Those guided by superstition have traditionally characterized the Clippers’ misfortunes as preordained — as if management, a willingness to invest, talent evaluation, and coaching had nothing to do with a team’s performance during its first 25 years in Los Angeles. But even hard-boiled empiricists would have to concede this morning that the Clippers have been blessed over the past month and a half. A cursed franchise doesn’t typically defy probability and land the top pick in a one-player draft, or find a willing sucker to take on their most toxic asset a full week before the moratorium when such a trade can be consummated.
Year Zero, 2.0
On July - 2 - 2009
The Clippers Find Their Sucker
On July - 1 - 2009
I’ll have a lot more to say in the next 24 hours, but here’s what’s going up at TrueHoop:
The last time Quentin Richardson was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, the Clips were a promising, young squad that included Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Bobby Simmons, and Chris Wilcox. Next week, Richardson will be shipped back to Los Angeles as nothing more than filler in a deal that will send Zach Randolph from the Clippers to Memphis. It’s a seemingly inequitable trade — the 20/10 guy in Randolph for a gimpy, marginal Richardson — until you look beneath the surface:
Mobley and Thomas to New York for Quentin Richardson
On July - 1 - 2009
The bad dream will soon be a memory:
Clearing the way for No. 1 pick Blake Griffin, the Clippers have agreed to trade power forward Zach Randolph to Memphis for former Clipper Quentin Richardson, The Times learned today.
Because of salary-cap rules, the deal can’t be completed until next week.
A Clippers spokesman said the team would have no comment on the report.
Randolph played 39 games for the Clippers last season after being acquired from New York, averaging 20.9 points and 9.4 rebounds, both team highs.
Novak Extended Qualifying Offer
On June - 30 - 2009
The Clippers extended Steve Novak a qualifying offer Tuesday, which makes him a restricted free agent. The Clippers will have the opportunity to match any contract offer made to Novak by another team. Novak’s number is $1,030,189. Given the reasonable price tag and the fact that there are only a handful of players in the league with true shooting percentages greater than 60%, it’s very likely Novak will get a bite from a team in need of some perimeter shooting.