ClipperBlog Live: Goodbye, Neil Olshey

137

04 Jun 2012

by Andrew Han

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http://www.barmapla.com FD

From the last thread, the Clipper fans need to face the reality that CP3 will leave if Olshey can’t put together a Championship team this year. There is no reason for him to sign an extension otherwise. Clippers need a center and a shooting guard.
- Tim
  
  Primetime players chase titles in towns like Chicago, LA, Miami and New York, not Cleveland, Orlando, Denver and New Orleans, which is why CP is here. Players build on what they got, once they get to one of the top markets, which is why Kobe is here, why Shaq left Orlando for here, and went from here to Miami, why Lebron left Cleveland for Miami., which is why Melo left Denver to go to NY. Chris Paul will not leave to go somewhere else to try to build a team for a title, he’ll stay here, and hope that they build a title contender around him, and if they don’t? He’s still in LA, so be it. Its LA baby! But we do need a shooting guard, i like Young, and a center, why not the best center, Howard! Then add Lebron in a couple of years, and keep winning championships. Its LA baby!
  - http://www.barmapla.com FD
    
    Yeah, I agree the Clippers have the potential, but they have to make the right moves. If CP3 doesn’t have faith in Olshey and Sterling, he’ll leave. I think Olshey is an average GM and should be able to get the players CP3 needs.
OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!

i dont know if its cuz CP3 is here but before he came to LA i never saw his commercials on TV and hes been with the Jordan brand since he was in NO. Now i see his commercials all the time specially on national televised games. Why would he want to leave. Clippers have a good team just need a few more pieces and a better coach. They got to the second round with a basically new team, no training camp, No real playoff experience except for a couple of guys that been there. i think Kmart is the only one thats been to the finals. Clips made it to the second round with Chauncey out and other injuries to players. CP3 has it good here and with Olshey coming back im sure he feels like he can trust Olshey to make the correct basketball moves to get this team to the next level.
- Clips4
  
  Chauncey had been to the finals and won a ring and was a former finals MVP.
  - http://www.barmapla.com FD
    
    Chauncey is a free agent, so is KMart and Reggie Evans. We’ll see if Olshey makes the right moves.
    
    If CP3 becomes a free agent next year and signs with the Lakers, I think he’d have better odds of getting a ring that on the Clippers (Depending on who Olshey can get).
    - Kyle
      
      Lakers can’t sign Paul as a FA. It would have to be a sign and trade. All their money is tied up in Kobe, Gasol and Bynum.
      
      Lakers are a mess right now. Kobe is set to make 30 million in 2013-14
      
      With the new CBA Clippers would be able to offer Chris the most years and $
      - http://www.barmapla.com FD
        
        Couldn’t the Lakers Amnesty Pau?
        
        http://www.clipperblog.com Andrew Han
        
        Even if the Lakers amnestied Gasol, Kobe+Bynum+MWP+Blake+McRoberts would put LAL at ~$58 million, which would be the salary cap ceiling. Even if they amnestied Kobe, LAL would be at ~$50 million and they’d only have ~$8 million in cap space.
        
        The Lakers have virtually no way of signing a Free Agent max salary type player. Best they could hope for is to trade Gasol or Bynum for one (they are the only players of value with salaries that can match).
        
        In this regard, Apostolos (commenting below) is correct. Forget about market, there are very few teams that have the requisite cap space, title potential and need for a star PG to lure Chris Paul. A lot can change over the offseason and next season, but as of today, the Clippers are the best match by far for Paul.
      - Kyle
        
        That’s not happening. Artest maybe
    - Timmythetooth
      
      Thank you Han for saying what everyone else has been saying. Maybe it will finally click into the uninformed Clippers fans that CP3 doesn’t have many options or suitors with the cap space or fit to go after him. It’s tiring reading how the Lakers for example are going to sign him. Kobe makes about the same as Wade and James… COMBINED! Come on people read an article or wikki for a 5 mins before you make bad comments. Can someone write an article about the LACK of options out there for CP3? You think he wanted a trade to a big market for a reason? Why would he ask that a year before his contract runs out and he can test the market? He knew the market and the lack of suitors and the amount he would leave on the table by leaving via free agency.
  - OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!
    
    @ Clips4 – Yeah i know but i meant players on the court. Yes he was on the bench coaching but not having him on the court really hurt. Butler was injured when he won a ring and Mo Williams wasnt with cleaveland when they made it to the finals.
    
    @ FD – Yeah Olshey is average but for being average i think he did a great job with the moves he made.. hopefully he keeps it up. But im sure the Olshey re-signing is a big plus in CP3′s eyes.
Lou

FD what don’t you leave this blog.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  My main points have been to get rid of Dunleavy and agreeing with Demote that the Clippers shouldn’t sign him. I think I’ve been correct on both counts.
  
  I’m hoping Olshey can get the right pieces to keep CP3 this offseason, we’ll have to wait and see.
GMB

i remember when Doc Rivers was considered a poor x’s and o’s guy as the Orlando Magic head coach, and the moaning and groaning of Celtics fans when he was hired – and for years after that (i.e. when Simmons was asked if he would eat a poop hot dog for a shot at Oden or Durant in the 2007 draft: SG: I’m already eating a poop hot dog — it’s called “the Doc Rivers extension.”) Any chance Vinny with good x’s and o’s assistants could actually work out? Players seem to like him.
- Clips4
  
  it helped that Doc Rivers had Tom Thibideau to help the Celtics become the most suffocating defensive team in the NBA since the 2004 Pistons. VDN does not have guys who could manage the X’s and O’s side of the offense nor manage a solid defensive scheme. The “Black Hold” defense only works against teams that can’t shoot from the perimeter. Marc Iavaroni came up from the Phoenix Suns with Mike D’Antoni which was why their offense was predicated so much on the pick and roll but because CP3 isn’t like Steve Nash in that he is more methodical to break down defenses in the half court instead of running and gunning and pushing tempo, the offense needs to be diversified. If I was VDN, I would take a look at how Monty Williams and Byron Scott coached CP3 in New Orleans and some of the sets they run. He should also look at the sets Jerry Sloan ran in Utah with his flex offense. Implementing a little of the Princeton offense or a UCLA back cut to promote off-ball movement instead of so many isolation situations when plays break down and you have CP3 or Blake holding the ball while everyone else is ball watching or if Caron has the ball in his hands late in the shot clock and takes a contested long 2-pointer. He needs to borrow the offenses from other coaches in the league and figure out how to better utilize his talent so he’s not getting bailed out by CP3 every time there’s a close game.
OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!

