mustang6944

Well since it looks like the off-season is over with in terms of signing anyone, with maybe the exception of Fats and Korolev, I decided to see how the new vet additions would affect the main core of our team. Ever since the two have come aboard, the thought has been running through my head how they will work with our people. So I am looking at the plus and minus in regards to Kaman, Brand, Maggette, Livingston, Z and Ross. I will also add what Ewing and Singleton can bring to the table. I expect that I left some things off, especially after missing the first half of last season and I am sure some will add a little more to what I have to say.

PART I: THE CORE:

Elton Brand PF
Positive: I chose to start with the team captain since I have a feeling, he will be the leading scorer on this team. He is also the player I think will benefit the most. On the offensive end, teams who did not have the defensive PF or Center who could stop Brand one on one, many teams would collapse on him and force the ball out of his hands in years past. In addition, the return of the zone made it even more difficult to operate in the paint as teams were guarding the passing lanes and dare whoever had the ball to shoot from the wing. In addition, the paint could get a bit crowded with fellow post player Kaman and a whole slew of slashers and their defenders clogging things up.

The presence of the new backcourt allows the floor to be spread out. Both Cassell and Mobley are capable of feeding it into the post. There presence also means a more effective EB towards the end of games as he will not need to carry the load as much now that four of the starting five are capable of scoring 20 pts any given night. The focal point of the offense will remain around our big man, but the fourth quarter now belongs to Cassell and Mobley.

In terms of leadership, this is also a good move as Brand has not been the type of player to rally the troops around him or to vocal enough to fire up his teammates. The two vets can show him how to lead from the front, as both will more than likely take on the leadership of this team.

Negatives: As mentioned above, I suspect that Brand would not be the Captain of this team with the present of two vets like Cassell and Mobley. In fact, in Mobley's press conference, it would appear that he has already taken the lead, as did Cassell once he signed. Even if he is, it is hard to see two playoff proven Vets like Cassell and Mobley falling in line behind someone who is less decorative than they are. Though I do see him as being the most improved, he could see his scoring take a dip. Cassell and Mobley can and will most likely play a two man game during the middle periods and if one or both are hot, I do not expect to see many touches for any one else. I do not know if he could take a back seat especially after years of being the man. There is also the possibility that the hit to his touches and pride may cause him to sulk on both ends. I doubt this will happen since Brand is a class act, but this is the first time he will be playing with a player so demanding, let alone two.

Corey Maggette SF:
Positives: Maggette is a close second in how this will affect his over all play. First off, Maggette will move back to what is arguably considered his best position of SF. It also means the end of the Corey Maggette, ball handler, experiment, as Mobley is an apt ball handler. I know some of what killed Maggette's effectiveness with the ball in his hands were his injuries (which only 1/3 were probably reported), but his Basketball I.Q is average at best. It also means a return to a part of Maggette's game that made him real dangerous a couple of years back, the spot up J. Don't believe, me then go back and watch some tapes of when he and Q were lighting it up from down town ( I forgot against who) a couple of years back. Though I suspect that he will not have anywhere close to the effectiveness that Simmons had last year for us, but he is a more than adequate replacement to Simmons at the SF.

The fact that their are a couple of effective outside shooters helps open up the lanes for Maggette's usual drives. You see, it will be harder for teams to zone up a team capable of lighting it up from outside and all Mags has to do is to attack, attack, attack. No longer will he have the pressure of producing in the fourth quarter or even caring the team for that matter. With less pressure and responsibility on the offensive end, maybe we can see a return of Maggette the defender.

Negatives:
There is a strong possibility, that Maggette will see his numbers drop the most. Part of what allowed him to be such a scoring force was a lack of someone capable of caring the team. Now I do not see Cassell or Mobley being able to carry the team, but they will get their touches and the extra shots are more than likely to come from Maggette. In addition, Maggette's penchant for trying to get to the foul line does not go with the new team as well as it once has especially if he continues to flail his arms and not try to finish. If the rumors of Brand and Maggette having a little difficulty were based off of anything, it is conceivable to see him get shut out. You also got to take into consideration that he may be on the market and might not be around if the deal is right.

