yamaneko

..of what the Clippers backup plans are. The whole summer, and even today, freaking elgin keeps bragging about how they have so many options they have explored, and many different aveunes they could go, and how the ely trade was in talks for weeks due to other reasons, etc. How long until we start finding out what all of these other plans are?

I was hoping that to save a little face, the clippers IMMEDIATELY after getting kobes phone call, did something drastic so as it doesnt seem we put all our eggs in one basket, and that we DID have backup plans. Since theyre going to resign Q anyways, they shoudl have done that today to make a statement "we WILL move on..." Screw the whole using up the 15 days to keep the suns out of the game...we need to worry about our team first. If they had some huge plan on the backburner thats NOT Q, then same goes: LETS SEE IT. Or at least lets hear about it. The announcement on clippers.com today didnt tell me a dang thing.

Any thoughts on when we are going to get some info on what elgin is going to do?

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08-09 Clippers - A Thomas/Mobley trade for a star on the cheap away from a championship

RD

I couldnt disagree more.

We do not need to know what's going on. Sure, we'd like to know just for our own sake, but they are not obligated to tell us anything. You don't broadcast your intentions for other teams to pick up on what you are doing.

I also dont want to see anything done for at least a couple days. Without question, most of our effort and energy has focused on Kobe. I wouldnt want to see the team make a move they have not put their full attention on, just to make up for not getting Kobe.

There is no reason to NOT take the 15 days to match Q. If we know we're going to match, then thats all we need to know. We dont gain anything by signing him early. But by making Phoenix wait, and keeping all their free money tied up, we keep them from adding a FA big man which they desperately need more than Q. Phoenix is a team we are going to have to compete with this year and the next few years, so if we can possibly damage their plans a little bit keeping their money tied up, do it.

yamaneko

Im not saying we NEED to know. What im saying is that since they have been talking all this time as if they had tons of options, and were just waiting to see whats going on with kobe, i say put your money where your mouth is.

I guess my point is i really DONT THINK that they are/were as prepared for kobe's rejection as they are trying to let on. Thats fine, but then dont go saying that you had all these things going on, and that ely and house where traded without the kobe thing necessarily in mind, etc. Thats like saying shaq being traded had nothing to do with kobe. So, if they continue saying how they have these other plans waiting, THATS when i say, ok, then lets see it. If all you were waiting for was kobes word, then bring it. As is, FA's are dropping like flies. What happened today? 5-6 signed or traded?

I dont want them to do something hasty that they havent thought out well either...but again, thats my point...they are trying to give the impression that they have been prepared for this scenario. If so, why not pull the trigger? The day they could talk about FA's they talked about their plans for kobe.

the only reason i can see taking the full 15 to match q is if they had hard evidence that if the suns dont get q, they were immediately going to go after X impact player such as dampier, etc. THEN, yes id keep them out of the game...but i wasnt aware that they even had a fall back plan that could affect the clippers, but if they do, i stand corrected. Signing Q right away to me brings stability to a rocky july. First theres the trading away of ely and house. Then the emotional process of loosing kobe. THere could be a perception that the clippers are reeling because of this, the fans dont know whats going to happen now and are worried, etc. Signing q right away would seem like the clippers are making a statement: "Hey, we lost out on kobe, yes, we move on, lets start with locking up our 3rd best player for the next 6 years, and then go from there. "

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08-09 Clippers - A Thomas/Mobley trade for a star on the cheap away from a championship

Amareca

Mark Curtis reported that the Clippers have spoken to Richardson and he told them that he doesn't wan't to play for the Clippers . He has decided that he wants to play for the Suns next season which reportedly means that the Clippers will not match the Suns offer for Richardson. Sounds very promising and hopefully it will be offical soon. Mark Curtis reported this on the 6:00 P.M. News

nbanoitall

yea but richardson isnt addicted to drugs
so its not exactly the lamar odom situation either
besides the contract isnt as big either...if he doesnt want to play in LA
they should at least sign and trade him...obviously that wouldnt be to pheonix

not that anyone was refering to Odom specifically...but we do know that he did get away for nothing. Cant see that as being likely with Q. Unless they have someone else in mind that they want. At least sign and trade him

Amareca

They can't sign and trade him. They can't trade him until decemeber 15th and at that point they will already have to pay Q about 16M$ of his contract.