Olshey’s first basketball related move should be to get Griffin and Jordan to work with Olajuwon this offseason. Griffin is amazing and no doubt he will be one of the great power forwards to play the game. with his work ethic and Olajuwon’s teaching him he will be unstoppable.. As for Jordan… SMH the boy needs a lot of work
http://clipperblog Apostolos

Olshey has been huge for this franchise for those of you that still like to say Chris Paul is going to leave.I ask what team has a better future and potential on their roster for improvement then the Clippers?(DJ,Blake,Bledsoe,N.Young even have only scratched the surface of how good they’ll become).

I’ve contemplated this and trust me there’s no other team that’s a contender with this much young talent and another superstar(Blake)who’s willing to be #2 on his team.He’s not going anywhere give it up Laker fans(which is usually who starts those rumors anyways)
- Tim
  
  Exactly, look at the Laker trolls over here trying to wish rumors into reality, knowing they are stuck with Bynum, Pau, and Kobe, a formula that is known to fail year in and year out, and the best Kupchek could muster was a move to get Sessions, and the way Fisher has been playing as of late, you really really have to question that move as well. The Lakers are a mess, and Artest with the elbow is just the tip of the iceberg. By the time the Lakers get out of training camp later this year, if that team is remotely close to how its currently constructed? I’m not sure if World Peace is going to go Sprewell on coach Brown or what. I’m still waiting for Bynum to the “its my team now” press conference, we all know thats coming soon. Kobe throwing all his teammates under the bus, and Pau, smiling “this is great, I’m still a Lakers, its all good” The Lakers, what a collossel mess. Olshey will make some adjustments, and the Clippers are going to take the Pacific in 2012-13, and Vinny will be standing watch behind yet another franchise first. Just don’t come home without that Division Crown Vinny, no excuses!
- Clips4
  
  CP3′s desire to stay is predicated on how quickly Blake and DJ can improve their own individual games. Bledsoe is showing development which is great getting mentored by CP3. The coaching situation is also huge too. CP3 is in win-now mode and can’t sit and wait forever.
  - Tim
    
    Like I said over the weekend, and its a very unpopular stance. But Howard + Thompkins is > than Blake and DJ. Howard and Paul is > than Blake and Paul. This is L.A., Olshey has given the Clippers our just due, because this is the town where the big-fish swim. We know Bynum is a head-case. We know Howard is thirsty for rings. Howard for Bynum trade is not an even trade. Howard will come here and ball-out! The Clips need to make this move, all due respect to Blake and we all love him, but the Clips need to swim in the deep end, and going to get Howard is deep! As you stated, we’re in win now mode, and CP3 can’t wait forever for DJ to acquire skills. Diaw has no business dominating the Clippers from line, but it happened. I guaranteed you, you run Duncan and Diaw at Howard, and it will be a different story.
The Kandi-Man can

The bottom line is this, if we give Blake and CP3 no reason to leave, they will re-up and all will be right. We will see if Blake re-ups this summer or chooses to wait until next season to do so. If the latter, he obviously isn’t convinced yet. If we continue on w/ the upward trajectory we are on on the court, there is no reason for either of them to willingly take one less year and 20% less money to go elsewhere. But make no bones about it, there will be plenty of teams with max cap space ( Lakers or not ) next year lined up, if both CP and Blake want to bail.
DeMote DeAndre

The only chance the Clippers have of keeping Chris Paul is to get rid of that horrendous, listless, lumbering, board hands, board feet $42.5 million disaster that Olshey is trying to trick Cli[pper fans into thinking is a center.

The Clippers probably won’t be able to get rid of him, mainly because he showed the rest of the league in the playoffs what he really is and I don’t see how any competent GM would want him. Still, there is some hope, because not all GMs are competent.

But another big problem is that the Clipper’s new GM is himself one of the most clueless and inept in the business. He’s self deluded himself so bad that Deandre the Delusion is some great prize he roped, that he won’t trade him. He’ll just continue his pipedream of self delusion, and Jordan will stay out on the court, lumbering listlessly around, unable to score unless he’s a few inches from the rim and unable to defend any of the NBA’s other legitimate centers.

It’s a real tragedy.
DeMote DeAndre

The number one question the Olshey Puppets should answer when discussing Olshey is this: How can anybody who doesn’t thing Jordan is terrible and who signs him to a 4 year $42.5 million cap eating contract that will strangle the Clippers’ future, be considered anything other than an inept and clueless GM?

The number two question is this: How can Olshey be given any credit for bringing Chris Paul to the Clippers when Paul demanded a trade to New York or LA and the only one of the four teams who could make a trade for him was the Clippers?

The number three question is this: Is Caron Butler worth his 3 year $24 million contract, which together with the disastrous Jordan contract wastes all of the extra cap space the Clippers had?

The number 4 question is this: How can a person who got cut from his high school team and only played intramural baskeball, and who never coached except as a high school asssistant for one year where he mainly was the PR guy for Jason Kapono, and who never had any NBA experience at all except as Dunleavy’s secretary, and he had no executive experience at all anywhere, and who was a second rate soap opera actor (all of that taken together is really mindboggling) ever get the experience, expertise, knowledge, wisdom, judgement and insight to be a good NBA GM?

The answer to that is simply, he can’t. Obviously. And that is why he does such clueless and inept moves like signing DeAndre Jordan to a $42.5 million 4 year cap space destroying contract.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  You can be an MIT math nerd and be a good GM like the Rockets GM Morley. Other points are valid
DeMote DeAndre

The Clippers’ delusional pipedream hall of fame :
Baron Davis
DeAndre Jordan
Neal Olshey
http://www.barmapla.com FD

Clippers Current roster:
CP3
DeAndre
Mo Wiliams
Caron Butler
Blake Griffin
Gomes
Bledsoe

That $57.7 mil, the salary cap is $58 mil? So the Clippers can’t really make a good offer to a free agent unless the amnesty Mo Williams? Can the Clippers offer any more than the minimum to a free agent? There is a lot of work to do.
- The Blakers
  
  mo williams isn’t with the team, but he has a player option
  - Tim
    
    Mo Will says he is exercising his option to stay with the Clippers for 8.5 million.
    - http://www.barmapla.com FD
      
      Yeah, I included mo cus even if Sterling is watching him in the shower, there’s no way he’s turning down 8.5 mil.
      - Bongstradamus
        
        Thats fine. That makes him even more tradable. And high enough to get a good player(s) in return.
Andrew

Game over!