If he remains, Maggette needs to seriously utilize the other part of his game. The team has shooters (Cassell and Mobley), Passers (Mobley, Cassell, Livingston and Ewing), defenders (Ross and maybe Singleton and Ewing), and Post players (Kaman, Brand and Z). What we lack are scorers and Finishers on the break. Right now, Wilcox is the best at it and that should not be so. If he could finish with the same authority as once before, and use his full skills, he could become real deadly. Unfortunately, the question remains will he? He has turned himself into a one trick pony and he needs to develop to remain a Clippers.

Chris Kaman C
Positives: This is make or breaks time for Kaman. It is time to stake his claim to the spot next to Brand or risk losing it altogether. Both Cassell and Mobley have played with some skilled bigs in there career so there present should only make it easier for Kaman to make an impact. Like Brand, Kaman should benefit from a less crowded paint as well as an outside shooter to pass to out of the paint. The pressure is off of him to step up and be the dominant big since all we need out of him is something more than consistency on the offensive end and a presence on the D.

Still the biggest plus will be having two effective passers capable of getting the ball in the post to him for quick lay ups, which should increase his confidence.

Negatives:
With the lack of defense from both of the guards, Kaman will have to step it up big time in the paint as a shot blocker and all out force in the defensive middle. Brand already is, but at 6'7" 6'8" there is a bigger need for our seven footer to make his present felt in the defensive paint. This also means that the big goofy needs to be more effective in grabbing boards, something that he has done with mixed results up to this point.

What could be a bigger problem is the fact that Mobley, in his time in Houston, spent time freezing out Yao and Cassell has been known for his selfish play. If Kaman, cannot be effective for stretches of time, he will more than likely see his touches go down as time progresses. That is why it is time for Kaman to step up. It is time to stake his claim to the spot next to Brand or risk losing it altogether. Both Cassell and Mobley have played with some skilled bigs in there career so there present should only make it easier for Kaman to make an impact. Like Brand, Kaman should benefit from a less crowded paint as well as an outside shooter to pass to out of the paint. The pressure is off of him to step up and be the dominant big since all we need out of him is something more than consistency on the offensive end and a presence on the D.

Still the biggest plus will be having two effective passers capable of getting the ball in the post to him for quick lay ups, which should increase his confidence.

Shaun Livingston PG
Positive: Though the Sizzle era of Clippers basketball has not yet officially begun, there is not doubt in my mind that Cassell's presence will not undermined his development. Now Livingston will still be allowed to develop his game after missing over half of the previous season. Livingston will have the chance of being able to pass it out to some shooters. He will be a key cog off the bench and probably a good sixth man candidate, though I think he will make it two in a row for MIP. I honestly believe that at worse, he would put up similar numbers as Jaric (without all of the injuries I hope). He should see plenty of time at the point and on the wing and will have the benefit of having two vets to lean on.

What more exciting is what his options will be on when he is on the court. He could attack the basket, pass it to one of the new shooters, an Alley oop to Wilcox, dump it down low to the post, the list goes on and on.

Negatives: Livingston has prepared the entire off-season to be the starter. With the addition of Cassell he will either must battle for it (which would be a plus) or out right lose it. If he battles for the PG spot, it will make him better as a player. However, if the position is outright given to Cassell, it could kill his confidence some. Moreover, the last thing we need is for Cassell's bad attitude to have an adverse affect on him.

Livingston's passing is important, but with the possibility of playing with two other passers, he must have the rest of his game catch up. Balls will be coming back at him either from the other guards or from the post out. He must be able to do something with it other than drive in the paint. With the defensive limitations of Cassell, he may be asked to come in as a defensive stopper at the point, which may not be a problem unless he is not physically up for it. Definitely the move will effect him physically as he will see time at positions where the guys are stronger (and in some cases bigger) than he. I am sure he got stronger, but will it be enough to keep him in there longer this year than last.