They also can't trade him for a whole year without Q agreeing to that trade.

nbanoitall

actually i didnt know he has offically put his signature on the deal...but I suppose it may be likely that he has

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/azcentral_040714.html

i just figured if it was true Q wanted out...then he would consider not actually signing with the suns so he could get sent there...or elsewhere....but he probably did ink it by now.

I'd match it. worst case senerio you trade him later.

arenas809

People need to wake up, and when I say people, I mean Big Amare.

Q, Brandy, and whoever else can say they don't want the Clippers to match, it doesn't matter, we have the power to do so.

It doesn't matter how you want to slice it, that's just the facts.

I could careless what Mark Curtis, Big Amare, Brandy, or whoever else says otherwise.

Q will not be let go just because that's what someone or even Q wants.

No one here has any power or leverage, WE do.

Amareca

arenas you are the most naive poster ever.

You think Q has no leverage? Of course he has. Go on and sign an unhappy player for 8M$ a season, 16M$ right away. Can't trade him before you pay him 16M$....

That might not matter much when you sign a franchise player but this case is hardly comparable to Brand at all.

Elgin Baylor himself said that they are talking to Q and his agent. Seems like it DOES matter what Q wants. If not they wouldn't have to talk the Clips could just match.

yamaneko

Q only has as much leverage as the clilppers are generous to give him. Just because the clippers can do whatever they want, do you think that means they arent going to have a dialog with him?

Anyway, here are some interesting quotes from the Times this morning:


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...adlines-sports

From the beginning, there were other options," Baylor said of the Clippers' next move. "During the whole time, during the whole process, we've been talking to other agents. There are a lot of free agents still out there."

Three days into the free-agent signing period, the Clippers' options are more limited than, say, a week ago. They had interest in Brent Barry, but the former Seattle SuperSonic guard signed with the San Antonio Spurs.

"There are some things that are still available," Baylor said. "There's a possibility that we could make a trade, not necessarily sign a free agent. There are teams that are still interested in doing business with us. In fact, a lot of teams like our young players, and some of the players that we were looking at are still available."

"I've had conversations with Quentin, his agent, and we will continue to talk," Baylor said. "We still have [13] days left and there are a lot of other things that we have to tend to and talk about. So, there will still be dialogue with Quentin."

The Clippers could match and then trade him.

With Bryant out of the picture and Richardson in limbo, their greatest need is for a shooting guard. They also would like to add a veteran big man.

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08-09 Clippers - A Thomas/Mobley trade for a star on the cheap away from a championship

RD

The Clippers can trade Quentin Richardson. The Dec 15 does not apply to teams and their restricted free agents. The only stipulation about a trade with Q is that they cannot trade him to Phoenix.

Keep ignoring the facts. It really helps people respect you.

arenas809

lol...

You just don't get it...

IF we want him back, we'll match his deal....

RD

From the LATimes article:

LoL

yamaneko

anyone else getting worried/impatient that there still is no news from clippers sources as to what the heck is going on?

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08-09 Clippers - A Thomas/Mobley trade for a star on the cheap away from a championship

ostend

Don't know if it has been said in another thread or not...
But news for you guys, today ostende (belgium) got an official statement from the nba and clippers that Quinton Ross has signed his contract and will play for the Clippers next season. Couldn't find it on the nba site yet, but to us it was made official.
Hopefully he'll play as good as he was here...
He'll be missed, but i'm glad his dream came true.

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To me only one good player, JR Holden 4-life.