Congrats to J. Crossover on his Sixth Man of the Year Award

[Ranma]

With regard to the Jamal Crawford trade speculation, I can see it being a legit possibility either this trade deadline or next summer given Crawford's upcoming salary demands. Part of the argument for a Ray Allen signing with the Clips is that it would allow Crawford to be packaged with Jared Dudley for a more useful small forward. Not saying I necessarily agree with it, but depending on how our SF and SG situation works out, I can definitely see it as a possibility depending on what will be available on the trade market.

[Neddy]

With regard to the Jamal Crawford trade speculation, I can see it being a legit possibility either this trade deadline or next summer given Crawford's upcoming salary demands. Part of the argument for a Ray Allen signing with the Clips is that it would allow Crawford to be packaged with Jared Dudley for a more useful small forward. Not saying I necessarily agree with it, but depending on how our SF and SG situation works out, I can definitely see it as a possibility depending on what will be available on the trade market.

we can really use a better starting SF.

waiting for Jered Dudley to bounce back is not something a championship bound team would rely on. we have two stars, and two above average starters. we have an inefficient chucker who is our 6th man, and a hodgepodge mix of roster fillers, other than the legit 3rd big we finally got. but we still have holes in our roster and a better starting SF who can at least defend better while giving the same or slightly better consistent 3 will go a long way to get to our goal.

[mttwlsn16]

I'll miss Jamal if he's traded. Hes fun to watch when he's hot. And his crossover at times is a thing of beauty. But if we can get a legit 3 who can guard other 3s that would be more beneficial to the team

[Ranma]

we can really use a better starting SF.

waiting for Jered Dudley to bounce back is not something a championship bound team would rely on. we have two stars, and two above average starters. we have an inefficient chucker who is our 6th man, and a hodgepodge mix of roster fillers, other than the legit 3rd big we finally got. but we still have holes in our roster and a better starting SF who can at least defend better while giving the same or slightly better consistent 3 will go a long way to get to our goal.

I'll miss Jamal if he's traded. Hes fun to watch when he's hot. And his crossover at times is a thing of beauty. But if we can get a legit 3 who can guard other 3s that would be more beneficial to the team

I agree with Neddy that the team doesn't seem to be built with complementary pieces for a balanced unit. Having both Crawford and Farmar in the backcourt for our second unit presents a vulnerability on defense. While both can be hot scorers, they have each also proven to be streaky. We keep hearing defense builds championships yet Doc hasn't really developed a stalwart defensive unit and continues to bring on questionable pieces for such an endeavor. I'd like to give Doc the benefit of the doubt but his personnel acquisitions have been hit-or-miss.

In any case, it is doubtful that we'll make any significant moves until the trade deadline except for possibly the signing of a notable big man (Emeka Okafor?) so it looks like we'll see what we have with Farmar, Crawford, and Dudley to start the season. We may stick with Jamal for another postseason just to see if he can prove effective in the playoffs, but I doubt he'll be with the team by the start of the 2015-16 season, especially with this salary demands.

I just came across a recent ClipperBuzz post about a Q & A session for season ticket holders with Dave Severns. For what it's worth, Dudley has supposedly been making "amazing" progress with regard to recovery and conditioning during the offseason and there also seems to be a focus on addressing our defensive liabilities.

[QRich3]

The roster is pretty balanced I'd say, we have shooters galore to let some space around the Paul/Blake pick'n'roll, and we have a guy in the middle who gobbles every rebound around him and can finish any lob thrown at the rim area. Then we have a second ball handler/scorer off the bench and bits and pieces to plug the rest of the holes. Problem is, one of the main pieces of that idea, Dudley, flopped unexpectedly, so we now have another big hole that's not easy to fill when you're over the luxury tax.

That's why I agree with most on the idea of trading Crawford for a SF. Crawford is probably the most expendable guy of the core, since there's no shortage of players who can add instant-offense/no-defense off the bench, and I even question the need for having one of such guys anyway. Stagger the minutes of Paul and Griffin so there's always one of them on the floor and you run your offense through them, or run a play for Redick or a Barnes cut to the basket or whatever. Any of those options is better on the long run than Crawford's dribble dribble, crossover, jumpshot from the top of the key.

I still have some slight faith in Dudley and his ability to be back at what he used to be, like Duncan did after it seemed he was done in 2011 (?) because of tendinitis.

[nickhx2]

i think the only person who doesn't feel the need to trade crawford for a SF is doc rivers.

he should have been gone long ago and he NEVER should have been kept in over redick in critical playoff moments.

[Ranma]

i think the only person who doesn't feel the need to trade crawford for a SF is doc rivers.

