yamaneko

Ok, now that the draft is over, thats one more piece to the puzzle. Now where do the clippers go from here?

Of course it seems that their number one priority is Kobe. Some say Kobe is a lock to stay with the lakers. Others like the LA times today say that its still a possiblity the Clippers have a shot at him.

If they can get Kobe, i say go for it. Theyd have to give up Richardson, and any other FA possible signings, but bryant, magette, brand, kaman, and livingston locked in for a few years is an incredible nucleus.

However, i still maintain the clips have at best a 10% chance of landing him.

Thus, what direction do the clippers go from here? I just took a look at the long list of Free Agents for this summer, and i really dont see anyone that i would like the clippers to take a run at. That is, other than darius miles.

Let me get back to that in a little bit....

It would be nice for the clippers to have a superstar. However i dont see orlando accepting their offer of wilcox and magette and another pick for mcgrady since they just picked up howard. Also, shaq doesnt want to go to the clippers, and wouldnt unless they could somehow get mcgrady, and as mentioned, that doesnt seem like that will happen. Nash i would have liked, but not after they picked up livingston.

Thus, what should the clippers end up doing? I say, take the 15Mil they freeed up for bryant for this year, and split it to locking in richardson and miles into long term contracts. Then, boom, thats it.

Before you knock it, check out this lineup:

Starting 5:
Brand
Kaman
Magette
Richardson
Jaric

Next 5:
Wilcox
Ely
Miles
Simmons
Livingston

Last:
Sofo (if he comes over)
Moore
Barnes
House
2nd round no name PG.

You might ask, how improved is this over last years team? I say a HUGE improvement. Last year, we had lots of injuries. We didnt have enough role players to step up and pick up the slack. Instead we had guys like overton, barnes, etc. playing huge minutes. If we can get this lineup, Darius miles could get 6th man of the year award. He can back up almost any of the positions, and can even start some nights. When jaric needs a rest, instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel with someone like overton or dooling, youre plugging in Livingston, who could end up taking over for jaric as the starter as the season goes on.

With miles, magette, and richardson, youd have 3 athletic high flying fast breakers that would be perfect to put with livingston. Remember all the fast breaks we had when we had miles and qrich and maget together? Seemed like last year, we had forgotten what the fast break was. That could be back.

With so many scorers: brand, maget, richardson, miles, defenses would focus on them, opening up opportunities for kaman inside.

Anyway, i think this is the least complicated plan for the summer the clippers could execute. Only problem would be giving miles a contract that portland couldnt or wouldnt match.

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08-09 Clippers - One more piece away from relativity

Weasel

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yamaneko

Thats the difference between livingston and jaric though. Livingston cant shoot and isnt strong, so his ONLY position he can play is PG. Jaric though has a decent body and can shoot, so occasionaly he can play SF or even SG.

With the clippers picking up that 2nd rounder, i really cant see them getting even another PG, unless they move jaric.

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08-09 Clippers - One more piece away from relativity

RD

I like the idea of bringing Miles back. I actually brought up that idea on another board.

The big problem standing in the way is that Portland would be able to match any deal for Miles. We dont have a lot of available talent for them. We have Wilcox and Ely, but I dont know if they would take either player and both of them might be too much for Miles.

We'd have to come up with something to make the deal work. But I really like the idea.

In a couple years, we have Livingston, Q, Maggette, Brand, and Kaman starting.

Jaric, Simmons, and Miles playing key roles off the bench. We of course would add another C to backup up, but thats an awesome 8 man rotation as far as Im concerned.

sb telfair

hurr be the fo shizzy neezy what the lineup gone be.

pg-livingston/telfair
sg-richardson
sf-maggette/or darius miles
pf-elton brand
c-chris wilcox


clippers trade jaric, kaman, maybe maggette and a pick: for telfair, miles, and dickau

RD

Wilcox cannot play center for more than spot minutes here and there. He is not a starting caliber center.

Chris Kaman needs to be kept around, because he is a legitimate NBA center. He's got the size, and the talent. Even if he suffers from inconsistency the rest of his career, he is still a C that can play.