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/clippers-olshey-agree-to-part-ways-120604.html
Cody

Olshey is going to portland DTS cheaped out again
My Name Is Juan

what the fuck jus happen?
http://www.barmapla.com FD

Andy Roeser was doing a lot of the GM work along with Olshey. I doubt this changes much unless the Clippers hire a really good GM. Roeser will probably be the GM.
Bongstradamus

So much for a Clipper dynasty.
http://HitFix.com Jgroove

What the hell happened????
The Blakers

preparing to terminate Donald T. Sterling
Jgroove

Is it possible Oshey used the Clippers to get a better deal with Portland? Is that being too optimistic in this scenario?
- Juan
  
  Yes and is anyone really that surprised?
joeluis323

Oh me oh my!… No Olshey… as in our new GM’s name is VDN?!! WTF!!! This is not cool!.

Im about to go hit the Boxing Gym and this is the type or motivation i needed !!!! Seriously this sux!!!
DeMote DeAndre

Great news!

Clippers dodged a bullet on that one. Now if Olshey will only take DeAndre Jordan with him.

Phil Jackson would be a good choice for GM. He was considering going to Orlando as GM but last week withdrew his name for “another opportunity” (whatever that means). So at least he’s thinking about being a GM somewhere.

Jackson likes to move into strong situations, and the Clippers could be one of those for him. He could still live in LA and hang out with his girl friend, and he also could then get into some interesting competition with his girl friend’s brother who was always dogging him. Jackson might really like the whole set-up.

Jackson is the kind of front office person the Clippers need to attract Dwight Howard.
- The Blakers
  
  FU** U DEMOTE IVE HAD ENUFF OF UR BU**SH**. STERLING SCREWED THE ENTIRE TEAM IN A MATTER OF 1 WEEK, AND I DONT WANT TO HEAR UR RETARTED VOICE
  - http://barmapla.com FD
    
    Olshey left a bad situation. He played all his cards for this last year. No cap space/draft picks and plenty of holes to fill
    - Bongstradamus
      
      That would be considered a good position. Not a ton of guys under contract long term, 2 superstars to build around, a coach who had an option that was supposed to be denied to hire a real coach, and the amnesty still available.
      
      Its a better position than you might see. All key players are locked up for next season and you still have some assets that can be moved as expiring contracts or key rotation players. Things didn’t work out, like re-upping the coach before the GM and then losing the GM, but honestly the core was stable and you still have room to add some other pieces.
      
      We’re screwed now though. Thank His Cheapness for that.
- Chandler
  
  Hey demote, is there anything about the clippers you do like? I feel that once we hire Phil Jackson you’ll get a case of GM buyers remorse. Every team makes mistakes or has made moves that look like mistakes. It’s interesting how your negativity outshines your overwhelming optimism that we can land Phil Jackson as a GM. It’s weird, it kinda confuses me.
http://www.ross-limo.com/ Ross

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I’m surprised. Really? Let Olshey go after he delivers the biggest superstar the franchise has ever had?

WOW.
Justin Clark

I’m listening to the conversation about where Olshey is in the rank of GMs. My disappointment is we’re losing stability. When you look at the best organizations (and GMs) in the NBA, you look at Spurs (R.C. Buford), Thunder (Sam Presti), Celtics (Danny Ainge), and Pacers (Larry Bird). These teams have stability. They’re led by executive teams that have a vision and plan. Neil Olshey had a plan. You could see the team had a long-term vision under Olshey.

The point was made that playing in Los Angeles is the best financial decision for Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. While that’s true, losing Olshey jeopardizes all of that. When any company loses a respected executive, there is an exodus of talent. Perhaps that talent is folks in the front office that want to work with Olshey, but I bet that we lose Paul and possible Griffin because of this.
- Clips4
  
  Add Mitch Kupchak to the list of GM’s in a stable organization with the Lakers, Donnie Nelson with the Mavs, Daryl Morey with the Rockets, Joe Dumars with the Pistons, John Paxson with the Bulls, and Kevin O’ Connor of the Jazz to the list of stability of GM’s even though with Dumars, the Pistons have sucked the past 4 years and they went through a change in ownership. Everything points back to how crappy an organization the Clippers are as long as DTS owns the team. DTS should have extended Olshey immediately after the Clips got swept by the Spurs and should have been proactive in pursuing him instead of standing pat waiting for another team to make a move and when we know that Olshey did not want VDN, only to have VDN get his option picked up and having that situation resolved first when VDN isn’t even the most important guy on the totem pole, that speaks volumes as to how crappy of an organization the Clippers is that they don’t take care of guys who are loyal employees (especially when Olshey worked without a contract and got his paycheck on a monthly basis) and do good work to warrant loyalty back from the organization.
tom

Guys, guys, guys. CP3 fell into the Clippers lap. Olshey didn’t pull any amazing moves. AND this is the genius that stuck us with the biggest 50 million dollar stiff since…Kaman. Who I’d trade for Jordon in a heart beat. It’ll all be ok.
- Clips4
  
  Olshey drafted Aminu and Bledsoe and helped stockpile assets that made the CP3 trade possible. You can’t say Olshey was not the architect of this team.
  - Josh
    
    Yeah he was the one who got that draft pick from Minny, he got us Sammy, he got us Blake..oh wait no that was MDSr
    - Bongstradamus
      
      MdSr’s losing got us Blake. It wasn’t like Dunleavy searched the lands and mountains to find our champion. We sucked ass and lucked out on the #1 pick in a no brainer draft.
      
      Dun in his infinite brilliance wanted to play Blake at the 3, remember?
- Bongstradamus
  
  Dude, this isn’t NBA2k, you don’t just go to some window option and pull off a trade. It takes calls upon calls, agents, lawyers, NBA approvals, physicals, obscure rules on what can and can’t be traded pick wise on top of all the variables regarding the actual player you are trading for and their long term intentions.
  
  Trades are not easy in real life. Don’t think for a second this “fell into his lap” because it took persistence to keep the conversation alive and a whole ton of balls to actually offer enough (but not too much) to get it to pass ownership approval in both franchises.
  
  In other words its no easy feat and given our franchises record of acquiring superstar talent through trade, close to a miracle. The only other superstar we’ve netted through trade was when Elgin Baylor got Elton Brand for Tyson Chandler after he went #2 on draft day.
tom

I meant I’d trade JORDAN for KAMAN. Sorry.
Closstastic!

