The Clippers extended Steve Novak a qualifying offer Tuesday, which makes him a restricted free agent. The Clippers will have the opportunity to match any contract offer made to Novak by another team. Novak’s number is $1,030,189. Given the reasonable price tag and the fact that there are only a handful of players in the league with true shooting percentages greater than 60%, it’s very likely Novak will get a bite from a team in need of some perimeter shooting.
Archive for June, 2009
Novak Extended Qualifying Offer
On June - 30 - 2009
The New Guy…and the old New Guy
On June - 29 - 2009
Blake Griffin’s introductory press conference at the Clippers’ training facility on Monday attracted an assortment of media, corporate sponsors, VIPs, and a few lurkers — including Clippers’ second-year guard Eric Gordon. Wearing a Clippers’ tee and sweatpants, Gordon lingered in the far back of the gym, resting on a training table, as the Clippers’ executive team welcomed their #1 pick to the organization. After the official proceedings, Gordon sidled up to the buttoned-up Griffin as the press lobbed questions at both of them.
There were times last season as a shy, undemonstrative 20-year-old when Gordon appeared uncomfortable off the court in front of a media scrum. Today, he beamed alongside his new teammate. When a Clippers’ PR rep motioned to him that he didn’t have to take questions at Griffin’s event if he didn’t want to, Gordon was unfazed — that’s because he was having a blast as the grizzled vet at Griffin’s party. Eric Gordon could finally talk about something other than the burdens and undertakings of…Eric Gordon. All he was asked to address were the prospects of one Blake Griffin — and he couldn’t have been any cheerier.
Hedgehogs, Foxes, and Clippers
On June - 28 - 2009
In the last installment of the Clipperblogger summit, Steve Perrin got to the heart of the matter when he wrote …
That’s a pretty astounding collection of talent on paper. So why did they only win 19 games last season? And why are expectations so low for this season?
If the Clippers’ current state is not due to a deficiency of talent, then how do we begin to explain what’s going on? What does it mean to say that the Clippers have chemistry or cultural issues, which prevailing wisdom tells us are the reasons why a team with an excess of talent loses 63 games.
Mitt Romney as the Kandi Man
On June - 27 - 2009
Clipperblog usually abides by a separation of basketball and politics, but this bit of whimsy was amusing. From Jason Zengerle in The New Republic [Hat Tip: Ted via Deadspin]:
Blake Griffin Press Conference: June 25, 2009
On June - 25 - 2009
Griffin addresses the media immediately following his announcement as the #1 pick: