future of the clippers
Other than Chris Paul, the Clippers are all sizzle and no steak.
Blake Griffin needs to become the superstar a lot of people seem to think he already is. His offensive game regressed last season. His free-throws, jumpshot and back to the basket game all got worse. He's still a below average defender.
And his buddy DeAndre Jordan hasn't improved either. Basketball isn't just about dunking, blocking shots and being on sportscenter.
Griffin has to become that superstar in the post that draws doubles and can also consistently make that mid-range jumpshot, plus his free-throws... And Jordan needs to actually learn how to play defense and develop some sort of respectable offensive game.
To be honest, I just don't really like the Clippers. I don't like their coach. I don't like their offensive sets.
This team is going to underachieve I feel and watch Paul bolt via free-agency this summer.
this sums it up perfectly. "sizzle and no steak", they were thinking of the clippers when they thought of that line
their offense consist of cp3/griffin pick and roll and ISO offense on different players. no chemistry, no passing flow, no advanced team ball movement, not advanced plays IDK. im really going based off what i remember, which is a cp3 led team in ever sense of the way aside from the couple buckets griifin and the isos can find, and that's not cutting it. it'll sell out arenas and increase TV ratings, but thats not gonna take 'em to promise land. imho
i REALLY like the clippers, they need a new coach IMMEDIATELY.
and i feel like chris paul has found a home. cp3 and griffin (throw in jordan) just match perfectly. they just need to work it out man, mostly griffin n J
Like Indiana basketball said Griffin needs to become the superstar ,that he is getting labeled as.
In his rookie year I saw a guy that could become a top 5 player in the NBA ,that was a dominant rebounder and a guy developing a mid range shot that would make him a unstoppable in the half court and on the fast break.
Now that CP3 joined Griffin thought as if he isn't the best player on the team so he didn't play like he was.Griffin really does have the potential to be better then CP3 but I don't he knows that so he trys to be his robin.This robin Blake griffin didn't look like he wanted to be the best player in the NBA, he went from being a one of the best rebounders to just a great rebounder,his unstoppable offense turned into a guy that you could foul if he got to close to the basket because he only shot 52 percent from the line last year.He wasnt the guy that was almost as big of a mismatch monster a LeBron is,because if you put a big guy on him he would pull him out of the paint ,get in triple threat and either hit the midrange or blow by you to get dunk on,then if you put a quicker big on him Griffin was to big and skilled in the post for the quicker guy, and if you tried to double team him he could make a great pass to the open guy.
Maybe Griffin will realize that e could be the best rebounder in the league,the best post scorer in the league (yes even over Dwight ,and realize he could be best player on his team even with Chris Paul on the team ,and he could transform from a rookie double double monster into a MVp candidate up there with LLebron and durant and D-Rose
You
How are the clippers not contenders? They made a major trade last season and didn't have any practice or chemistry due to the lockout, yet they still had their best record ever since being in LA. now that cp3 has an offseason with the clips they will now have better chemistry and they can go 10 men deep in their rotation with Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford, and grant hill on board. They can shock a lot of teams in the West
Despite their many Flaws the Clippers might've made it to the Western Conference Finals or even farther...If Billups hadnt gotten hurt...They scared alot of teams...
Their future looks bright,CP3 is only 27,Blake is 23..Alot of teams would love to ave those guys as biulding blocks...CP3 seems to love playing in LA,a major market...And with management showing him they're willing to bring in experienced free agents,i dont see any reason why he would want to leave...
This summer since coming back from London after suffering a knee injury..Blake has Hired a coach to help him work on his shooting...Last season he averaged only 3.9 shots from 16 feet out to the arc...Right now he's a top 10 player..But with improvement he can become a top 5 player..Yes Blake does have some holes in his game,he doesnt have a post game and no jump shot..But by hiring a coach and working on his weaknesses,he's showing he wants to get better...He has to quit being Shawn Kemp and more like Karl Malone..Karl Malone didnt have a post game and he was a poor free throw shooter,when he 1st entered the nba..He didnt developed those things until his 3rd year...
Well said!!! CP3 and Blake Griffin are great building blocks! I'm not sure Griffin is exactly top 10, but I have him close... And Griffin does need to take the Karl Malone approach there... and I do have to agree that Chauncey Billups will help out a lot too. Infact with him in the lineup, they're as good as any in the West. Yes the Lakers and Thunder would be a hair better maybe, but if you take a healthy CP3 running that O (which he wasn't when he was playing in the playoffs) then I don't know if either the Lakers or Thunder would want to see the Clippers in a playoff series. Sure the Spurs figured out the Clippers. But the way I see it is there is 6 teams out West that can really beat each other up. And the Clippers are one of them. The other 5 being Obviously Lakers and Thunder on top and followed by arguably Spurs, Grizzlies, Clippers and Nuggets in no particular order. I will have to agree though that a new coach would be very beneficial for the Clippers. And Mike D'Antoni ehhh ehmm he does great with PG systems. CP3, Billups and Bledsoe are all great. Clippers should stick with the players they got and roll the dice, try to keep everyone in tact for the next 4-5 years if they can.
me and i really believe lots of other fans after Blake's rookie year tought this monster could be the best in the NBA after LeBron gets old..
