Welcome Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills

[MartinToVaught]

Lakers get Doncic and Mark Williams
The Warriors get Jimmy Butler
The Kings get Zach LaVine
The Spurs get De'Aaron Fox
The Mavs Get Anthony Davis

The Clippers get Eubanks, Mills, and maybe some scraps from the buyout market.

Geez.

Honestly, other than Luka, there isn't a single player on here I would have wanted anyway. None of them would have turned this mess around even if we had the assets for them. Even if we got AD, it would have just been a rerun of his time on the Pelicans but with him being older and slower than he was back then.

The only trades we should be making right now are ones that replenish our draft capital. I'm way more frustrated that we're going to cling to Kawhi and Harden until they lose all value than I am about not trading for a 35-year-old Jimmy, or a 30-year old LaVine and his empty stats.

[Bobbymcgee]

Lakers get Doncic and Mark Williams
The Warriors get Jimmy Butler
The Kings get Zach LaVine
The Spurs get De'Aaron Fox
The Mavs Get Anthony Davis

The Clippers get Eubanks, Mills, and maybe some scraps from the buyout market.

Geez.

Honestly, other than Luka, there isn't a single player on here I would have wanted anyway. None of them would have turned this mess around even if we had the assets for them. Even if we got AD, it would have just been a rerun of his time on the Pelicans but with him being older and slower than he was back then.

The only trades we should be making right now are ones that replenish our draft capital. I'm way more frustrated that we're going to cling to Kawhi and Harden until they lose all value than I am about not trading for a 35-year-old Jimmy, or a 30-year old LaVine and his empty stats.

The Clippers should have blown it up years ago.

[clipsfever]

We just got Bogdan Bogdanovich from the Hawks for TMann and Bones

[clipsfever]

Read on Twitter

[Sofia]

I say it every year, but buyout players are generally bought out for a reason. They're on their last legs and can't contribute anymore or they just aren't that good. The veteran names will be looking to ring-chase on a contender anyway, not try to narrowly avoid the play-in and lose in the first round here, so we'll be picking from the scraps of the scraps. It doesn't matter who we sign, there's like a 0.1% chance it'll have any positive impact on our season.

When you're stuck praying for a miracle in the buyout market and don't have any more realistic avenues to improve your team, it's time to rebuild.

[esqtvd]

We got Batum and Mr June, Reggie Jackson, in the buyout market. Both moved the needle. The Clippers HAVE backed up the truck, becoming one of the few winning teams under both aprons.

Considering we have no real trade capital, buyouts remain a viable avenue to improve the team. We were lucky to get the 2 second-rounders we spent to get Bones, meaning we only got a senond-rounder for former "untouchable" T-Mann?

[Bogi has been racking up DNPs while struggling to bounce back from a foot injury. A dice roll, and more valuable as salary ballast to get out from under Mann's contract.]

[MartinToVaught]

We got Batum and Mr June, Reggie Jackson, in the buyout market. Both moved the needle.

Batum was an offseason signing. Reggie's playoff run was in his second season here, not his first.

It's rare for a midseason buyout acquisition to make an immediate difference. The only examples I can think of off the top of my head are Blake, Boris Diaw, Tim Thomas, Peja, and Chris Webber. The vast majority will never move the needle at all. Remember when we were all excited about signing Danny Granger and then he showed why he had been bought out?

I stand by my statement. The buyout market is supposed to be a last resort. When we have a team this mediocre and our only avenue to improve is to pray for a miracle in the buyout market, the front office has failed miserably.

[esqtvd]

Although not technically a buyout, Batum was an in-season cast-off. The Clippers are in great shape to scoop up these guys.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nicolas-batum-signing-with-clippers-after-being-waived-by-hornets-per-report/

As far as our trade flexibility, Ballmer's fingerprints are all over the PG AND Harden deals. Blame where it belongs. The FO's job since then is to clean up the mess, to try to patch the leaks and maybe pick up some useful cargo. I'm not a huge L-Frank fan, but he's cobbled together a competitive team out of nothing, and now has us under both aprons and the luxury tax---with the Clippers' books clear in a couple years while a dozen teams will be paying guys like Paul George to sit home.

[MartinToVaught]

Batum was not an "in-season cast-off." Remember, this was after the bubble. We signed him on December 1st, the season started on December 22nd.

