As the midpoint of the season approaches, players’ roles and rotation spots, as well as team identities, begin to reveal themselves. The contenders begin to separate from the pack, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, analyzing what line-ups work and don’t work, and accepting what to expect from their players on a nightly basis.
Though they’re undoubtedly a top-10 team in the league, the Clippers remain a step behind in this process. Injuries to Chris Paul, Mo Williams, Eric Bledsoe and Chauncey Billups (out for the season) – as well as the sporadic additions of Reggie Evans and Kenyon Martin – have prevented them from playing at full strength and ironing out their rotation.
The Clippers, even after 27 games, still need time to adjust and gel together. To grow together. Of course, time is not on their side. As impressive as they’ve played thus far, they can definitely play much better. There seems to be something missing, though. A piece that, if found, could propel the Clippers to new heights.
They need a jolt of energy. They need another player capable of alleviating the offensive duties of Paul, Williams and Caron Butler. They a shot-creator and maker. They need a player like J.R. Smith. To some, he represents the Clippers’ best chance at contending for a championship beginning this May (regular season ends in late April). To others, he’s an inconsistent gunner with a crazy personality, capable of derailing L.A.’s seemingly stable locker room.
Nonetheless, the prospect of signing Smith is enticing. Even with Billups healthy, the Clippers were courting him to add firepower to their unsurprisingly thin bench. Now, with Billups out and Randy Foye starting, the Clippers have no back-up shooting guard and are forced to platoon a backcourt of 6-foot (Paul), 6-foot-1 (Williams), 6-foot-1 (Bledsoe) and 6-foot-4 (Foye) guards.
At the start of the season, Los Angeles’ two weaknesses were a competent back-up big man and a long, athletic, defensive wing. Adding Evans and Martin successfully addressed the first problem, temporarily putting a stop to the bleeding inside.
And the perimeter player? Well, they’re still looking. Smith doesn’t cover the defensive part, but makes up for that with elite athleticism, size and the ability to play both the small forward and shooting guard positions.
Smith is capable of changing a game’s dynamic with a few made baskets and single-handedly keep his team within striking distance. He’s not a willing passer or good defender (in fact, he’s pretty terrible), but he can handle the ball, has shooting range out to 30 feet (and in some cases beyond), and can create his own shot against any defender.
The only concern would be the risk factor. He’s a loose cannon – you never know what to expect. He takes bad shots and plays uninspired defense. He has a bit of a temper and is a questionable personality, but having three former teammates – Paul, Billups and Martin – should help ease him into the Clipper environment and keep him in check. At the veteran’s minimum, $1.2 million, this is a no-brainer.
If the Clippers can sign Smith, they have to. They need an upgrade at the shooting guard position that can relegate Foye back to the bench. Foye is clearly not the right starter for this team and the cliche “addition by subtraction” applies.
Smith isn’t necessary the ideal fit, but he can spot-up (ranked eighth in the NBA in spot-up shooting last year — 46.6 percent on 3-pointers), finish at the rim, score off the ball and play in the pick-and-roll. He could take the ball out of Paul’s and Williams’ hands and make plays. He’s not extremely efficient, but neither is Billups or Foye.
At the very least, he’s guaranteed to be a massive improvement over Foye. Anything else is gravy. With teammates, friends and a starting role awaiting him, the only reason Smith would turn down the Clippers would be money (the Knicks can offer the mini mid-level of $2.5 million).
During pregame of the Clippers’ 102-84 victory over the Wizards, Vinny Del Negro said he had a “very, very good conversation” with Smith over the phone. Paul and Martin have both admitted they’ve been pursuing him, using their previous ties as teammates — and current bond as friends — as their primary tactics.
Truth is, the Clippers don’t have much to lose. He’s a cheap, low-risk option. And someone has to say it — the Clippers are not winning a championship with Paul, Williams, Bledsoe and Foye as their backcourt.
They need to add someone else to return to the legitimate contender status they were on the cusp of with Billups. They need J.R. Smith.
