Clemenza wrote:esqtvd wrote:Ballmer is worth almost $150 billion. It's impossible to spend enough on the Clippers for him to ever feel it. $100 million is pocket change. In fact, Ballmer has already paid over $350 million in luxury tax over the last 3 years!
But yes, his fellow owners have screwed him bigtime with the new CBA. He has no way to improve his team. As it stands now, he can't even buy a second-round pick or sign FAs. Not even an MLE.
As for "playing the kids," it's the same ol', same ol'. They already showed what they're made of this year, blowing big lead after big lead. These aren't prospects, they're rejects. It's not about "playing the kids" so much, it's about playing THESE kids.
And if you look at the playoffs right now, younger teams and players are beat to hell too. So I'm not hoping for the Over the Hill Gang to magically stay healthy and seriously contend. That ship has sailed. I'm hoping to win 45 games and not be a total joke. And I think that's going to be Ballmer's strategy too.In the end, if their choices are "pay George the max or let him walk," the former is ultimately the right call. They simply don't have an alternative for all of the short- and long-term risks such a contract would carry. This is their team. They don't have a backdoor path into rebuilding. They don't have an in-house replacement. They are stuck with this aging and expensive group, and no matter how much it costs, that group is only viable if George is part of it.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/clippers-reportedly-hoping-paul-george-takes-less-than-the-max-which-is-an-enormous-and-unnecessary-risk/
That was during garbage time. But I do know that it took three hall of famers, KD, Booker, and Beal, who were desperately fighting to stay out of the play in- had to play 40 minutes each to eek out a win late in the 4th against a Bones and Boston led Clippers team. Along with Kobe, Kai Jones, and Jordan Miller we got some talent -but they don't get minutes at all. I know you hate our kids but I'm not going to look at other youngsters glued to the bench on other teams and say they're better when they get way more opportunity to play than our youth. Grabbing Harden, playing PJ and Russ along with other issues like injuries and lack of effort still resulted in a first round exit. Too old they get injured and complacent from big paydays. Too young and they run out of gas. So basically just play the guys that should play and hope for the best imo.
I don't necessarily want to run it back with the Over the Hill Gang, I'm just saying that it's in character for Ballmer. I'm not surprised if he's sniffing around CP3 or Lowry. [Beard was lousy after the ASB and although he led the Clips in scoring in the playoffs, he was near the bottom in plus/minus again. I didn't hate him but the man just LEAKS points.]
As for the kids, it wasn't all garbage time. Bones, Kobe and Boston all got minutes with the big boys. It's just a fact about them being drafted so low in the first place, or dumped by their original team, or performing so poorly when they DID get some burn. I'd rather be wrong; I just see no indication I am. As for the rest like Jordan Miller, there are a ton of guys who did just as well or better down in G-League and they're not going anywhere either. I think he will get a chance, but hey, he turns 25 next January. He SHOULD be outclassing 20-year-olds.
As for that Phoenix game that the Suns won by 16, Bones was minus-7, Boston was minus-15 and Kobe was minus-30. Hardly encouraging. [Tucker was plus+13 lol.] The memory plays tricks.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/202404100LAC.html
But if PG bolts--Philly sportstalk is saying the Sixers will offer him the max--I suppose we'll find out who's right and wrong.