Demote has finally outed himself as a laker fan. At least we have one positive from this event.

If VDN can’t manage timeouts in a playoff game, how is he going to piece together a team with some very glaring holes, and zero cap space? He won’t.

Roeser’s lucky Griffin jacket is about the best candidate for GM right now, and right in line with Sterling’s budget.

It’s a good thing we have a bunch of draft picks to rebuild with. Oops.
Juan

Look everyone knew this was coming about the second day after the season was over. Before Olshey, who was the last Clipper GM to even be nominated for Exec of the Year?? So what does DTS do…sign VDN before Neil….how would you feel??

He really didn’t do much to earn a contract I guess. The guy worked basically for free for almost a year and managed to actually get rid of Baron Davis then for good measure in about a weeks time got CP in a trade, matched Golden States offer to DJ (if they didn’t who was gonna be their starting center again? also showing Blake a sign of good faith), signed Caron for less than he could have got elsewhere, and then was ballsy enought to pick up Chauncey after he explicitly told teams not to.

Hmmm…so DTS figured he could get the guy to work for peanuts if not free and instead extending the contract for a coach who’s OK, but there are quite a few guys out in the market now. Imagine J Sloan as coach…a guy who coached a floor general in Stockton (CP) who ran an unstoppable pick and roll with Malone (Blake). This is gonna be a slow summer on the Clipper roster front I fear.
The Blakers

nothing like listening to the band America (a horse with no name, lonely people, and ventura highway) to pick me up from this news
Juan

We’ll soon hear the players all come out and say that it’s a business and it happens, but when you are basically sold on something (and this sell was a doozy) by someone and they then jump ship, what would you think/feel? This move more than any roster move lends more credence to the instability that is the Clippers org….I mean ownership.
DeMote DeAndre

Trading Chris Paul to the Clippers was the besty thing that has ever happened to New Orleans. They ended up with the #1 and #10 pick in a great draft. The #10 pick will likely be as good if not better than the #1 pick last year. Then they also got Eric Gordon who they can resign if they want to and Aminu. Then they have good cap space because of Kaman’s expiring salary, It’s a super foundation for them to build from.

Needless to say, adding in the Minnesota pick clearly is what made it such a way too-good-of-a-deal for them. New Orleans fans will be very happy for a long time that Olshey so badly overpaid for Paul in that deal.
- Bongstradamus
  
  Aminu sucked and EJ was injured all last season.
  
  CP3 carried us to the playoffs.
  
  Where would we be without the trade? #10 pick, hoping for next season?
  
  I’ll take the trip to the playoffs.
  - J
    
    Does anyone know if Demote Deandre is actually DTS in disguise? He just seems to need the spotlight on him all the time.
Clips4

Wow…. DTS messed up bad…. Good bye CP3 in a year. This sucks. I hope Roeser can convince DTS to hire a GM and go after Kevin Pritchard in Indiana. I hate to say this, but same ol’ Clippers. We got screwed bad…
http://thesubversivebirds.com/ Renato S.

WOW.

I mean… WOW…

This is Sterling fucking things up and the Clippers going back to being Clippers.

I bet that Sterling didn’t want to pay and contrary to Olshey’s advice, he gave VDN the 3rd year option.

One thing is sure, Olshey is the one who put this team together, CP3 won’t stay another season without a GM as good as Olshey was, if I was Blake, neither he should.
- Clips4
  
  The likely thing that will happen is Sterling will promote VDN to GM status so he doesn’t have to pay him to do more work.
- tom
  
  OLSHEY was a failed ACTOR a few years ago. If it wasn’t for STERLING we wouldn’t have CP3, so lets not lose perspective. JORDAN, GOMES, AMINU are all less than stellar. Even BLAKE came as a fluke of nature. Who are we really losing here?
  - tom
    
    STERN I mean.
http://barmapla.com FD

I think Olshey and Roser worked as a team for many of the transactions. I’d also guess that Olshey wants out because the Clippers have no cap space and many sports to fill.

The Clippers are at 57.7 mil, so they can’t sign anyone good. The only thing they can do is re-sign their free agents. Their only option is to trade DeAndre and Butler for Dwight howard , but no way orlando does that. This year’s current team won’t win a title next year, and CP3 will be gone mid-season if the Clippers can’t get anyone new.
MV22

I’m blown away. I was just telling everyone I know that by signing Olshey, the Clippers changed the culture, added stability and continuity, etc. Now it can all fall apart if they don’t sign a major established basketball mind to the job and quickly. A leopard doesn’t change it’s spots. Man, what a disappointment.
JerrySloan

I’m interested, Donald. Call me.
phil

Chris Haynes ‏@ChrisBHaynes

#Clippers were willing to match #Blazers offer, Neil Olshey still exits & signs 3-yr deal w/ team option on 4th yr.

http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingblazers?Clippers-were-willing-to-match-Blazers-o=1&blockID=719474&feedID=5212
- The Blakers
  
  i don’t exactly know if this is true because it doesn’t back up with a lot of facts, but it wouldn’t surprise me. i would be hurt enough to snub the team too if i did all that work, got no extension, and they waited till there was another offer to even offer me something. he might have felt portland was safer, and also, he wasn’t big on Vinny, and he probably felt disrespected when they rehired him. there were a lot of factors that could have caused him to do this
  - phil
    
    well he’s a beat writer for the trail blazers.
    
    besides that, i’d rather believe a journalist’s opinion than board members (no offense) and speculation.
    
    i don’t understand the whole vinny thing. no one is going to make a long term decision based on someone who might only be there for 1 more year. him operating this whole time being underpaid and without a contract is the likely reason why he chose Portland.
    
    also if the clippers do indeed hire another GM that would just further validate it.
OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!

Damn… WTF!!!!!! I guess somethings will never change.. Thanks for teasing us Stearling you cheap piece of shit mother fucker. But i blame myself for actually thinking the Clippers have changed. I heard about this on the radio this morning and it felt like someone sucker punched me. OH NO WE SUCK AGAIN!!!!!!
Lasko

If the Heats lose they might trade Lebron, trade him for CP3, they need a PF in Miami and we need LeBron here.
- Bongstradamus
  
  It doesn’t make any sense for them to move LeBron. Wade and Bosh, yes, but LeBron, no.
  
