The Los Angeles Clippers were the wild-card coming into this season. Many felt that, with a healthy roster and improved play, the Clippers might give the Warriors some trouble in the playoffs. The big body and defensive prowess of DeAndre Jordan could give the Warriors small-ball lineups nightmares. Chris Paul would dissect the Dubs with flashy passes. Blake Griffin’s athleticism would be too much to handle. It seemed within the realm of possibility that this was the season the Clippers would live up to expectations.
What a lovely dream that was.
Sadly, but somewhat unsurprisingly, the Clippers are at a crossroad. Injuries hurt the team once again, with Chris Paul going down once again. Doc Rivers appears to be on the hot seat and reportedly has thoughts about leaving. Paul and Griffin are also free agents this upcoming offseason and could bolt. Though it appears unlikely that too many drastic changes will occur, the Clippers have to retool in several areas this summer. Keeping Paul and Griffin will be first on the list, though that does not appear to be as easy as some expected.
Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding reports that many league executives feel that Griffin could opt for a fresh start and leave the Clippers for the Lakers or Celtics. Boston has been in on Griffin for some time and has an easier road to the Finals through the weaker Eastern Conference. The Lakers have new management with Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka, who still want to add a star player to the roster. Oklahoma is home for Griffin, and a team-up with triple-double machine Russell Westbrook could also be intriguing. However, Ding mentions that Griffin is more compelled to stay in Los Angeles due to his interest in the entertainment industry.
The Clippers can offer both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin a lot more money than any other team, the largest piece of leverage. Paul, at age 31, is very likely to stay with Los Angeles and reap the financial gains. Griffin may very well remain too, but he is in his prime and will undoubtedly have other suitors. With the Clippers fading fast and looking more and more like a thing of the past, Griffin may see his playing future continuing in a different city.
