madmaxmedia wrote:So I think here's my conclusions on the state of the Clippers.
We are increasingly less and less a playoff contender, which means that sacrificing future value for current value no longer makes sense (you could argue that ship sailed well before, but hey we'll always have 26-5.) We all know our roster and draft pick situation, which means that losing doesn't help our draft picks (but it doesn't hurt either.) Obviously tanking makes no sense, but going out of our way to avoid giving OKC better picks makes no sense either. Our future value is all that matters, even if most of the pathways are closed to us.
So all that's left is the boring middle ground- trying to maximize future roster value without tanking for picks. To me that means-
1. Try to re-sign PG and Kawhi to reasonable deals (IMO that means 3/$150M for PG and some sort of smaller 2 or 3 year deal for James). Losing them for nothing doesn't help our current or future value, but signing them to too-long deals will hurt our future roster value. Signing them to reasonable deals turns them into tradable assets when they become trade-eligible. If other teams offer 4 years, let them walk.
2. Surround whatever iteration of 213 is left with young guys on the floor, +/- be damned. It may very well be that none of Bones, Kobe, BBJ, Kai, etc. become decent NBA players. But I assume there's still a chance if they're still on the roster, so we either cut them or play them. Maybe one or two become the next Amir Coffey or Terrance Mann, great. If they stink up the joint, that's the cost of finding out and we should pay it.
3. No more old vet acquisitions no matter who it is and how cheap they are (with sole exception of if Nico wants back, he can come back anytime.) Only young acquisitions, this means probably more reclamation projects because we don't have the means to acquire anyone else with potential. Whoever we do take flyers on, play them.
4. I think at this point the ideal trade scenarios for PG, Kawhi, and James would be for bad, shorter contracts plus picks/lesser younger players with potential. All 3 guys can still play and can still help the right team, a midseason trade could definitely provide a boost to the right team without costing them too much in return. It's possible we actually end up with cap space sooner than later if we end up trading 2 or 3 or them this way.
5. Tell Ty this is the plan, period. If he doesn't want to coach that, trade him to the Lakers.
That's about the best of it IMO. We won't be great, we won't be horrible either. I can still enjoy watching this team if we go forward with this kind of 'make the best of it' plan. We're a treadmill team without the incentive to tear it down, so just generally try to do smarter things in recognition of this. That's it.
Good post!
The last couple of seasons went way off the hinges for a team contending for a ring. It wasn't "Give No Quarter" it was more like "Throw Sh*t Against The Wall And See What Sticks." Ballmer's great and we do everything amazingly well off the court. Clippers even fixed up all the public basketball courts in the city of LA. Handed out thousands of free backpacks for the kids in the city. The Starship Enterprise opening up next season, etc. A lot of detail and focus to the small things to make for a great franchise but no detail and focus for the roster and product on the court. Its just tryouts and "oh you did this in the past, well come on over and lets see if you can do it again even though you're almost out of the league." This even goes back to Ballmer having Doc GM the team bringing in the corpses of Paul Pierce, Hedo Turkalou, Grant Hill, Danny Granger, and so forth. We're still doing this exact same thing to this very day.
You need an unexpected X-Factor emerge at least every so often. You can try to buy a ring all you want but there has to be something organic within your organization at some point in time. Mann going for 39 points in a closeout playoff game was a moment we hadn't seen since Blake Griffin's rookie year. You have open up a lane for something or someone to emerge and help the team at least every other season. You can't have a PJ Tucker at this stage of his career, come in, demand minutes, and actually get them! That's nuts! Acquire Harden now who goes to the bench.. and that ended up turning into a sh*t show.
Play the kids. They can't afford any notable free agents if there are any out there anyways. See what we got. Bones, Kai, and Kobe should be solidified. If Boston is brought back, which I think he will be, he has to get his jumper back or that might be it. Jordan Miller should get a look. And Moussa is at a show and prove or its over phase as well. They'll be more youth to grab as teams like OKC pretty much has their roster set but still have a million picks left to go. They'll just need another big and a wing then I take it some of those picks will be moved. A lot of teams will be in this boat as rosters are pretty much full in the NBA. There will be a lot of youth out there to nab and see if they can play, but the Clipps have to be dedicated to adding youth and developing them. L. Frank will say all the right things but will turn around and add the other Morris twin in a heartbeat if the situation presented itself.