Chris Wilcox PF/C
Positive: Wilcox had his best time at the begining of last season with all of the passing. With the present of two additional Passers, plus the possibility of playing with either Livingston or Cassell with the second unit, means more touches for him. A lot of people are down on him, me being one of them, but you cannot deny that he is a finisher. With all of the ball movement this new look team possess, I can see his offensive number shooting up. Truly, he is my candidate for 6th man on the roster, though he may get more considerations for MIP. We have the option of being an up tempo team, which suites him better than a half court and that means more alley oops and hopefully some monster jams.

Negatives: If there is anyone who could get froze out, Wilcox could. If he happens to be in there with the remainder of the first unit, he may not get as many touches as if he comes off the bench. This is another delima as he has been more productive as a starter than as a reserve. Add to the fact that he cannot box out or defend and that he may be on the block really makes things harder for him. The rest of his game needs to develop with what we have and unfortunatley he lacks things like range and, post moves and a solid jumper.

Quentin Ross SG
Positives: With the lack of a defensive present in the starting guards, Ross should see plenty of action as a defensive stopper. If that was not enough, the fact that their is no true SF candidate, will mean he could see some time at the 3 behind Maggette. If the rumors are correct, he has also improved his jumper, which should help increase his minutes. QRoss could turn into a more athletic and defensively sound version of the 03-04 Simmons. I do see his scoring going up in spite of the crowded back court as he has certain skills that will give him minutes.

Negatives: I do not see his minutes reaching 20 per game. As I said, the back court is filled and he will see his minutes being eaten up by Cassell and Livingston. Moreover, he is a bit undersize for the SF position, where he will see a bulk of his minutes off the bench. His offense really needs to improve if he wants to see more minutes. I also hope he has bulked up as he needs to gain some bulk to handle the position or see Singleton take some of them away. Minute wise it will affect him more than any other player and it could get worse if Korolev comes over, he proves to be ineffective at the SF or Singleton busts out of the gate.

Zejlko Rebracca C/PF
Positives: No longer will Z have to worry about the il-advised last play set up for him. His role will be to be affective in the mid range game. Rebracca would also be good at the pick in roll with either Cassell or Mobley. Having guards who can shoot or attack the basket will mean that, when on the court, Z will get some open looks as the double will more than likely come off of him. Z's middle game will fit in nicely between the interior posters and the shooters outside. He can be affective in the paint and his lack of needing the rock as Wilcox, Brand or Kaman and would be a decent complement to the two guards when he is out there with them.

Negatives: If Z is out there with both guards, I would expect him to more than likely be a garbage man. Cassell and Mobley surrounded by the rest of the bench becomes a two man show. Health is also an issue as Wilcox xould be on the verge of breaking out and could eat into his minutes. And there is still the question of how he would be without his friend Marko on the team.


I can see numbers like this from these guys:

Brand: 19-21 ppg 8-9 rebs 3blks
Maggette: 18-19ppg, 6-7rebs, 5dimes
Mobley: 17-18ppg, 4-5rebs, 3.5 dimes
Cassell: 14ppg, 7-8 dimes
Wilcox: 13 ppg, 5 rebs
Kaman: 12 ppg, 8rebs
QRoss: 8-9ppg, 3brds, 2 steals
Livingston: 9-10ppg, 5-6dimes, 2steals
Z: 7-8ppg 4rebs

mustang6944

PART II:

Part two will deal with the other new additions and that is the rookies. I do not know how they will do with our new back court or with the team in general, but I will rely more on there scouting report and what they could bring to the table and how they could mesh. It will be broken into two with the first two being Ewing and Singleton and the Second being Fats and Korolev.

Ewing: Based off his scouting report (off of draft express), the 6'3" combo guard brings defense and toughness to the point guard positon lacking with the trade of Jaric. He has a well rounded game that will come in handy off the bench in due time with his ability to attack the basket, take mid range shots or even shoot from down town at times. You would think he is a poor man's Dre Miller with some of his offensive skills based on his write up. More than likely, he will be akin to Troy Hudson, Mike James and Damon Jones. His PG skills is still a work in progress, but should benefit alot from learning from Cassell and Mobley.

