both of them starting, as i doubt that we'll be able to unload Zach's contract thanks to all of that 2010 free agency bonanza.

Guy986 wrote:Is there a realistic chance that Zach Randolph could be a free agent next year?

No.
He's under contract for two more years and earns quite some money, that no owner just cuts and eats, during those financially troubled times.

Though, i expect him to be a nice trade chip(those qualitiy players almost all the time change teams in sign & trades, and not via free agency) next summer, as he'll then be a huge expiring contract teams might be looking for.

StutterStep wrote:If you can't move Zach:

Starters: Baron/Gordon/Griffin/ZBo/Camby
Bench: Mike/FJones/Mardy/Novak/Jordan

Trade Kaman/Thornton
Do some thing about Ricky Davis

*Early on, I think Griffin might have to guard SFs, while playing in the block, since ZBo got more range on offense.

I'm with you on doing something about Kaman(and maybe Thornton) and i also see both Z-Bo and Griffin starting, but i doubt we'll play Griffin out of position at the 3 spot.

I think it will look more like this:

Starters: Baron/Gordon/*Thornton/Griffin/Z-Bo
Bench: Taylor/Collins/**Novak/Camby/Jordan

* means if Thornton is still with us
** hopefully re-signed

Then we could look to re-sign Fred Jones, if he's alright with the vet minimum.
Trading Kaman would also mean some player/players in return and i'd really like us to get a solid sf that can defend and hit the open jumpshot, as that would really help right next to Gordon and Griffin.

Zbo off the bench with Taylor, FJ, Novak and DJ to solidify our bench. Then S&T Kaman + fillers for Hinrich & Ty Thomas. R.Davis should not be on our team next season

Guy986 wrote:Who starts? Griffin or Zbo?

Since Griffin figures to be the Clippers latest franchise player, he should be getting the nods to start from day 1.

What if Zbo doesn't like his role off the bench and disrupts team chemistry? I mean Zach Randolph isn't exactly someone you want to tutor a young talented PF. Do you waive him? Do you tell him not to bother to show up and just stay home and collect the benjamins?

Is there a realistic chance that Zach Randolph could be a free agent next year?

1. Who said Zach's leaving or that we want him to? I am very happy with Zach Randolph, he's got new life here.

2. Who starts, Griffin or Zbo? Both. Griffin at the 3, Thornton comes off the bench.

3. I think Kaman will be the one to go, probably for Hinrich or another PG.

4. Hopefully we can ditch Baron for anything.

Blake Griffin is quick as a 4 but he's probably below average for a 3. He is highly touted for his offensive exposiveness but even in college he wasnt much of a defender. Him guarding the athletic small forwards in the NBA is just asking for trouble. Would you want a Carlos Boozer or a Karl Malone chasing players around in the perimeter? Besides, playing your franchise player out of position is generally never a good idea.

I can see Zach Randolph starting along side Griffin as a 5. Zbo played a whole lot of Center during his days in NY. But this begs the question. Why would you start someone like Randolph at Center when the Clippers have two top ten Centers in Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby?

Lifter wrote:You guys are acting like this team doesn't have half it's roster hurt at any given moment. Too much talent is the least of the team's problems.

ClipperEric wrote:

Guy986 wrote:Who starts? Griffin or Zbo?

Since Griffin figures to be the Clippers latest franchise player, he should be getting the nods to start from day 1.

What if Zbo doesn't like his role off the bench and disrupts team chemistry? I mean Zach Randolph isn't exactly someone you want to tutor a young talented PF. Do you waive him? Do you tell him not to bother to show up and just stay home and collect the benjamins?

Is there a realistic chance that Zach Randolph could be a free agent next year?

1. Who said Zach's leaving or that we want him to? I am very happy with Zach Randolph, he's got new life here.

2. Who starts, Griffin or Zbo? Both. Griffin at the 3, Thornton comes off the bench.

3. I think Kaman will be the one to go, probably for Hinrich or another PG.

4. Hopefully we can ditch Baron for anything.

Griffin play more like a 4 than a 3. That lineup has a possibility of working, but I just don't see it. We'll have guys clogging up the paint and our spacing will be off. We need a sf that will play great d and will be able to hit an open 3 when someone draws a double(ie. a Battier/Bowen clone). If Thornton isn't ready to do that, then hopefully we can acquire someone of this caliber with the MLE or a Kaman trade. It's all about finding balance in the starting unit and with all those bigs, I'm afraid there is none. It'll be a complete mess with too many players demanding the ball while players like Griffin and Gordon are deferring.