49 Responses
Disagree that Smith is not a willing passer. That statement appears based more on perception than on actual statistical or video analysis. In Denver, Smith often ran the pick and roll and was an effective passer in that situation. Sure, he’s a gunner at times, but his career assist rate is 14.2%. That puts him at about the same career assist rate as Caron Butler, and actually twice the assist rate of the version of Butler that Clippers fans have seen. Smith is certainly a scorer first, but we’re not exactly talking Nick Young territory here.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:11 am
I think when you jack up what would generally be considered “stupid shots” (regardless of whether you personally can make them or not), you are often deemed a bad or reluctant passer. (See Kobe Bryant)
If either of these guys was super likable off the court and a credit to the locker room they probably wouldn’t get the flack they get.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 6:41 am
It’s amazing how easy it is to fall in love with the only girl available.
The McLocker Room Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 9:36 am
There’s nothing wrong with falling in love with the only available girl, especially if it’s only for a temporary 3 to 4 month period.
It’s not like we are wining and dining this girl at fancy restaurants with expensive menus.
We will be paying J.R. the vet’s minimum, which is the equivalent of taking a girl out on a date to Del Taco.
Heck, if I could find me a girl who was satisfied with a temporary fling and Del Taco dates, I would fall head over heels in love!
I would marry that girl!!!
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 10:12 am
More power to ya, and good luck with that.
The McLocker Room Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Lol thanks Metal Matty. You are invited to my wedding.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 10:54 am
Only if you will be serving DEL TACO at the reception. ; )
The McLocker Room Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:13 am
LOL!
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 8:55 am
who else is sick of all this jr smith talk?
remember…No one wanted him in the summer so he went to china.
lets get the win tonight in portland!
and if we get smith we will work with it….
can we please get rid of Michael Smith….
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 10:13 am
Love this post. Wish I could give more than one thumbs up. Drat!
Alex Ross Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:15 am
No one wanted him this summer because the NBA was in a Lockout… he signed a contract to play in China like two months before the lockout ended.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:01 am
This is ludicrous! Where’s the dislike button?
Campaigning for ‘JR as our savior’ r we? C’mon..
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:19 am
In the end J.R. will jet for the loot. He and his agent are using the Clippers as a bargaining chip and nothing else.
Wherever he goes, he’ll get some nice scoring numbers and make some good money. That money will then be used to do bad things and support a family who does bad things.
Good riddance J.R. We hardly knew ya.
JoeLuis323 Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 10:43 am
i meant to give u thumbs up! sorry dude. All this talk/articles about JR… GEEZ! ok at least is over now.
Alex Ross Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:18 am
Bargaining chip? He had two options… Mini Mid-Level Exception (prorated $2.5M) from New York or the Vet Minimum (prorated $1.2M) from the Clippers. His only decisions are where he wants to play and who he wants to play with.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:24 am
uh oh looks like no more j.r. smith. he’s closing in on a deal with the knickerbockers.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-knicks-closing-deal-add-free-agent-shooting-guard-smith-article-1.1023816?localLinksEnabled=false
ClipsFan4Life Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:09 am
i wasnt opposed to getting him but if he cant see that playing for the clippers is a better option then the knicks and chooses money… then that is not the type of player we need.
phil Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 11:39 am
true
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:24 am
Regarding the Washington game. I thought this was a real nice win for the Clippers. Washington to their credit played a very good first half of ball. We kept at it and eventually our talent wore them down and they reverted to some ugly ball late.
It would have been nice to rest people but you can’t always get that. Portland will be no more rested than us tonight and MAY be missing Aldridge. I think this will be a close game with or without him. Should be fun.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:29 am
Chris Brussard Twitter: Source says JR SMITH and knicks have agreed to a deal for remainder of season. NYK keeping it open for 2012-2013,
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:41 am
ok, now I feel a little sad. As much as I was not really into landing J.R. I liked the banter about him MUCH more than the utterly useless and pathetic yammerings about how we can maybe trade nothing even close to Dwight Howard’s worth for Dwight Howard.