I do blame a lot of our issues on Ballmer, but I'd still like to see some actual changes made to the front office. The PG and Harden deals are just the tip of the iceberg for all the horrible moves Frank's made, so it's obvious he has no idea what he's doing with or without Ballmer's input.

[esqtvd]

Believe as you will. Ballmer was stalking Kawhi the whole year before he became a FA--sometimes even sending L-Frank to attend his games. The PG trade was Kawhi's price and Ballmer took the plunge. Then he personally completed the Harden trade with Sixers owner Josh Harris.

Anybody ready for Ben Simmons? He's been cast off by the Nets and will be meeting with the Clippers. This means Ballmer has already given his approval.

I say why not lol. Having the two weirdest guys in the NBA instead of just one.

[MartinToVaught]

Believe as you will. Ballmer was stalking Kawhi the whole year before he became a FA--sometimes even sending L-Frank to attend his games. The PG trade was Kawhi's price and Ballmer took the plunge. Then he personally completed the Harden trade with Sixers owner Josh Harris.

Now do the countless wasted draft picks, the Kennard for EJ trade, the Lou for Rondo trade, the Bledsoe and Wall fiascos, etc. If Ballmer is even dictating those kinds of moves, we're screwed until he sells, but there's no evidence to suggest that he is. So the only other plausible explanation is that even when left to his own devices, Frank still fails in every aspect of team-building.

The only way to find out whether or not Ballmer is a Jerry Jones-level meddler is to bring in a different front office and see if anything changes.

[esqtvd]

Deck chairs. Frank brought in Batum, Reggie, Dunn, Hartenstein, DJJ. Norman Powell. And his longshots like KPJ and Bamba were worth a roll.

I said I was not particularly a Frank fan but it was Ballmer who swung for the fences and Frank who was left without the assets to clean up the mess. Ballmer was not going to open the Ballmerdome with a 30-win team. Frank succeeded in walking the line between that and digging the org into an even deeper hole.

There is a 3-year plan already underway. Very few of these guys will even be here.

[Clemenza]

I said over the summer that out of Kobe, Mann, KPJ, Coffey, Kai, Bones, Jordan Miller, Bamba, and to a lessor extent Christie and Flowers -one or two of these guys had to become something for us to have some type of sustained success. Somebody had to develop in some form or another this season, period! Bamba didn't even last until the all star break and is technically out of the league right now. Mann, KPJ, and Bones are gone. Kai Jones might not see the floor again this year. Jordan Miller lost his confidence. Kobe should be getting some of Batum's minutes but evidently that's not happening. Coffey is solid and has moments, but that's as far as it goes. That leaves Christie and Flowers in the wings and I think they should be getting a look right now, because why not?

Eubanks is a decent addition, Bogi was getting DNP's in ATL. Patty Mills is washed. Beauchamp is considered a major bust in Milwaukee. As for our core- Harden is exhausted, old, and slow. Kawhi either needs more games to ramp up or he's in his fall off period, I think its the later. I like Zu, Norm, and DJJ a lot. And then its extremely hard to watch Harden and Kawhi struggle and then they're backed up by Dunn and Batum, neither one can knock down a bucket. In the end, I don't know guys. L. Frank said the focus was to get younger and more athletic, but in standard Clipper fashion we've done the opposite. How excited are we supposed to get for Patty Mills, Bogi, and Eubanks? Two of those guys well over 30+. Turn on league pass and I see Moussa hustling, blocking shots, rebounding, and dunking like his life depended on it. I know he's on a bad team, but he's playing against all the biggest and best in the league. If we get Ben Simmons he won't shoot the ball and that's what we desperately need is shooting, Go figure.

Our G League team -new SD Clipper arena and all- isn't producing anything for us but producing well for other teams who poached Elijah Harkless, Tosan Evbuomwan, and RayJ Dennis all receiving two way contracts and playing on the main squads. Harkless could've been a nice backup to Harden, and Tosan possibly could've been our answer at the power forward position at least for the rest of this season. Max Christie was ballin out for the Lakers and now in Dallas. His brother Cam is of the same mold and supposedly better than Max.. bring him on up and give him a KPJ leash for a few games. Trentyn Flowers is 6'9" and 19 years old and is killing the G League. Bring him on up! F*ck it! Won't happen unless injuries crush us, but I'm starting to question the entire point of having the San Diego Clippers when we bare no fruits from it or simply refuse to. -End of rant.

