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I apologize for the fact that the Clippers are no longer playing, but there is one bright side to the "unofficial" start of the offseason. It's time for the annual Pre-Draft Summit, led by myself (Andrew Perna). The pieces will be turned into articles, and will be part of a three-pronged attack of draft coverage on RealGM.

Thanks in advance for the answers, and please remember to try keeping the answers as tight and concise as possible.


1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?


Thanks for taking the time, and contributing answers. We appreciate that you all help make RealGM what it is today!

1. The Clippers would have had to do a lot of things different to make the playoffs. The 2 biggest things that hurt us were injuries and the lack of team chemistry IMO.

2. The biggest strength has to start with Eric Gordon, who was the teams best player for the majority of the year as a rookie. It looks like he will only get better.

3. I would say our 2 second round picks from last year, Mike Taylor and DeAndre Jordan. They were both effective when they got playing time, and the highlight was Mike Taylor's 35 point performance against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.

4. This answer is self-explanatory. Baron Davis.

5. Semi-confident. It will be hard to mess up the #1 pick, but the Clippers' front office still will need to make a few moves to upgrade the SF position and give the roster more depth.

6. The Clippers just need impact players (Blake Griffin) through the draft. I would focus on players with high BB IQ's and good work ethics. I would also try to acquire another pick, and start to build around Gordon and Griffin.

7. With the first pick in the 2009 NBA draft the Los Angeles Clippers select Blake Griffin out of Oklahoma.

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
none, it just wasn't our year talent wise and injury riddle wise

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Eric Gordon

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Steve Novak had an amazing stretch of 3's, then, not so much.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Baron Davis, Al Thorton stopped growing

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
not confident at all, we need a lot of help, and last year we traded half our team and then blamed team consistency for a bad season.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Picking Griffin, maybe getting another pick to get a defensive minded SF.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
Blake Griffin

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Worked harder and utilized the talent that we had. On paper, we were easily one of the top 8 teams in the West. A lack of effort from some of our leading guys (coughBaroncough) resulted in a trickle-down effect that left the whole team effortless. Also, I don't think there was a lot of faith in the coach amongst the players.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
I think we were a respectable defensive team throughout the season, mostly thanks to Marcus Camby. I might be mistaken, but I think we were a top 10 team in blocks last season.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Eric Gordon was a huge surprise, he exceeded everyone's expectations and played well on a consistent basis.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Uh....Baron. 'Nuff said.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Pretty confident, keeping in mind the things they did last summer after Brand bailed...the jackass. They got Marcus Camby in exchange for a bag of walnuts, signed Baron, and traded for Randolph in the beginning of the season, all of which seemed like good moves at the time. The FO couldn't foresee the kind of seasons those players were going to have, but they did a great job getting talent in here. The challenge in Clipperland is getting that talent to perform.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Just get the best talent available and either fit him in here or package him up in a nice deal for a superstar-type player.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
If we don't select Blake Griffin......

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Fire Dunleavy. In all seriousness, it was a tough season because of the influx of new players that Clippers obtained. With all the injuries sustained, it's hard to think of something that could've been done.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Though JJ LoDuca said defense, I really don't think we played that well defensively. Most of our premiere defenders were gone (Mobley, Brand, Q. Ross) and it was definitely lost, even though Camby was great at blocking shots. We had no strengths, everything was either average or below average. I guess you can say Eric Gordon...

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Eric Gordon

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Baron Davis

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Somewhat. I kinda believe Clippers will do the right thing and draft Blake Griffin. After that, Clippers are in a great position to trade some players if they wish. Whether or not they do it, they can't possibly screw things up unless it's on draft day. Also, even though we often hear it a lot, but I like how optimistic Baron and Dunleavy are for next season. I sadly believe that Dunleavy is right when he said that the Clippers were a very different team last season with all the roster moves, thus chemistry was hard to establish and implementing a offensive system was too difficult to do in such little time.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
SF. Thornton has some shooting ability, but that seems to be the best option off the bench since our bench lacks that. Clippers need a SF that can rotate the ball, shoot the open jump shot, and play some D.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
Blake Griffin

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?

Dumbleavy has to be one of the worst coaches in the NBA. He's mastered the art of making talented teams suck. Honestly I think he's the main reason why the Clippers have continued to play like the Clippers everyone is accustomed to knowing, no matter how much talent they have on paper.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

There really weren't any "team" strengths. Not great defensively, not great offensively, not great in really anything. However, Ralph and Mike continued their solid announcing!

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

Eric Gordon has the game to be a fantastic player down the road. When Steve Novak hit the three ball effectively, there was no better shooter in the league.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

Baron Davis (lazy, lazy, lazy), Chris Kaman (and his twenty injuries he said he had throughout the season), and Al Thronton (I feel bad for him because Dumbleavy is grooming him into Corey Maggette 2.0).