  He’s still the best all around player in the game and is only 27. Wades over 30 and Bosh isn’t the guy who carries the team.
http://barmapla.com FD

Yep, that article above shows that Olshey wanted to leave. You have to wonder why someone would want to leave Los Angeles for Portland? I’m sure it’s a lot easier to convince players to come to a large market like LA vs Portland. Maybe it’s because there’s no cap room and no draft picks to trade with.

Leaving now, everyone is going to say what a great job he did to turn around the Clippers. If he stays, he’s gonna get blamed for CP3 leaving and the Clippers becoming a lottery team. If he truly thinks he could win a title with the Clippers next year, he would have stayed. If the money is the same, why leave? DTS has shown he’s willing to spend money now. Only problem is he spent it on DeAndre Jordan and Butler
- Bongstradamus
  
  Maybe because after all the hard work you did, where for half the season you don’t even have a formal title, you still didn’t have a guaranteed job and were still working as some goddamned temp on a month to month deal and then the guy that runs his business into the ground like its a religion screws you some more by extending the coach you didn’t want without giving you a new deal. Then waits for another team to offer you a job, only to match the lowest possible price to retain your services.
  
  Does that sound an organization that values you as an employee?
  - http://www.barmapla.com FD
    
    Looking at the Clippers current roster and cap space, odds are pretty good CP3 is going to leave. Why would he want to stick around for the decline. The Clippers cashed in all their chips this past season.
    - Bongstradamus
      
      I don’t see problems with the current roster and cap space. DJ and Caron are the only long term deals on the books. Mo is expiring after the season and the rest of the scrubs are also out of here.
      
      Assuming we extend Blake and CP3, those salaries don’t kick in until next season giving us plenty of time and cap space to make changes. If we end up with a real GM, thats plenty to work with.
      
      I wouldn’t want to stay with this instability, which is the greater worry, but as they talked about on the Clipperblog Live, the agencies love CP3 and Blake in a big market like LA. The team can afford maxing both of them. So from a money, location, opportunity standpoint we’re still a great team for a superstar. From an organizational standpoint, we’re a nightmare.
Isaac

I got a feeling Chris Paul is going to end up back in New Orleans with EJ and Anthony Davis.
Lasko

Who is going to say that Oshley who did not know anything about BB prior to be hired by DS has become a remarkable GM, this means the organization is not so bad after all. The same could happen with VDN.
- Bongstradamus
  
  He had experience in BB before being hired. You didn’t read the profile Kevin wrote on ESPN did you?
extra

good 4 olshey but all the clippers need 2 do is focus on getting better wing players athletic ball handlers and good shooters ultra quick strong players like bledsoe
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  Too bad they have no cap space to do it. And I think they need a little more than wing players. KMart and Reggie Evans will probably go somewhere else. That leaves DeAndre Jordan as the only center.
Lou

FD = Demote (the same person) = Negativism = Troll = Laker Fan = or hates DT with passion.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  Ok, what is the best case scenario for the Clippers roster next year?
  - Clips4
    
    The best case scenario is whoever takes over as GM whether it is Gary Sacks or if there is an outside hire (hopefully Kevin Pritchard or someone from the Spurs) that can continue the work that Olshey did and build a great relationship with CP3 and Blake and show that they have a plan moving forward that will build a championship roster. The new GM will have to try to creatively manage the salary cap while signing for and trading for the best available pieces to fill the glaring holes the roster has and hope the team can win despite VDN’s limitations or unless VDN miraculously somehow learns to be a competent NBA level coach at least like Mike Brown, then the Clippers can move forward with VDN as the coach. Otherwise, if the ne GM can lock up CP3 and Blake for the next 3 to 4 years, the next coach after VDN better be quality. Clippers fans deserve a good head coach to lead a championship quality team. DTS has already shown that he can take 2 steps forward in the right direction but then turn around and take 10 giant leaps backwards to somehow screw things up all in the name of being cheap and making money. He has zero foresight on how to make money and encourage the fans/consumers to continue investing their money and interest into the team while instead focusing on just making money.
    - http://www.barmapla.com FD
      
      So your solution is be very nice to CP3 and BG and they will stay? The Clippers need to fill roster spots and they are at the salary cap. The only people they have to trade is DeAndre, Caron Butler, and Gomes. CP3 isn’t going to stick with a team that’s “Building” a championship roster. He’s going to sign with a team that already has a roster to win a title. He probably has 3 more years left when he’ll be in his prime, he needs to win now.
      - Clips4
        
        The important thing is to have a plan moving forward. Building a relationship with CP3 and Blake requires them to buy into a plan and a vision to win a championship. CP3 came to this team seeing the potential that Blake and DJ had and he knows they are young and still developing. That is why this offseason will be extremely crucial to whether CP3 bolts or stays if Blake and DJ can improve their games and if VDN can be a decent coach. If Olshey were still here, the likelihood that CP3 bolts is not as high. The new GM needs to take up the mantle of the plan Olshey had and build that trust with the vision going forward. Plus, the teams with rosters that are a CP3 away from winning a title can’t sign him unless he takes a massive pay cut because they can’t afford him.
The Last Mohican

Ahhhh Twitter. To imagine – just a few years ago we never would have sat through a 53 minute semi-pro video podcast by pundits with absolutely no actual information other than what Kevin Arnovitz tweeted. Which we all had already.

Spare yourselves clipper gans, the gist of this video podcast :

“WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. LET’S TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS”

Great journalism clipperbros!
- D.J. Foster
  
  Everyone can’t break the news first. We’re more interested in providing analysis, which we did, just like countless other writers, radio hosts, and TV personalities did once the news was out.
  
  Our goal isn’t to get details out to everyone 45 seconds earlier than anyone else, like you mentioned. We’re here to provide Clipper-focused analysis and commentary.
  
  Thank you for taking the time to insult us, though. Great commenting, commenter bro!
  - The Last Mohican
    
    Analysis of what? There is no analysis here, it’s just rampant speculation. Until the facts are revealed, there is nothing to “analyze” except Arnovitzbro’s tweet.
    
    I think my comment features a bit more analysis than this video podcast – because you know, there is actually something to analyze.
    - The Last Mohican
      
      Also, just because “countless” other talking head bros are also providing vapid “analysis” doesn’t discount the point of my original comment – in fact it reinforces my critique of how saturated the world of sports journalism has actually become.
      