[MartinToVaught]

Screwing up all those so-called "deck chairs" is a big reason why we are where we are. Every draft pick wasted on a Kabangele, Preston, or Oturu was another blown opportunity to surround our aging stars with the youth and athleticism we need just to get through the season. And when we have found younger contributors, we've let them walk or traded them away to bring in another 35-year-old.

As we watch our retirement-home squad limp their way through a February collapse for the second year in a row, right after Frank just made our team older at the deadline, it's asinine not to give any blame to the front office.

We aren't the Lakers. We don't have the unlimited margin for error that they do with the league always bailing them out every few years. For us, like 95% of the NBA, every move matters if we ever want to win anything. Blowing every move off that isn't a big trade or marquee free-agency signing as just "deck chairs" is why we never win.

[Clemenza]

Believe as you will. Ballmer was stalking Kawhi the whole year before he became a FA--sometimes even sending L-Frank to attend his games. The PG trade was Kawhi's price and Ballmer took the plunge. Then he personally completed the Harden trade with Sixers owner Josh Harris.

Anybody ready for Ben Simmons? He's been cast off by the Nets and will be meeting with the Clippers. This means Ballmer has already given his approval.

I say why not lol. Having the two weirdest guys in the NBA instead of just one.

Hindsight 20/20 post --- They were extremely petrified that Kawhi would go to the Lakers, but in hindsight even if Kawhi would've went to the Lakers, SGA, all of our draft picks, and crazy amounts of open cap space would've had us so over the top and ahead of the curve it would've been scary for the rest of the league. It would've crushed Ballmer and most of the fan base if Kawhi went to the Lakers, but a year later after everything calmed down, we would've seen the light and how bright our future really was. They should've called his bluff and stood pat. Kawhi didn't want to be under LeBron and become his scapegoat. Plus it would've hurt his "Klaw Brand".

[Clemenza]

Screwing up all those so-called "deck chairs" is a big reason why we are where we are. Every draft pick wasted on a Kabangele, Preston, or Oturu was another blown opportunity to surround our aging stars with the youth and athleticism we need just to get through the season. And when we have found younger contributors, we've let them walk or traded them away to bring in another 35-year-old.

As we watch our retirement-home squad limp their way through a February collapse for the second year in a row, right after Frank just made our team older at the deadline, it's asinine not to give any blame to the front office.

We aren't the Lakers. We don't have the unlimited margin for error that they do with the league always bailing them out every few years. For us, like 95% of the NBA, every move matters if we ever want to win anything. Blowing every move off that isn't a big trade or marquee free-agency signing as just "deck chairs" is why we never win.

I don't really consider 2nd round picks wasted picks or busts. 2nd round picks are long shots to make the league. Kabengele and Jerome Robinson were the true wasted picks. We had SGA and MPJ fall into our laps and we didn't take it. JRob not panning out crushed us. Us going after Wall meant that Preston wasn't going to make it. Still waiting on Kobe Brown to show he belongs. He has a team option coming up. I take it the team is bringing him back. And yeah, the Lakers will always get a lifeline and get bailed out. This Luka bailout is insane though, even for them.

[esqtvd]

I said over the summer that out of Kobe, Mann, KPJ, Coffey, Kai, Bones, Jordan Miller, Bamba, and to a lessor extent Christie and Flowers -one or two of these guys had to become something for us to have some type of sustained success. Somebody had to develop in some form or another this season, period! Bamba didn't even last until the all star break and is technically out of the league right now. Mann, KPJ, and Bones are gone. Kai Jones might not see the floor again this year. Jordan Miller lost his confidence. Kobe should be getting some of Batum's minutes but evidently that's not happening. Coffey is solid and has moments, but that's as far as it goes. That leaves Christie and Flowers in the wings and I think they should be getting a look right now, because why not?