I’m looking at you, DeMote.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 10:59 am
OK Jovan, I’m not sure if it’s only you, but I’ve seen the word gel used as a verb too many times on this blog now. Gel is a noun. It’s a gooey substance. Jell is a verb. Here are the definitions from google:
1. (of jelly or a similar substance) Set or become firmer
– the stew is jelling
2. (of a project or idea) Take a definite shape; begin to work well
– everything seemed to jell for the magazine
3. (of people) Relate well to one another
– it’s gratifying seeing everybody jelling
AH Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Actually, gel is both a noun and a verb. And if I’m not mistaken, gel is derived from jell (in that the origin of “gel” refers back to “jell”). Ambiguousness in the colloquial probably stem from products like Jell-O using the key ingredient gelatin.
Some references of gel and jell overlapping in definitions:
Merriam-Webster Online:
jell: Date 1869. intransitive verb. 1. to come to the consistency of jelly; congeal , set 2. to take shape and achieve distinctness; become cohesive. transitive verb. to cause to jell
gel: Date 1917. intransitive verb. 1. to change into or take on the form of a gel; set 2. JELL 2 (meaning, go look at the second definition of jell).
Oxford English Dictionary:
jell: Date 1830-1840. 1. intransitive verb. To become a jelly; to congeal or jelly. Also figuratively, to take definite or satisfactory shape; = CRYSTALLIZE. Compare to GEL 2. transitive verb. JELLIFY; Also figuratively, to give shape to; to make clear and definite. Hence participle jelled.
gel: Date 1917. intransitive verb. To become a gel; figuratively, JELL. Hence participle gelled.
Webster’s New World:
jell: No date. intransitive, transitive verb. 1. a) to become or cause to become jelly. b) to become or cause to become somewhat firm, as gelatin does; set. 2. [Informal] to take or cause to take definite form; crystallize. [plans that haven't jelled yet]
gel: No date. intransitive verb. 1. to form a gel; jellify. 2. [British] JELL 2.
Best as I can tell, in a SPORTS context, gel is used in the UK while jell is more appropriate stateside (like theatre v. theater). Maybe Jovan is just uppity?
JaySee Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Looks like a case of people spelling incorrectly so often, that they just added it to the dictionary. Anyways, in present time I’ve only seen gel used as a verb here on Clipperblog. I guess people in our time have gone back to the correct original spelling.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Jovan taking a pounding for both content AND grammar. WOW, this board has gotten tough.
FullyLoadedClips Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
You guys scared him away so there’s no recap of last night’s win against the Wiz! You think we can steal a win in Portlandia tonight? Without LaMarcus this is going to best chance for a while. I just hope the Clips don’t kick it around like they did last night. They won’t be as fortunate against the Blazers.
Oh and if you’d like to complain about my content, grammar, and the Clips win against the wiz, Click my name.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 11:45 am
Since there was no CBL last night to touch on this, I would just like to say that the play when Nick Young got an assist passing the ball to Jan Vesely at the end of a broken play drove me crazy.
It was a broken play where there was a brief scramble for the ball and Nick Young recovered it as the shot clock wound down. Every Clipper recovered to someone on defense EXCEPT for Blake. He watched Young get triple teamed at the top of the key while Vesely, standing on the left wing 3ft from Blake, dove to the basket and got an easy dunk from a reluctant passer. Blake had more than ample time to recover to Vesely and complete the turnover (be it clock violation, bad shot or steal).
I love Blake but those types of mental lapses by him are infuriating.
AH Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
It happened at 5:07 of 3Q when the score was 60-60 if anyone can find the footage. Blake totally gave up on defense that play.
Not bashing, just don’t want him to give up on defensive plays.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Unfoturnately, those are the plays that young players make. Especially ones that are offense minded.
Blake’s defense has improved a lot but if he really wanted to turn up the juice (and was able to do so without fouling) this team would be special.
The only weaknesses left would be size at the 2 and the color commentator.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
The last thing the Clippers needed was head-case JR Smith. The main thing they do need is a center who will not get torched by every other legitimate sized center in the league.
