NBA Rumors: L.A. Clippers Wise to Retain Vinny Del Negro Until Season's End

The Los Angeles Clippers are wise to retain head coach Vinny Del Negro until the season ends, for more reasons than one.

Reports out of Hollywood late last week were that Del Negro was on "thin ice" and that he had "lost the team."

NBA guru Bill Simmons tweeted the following Wednesday night:

"

Heard today that Vinny Del Negro is on super-thin, could-go-any-day ice. A blowout loss in OKC tonight won't exactly help.

— Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33) March 22, 2012"

Del Negro had the Clippers atop the Pacific Division at 20-11 at the February All-Star break but has led L.A. to a 7-10 mark since, dropping it 2.5 games behind the Lakers and into the Western Conference's No. 4 playoff spot.

However, simply dumping Del Negro and his failing offensive game plan would not turn things around in Lob City. The defensive intensity from L.A. has been poor, to say the least, over its disappointing stretch, and its scoring struggles are not solely to blame.

Sure, firing the head man is sometimes what provides the rotation with a spark to play harder and with more purpose, but these are professionals who earn millions to do a job.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein on Friday, "One of the factors that appears to have saved Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro...is the fact that the Clips have no assistant who slides easily into an interim role."

Also, it is important to note that Del Negro is in the final season of his contract and the Clippers have not yet exercised their team option on the coach.

Oddly enough, his Clippers were looking like an NBA Finals contender just over a month ago but have since looked lethargic and frustrated.

LA's plus-1.4 scoring differential is the third-worst of the current eight Western Conference playoff teams as well—but I challenge any one of Del Negro's assistants to turn that around.

Slumps happen in the NBA, and oftentimes roster personnel issues are the main culprits. The Clippers need another scorer to complement Blake Griffin (20.9 PPG) and Chris Paul (19.4 PPG), and they will have to wait until next season to get one if no one else steps up in place of the injured Chauncey Billups.

Del Negro is not exactly the problem, but rather the scapegoat for a struggling team and franchise in need of personnel change. 

With only a handful of games remaining before the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, Del Negro is L.A.'s best option on the bench, and the Clippers are wise to recognize that.