Los Angeles Clippers are the perfect example of mediocrity in today’s NBA.
Despite the fact they have a talented roster and an accomplished head coach in Doc Rivers, results haven’t been there. We know the Clippers became one of the top teams in the Western Conference since the arrival of Chris Paul in 2011. However, they haven’t been able to take the next step. That’s a big problem, considering they have another Top 20 player in Blake Griffin, and probably two more in the Top 50 in J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan.
There’s a competitiveness problem within the Clippers. Despite having a roster full of talent, they haven’t made it to the Western Conference Finals a single time. They seem to be a step behind the Jazz, the Warriors, the Rockets, the Spurs, and now the Jazz. Being the sixth-best team in the West isn’t a recipe for success, and the franchise needs to do something.
Unfortunately, and despite the fact the fans enjoy having a successful team, the time has come. The Clippers need to start a rebuild if they want to be competitive again in the near future. They have a lot of expiring contracts in their roster, and it’s the perfect moment to change course.
Paul, Griffin, Redick will all hit the open market. Marreese Speights, Luc Mbah a Moute, Raymond Felton, Brandon Bass, and Alan Anderson will follow the same route. That’s eight players, and five of them have an established role in Rivers’ rotation. In fact, the first three are the core of the team, and the Clippers need to make a decision. They won’t be able to retain all three despite the expected jump on the salary cap.
Paul isn’t getting any younger, and he needs to be in a contending team if he wants to win a ring before retirement. The Clippers are not that team, and he knows it. I mean, there’s a reason why there’s a report of Paul possibly joining the Spurs, right? He’s not coming back to LA by any means.
The best bet would be to build around the interior duo of Griffin and Jordan. Due to the reasons explained above, Paul is expected to leave as a free agent. And while Redick is an important player, there’s no question team will overpay for someone like him. And we can be sure the shooting guard wants to contend as well. The Clippers are not ready to mount a title challenge, and everyone knows it.
The presence of Griffin and Jordan alone will make them a playoff contender. But they need more if they want to contend with Golden State, San Antonio, and Houston, just to name a few. It might be crazy and it’s not what the fans what, but the Clippers need to start over. It’s what’s best for the entire franchise.