      “Our goal isn’t to get details out to everyone 45 seconds earlier than anyone else, like you mentioned. ”
      
      Uh, yea, I didn’t mention that. But WHATEVER! It’s your blog, you can cry if you want to.
      - http://www.clipperblog.com D.J. Foster
        
        We analyzed that Olshey was no longer the GM of the Clippers. We discussed what it meant for the present and future of the team, Olshey’s value as a GM compared to others around the league, whether the Clippers would hire a replacement — plenty of analysis there, in my opinion.
        
        I suppose we didn’t live up to your standards of having all the details before anyone else did. That’s fair.
        
        No hurt feelings here. We made something, you didn’t like it. That happens.
Pingback: Great Exercises in Internet NBA-Related Postings 6-5-12 | Hardwood Paroxysm
Tim

This is not doomsday people. Like I said before he left, if we lose him, we lose him. Gentlemen, shake yourselves off a little. Sure, I was happy like everyone else when Olshey said he was staying, but he didn’t, so be it. Not its time for someone else to step up. I understand Olshey was in the organization for 9 some odd years, time to find another insider. Olshey basically came out of nowhere to become a pretty decent GM. Who knows, maybe there is already someone else groomed for the position. Maybe Olshey is going to mole around in Portland for a few years, and funnel some players back to the Clips the way Jerry West has been doing since forever, for the Lakers. We really don’t know what all happened. But the Clips need to make an announcement soon, because in a couple of weeks the NBA draft is here, and then free agency and all that. Someone is going to have to make some tough decisions. Question, who is the Lieutenent GM, or the Jr. Vice President of Basketball Operations? Son? Time to step up, hope you did your homework, because we’re sending you in, are you ready? Fellas! We’re Clipper fans, time to hold on tight, and stop the crying, these things happen. Go Clippers!!!
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  How is it not doomsday? The Clippers cashed in all their chips last year. They did make a good run and sold a lot of tickets for Sterling though.
  - Timmythetooth
    
    FD just leave this site. No one care about you and your extreme negativity.
Tim

Put it this way, whoever the Clippers announce as GM will still be the best NBA GM in town, because we all know Kupcake down the hall is not a very good GM. Just check the Sessions trade, and Derek Fisher is still laughing, still making clutch shots, and the Lakers are still a much worse team this year, than last. No improvements, just weaker, and older. No worries Clipper fan, we got this!
- Clips4
  
  Tim, you cannot say Kupchak is not a good GM when he brought 2 titles to the Lakers the past decade and built a roster to get the Lakers to 3 straight NBA finals appearances. The Sessions trade was a good trade because he is clearly an upgrade at the point guard position over Fisher and Blake. Sessions no-showed in the playoffs because it was his first time playing in the playoffs in his career. Blake, DJ, Foye, and Young had varying degrees of effectiveness during the playoffs for guys who had never been before. Blake and DJ were inconsistent and Foye no-showed after finishing the year strong. The Lakers were also one game better this year because they did not get swept.
  
  As much as your passion for the Clippers is great to see, there is no way to sugarcoat this, but the fact is that DTS screwed up and he screwed up BAD. A leopard can’t change its spots. DTS can take 2 small steps forward to show good will to the fans that the team is headed in the right direction and then take 10 giant steps backwards that gives Clippers fans everywhere headaches because we are at the butt of the jokes again of being the “Same Old Clippers.” Dealing with VDN first and picking up his option before dealing with Olshey (the more important of the two) is ultimately what led to this and DTS taking 10 giant steps backwards.
  - Tim
    
    As a Steeler fan, I can say the Raiders did a fair amount of winning over the years, but we all know they had a very similar type owner in Al Davis who put loyalty ahead of everything, to a fault, just like DTS and Elgin Baylor. It seems just as DTS will stick with a guy to show loyalty, he will also let people walk who show disloyalty. Bottomline, you can’t completely piss off the person signing your paycheck, and expect to keep getting paid by that person, it doesn’t work that way, never has never will.
- Bongstradamus
  
  Sessions is working out great for the Lakers, they managed to trade old for young, which is always a win. They got him because they want him long term and frankly Fisher is 37 and is probably playing his last season.
  
  The Lakers lost one of their key rotation players in Odom, and the dark cloud of trade rumors was hanging around the team all season, mainly over Pau’s head.
  
  Throw in a new coach and completely new staff who tossed out everything the squad did like clockwork for the last decade, no practice time, a massive trade, and honestly the Lakers did way better than anyone expected them to do.
Tim

As much as we try, we really don’t understand all that goes on behind the closed doors. Olshey must have done something to get himself into a situation where his employer didn’t bother to protect his contract status, or maybe at the end of the day, he just didn’t do enough. Try this on for size, and fellas, this is true so pls don’t test these waters. There are some women in the world who, you can say anything in the world to during the course of your marriage, and no matter how are you argue and fight, its ok, its all good. However, but if you ever, even hint of the idea of divorce or even if that “D” word ever escapes you mouth, whether you meant it or not, they will not stop until they have divorced you, no matter what you do. It might take months or years, but eventually it’ll happen. Something just sort of changes somewhere deep inside that area between the ears and heart, and no matter what, you can never get that back. My guess is, Olshey may have struck a similar cord with DTS. Work with no contract? So what! Talk to Portland, who cares? Sign some where else? Go! Honestly, I think DTS stopped caring a long time ago, long before any of us could even remember what Olshey did wrong.
- Clips4
  
  Tim, pretend you’re in Olshey’s position. You do great work and you make a ton of money for your employer and you’re loyal to the point where you are willingly working without a contract on a month-to-month basis. At the end of the season when you are able to be signed to a long-term deal and be guaranteed money in a contract because the value of the work that you did exponentially exceeded what you were getting paid for and you subsequently don’t get what you earned, how would you feel? I can’t blame Olshey for feeling valued by Portland and jetting because we all want job security and knowing that the quality work we put in is valued by the employer. We want loyalty from our employer when we have been loyal to them and helped them be successful. Plus, remember that Olshey was worst paid GM in the league. Olshey did not do anything wrong because the Clippers were willing to extend him but the fact that it took so long and VDN, a person of lesser importance, had his option picked up and was dealt with first speaks volumes to how screwed up an organization the Clippers are and how crappy of an owner DTS is.
  - Tim
    
    All I can say is, there are 2 sides to the story, and you have the Olshey spin pretty well down, but there is another side, I’m sure.
    - Clips4
      
      What from DTS do we know about him other than his history of discrimination and not paying out the remainder of contracts from people fired? This can’t be spun anymore than the actual truth is. The truth is that DTS screwed up. If this was say Mark Cuban and the Mavs or Jerry Buss and the Lakers or Peter Holt and the Spurs, this kind of crap does not happen on a regular basis. There’s a reason why DTS is the worst owner in all of professional sports and he does have any periods of extended goodwill to show that he has changed.
      - Clips4
        