but now im questioning will he ever be a decent shooter(after rookie year i even thought he could develop his range out of 3point line while he got some makes from there) will he improve his great rebounding into THE BEST , will he defend well? ever his Webber KG type of passing looks lost a little..i believe in could be a sophmore slump and i hope he is one of those players who usually start reaching their peaks in year3 but i still have to wait to see it..
i respect Paul he is a great player but this will go as far as Blake could take by his improvement
I feel like Chris Paul is the only one on that team that wants to win a championship. Blake Griffin is fun to watch but he still has the holes he had two years ago. And Deandre Jordan, he is one of the most gifted players and he is still awful. Lamar Odom isnt going to put the Clippers over the top either.
when you think he's already a superstar, but face it, he has to be untouchable, or treated as such, because what other young player can you trade him for that possess his current talent level and potential? You have to put the right coaching staff that can help him and Deandre improve. Griffin also shows good form on his shot,I think he will improve and the same with his rebounding and defense. He just has to want to be great.
I am concerned with the Clipper organization. They have been terrible for so long,I hope they aren't just content with being contenders,a la Atlanta Hawks pre-Ferry. They must realize that even if Blake reaches his potential they must still continuously look to improve personnel.
Two personnel improvements:
1. Hire Jerry Sloan to be their new coach. Sloan can make Paul/Griffin as lethal as Stockton/Malone, just imagine Malone if he had a decent (over paid though) center like Jordan next to him.
2. Long shot, but when Paul's contract expire, will they have space to sign a max contract before resigning Paul? I like the idea of Clips going after Harden like the previous poster above suggested.
The Clippers key move will be keeping CP3 alongside Griffin, they have surrounded the two of them and DeAndre Jordan with a lot of seasoned veterans who will help the team short term. Are they true contenders maybe not yet but Griffin is still on his rookie deal and a few years away from his prime, likewise Jordan will improve as a player. Maybe they look to get him a big man mentor who can help his post game as it all isn't about dunks as was correctly suggested above.
The Clippers have added a lot of high character guys this off season, the returning Billups is seen as one of the best leaders in the NBA and will bring winning mentality to the team. Lamar Odom is back in LA and brings championship experience and in contract year will have something to prove, Grant Hill gives another great veteran presence and can help harness the young guys together. Jamal Crawford gives the bench even further depth and combined, they have a lot of veterans who can play down the stretch alongside CP3 and Griffin which could well give them the edge in tight games.
Not sure why I got all these negs, but at least I got an idea of what the forum thinks. It seems that the majority people see Blake's development and the clips offense schemes as the two factors holding them back from contention.
I personally disagree with this sentiment. I think that Blake's ceiling is lower than other's make it and even if he does find realize more of his potential, they still don't have the center or wings to help them make the leap.
if playing with the best pure pg in the league cant make blake any better than imo nothing can i loved getting grant hill solid vet bringin in mrs lamar kardasian was horrible unless he tells mrs lamar she has too play this year or theyll be no more reality shows i do think they are keeping bledsoe just in case cp3 decides too leave bledsoe has been untouchable in trade talks
Thanks Indiana Basketball, i didn't know all we needed was you're disapproval of what the Clippers are doing to have the rest of the world wake up, although I'm sure you hate them because they traded Eric Gordon...
It is hipster to hate the Clippers again, but I always hated them, I always thought Blake Griffin was a little over rated, I thought De'Andre Jordan was a subpar starting C while everyone was in love with his potential (I even said Spencer Hawes was better than him and got killed for it)
I never assumed Chris Paul would stay with that joke of a Franchise, living in shadows of Kobe and other Laker greats...CP3 isn't even the most popular PG in LA now that Steve Nash is in Hollywood (just check their Q ratings)
why would he want to stay there longterm If Griffin doesn't Become a Superstar for all the right reasons...he can still sign in New York with Melo and Amare as planed if the Knicks can put the right pieces together for a Sign & Trade
The Clippers future doesn't look bright to Me, name me one game changer on their Roster besides Paul or Griffin
Caron Butler???Sorry I have never been a Caron fan and I don't see him getting better in his 30's
Billups??? He's coming off a major injury and is old as hell...
Odom??? Another old guy trying to stay to Hollywood because of his TV show...
Martin??? how many years can K Mart tough talk his way to a paycheck...
Bledsoe and Jordan???They are the only other young guys But what are their ceilings fringe starters/backups???
@The Scare Crow Rises
I don't hate the Clippers, but you're right... I was never really a "fan" of them. I was more of an Eric Gordon fan who was supporting them.
The reason why I don't like the team this year is just because I don't like the roster... I don't like the coach. It's still Chris Paul or bust to me.
The Clippers are not contenders in the west yet. Now the quesiton is, do they stick with the core they have now? Or do they make moves...
The clippers have the advantage of being in a great market that should help them land free agents in the coming offseasons. That benefit is hard to overstate for a NBA franchise. So they could wait for the next UFA in the coming offseasons, but waiting for a big fish to land in their laps is a risky strategy that teams have fell victim to in the past. (COUGH... dallas...COUGH).
The problem is, I'm not sure what trades they could make. Griffin seems to be treated as untouchable by Clipper managament, despite the holes in his game. They could ship Jordan, Bledsoe and veterans for another starter to join Blake and CP3, but I'm not sure who they could pry away with that type of offering.
What do you see as the right thing for the Clips to do? Do they coast with the team they have now? Or do they make another trade?