Starbury03

Why would they want 2 high school points I like the miles idea but I think he is gona want to start on a team he signs with. If they wanna make the playoffs they need a vetern point to teach Livingston and to play crunch minutes and they need a shooter to spread the D.

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RD

I think the starting deal could be an issue.

But, Miles loved LA while he was here, and he will be re-united with his boy Q. I dont think the title of non starter would make him not come here. He would still get 30 minutes a game backing up the 3 and 4, so all he would be lacking would the name starter.

Quasi-Quasar

DMiles could be signed easily. Portland doesn't have Bird-rights on Miles, so any offer over the MLE can't be matched. So if the Clipps offered him a 6 year, $38 mil contract (which seems reasonable and in the right range), the Blazers couldn't match.

I really like the idea of bringing back DMiles, but it means trading Wilcox. Regarding trades for Wilcox, there are a number of different options; Atlanta, Seattle, Utah, Golden State, Miami, Dallas and others could have a healthy interest in Wilcox. Here are two trades that could work:
1. Wilcox to Utah for the rights to Kirk Snyder and their 2005 1st pick.
2. Clippers trade: Chris Wilcox, future 2nd pick
Clippers receive: Clippers' 1st pick from Denver via Orlando (Maggette;Reid trades), future first from Orlando via Denver (Jameer Nelson trade), New Jersey's 2005 1st pick.
Denver trades: 1st picks from Orlando (future and Clippers' 2005/2006)
Denver receives: Kenyon Martin
New Jersey trades: Kenyon Martin, 2005 1st pick
New Jersey receives: Chris Wilcox, future 2nd from L.A.
This trade facilitates a Martin to Denver deal, and the Clipps come away with their own pick, a low first, and a first that could be anywhere. I'd say this is a good way to get value for Wilcox and clear room to sign another FA.

While I really like Kirk Snyder, I think the second trade would benefit the Clipps most in the long-run, as it gives them a future pick, and two picks (including their own) next year. The second trade is basically the Nets trading their first next year for Wilcox and a future 2nd, and the Nugz trading two first picks that they don't even have to sacrafice (although the Orlando pick was the proceeds of their pick this year), for Kenyon Martin who they don't want to overpay just to secure him.

Working from that second trade on, the Clipps have Brand, Maggette, Kaman, Jaric, Livingston, Ely and House signed, and Q, Simmons, Barnes, and Moore RFAs, with Chalmers contract being non-guaranteed. That's $27.5 mil against the cap. If Q and DMiles were signed to identical 6 year, $38 mil contracts, that puts the payroll at 37.5, still about 6 to 7 mil under the cap. Re-signing Moore is moronic, he's a big guy who has shown zero improvement. Then there's a choice between Simmons and Barnes; only one can stay since Miles would be back and need the backup minutes at SF. While Barnes has more upside, Simmons is a more valuable backup, however it comes down to the salaries. Simmons would be slated to make about a mil, however if he agreed to a contract like 3 or 4 years at $2.4 or $3.4 mil, he's worth keeping around, otherwise Barnes (who would make about 400K) is the right one to keep.

That gives the Clipps 11 guys (including Chalmers) on roster, with a payroll of less than $38.5 mil. So the Clipps could still sign a decent FA PG/SG for 5 to 6 mil or less. Brent Barry is considering the Clipps, and he might sign for 4 mil. Rafer Alston has finally shown the ability to shoot, so he's an option as well, as is Damon Jones for his shooting ability. And Derek Fisher should be an option too, but the Lakers will likely end up paying him $6 mil (too much) to keep him. Bobby Sura is also an option, but he tends to be an Armen Gilliam (good stats, but makes a team worse).

As for FAs that could be signed with the remaining capcpace (after signing a vet PG), Jackie Butler, Jame Lloreda, Matt Barnes, Marcus Moore (if he went undrafted...?), Jasik, Amit Tamir, T.J. Cummings, Omar Cook (if he's a FA...?), Lenny Cooke (who still might have a lot of potential), Dan Gadzuric (RFA, Milwaukee), Jason Collier, and Chris Mihm are all guys the Clipps should take a look at.