Eubanks is a decent addition, Bogi was getting DNP's in ATL. Patty Mills is washed. Beauchamp is considered a major bust in Milwaukee. As for our core- Harden is exhausted, old, and slow. Kawhi either needs more games to ramp up or he's in his fall off period, I think its the later. I like Zu, Norm, and DJJ a lot. And then its extremely hard to watch Harden and Kawhi struggle and then they're backed up by Dunn and Batum, neither one can knock down a bucket. In the end, I don't know guys. L. Frank said the focus was to get younger and more athletic, but in standard Clipper fashion we've done the opposite. How excited are we supposed to get for Patty Mills, Bogi, and Eubanks? Two of those guys well over 30+. Turn on league pass and I see Moussa hustling, blocking shots, rebounding, and dunking like his life depended on it. I know he's on a bad team, but he's playing against all the biggest and best in the league. If we get Ben Simmons he won't shoot the ball and that's what we desperately need is shooting, Go figure.

Our G League team -new SD Clipper arena and all- isn't producing anything for us but producing well for other teams who poached Elijah Harkless, Tosan Evbuomwan, and RayJ Dennis all receiving two way contracts and playing on the main squads. Harkless could've been a nice backup to Harden, and Tosan possibly could've been our answer at the power forward position at least for the rest of this season. Max Christie was ballin out for the Lakers and now in Dallas. His brother Cam is of the same mold and supposedly better than Max.. bring him on up and give him a KPJ leash for a few games. Trentyn Flowers is 6'9" and 19 years old and is killing the G League. Bring him on up! F*ck it! Won't happen unless injuries crush us, but I'm starting to question the entire point of having the San Diego Clippers when we bare no fruits from it or simply refuse to. -End of rant.

I said at the beginning of the year that the org strategy was apparently to tread water until the contracts expire and the draft picks trickle back, and try to win a few games and enjoy the Ballmerdome until then. This was the plan and remains the plan. They aren't going to trade any FRPs or take on any more long-term obligations. But neither are they gonna say f**k it and throw the G-Leaguers out there willy-nilly. This will be run as a serious team and will try to preserve what is left of a winning culture that has the longest streak of winning seasons in the league.

It's not much but it's all we got. Once you become an IDGAF every man for himself joke, it's hard to pull out of the tailspin.

[Clemenza]

I said over the summer that out of Kobe, Mann, KPJ, Coffey, Kai, Bones, Jordan Miller, Bamba, and to a lessor extent Christie and Flowers -one or two of these guys had to become something for us to have some type of sustained success. Somebody had to develop in some form or another this season, period! Bamba didn't even last until the all star break and is technically out of the league right now. Mann, KPJ, and Bones are gone. Kai Jones might not see the floor again this year. Jordan Miller lost his confidence. Kobe should be getting some of Batum's minutes but evidently that's not happening. Coffey is solid and has moments, but that's as far as it goes. That leaves Christie and Flowers in the wings and I think they should be getting a look right now, because why not?

Eubanks is a decent addition, Bogi was getting DNP's in ATL. Patty Mills is washed. Beauchamp is considered a major bust in Milwaukee. As for our core- Harden is exhausted, old, and slow. Kawhi either needs more games to ramp up or he's in his fall off period, I think its the later. I like Zu, Norm, and DJJ a lot. And then its extremely hard to watch Harden and Kawhi struggle and then they're backed up by Dunn and Batum, neither one can knock down a bucket. In the end, I don't know guys. L. Frank said the focus was to get younger and more athletic, but in standard Clipper fashion we've done the opposite. How excited are we supposed to get for Patty Mills, Bogi, and Eubanks? Two of those guys well over 30+. Turn on league pass and I see Moussa hustling, blocking shots, rebounding, and dunking like his life depended on it. I know he's on a bad team, but he's playing against all the biggest and best in the league. If we get Ben Simmons he won't shoot the ball and that's what we desperately need is shooting, Go figure.

Our G League team -new SD Clipper arena and all- isn't producing anything for us but producing well for other teams who poached Elijah Harkless, Tosan Evbuomwan, and RayJ Dennis all receiving two way contracts and playing on the main squads. Harkless could've been a nice backup to Harden, and Tosan possibly could've been our answer at the power forward position at least for the rest of this season. Max Christie was ballin out for the Lakers and now in Dallas. His brother Cam is of the same mold and supposedly better than Max.. bring him on up and give him a KPJ leash for a few games. Trentyn Flowers is 6'9" and 19 years old and is killing the G League. Bring him on up! F*ck it! Won't happen unless injuries crush us, but I'm starting to question the entire point of having the San Diego Clippers when we bare no fruits from it or simply refuse to. -End of rant.

