According to InsideHoops, the Clippers waived Mike Taylor today. Taylor’s contract was to become guaranteed after today, but Clippers management decided against retaining him. Taylor was scheduled to make $736,420 this year.
Taylor showed a ton of potential towards the end of the year. Taylor went off for 35 points at Madison Square Garden on March 25th, which was good for one of the highest single game point performances by any rookie last season. Taylor’s rough summer in Vegas, where he struggled with inconsistency and maintaining the proper tempo, probably lost him his job. Mike Taylor may not have been a true point guard, but many Clippers fans were hopeful he could blossom and enjoy a career similar to Bobby Jackson.
It’s quite the turn of events, considering Taylor was a player that management traded a 2009 2nd rounder to acquire. That traded pick eventually became pick 33 of this years draft, who Portland used to select Dante Cunningham.
Taylor became quite the fan favorite in L.A. for his electrifying dunks and speedy play. In the dying months of the season, Taylor was routinely applauded by fans for his consistent effort and hustle.
Taylor’s waiving leaves the Clippers with only three true guards on the roster; Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, and Sebastian Telfair. This move may further intensify the Clippers pursuit of Ramon Sessions.
If this is truly the last we’ll see of Mike Taylor in a Clippers uniform, we might as well let him go out in style.
Is this the first domino?Warrick’s deal with the Bucks is reportedly a 1yr/3mil deal. This appears to signal that the Bucks are going in a different direction. Bruce Bowen’s contract becomes guaranteed for four million instead of two million tomorrow, so the Bucks probably aren’t done today.
Why would Sessions be reluctant to agree to a Clippers offer? There are plenty of reasons, but the main one appears to be a lack of playing time. If Sessions decided to come to L.A., he’d be banking on Baron continuing his decline so minutes would open up. As it stands right now, he’d have to fight off Telfair for the backup job to a former All-Star. Clippers management seemingly values Sessions more than Telfair, but they may be in a bit of a quandary. They might not be able to get Sessions to sign unless Telfair is out of the picture, but the Clippers won’t deal Telfair unless they are guaranteed to get Sessions. It’s just a theory, but it feels like a stalemate.
Do the Knicks REALLY want Sessions though?Knicks management seems to waffle back and forth on him quite a bit. If the Knicks do sign Sessions, it will undoubtedly eat away at some of their 2010 cap room that they worked so hard to get. The internal decision by the Knicks management team will ultimately decide how this thing plays out.
A backup plan, or extra negotiating power? The Knicks now have the exclusive rights to Jason Williams until August 6th. If Sessions and his agent play hardball, would the Knicks be willing to walk away and go with J-Will?
“Amazing tools, amazing skills, amazing potential but still doubts about his game. That’s the current status of Yaroslav Korolev. In a perfect world, a kid like him wouldn’t be thrown into the NBA so early” -Luis Fernandez of DraftExpress, August 23rd, 2005.
Unfortunately for Korolev and the Clippers faithful, the world in the year 2005 was yet to be “perfected” by David Stern, as the age limit had not yet been established. This was a time where foreign players had started to cash in on their new found respect from GM’s across the league who had laid witness to Team USA’s Summer Olympic smackdown. The 2005 draft ended up being the not so perfect storm for Clippers management. The college draft class depth was unusually shallow, and in part due to the “Euro Craze” pandemonium hitting full stride, Korolev was regarded as not only the best foreign prospect, but one of the best prospects period. All of this resulted in Korolev being infamously taken before collegiate stud Danny Granger at pick 12.
At the time, stashing players in Europe and letting them develop was still a relatively new concept, and stashing lottery picks was downright unheard of. Of course, the NBDL was no place for a lottery pick either. Korolev simply had to join the Clippers big league squad, regardless of whether he was ready for it or not. In the span of a few short months, Korolev went from playing against Russian teenagers to grown men, all at the tender age of 18.