So the 2004-2005 Clipps roster could, with little effort, look like:
PG: Jaric, Livingston, Chalmers
SG: Richardson, Brent Barry or vet G, House
SF: Maggette, Miles, Simmons
PF: Brand, Sofo (signed to a 6 year 4.5 mil contract)
C: Kaman, Ely
With the 2 or 3 remaining roster spots (Chalmers' contract is non-guaranteed), Mihm or Gadzuric or Lloreda or Tamir would be a good signing to bolster C/F, and Barnes should be resigned. After that, if Chalmers is cut, then Cook or Cooke or Butler could be signed as a project (like Moore was last year).

All this "plan" really is (at the core), is signing DMiles and Q to reasonable contracts and trading Wilcox.


OT: BTW re-signing Q will be easier than expected, since Manu Ginobili, Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson, Steve Nash and Jamal Crawford seem to be Denver's top 5 list among FAs. I don't exactly understand why they'd pursue Nash or Crawford, but maybe 'Dre is on his way out. But it''s great news for the Clipps that Ginobili and Jackson (and Crawford) are the SG's Denver will more actively pursue...so it's possible the Clipps won't have to overpay to keep Q, unless Denver moves Q back up on their list.

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Storyteller

Incorrect. Portland has full Bird rights on Miles, and seems willing to match any reasonable offer that Miles gets from another team.

It seems as though all of the Clipper moves over the last couple of months have been for one purpose - to clear cap room and make a run after Kobe. I think we'll see than happen in July. Then if they don't get him (Bryant should make up his mind on or near the July 14th end of the moratorium), they'll probably make a run after several medium-level FA's to go with a re-signing of Richardson.

I think that Brent Barry would be a great pickup for the Clippers. He wants 4 years guaranteed, however (which takes Portland out of the running according to Mo Cheeks) - is Baylor willing to pony up?

I tell you, if the Clippers can make some decent FA signings this summer and stockpile some draft picks for next year's supposedly deeper draft, they could really start making some noise in 2005-06, even if they can't convince Bryant to come play for them.

RD

I like Barry, but talking on another board, it doesnt seem like a smart move. He is too similar to Livingston and Jaric, and we need to give them time to develop. The money could be better used elsewhere.

As for giving Miles a 6 year, 38 mill deal ... Not worth it. I love Miles as much as anyone, but he is not worth that type of money yet. He may get that from someone, but that is overpaying at this point in time IMO.

QRICH

Can we throw in Randolph, Ratliff , Monya and next years 1st pick while your at it? Telfair isn't going anywhere.

yamaneko

Id be willing to pay more for Miles. Is he worth exactly that money on the numbers he puts up? No, not necessarily. But his value to the team is worth more. He puts fans in the stands, sells jerseys, and his style of play is perfect for the clippers. Imagaine a team where most of the players are actually close friends, or went to the same college, or are from the same area. not many teams have that kind of cohesiveness.

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08-09 Clippers - One more piece away from relativity

RD

Trust me, I know exactly what Miles brings to the table. Ive gotten into a rather lengthy discussion on another board, citing the exact reasons your are talking about. I agree with what you are saying.

But, thats still overpaying for him giving him that type of money. If we're just talking about the actual numbers he puts up, he's not even worth 2.5mill a year. Its the other assets he brings, and I would go up to 5mill a year, but I wouldnt pay anything more because he is not worth it.

yamaneko

But dont most contracts increase per year? for example, if it was say a 6 year, 45 million dollar contract, the first year he could get 5 million, next 7.5, next 9, etc...i think that with his improvement, and just inflation in general, that he could be worth that money each progressive year.

However, as i said, if the clippers could get kobe with their 15 million available, i say go for him. But without kobe, i want to see that 15 mill split between Q and miles. If not miles, who else would you pick up with the extra money? I looked that the Free agent list, and didnt see much that i liked. MAYBE mehmet okur, but to me, if the clippers wanted a guy like him, they should have kept drobs

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08-09 Clippers - One more piece away from relativity