How can these two help? Both are apt at taking the final shot and both had to make a transition to become more complete players. Cassell, for the first part of his career, had to make the transition from combo guard to a scoring point. Mobley who also spent time at the point will also be able to teach him a thing or two. Unlike Duke Alums Brand and Maggette, Ewing is vocal and a leader. What it comes down to it, his entire game is a work in progress.

James Singleton The combo Forward came by way of Europe much like QRoss. From what little we know of him is that he is a rebounder and stout defender. He credits his style of play to his idolization of Dennis Rodman. Whether he reaches that or not is yet to be seen. But based off of his scouting reprot, he could be a strong present in the interior in a two three zone with Brand, Kaman and Singleton in and around the paint. This should bode well when you consider our guards are not strong defenders. It also gives us a third defender off the bench to shut teams down.

These two players would appear to add defense to a team and that defense is still prime with this team. As the Magic B-Ball said, that the road to victory is paved through defense. In spite of the addition of players who have been known for a lack of defense, defense will still prevail on this team.

THE EUROPEAN CONNECTION:
It is still debatable whether Yarik or Fats will be here next year. Still it is good to see what type of effect these two could have.

Yaroslov Korolev: Much like Cassell, Mobley, Livingston, Yarik skills resolves around his playmaking ability and passing. Defense is also his main stay and he cold be the eventual replacement to Maggette in the near future. Some thing AK-47 with him and others like Kukoc, but draft express uses Kukoc, meets AK-47, meets Scottie Pippen. We are talking about a unique player capable of being a point forward. Add him to what we have and all the team is lacking is a darn good scorer who can score from the three point range and in the paint.

What this pick suggest with Dunleavy is that the team will be built around ball movement on offense and stout defense on the other end of the court.

Sofoklis "Fats" Schortsantis: He is called the Greek Shaq or Sofo for short. I will refer to him as Fats after hearing him at 400lbs. The big foul machine is suppose to be strong as an ox and moer agile than many centers out there. His raw power at somewhere between 6'8"-6'10", he is either the replacement for Brand or Kaman. Once again, this is a pick with defense in mind and a low post skills.

Looking at the picks, it is obvious that ball movement and defense were in mind. What becomes of these picks, whether they become a part of this team and meet their potential, we are looking at a cross between Detroit and San Antonio and the Kings/Suns style of play.

mustang6944

PART III

Part 3 revolves around Cassell and Mobley. They are the players who will dramatically change the out look and future of the team. Something to realize is that both Mobley and Cassell have played with scoring Points so the two of them should be able to mesh well with each other if their friendship did not. I can see the two of them playing a two on two game, especially when the offense has broken down or gone stagnant. They will complement each other well and even if there is trouble with the team, they will be able to work together. This two man game will serve well to alleviate the pressures off the others as well as make for less blow out quarters.

One of the biggest question is going to be defense, however, as mentioned above, it is not like the team is abandoning defense and we may see a little more out of these guys than in years past. Even their nature could turn in a positive if properly placed. They will be the leaders of this team and the go-to-guys at the end of games.

In spite of this, I will admit that this could blow up in the Clippers face in so many uncountless ways. For now, I will continue to be positive with my 3rd seed prediction.

One thing I have also come to realize that, even though we are built for a playoff run now, we are set up for something to occur in two years.

Weasel

__________________

+CrossOver+

Cassell is all about Cassell... everything he's said since the trade has been about himself. My contract, I'm getting the ball in the 4Th, I'm starting. He's the leader of team Cassell.

I would've liked the Clips to have kept Brunson for another season and assign Ewing to the NBDL for a year. Rick did a great job as a 3rd string point, hopefully the team won't have to go 3 deep to find a starter.

Think they'll miss Moore as well ... he was the Clip's best off the ball shot blocker.