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

I'm not getting my hopes up high, but I'll remain optimistic. I know all signs point to them making the right decision with the #1 pick in the draft, but they must find a way to trade away the frontcourt depth that poses problems down the road for this team's future. There's no way this team should be in a win-now mode, so if they can trade at least 1 of the 3 big men (Z-Bo, Kaman, Camby), I would be very, very happy with the FO, especially if they somehow got rid of Randolph and his fat contract.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

They should just grab the best player available and get talent to win down the road. Position wise, I would say a SF is the most important need, as I believe Thornton has already reached his ceiling.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?

A guy by the name of Blake Griffin. I think you might have heard of him.

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Not much. The glaring problems were lack of chemistry (only 5 returning members, only 2 of them were on the roster by season's end), health, and of course coaching.


2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Our team's announcing and the Clipper Spirit Dance team. Our defense was very frustrating. We did manage to rank 3rd in blocks for the season. Camby, Kaman, Jordan and Skinner all managed over a block a game with Thornton just under a block.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
The Rookies. Gordon was the biggest highlight of the team as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't say I was that surprised that he would be effective for us, but he definitely caught on quickly and made it easier to watch all of those games.

Our 2nd round picks were both hits. DJ was a low risk, high reward type of player that showed his potential is very much alive. He has a lot to work on, but hopefully the work ethic of our other young players will rub off on him.

Taylor grew on me. I didn't really like what I saw of him in Vegas, but he came into the preseason making a strong case for himself that made me quickly change my tune. He put on a very impressive show in Madison Square Garden with 35 points against the Knicks.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
The Brothers' Davis. Not so much Paul, but Baron and Ricky were terrible. I cannot stand Ricky Davis play at all. He only had a handful of "decent" games all season long. Watching him play just ticked me off even more that Mo Evans reneged on his deal with the Warriors. Had he not, we would have had Azubuike instead of Ricky.

Baron, was very disappointing. I know that he played through numerous injuries and was stifled by the coach, but he didn't play with much heart. He didn't take his health and the season preparation seriously (Jenny Craig). He has made some vows to bring his A game next season, and our recent high lottery pick seems to have inspire him even more. We shall see though.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Having won the lottery makes it so much easier. We would have a lot more room for error, had we gotten a lower pick. Now it's pretty much a no-brainer of who to select. We do have a lot of saturated talent/salary at the 4 and the 5, so it will be interesting to see who is here and who is not. The players that I am high on are the same players that the organization is high on, so I'm not too concerned with being upset about potential moves.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Blake Griffin. Leading up to the lottery, I wanted Griffin for this team not only for his talent, but due to the fact that he has a high B-Ball IQ and a tremendous work ethic. This team's work ethic has been severely lagging save a select few, so to bring in a player with potential star quality and a winning mentality is huge. Our players have been motivated by the lottery announcement. Griffn, Gordon, and even Thornton, Taylor, & Jordan are the makings of nice young core for the future. A couple of those guys will likely only be bench players, but there's nothing wrong with that.

Positional needs include defensive minded, glue guy at the 3 spot, as well as a backup guard (preferably point or combo).

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
Blake Griffin

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Nothing. Even if we had stayed healthy, there were too many factors against us, namely coaching and lack of chemistry.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Shot blocking. That's about it.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Eric Gordon, but it was no surprise, he's just that good.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Baron Davis. I don't think anybody expected he'd have this terrible of a season. Probably his worst ever.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
More confident now that we've won the lottery, but I'm taking the "believe it when I see it" approach.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Everything. If we could buy a 2nd rounder and draft a player such as Danny Green, that would help.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
Obviously Blake Griffin. Anything less would be unacceptable.

1. What could the team have done different to make the playoffs?
Obviously, the team lacked leadership, determination, focus, and chemistry. Not sure what they can do to improve that... a weekend camping trip through the forest roasting marshmallows and relying on teamwork to survive?

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Besides Ralph Lawler, I think in a lot of games the Clippers were able to keep up with opponents until the second half, where eventually they got blown out. I guess that's a strength?

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
I knew Eric Gordon was going to be good, it was just a matter of when. The biggest surprises I think were Steve Novak and Fred Jones, who were solid off the bench and always gave a good effort.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Baron Davis. Probably the most disappointing performance of the season, next to Elton Brand on the 76ers. After all the excitement and hype of him coming back to LA, and also the opening night "This year isn't the same Clippers" announcement, I knew we were doomed.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
If we had the 3rd or 4th pick I wouldn't be so sure. But with the 1st pick I think there's little they can screw up. Hopefully we can make a smart trade or two to offload contracts and complete the bench.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
A backup PG who can run the offense and distribute without needing to score (Davis and Taylor are both scoring guards). Also an athletic SF that can pass and play tough defense.

7. Who would you like your team to select with the 1st pick?
Blake Griffin. Please don't trade this pick away. He displays the intangibles like leadership and determination that this team seriously lacks.