The scouts at DraftExpress considered Korolev’s ceiling to be a Toni Kukoc/Andrei Kirilienko type hybrid. Considering the definitions of a “glue-guy”, wouldn’t a realized Korolev become a damn good one? Unfortunately, while Kukoc and AK-47 had time to develop their games and mental toughness overseas, Korolev did not. That is not to say that Korolev could have ever sniffed either of those players’ careers or talent level had he stayed overseas a few years, but it would have at least given him a fighting chance. As it was, Korolev entered the league as an overwhelmed, underdeveloped 18 year old with a fragile state of mind and a clear lack of confidence. From DraftExpress, August 23rd, 2005:
“But still, he rarely could find the proper rhythm to extend the dominance for longer periods, committing mistakes, particularly in the form of silly personal fouls, not being focused enough and looking even frustrated at times. Right now, his mental strength remains a question mark, not being clear at all how he will react playing at a higher level of competition.”
Korolev’s brief 2 year, 34 game, 168 minute career did little to prove those doubts wrong. 168 minutes is hardly enough to judge a player’s talent to it’s full extent, but in two years Korolev never once looked like an NBA player while he was on the floor.
It’s worth noting that the 2005 draft was pretty awful, with the exception of the first few guys off the board. Other than Granger, who was passed on by 16 teams before he fell to Indiana, no player taken after Korolev has reached an all-star game, and most look to be career role players at best. Korolev was undoubtedly one of the biggest mistakes and worst busts in recent draft history, but the alternate players the Clippers were looking at selecting if Korolev was off the board, Rashard McCants and Antoine Wright, likely wouldn’t have turned out to become great picks either.
The reason the Korolev disaster is brought up is because Dunleavy has usually responded well to his worst mistakes as a GM. The ensuing revelations from the 2005 draft disaster led to the praised 2007 selection of the anti-Korolev in the form of a college tested, NBA ready Al Thornton. The acquisition of Zach Randolph was largely rectified with the moves made this summer. Of course, the book is still open on the Baron Davis signing, which just may turn out to be Dunleavy’s biggest mistake of all.
To avoid general pain and suffering, I always suggest that Clippers fans try not to play the “what if” game when it comes to draft picks. With Korolev though, the game is entirely too tempting. What if the Clippers took Granger instead of Korolev? Do they make multiple playoff appearances?
As for Korolev, what if he was stashed in Europe and didn’t come over until he was 22 years old and confident, with a new found path to playing time and a polished point-forward skill set?
Of course, we’ll never know the answer to that question. Sadly enough, neither will he.
Although the possibility of signing Sessions is still out there, the trade that netted the Clippers Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Mark Madsen should bring some sense of finality to a surprisingly wild offseason. Yes, there are still a few holes that could stand to be filled, but as a whole the Clippers arguably improved themselves more than any other team this offseason. The way Dunleavy brilliantly flipped Zach Randolph for a valuable 7 million dollar trade exception and two talented young players in Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair should have him considering a career in real estate once he’s done with this basketball thing. No matter how you feel about Dunleavy, you have to hand it to him for swinging a few great deals that actually puts the franchise in much better shape than it was around this time last year.
We’ve already talked a bit about Bassy, and his story is pretty well publicized. As the backup point guard (for now, anyway) to injury prone Baron Davis, Telfair is likely to play a huge role next season. With the Clippers front court being relatively crowded, Craig Smith doesn’t appear to have an easy route to playing time, but for the man they call “Rhino”, that is nothing new.
Joining the Clippers is a homecoming for Craig Smith, who was born and raised in Inglewood. Collegiate basketball fans may remember Smith for his illustrious career at Boston College, where he teamed with fellow Southern California native Jared Dudley to become one of the most formidable duos in the NCAA. Smith would finish his career as the second leading scorer in Boston College history, and despite being named a second team All-American, he would fall to pick 36. Smith is your classic draft day dropper; if he stood at 6′9 instead of 6′7 he would have likely been a lottery pick.