Randolph and Thornton(if he's not ready) could be the main pieces off our bench. When Zach first got here, he did said that he was willing to come off the bench. If we can get a sf wit the MLE, we can trade Kaman for Hinrich. With Hinrich, we're looking at a really deadly 2nd unit rounded off with Fred Jones/Collins and Jordan.

Griffin is a 4 and shouldn't be playing the 3. I read some where that Griffin is a legit 6 foot 9 without shoes. Guy986 mentioned that Griffin isn't quick enough to guard those athletic 3s and I really don't see how he could on a consistent basis.

I also don't know why a number of people on this board want Baron gone. He had a horrible season last year but we all know he is capable of doing better. I say we give him another chance and see what he can do. We also need to see what our team is going to look like next season because at this point nothing has been done. Let's see how Baron fits with our new pieces for next season and then decide if he stays or leaves.

I think this is a non-issue. Griffin will of course take a back seat to no one, he's our #1 pick and marketing poster boy. ZBo will still play in between starter and reserve minutes though, since we will play small at times. As Lifter says, too much talent is the least of our problems.

I think they will try to move ZBo, but could end up moving Kaman instead since his contract is far better and he's a better center than ZBo is a PF.

It could turn out that ZBo becomes a malcontent, but I don't think it will happen. ZBo will just have to suck it up for a year, then he becomes much more tradeable in the last year of his contract. At that point the Clippers will really push to move him, and everyone will be more or less satisfied.

We better not even attempt to play Zbo @ C

I like Z-Bo, he really produces for us, and I was all for trading Kaman first and foremost, but after what just occurred, I think it's time to move Zach. If anything, it's addition by subtraction. Blake needs to start, nobody benches a #1 pick, that's nearly unheard of. It's just something I think has to be done. I'll miss Zach, but it would serve our team better in the immediate and long run.

madmaxmedia wrote:I think this is a non-issue. Griffin will of course take a back seat to no one, he's our #1 pick and marketing poster boy. ZBo will still play in between starter and reserve minutes though, since we will play small at times. As Lifter says, too much talent is the least of our problems.

I think they will try to move ZBo, but could end up moving Kaman instead since his contract is far better and he's a better center than ZBo is a PF.

It could turn out that ZBo becomes a malcontent, but I don't think it will happen. ZBo will just have to suck it up for a year, then he becomes much more tradeable in the last year of his contract. At that point the Clippers will really push to move him, and everyone will be more or less satisfied.

Agree 100% with this take. He has too big of a contract for his production but should be a lot easier to move in the last year of it. If Kaman is dealt, Camby becomes a full-time C and Randolph can backup both PF/C. DJ can also play some backup C next year.

This is a tricky situation. The Clips have to trade one or two of their bigs (Camby, Kaman, or Z Bo). My favorite of the 3 is Z Bo, but he plays the same position as Griffin, so its a problem. Kinda like Aldridge- he probably wouldn't have developed fully if the Blazers had kept Z Bo

i don't think we need to move zach at all costs.
he really is a plug n play PF. it doesn't really matter which team hes been on, he just produced.
so i dont see, why he would be such a big cancer coming of the bench. he may be stupid in his privat time (DUIs, ...) but his work ethic always looked legit to me. what happend on court except that swing at amundson?
i guess he could still go tilt, like in his ny times... but that's probably happend to anyone with thomas being the coach.

i'd love to see:
pick griffin (duh),
a trade of kaman for tay prince,
boom dizzle showing with all his swagger,
hiring as many freaking trainers and medical staff personel as possible and call it a day.

a second unit with zach and al would most certainly produce like hell.
only thing would be paying way to many benjamins for a bench player, but it could work and it seems dunleavy is still high on zach and his 20 & 10s.