        Edit: DTS does NOT have an periods of extended goodwill to show that he has changed.
      - Tim
        
        From DTS standpoint. Its late August, early September 2011, I just stayed up all night drawing up a contract for one of my most loyal employees, Neil Olshey, I turn on the tv, and find out, that Olshey, while still under contract has had a nice feeling-out process kinda of interview with Portland, rip-shred-rip! “Hey boss? Umm, my contract expires next month, you gonna take care of that?” hahahaha! Just like the sucker who drops the D-word, and tries to stay and work things out. It might seem like you did enough to fix things, but never did you ever get a pledge or promise from the other side, you just worked off faith, thinking you might do enough right to fix what was already broken. It didn’t happen for Olshey. He should have remained loyal and not interview with Portland, and he might still have gotten that new contract, before the old expired, now we’ll never know.
      - Clips4
        
        Olshey was not under contract. He was working without a contract since the end of last season and was working on a month to month basis. If you ask me, Olshey was loyal enough doing the outstanding job he did this year and working without a contract as a willing employee and making the least money out of all the GM’s in the league.
      - Tim
        
        On all accounts I read, Olshey has been working without a contract since October 2011, and 1st interviewed with Portland in September 2011, thats a problem.
      - Clips4
        
        Tim, nothing wrong with an employee doing whatever he needs to to have stable employment. He wanted job security, not working month to month where at any moment he could get let go.
DeMote DeAndre

Olshey was a disaster for the Clippers. He was fool’s gold. He way overpaid for what he did, and he mortgaged the future of the team by throwing in the Minnesota pick to the Paul deal and by wasting huge amounts of cap-eating salary on DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler.

The way the team is now, it’s topped out with no salary cap space to improve. Unless the Clippers do some expert dealing, Paul will go. Remember, he always wanted to go to the Knicks from the start of all this. Then Griffin will go. This is all because the clueless Olshey way overpaid in the future for the short term success of last season. Then he ran off because he knew he’d bungled things so badly here and he’d soon be found out for what he was, which is an inept soap opera actor trying to pass himself off as a GM.
- Clips4
  
  DeMote, you are an idiot. He was not overpaid. He literally worked month-to-month with no guaranteed money and he was paid the LEAST out of all GM’s in the league. You probably think Olshey being on payroll was overpaying him. Nobody respects you here. You have to be the most idiotic, moronic, asinine, asi-ten, asi-eleven, asi-twelve poster in the history of ClipperBlog. Get out. We don’t need your crap here!
DeMote DeAndre

The only chance the Clippers have to hold things together and not fall back into what they were for over 20 years before this season (thanks to the quicksand foundation that Olshey left them on) is to get rid of DeAndre Jordan and get Dwight Howard.

The Clippers will have to absorb the hideous contract of Hidayet Turkoglu, but that will be worth it. They can trade Jordan, Butler and Williams for Howard and Turkoglu. If they have to throw in Bledsoe , then it’s still worth it. But I really do like Bledsoe.

They also need to get a good GM who can make Howard want to come here. I strongly suggest Phil Jackson. Howard wanting to come here is the key to the whole thing.
- Clips4
  
  Honestly, if you think DTS would not pay good money for a better coach and not be proactive in extending Olshey and even have Olshey work month-to-month last season, what makes you think he will open his pocketbooks to pay for Phil Jackson? You are an IDIOT!!!!
DeMote DeAndre

On the good side, at least Olshey is gone, so now the improvement can begin.
Tim

Ok, so lets promote Gary Sacks!!! Been with the organization for 18 years, now thats loyalty, been working for the Clippers longer than most have been rooting on here. Why not. Gary? Time to step up, and show every one back home what you’ve been up to all these years! Director of Player Personel? Thats gotta count for something, hope you’ve been taking notes, watching closely how Olshey did, how Dunleavey undid it, and how Baylor continuously didn’t get it done. Lets hope you and Del Negro see eye to eye, and lets move on with the more pressing issue at hand. Not how Olshey and DTS parted, but how this roster will look come November! All this Olshey talk is old news already, get over it. Time to move on now, the draft is in a couple weeks.
Tyler

Instead of wondering about whether we will have CP3 beyond this year, we should…..trade him. DUN DUN DUN. But seriously. If theres one position we could afford to take a hit at, its PG. And for the best PG we could get two all star caliber players in return. Send him to Miami with some cash and some randy foye for Wade and Battier. Bledsoe and Mo run the point with Wade and Swaggy, Battier and Caron share duties and we send Deandre and his contract somewhere. Maybe snatch up Gortat
Tyler H

We need Lamar Odom. And we need to unload Deandre, Bledsoe and Butler (maybe throw in Randy Foye) to get dwight howard and turkoglu.
- NihilistZerO
  
  Lamar is a failure outside of being Kobe’s running mate. Magic ain’t taking that trade in anyway (and Foye is a FA BTW) not to mention Blake and Dwight would be completely redundant. Besides Blake is WAYYYY better than Dwight was after his second year and his celing is higher. I have to agree with those who say Olsheys record was less than stellar. Over paying for DeAndre to make Blake smile was stupid. Overpaying for Caron is a little more forgivable as it’s hard to get FAs to come to the Clips unless you overpay, but coming off an injury still a bad move.
  - Tyler H
    
    Screw it then. Unload Chris Paul. He isnt going to come back the direction we r currently headed anyway. Gotta love these “glimmer of hope once every 5 or so seasons that always blows up after ONE YEAR” Clipper moments
http://www.barmapla.com FD

What makes more of a difference CP3 calling up a player and saying that he wants them to play of the Clippers or Olshey picking up the phone?
GM’s are very easy to replace.