Even the lowly Wizard center was 7-10 for 18 points against Jordan last night.
ClipsFan4Life Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
omg!! would you shut the hell up with this already!
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 2:02 pm
Although I don’t agree that DeAndre is necessarily the source (any more) of opposing gumps putting up big numbers all the time. I do agree with DeMote that there IS a disturbing trend of non-quality big man after non-quality big man scoring big against us on HIGH percentage dunks and bunnys.
It seems to me if we had a real defensive coach this would have been addressed by now. I don’t know any defensive strategy at the NBA level where Ian Mahinmi, Brendan Haywood, Tyson Chandler, Timo Mozgov etc. going 8 – 11 with 22pts constantly is acceptable.
AH Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Matty, are you sure these points are coming off of one-on-one coverage against DeAndre? Often, I see these “anonymous” bigs get easy buckets when Jordan is on the bench. Additionally, I see them getting a lot of points off of guard penetration where DJ has to rotate over to the guard and no one rotates to his man thus freeing the opposing big for an easy dunk or put back.
Maybe I need to rewatch some of these games but I don’t see DJ getting burned one-on-one often. In fact, DJ is traditionally put on the opposing teams best big so, if anything, you expect him to have a harder time defensively one-on-one.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
That’s my point. It’s not necessarily DeAndre giving this stuff up. but it is still disturbing.
Tim Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
The big numbers by these opposing centers are not resulting in wins for these other teams. I’d rather have no points from Deandre and take what DJ gives us, than 19pts and 9 rebounds from a Kaman type, and the loss to go with it. Kaman-type numbers vs DJ is not beating the Clippers, so who cares?
Clips4 Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Dribble penetration against opposing wing players has been our biggest problem that causes DJ to come off his man to try to block the shot. When that happens, the slasher knows DJ is coming and dishes it off to the big DJ was guarding. That is how most opposing bigs are torching DJ. The centers with a post game that can take DJ in one-on-one isolation situations are Bynum, D12 (to a certain extent), Kaman, and Bogut. Otherwise most other centers can’t really take DJ one on one.
dont feed the trolls Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
see the name.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Maybe Foye can step up his game, he’s 28, in the prime of his life. He was a former lottery pick 7th overall out of Villanova. At 6’4, that’s long enough to play the 2. The man has talent, lets hope that he finally takes this opportunity to live up to the Lottery Pick status this year. I just don’t see anyone out there sitting at home, or on another roster that another team is going to part with, that can come in and help this year. Lets work with what we got, and if the true pedigree of Foye comes out, then we already have enough right now on this roster. Maybe Foye has something left in the tank that we haven’t seen yet. Consistent minutes, not looking over his shoulder, not dealing with the trade deadline, and not hearing rumors that the Clippers are interested in so and so, might allow Foye to settle into a groove, problem solved. Meanwhile, lets handle some business tonight, and go 10 games above .500 with this roster we got, that has so many weaknesses.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
I agree with the gist of this. Defensively, Randy needs to clamp down. Offensively, I don’t like when Randy becomes a 3pt shooter only. I think he has some quicks and some bulk and is cagy enough to get to the rim…… esp against certain teams and certain defenses. ….. he is NOT good enough as a long ball shooter to play bad D and also not do much other than chuck.
I like his grit, he’ll take and at times make a big shot. But I agree with Tim that with Randy’s talent he is capable of more than the backup guard level he currently (meaning since becoming a Clipper) plays at.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Also, I’d like to see a 2pt game from Randy. He doesn’t always have to shoot 3′s. That’s what I like about Caron. He is capable of getting hot from both 2 and 3.
I understand Foye i not the size of Caron. But still, some floaters in the lane and a consistant 18 footer would do him wonders.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Last year we started out 5-21, this year after 26 games we were 17-9. Since then we added another win vs the Wizards and look to go 10 games above .500 tonight for the 1st time for as long as I can remember, and as we look back we can think of 4 games that were absolutely winnable that we lost vs Lakers, T-wolves, Cavs and Dallas. In a perfect world, after 26 games our record could have potentially been 21-5, vs the 5-21 from the year before. Our points allowed per game is down to 95.6, and our rebounds per game is up to 42.1 which ranks 18th for pts, and 16th for rebounds. All of our numbers are trending nicely, we are winning games we’re suppose to win, even without a lockdown wing, or added fire-power (JR) from the wing position.