Despite Smith’s vertical deficiencies, he’s been an effective role player off the bench in his first three years as a pro. Smith is the definition of an efficient scorer, shooting 55% from the field on his career. His per36 minute scoring numbers are equally impressive, as Smith clocked in at 18.4 PPG last year in that category. Maybe most impressive though is the frequency with which Smith gets to the line, going 3.4 times a game last year in only 19 minutes a contest.
The knack on Smith however is that even though he gives you a lot offensively, he’s prone to giving everything right back on the other end. In many ways, Smith is oddly similar to the player the Clippers ultimately gave up to get him; the much maligned Zach Randolph. Smith shares many of the same defensive issues Randolph does in that neither are quick enough to guard 3’s, and both are too small in the post to contest shots against 4’s. Randolph was primarily exploited last year in pick and roll situations, and Smith has been known to struggle in that area as well. Smith is listed at “250″ pounds, but he’s reportedly closer to 275, and that’s a lot of man to get going in different directions. He’s not terrible at it, but don’t expect Smith to be leading a seminar on “how to hedge a pick and roll” anytime soon. The main difference between Randolph and Smith is that Smith is just a sub-par defensive rebounder, while Randolph is one of the better defensive rebounders in the game.
Smith and Randolph aren’t terribly different offensively, either. Similar to Randolph, Smith carves out space for himself inside by using his incredible girth, and then flips in shots from strange angles with a soft touch. Of course, Smith doesn’t have the jump shooting capabilities that Randolph posseses, but you can’t exactly leave him open either. The guy has some range.
But how does “Rhino” and his unique talents fit into the Clippers front court? In theory, pretty well. The Clippers are one of the few teams in the league that have three shot blocking talents like Camby, Kaman and Jordan. Because of this luxury that the Clippers have, Smith will never be without a true big man in the lineup with him, even if it’s Griffin. Offensively, Dunleavy’s post centric offense appears to be tailor made to Smith’s talents. Similar to the thought process with Randolph last year, the pairing that makes most sense is putting Smith alongside Camby, as they seemingly fill the holes in each other’s games as a duo.
Acquiring Smith and Telfair is a low risk, high reward move by Dunleavy. Even Michael Scott would surely deem this a “Win-Win-Win situation”. Basically, we knew what Quentin Richardson was going to bring to the team; a bad back, a bit of nostalgia, and an expiring contract. Smith, 25, was widely regarded by Minnesota fans as agreat role player who worked hard and was a good locker room presence. If he performs well, he could end up being another addition to the emerging young Clippers core. If he doesn’t perform, the Clippers still stand to lose nothing, except for salary. If Smith can stay healthy and play up to his talent level, he’ll be a more than welcome addition to the Clippers.
Jason Williams was officially waived on Friday. J-Will apparently wanted to come back last year for a late season run, but just not as a Clipper. There were five teams outside of the Clippers who voted against Williams coming back: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Minnesota and San Antonio. I understand Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, and San Antonio, since they were all playoff teams who didn’t want another contender to add him. But what exactly was a non playoff team like Minnesota’s interest in not letting J-Will come back?
A bold prediction from one man. I am sure that I’m not the only one who had a Jim Mora like reaction after reading that. We all need to summon our inner MadTV and have some “lowered expectations”. My pop culture references are exhausted. That’s all I got.
Alternate opinions on the Richardson trade and the Randolph trade courtesy of the blogs Howlin T-Wolf and Three Shades of Blue. Both blogs offer great perspective on the deals, and you get the impression that money was the biggest factor in the moves, not the players themselves.
Nate Robinson is closer to a deal with New York. Keep a close eye on this one. If Robinson signs back with the Knicks, it would most likely leave the Clippers as the lone suitor for Ramon Sessions. Check out Steve Perrin’s breakdown on the Sessions situation, and why signing Sessions away from the Bucks is much more difficult than it sounds.