CP3 fell into the Clipper’s lap. Too much money is tied up in Butler and DeAndre. By the time those 2 come off the books, CP3 will be past his prime. No way CP3 will wait for that.
Juan

Let’s all remember that the new CBA is going to make this one of the most interesting and active summers as far as player movement is concerned. The guys who are in dire straits locally are the Lakers cause of how much money they have tied up in their starters. The Clippers biggest advantage is they have lots of expiring contracts, which is huge since everyone needs to meet the new CBA year after next. Plus they still get to amnesty someone. I could easily see Bledose, DJ, and a take-your-pick bencher for Howard and Turkoglu. Of course the best trade would be Howard and Turkoglu for Blake and every bloated contract (minus DJ). Then amnesty DJ. Trade Caron for a couple picks and a good back up center. Then go out and sign wing players (maybe Rudy Gay?). Now that looks like a serious contender for the now and at least 3 more years.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  I don’t think you can amnesty players on contracts signed after the cba
Tim

I don’t own a Neil Olshey jersey. I did have a gold and black #26 Rod Woodson All-NFL team 75th anniversary jersey, and my Steelers braintrust with their infinite wisdom allowed a sure-fire bona-fide 1st ballot Hall of Famer walk! I had to deal with Woodson in a 49er Was I bummed, of course I was, and I’m bummed that Olshey is gone too. But, I’m not going to stop rooting for the Clippers, thats my team! Olshey like Woodson eventually got replaced, and Troy Polamalu is not terrible.
- Tim
  
  Had to deal with Woodson as 49er, Raider, and Raven, that’s hard to stomach for a Steeler fan, but I still think Woodson is the greatest safety to ever play the game, my point being, if I could deal with Woodson leaving the Steelers, I can handle Olshey. I thought Olshey could handle DTS, but it seems like Roeser is the only one who has mastered that. Bring on Sacks, maybe he can make Sterling happy, and make us happy and proud as fans. Its Sterlings team, and he’ll run it as he see’s fit. If you want to win, figure out how to make Sterling happy, a happy wife is a happy life, and working for Sterling is a mother!
NRM

Hey, at least we’ll have one more good year
- Tim
  
  Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!
DeMote DeAndre

Responding to . . .
“He (Olshey) was not overpaid.”

That statement was made in response to my statement above:
“Olshey was a disaster for the Clippers. He was fool’s gold. He way overpaid for what he did, and he mortgaged the future of the team by throwing in the Minnesota pick to the Paul deal and by wasting huge amounts of cap-eating salary on DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler.”

To be clear, I said, He *way* overpaid. I did not say he *was* overpaid. That is clearly spelled out in the last part of the sentence.
DeMote DeAndre

It is correct that players signed after the new CBA cannot be amnestied. The only players that applies to are DeAndre Jordan and Caron Butler, because the only GM to make such bad signings this last year was Neal Olshey, and eh made two of them, though Jordan is by far the worst of the two.

Sombody the other day here said that players acquired in trade after the new CBA who had signed contracts under the old CBA couldn’t be amnestied either.

I have my doubts about that, but I don’t know for sure.

Chauncy Billups and Baron Davis were traded and then amnestied, but they were traded before the new CBA. I still doubt it. The key thing probably is when the contract was signed.
- http://www.clipperblog.com Andrew Han
  
  Just providing info. Players traded for now cannot be amnestied. Per Larry Coon’s CBA Faq:
  
  For a player to be eligible for the Amnesty provision he must be on his team’s roster continuously from July 1, 2011 to the date he is amnestied, without any new contract, extension, renegotiation or other amendment to his contract in the meantime. Players who were waived prior to July 1, 2011 and are still receiving guaranteed salary are also eligible. Teams cannot amnesty players they sign, receive in trade, extend, renegotiate, or otherwise amend after July 1, 2011.
  - Clips4
    
    It’s no use, Andrew. DeMote does not trust Larry Coon’s cap knowledge and won’t accept it.
DeMote DeAndre

Responding to . . .
“He (Olshey) had experience in BB before being hired. You didn’t read the profile Kevin wrote on ESPN did you?

I read the article. Olshey said he got cut from his high school basketball team because he wasn’t six feet tall and so he played on an intramural team. I figure other reasons he got cut from his high school team were that he couldn’t shoot, or move or defend. I also figure that’s why he thinks DeAndre Jordan is good, because Jordan can’t shoot, move or defend either, and Jordan is taller than six feet, even taller than 7 feet. Wow, what a prize, a guy who like Olshey can’t shoot, move or defend but is tall. Better sign the guy to a $42.5 million 4 year deal.
- http://www.barmapla.com FD
  
  I have to give Olshey credit for leaving now. This is very smart of him. When he interviews for other jobs in the future he can say, “Look at what happened when I became GM of the Clippers, I got CP3 and they made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs even with Chauncy Billups injured. Then after I left things fell apart and they returned to a lottery team”. No one is going to remember the details of the DeAndre Jordan and Butler signing.
  - Bongstradamus
    
    You need to change your perspective some. Every player is an asset, each team is like a portfolio. The real trick to GM’ing is just like stocks, buy low and sell high and diversify your holdings. You can buy bonds (veterans) or gold (superstars), make investments in growing industries (prospects) and ipos (draft picks).
    
    DeAndre is not a liability, he’s an asset. 23 year old big man that sets picks, defends, rebounds and blocks shots. Someone always wants that. You could literally trade him tomorrow to someone at a loss, who is happy to take him and would think they ripped us off. Big men take awhile to develop, give it 2-3 more years. He might easily develop into a player that exceeds the value of his current deal, which is overpaid, but it’s incumbent now on the franchise to really commit to developing him and Blake properly to see the full return on the investment.
    
    Butler, at his age, is a borderline liability in the short term. He’s still an asset overall. Tuff Juice shows up when you most need him and has playoff experience. He’s thought of very highly around the league. Regardless of that, he is good for one more season at a functional level and then he’ll be an $8M expiring contract with high trade value. These are the guys that move at the deadline.
    
    There is good debt and bad debt in basketball. All debt eventually becomes good, even when its bad. Chris Kaman was bad debt, he couldn’t be traded until this season because he was expiring. Rashard Lewis and Hedo are bad debt until they enter the last year of their deal. Then they are very very good debt. Those are the guys that you add a couple of draft picks and $2-$3M players to and get a superstar in return.
    
    And there is always the buyout, which is probably one of the best tools a GM has if he has an owner that can see the value in it. You can gain cap and avoid luxury taxes very easily with the liberal use of buyouts. We’ll see more of that activity as this CBA moves into its Death Star penalty tax phase that will obliterate all major market teams spending over the hard cap.
    
    If we go back to being a lottery team, it will be the organization’s ineptitude that got us there. We have the talent and opportunity for something special right now, but I’m very concerned about the leadership of the company. Can we capitalize on that and grow the bottom line or are we just going to be happy milking it like a cash cow until the opportunity passes?
    - Clips4
      
      Couldn’t have said it any better, Bong. Amen to that!

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