Metal Matty Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
When the season started the talk was that it would take time to Jell. But you know how it is. This is a “what have you done for me lately” world. Nitpicking every weakness even now with this very solid record is natural. But I think shinning through all that Clipper fans are VERY happy and like their team.
NO DOUBT some cleanup on the defensive end, especially regarding the Wing would be nice. But landing Evans and Martin up front is looking AWEFULLY good. I was one that panned landing Martin. I let my personal feelings get the best of me and now I have to SHUT UP. Because the guy is balling and appears to be a GREAT fit.
No team in this league is invincible so having some weaknesses is not the end of the world. We just need to keep working hard and improving. We clearly have the core pieces to make serious noise for several years if we play our cards right.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Yes, the big numbers the second and third tier opposing centers (to say nothing of top tier ones) are putting up on the Clippers are coming against DeAndre Jordan. The highest percentage of them are in the first quarter, many in the first few minutes of the game when the opposing team targets the Clippers main weakness and purposefully sets out to torch DeAndre Jordan. And they succeed, probably beyond their wildest dreams. Night after night.
That’s why Jordan then gets pulled, and it’s why he’s finally been effectively demoted to where he’s now playing only 20 minutes a game and is no longer allowed to play the end of the game when it’s on the line.
The amount of self deception that goes on here about how Jordan actually plays seems to increase the more the obviousness of his inablity to play increases.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Responding to . . .
“I’d rather have no points from Deandre and take what DJ gives us”
And just what is it you are deluding yourself into thinking “DJ gives us”?
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Over on HoopsHype they are saying Miami is doing everything it can to get Kaman, but they don’t have the trade pieces to get him in a trade. Rather, they think that Kaman will be bought out after the March 15 trading deadline and then Miami can sign him. Of course if he’s bought out after March 15, almost all of the teams in the league could sign him, including Dallas or Oklahoma City or San Antonio. The only team that couldn’t sign him is the team that has the NBA’s most torched center in the starting lineup, since they have to wait a year because of the trade.
Speaking of rnot being able to trade a player for a year . . .
To make it clear to anybody who missed it, the rumor that the Clippers couldn’t trade DeAndre Jordan for a year from matching his contract without his permission was 100% false. They can trade Jordan starting March 12, and they do not need his permission to so.
That 100% false rumor shares a lot of ground with the other false rumor that the big numbers the opposing centers are putting up on the Clippers is not happening against Jordan.
Clips4 Reply:
February 16th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
DeMote, why would Kaman want to go back to the Clippers knowing that to pull off the CP3 trade and his expiring contract was a huge asset and how the Clippers no longer wanted him nor needed him? You’ve made it known that you want Kaman back on the team but that will not happen.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
How about a 10 day for Al Thornton ?
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
we need Livingston, and/or Phil Jackson
Posted on February 16th, 2012 at 11:14 pm
….and like i so boldy predicted over a week ago, no JR Smith in Lob City. So much wasted space on this blog dedicated to bringing in JR! He wasn’t signing w/ the Clippers for the vet min, that’s why spending the mini mid level on Martin pretty much killed any chance of JR joining LA. With the emergence of Jeremy Lin, the Knicks quickly became the best fit for JR, as he can really grow his “brand” as a player known in China now playing on the same team as the Asia’s newest crush. I can’t remember the last time a coach as terrible as VDN won a title, so it’s not like the Clippers had “title contender” written all over them. Plus JR likes competing, but he doesn’t seem to care too much about winning chips. He has nothing to prove really, and now he’ll be on the most heavily televised team across the world. Clippers have a nice record atm, but schedule gets a bit more difficult here on it. Interesting times to be an NBA fan…
Posted on February 17th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
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