Since NBA TV is done replaying the Summer League games, here are some of the highlights from the games against LAL, NO, MEM, WAS, and finally PHX. Of course highlights don’t tell the whole story, but if you needed a reason to jump aboard the DeAndre Jordan bandwagon, look no further.
At one time, it was an integral part of the Baron Davis persona. See how he lifted up his jersey and mean mugged around the court in that video? How he made the crowd go crazy? Had that extra lean in his step? That’s swagger right there. Hell, even the announcer caught some swagger by osmosis and defiantly asked viewers “Do you believe NOW?” and then proceeded to trash talk AK47 by telling him “Put THAT on your flat-top!” What a completely surreal moment; the ragtag Warriors winning a big playoff game, led by Baron Davis.
When Baron signed as a free agent last year, that memory was fresh in most Clippers fans minds. He was brought on to revitalize a seemingly stagnant and somewhat boring team with plays like the one shown above. The optimism around the signing was overwhelming. Boom Dizzle, he of incredible swag, was coming to lead the Clippers back to the playoffs.
Well, we all know what happened next. Brand skipped town, B-Diddy went J-Craig, and fans suffered through one of the worst seasons in recent memory. There were no baseline jams, no mean mugging, jersey popping or shoulder brushing. Just losses. Baron endured endless scrutiny, taking the brunt of the blame for the unfulfilled expectations that came with his large contract. Even though Baron was statistically a good distributor (7.7 APG), it was his lack of aggressiveness and propensity to fire up contested threes that drove fans nuts. Although Baron was a former Slam Dunk Contest participant, he finished withonly three dunks all year. Matt Bonner, an Arnovitz favorite, unbelievably managed to dunk more times than Baron last year.
Fast forward to this year. Thanks largely to some lottery magic, the optimism is back again this summer and new hopes and expectations have been placed on broader shoulders. If things go as planned, Blake Griffin will eventually become one of the leaders of this team. Griffin may appear to be the best suited to lead right now because of his outstanding work ethic and charisma, but that just isn’t the way the NBA works. Back in 2004, a delusional Ricky Davis said, “I thought LeBron James was just going to be another addition to help me score”. While this quote was (hopefully) in jest, it’s probably not far off from the veteran mentality around the league. 20 year old players, no matter how talented, don’t just take over a locker room instantly. They have to pay their dues first.
So who is the leader of this club? All things considered, it has to be Baron. Playing point guard requires some leadership qualities in itself, but when you’re also the most talented, most accomplished, and highest paid player on the team, it requires buckets of it. The point guard is the literal and figurative head of the team, but in many ways also the heart of it. If you need an example, look down the hall at Derek Fisher. Yes, Phil manages the egos, and Kobe may talk the most (ok, he definitely talks the most) but it’s Fisher who is the guy that sets the example for the non-ridiculously talented on how you’re supposed to play and the level of intensity that is needed on a nightly basis. Kobe yaps, Phil zens, and Fisher “does”, and that’s the formula. It’s simple, and it works.
Of course, for the Clippers, it’s never that simple, and much more is required to have a mentally stable team. The stigma that surrounds the Clippers can easily take on a life of its own if it goes unchecked. Last year it went unchecked, and the Clippers were mentally and emotionally beat in many games before the tip. This year’s Clippers squad looks better on paper and in theory, as they have some lunch-pail type players (Camby, Gordon, Griffin) and no real malcontents (although Ricky Davis still lurks). Missing, however, is a leader with irrefutable, visible confidence. Simply put, the Clippers need the Baron Davis in that video.
Some leaders prefer to lead vocally, while others lead by example. Sam Cassell just happened to do both, which is part of what made him so great. Andre Miller happened to do neither, which is what made him, uh, not so great. Based on Baron’s recent past, we know he is capable of leading…but is he willing? The immediate future seems to depend on that.