I said at the beginning of the year that the org strategy was apparently to tread water until the contracts expire and the draft picks trickle back, and try to win a few games and enjoy the Ballmerdome until then. This was the plan and remains the plan. They aren't going to trade any FRPs or take on any more long-term obligations. But neither are they gonna say f**k it and throw the G-Leaguers out there willy-nilly. This will be run as a serious team and will try to preserve what is left of a winning culture that has the longest streak of winning seasons in the league.

It's not much but it's all we got. Once you become an IDGAF every man for himself joke, it's hard to pull out of the tailspin.

I know the plan to tread water and stay competitive until 2026 and I don't want them to trade any picks, but they've strayed far away from this plan. L Frank also said we're going to get younger and more athletic which was also part of "the plan". Also part of the plan was Lue saying in a press conference that he wasn't going to wear Harden out. Harden is gasping for air right now. Lue was supposed to unlock Mo Bamba. He's out of the league now. Harden's backup in KPJ is gone. We need shooting badly, but were going to bring in a man that refuses to shoot in Ben Simmons?

Unless Giannis wants out or SGA wants to leave OKC, both extremely doubtful, there's nobody coming to save us in 2026 or beyond. And if Giannis or SGA want out they'll be hand delivered to the front door step of the Lakers. I'll sit back and take it all in, but "the plan" is out the window, the league has flipped upside down, and it appears that Ballmer, L. Frank, and Lue have no clue what to do right now.

[esqtvd]

I said at the beginning of the year that the org strategy was apparently to tread water until the contracts expire and the draft picks trickle back, and try to win a few games and enjoy the Ballmerdome until then. This was the plan and remains the plan. They aren't going to trade any FRPs or take on any more long-term obligations. But neither are they gonna say f**k it and throw the G-Leaguers out there willy-nilly. This will be run as a serious team and will try to preserve what is left of a winning culture that has the longest streak of winning seasons in the league.

It's not much but it's all we got. Once you become an IDGAF every man for himself joke, it's hard to pull out of the tailspin.

I know the plan to tread water and stay competitive until 2026 and I don't want them to trade any picks, but they've strayed far away from this plan. L Frank also said we're going to get younger and more athletic which was also part of "the plan". Also part of the plan was Lue saying in a press conference that he wasn't going to wear Harden out. Harden is gasping for air right now. Lue was supposed to unlock Mo Bamba. He's out of the league now. Harden's backup in KPJ is gone. We need shooting badly, but were going to bring in a man that refuses to shoot in Ben Simmons?

Unless Giannis wants out or SGA wants to leave OKC, both extremely doubtful, there's nobody coming to save us in 2026 or beyond. And if Giannis or SGA want out they'll be hand delivered to the front door step of the Lakers. I'll sit back and take it all in, but "the plan" is out the window, the league has flipped upside down, and it appears that Ballmer, L. Frank, and Lue have no clue what to do right now.

Well, remember that Ballmer got bushwhacked by his fellow owners with the new CBA. Plan A was to build the Ballmerdome and depend on Ballmer's billions, the Southern California weather, and LA as the entertainment capital of the universe to create an endless supply of top FAs hankering to sign here.

This is Plan F, and they're making it up as they go along. I still think winning without digging the hole any deeper is the plan, NOT throwing G-Leaguers against the wall to see what sticks. Harden in particular is giving his best effort and attitude, and it would be a betrayal not to play to win.

[Bobbymcgee]

Possible free agents in 2026-27 according to hoopshype:

Kevin Durant
Julius Randle
Mikal Bridges
Kristaps Porzingis
Kyrie Irving
PJ Washington
Daniel Gafford
Jonathan Kuminga
CJ McCollum
Fred VanVleet
Deandre Ayton
Anfernee Simons
Robert Williams
Nikola Vucevic
Coby White
Jaren Jackson Jr.
De'Aaron Fox
Harrison Barnes
John Collins
Collin Sexton
Mo Wagner
Tobias Harris

Most of the big name players who are still young will probably re-sign with their respective team.