He at least apparently knows that the position needs to be addressed. I've heard the team try to get Paul Pierce with a package that included Dudley/Barnes but I wonder what other small forwards were pursued.

Dan Woike, Orange County Register (8/4/14)

The team, which still has one spot to fill, appears content to try and wait out the remaining free agents because they can offer only the veteran’s minimum.
...

The Clippers have been trying to upgrade their small forward spot throughout the summer, offering Matt Barnes and Jared Dudley in trade packages in an effort to add consistency to the position.

If Marion is out of play, the Clippers could wait to see who is left unsigned as the summer draws to a close.

Clippers close to adding Cassell to coaching staff


Also, the Heat are looking at the same big-man options the Clips are in Okafor and Udoh as well as Blatche (ugh).

Barry Jackson, Miami Herald (8/19/14)

Among power rotation players, the Heat has shown interest in Emeka Okafor and has considered Ekpe Udoh. Preliminary inquiries were made on Andray Blatche and Jason Maxiell. Agent David Falk said he talked to the Heat about Elton Brand but that Brand is unlikely to end up here.

Marlins have a plan with Stanton; Heat pursues free agents; Dolphins, UM chatter


Chuck Myron, HoopsRumors.com (8/20/14)

* Riley and his staff have been eyeing Emeka Okafor and Ekpe Udoh, as finding a big man has been team’s other focus, Jackson reports. There have been question marks about Okafor’s health, and while he and Udoh have also drawn interest from the Clippers, there hasn’t been much chatter this summer surrounding either former top-10 pick.

* The Heat made preliminary inquiries about Andray Blatche and Jason Maxiell, according to Jackson. Miami has been reluctant to sign Blatche in the past out of concern about his maturity level and behavior, as Jackson wrote a couple of weeks ago, but apparently the team won’t definitively rule him out. The market for Maxiell has been quiet since the Magic let him go on the Fourth of July.

Heat Rumors: Douglas-Roberts, Crawford, Okafor

[Neddy]

we can really use a better starting SF.

waiting for Jered Dudley to bounce back is not something a championship bound team would rely on. we have two stars, and two above average starters. we have an inefficient chucker who is our 6th man, and a hodgepodge mix of roster fillers, other than the legit 3rd big we finally got. but we still have holes in our roster and a better starting SF who can at least defend better while giving the same or slightly better consistent 3 will go a long way to get to our goal.

I'll miss Jamal if he's traded. Hes fun to watch when he's hot. And his crossover at times is a thing of beauty. But if we can get a legit 3 who can guard other 3s that would be more beneficial to the team

I agree with Neddy that the team doesn't seem to be built with complementary pieces for a balanced unit. Having both Crawford and Farmar in the backcourt for our second unit presents a vulnerability on defense. While both can be hot scorers, they have each also proven to be streaky. We keep hearing defense builds championships yet Doc hasn't really developed a stalwart defensive unit and continues to bring on questionable pieces for such an endeavor. I'd like to give Doc the benefit of the doubt but his personnel acquisitions have been hit-or-miss.

In any case, it is doubtful that we'll make any significant moves until the trade deadline except for possibly the signing of a notable big man (Emeka Okafor?) so it looks like we'll see what we have with Farmar, Crawford, and Dudley to start the season. We may stick with Jamal for another postseason just to see if he can prove effective in the playoffs, but I doubt he'll be with the team by the start of the 2015-16 season, especially with this salary demands.

I just came across a recent ClipperBuzz post about a Q & A session for season ticket holders with Dave Severns. For what it's worth, Dudley has supposedly been making "amazing" progress with regard to recovery and conditioning during the offseason and there also seems to be a focus on addressing our defensive liabilities.

goddamn man, when i said i wanted a trade to facilitate a better SF, it did not mean anything close to giving up a 1st to move dudley for "soon to be stretched" Delfino. what a **** dumbass move. smh....

[Neddy]

I'll miss Jamal if he's traded. Hes fun to watch when he's hot. And his crossover at times is a thing of beauty. But if we can get a legit 3 who can guard other 3s that would be more beneficial to the team

but he is a net zero player. as many games he can win for us with his hot streak of miracle 3 and 1's, he will lose the same amount of games for playing a horrid defense while missing his shots and killing the offensive flow.

[mttwlsn16]

I'll miss Jamal if he's traded. Hes fun to watch when he's hot. And his crossover at times is a thing of beauty. But if we can get a legit 3 who can guard other 3s that would be more beneficial to the team

but he is a net zero player. as many games he can win for us with his hot streak of miracle 3 and 1's, he will lose the same amount of games for playing a horrid defense while missing his shots and killing the offensive flow.

I know and agree. But he's fun and exciting and entertains me haha