Los Angeles Clippers: 5 Reasons Blake Griffin and Co. Will Soon Be a Juggernaut
While preseason predictions of a Los Angeles Clippers' postseason appearance haven't turned out to be accurate, the City of Angels’s “other team” has plenty to be excited about.
Although they’re only 26-42, the Clips are three wins away from matching last year’s total with 14 games to go. Even more than that, the current edition of the most feckless franchise in the NBA doesn’t act or seem like losers.
The Clippers have youthful exuberance and swagger, and it is clear that they know things are looking up. Not only are they fun to watch, but they also appear to have fun playing together.
Many fans and pundits are expecting a dramatic Clippers rise over the next several seasons, and championship hopes are high.
Why will the Clippers soon become a Western Conference juggernaut? Here are the reasons…
Blake Griffin
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Blake is having by far the best rookie year since LeBron James entered the league, and you could make a case that he has been the most successful newbie since Shaq in 1992-93.
Griffin's impact has been enormous, both on and off the court.
Ignoring his nasty averages—22.3 points, 12.2 boards—Blake has reinvigorated the Clippers, made them relevant in Los Angeles again, and galvanized fan interest across the country. He is wildly popular, fantastically entertaining, supremely effective and manages to somehow stay down to earth.
Blake is only going to get better. He already elevates his teammates with his effort, intensity, and hustle, but he's also going to learn to be a true leader.
If he isn't a superstar yet, he will be one soon, and he is definitely a player around whom the Clips can build a championship squad.
Eric Gordon
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“EJ” was quietly having a breakout season before he went down with a wrist injury (which he recently sadly re-aggravated in just his second game back.)
Averaging 23.7 points per game, Gordon has displayed the ability to score from all over the court. He can get to the rim and finish with the best of them, or he can pull up and knock down the jumper with range.
Furthermore, Gordon has demonstrated both killer instinct and playmaking skills. He wants to be “the guy” at the end of games, and he has had clutch performances earlier this year. He’s also improving his passing and basketball IQ, thereby developing a well-rounded game.
At the age of 22, Gordon has an extremely bright future. Pairing him with Blake gives the Clippers their core for the next decade.
Cap Space
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Since the NBA still needs to renegotiate the Collective Bargaining Agreement for next year, we can't speak definitively about the Clippers' financial situation.
However, we do know that Los Angeles will have as much cap flexibility as any team. There are no absolute superstars becoming free agents this year, so the Clips probably don't want to waste a max contract. Still, they could get creative and sign a couple of very useful guys.
If the Clippers are smart with their money, they can obtain several key role players to round out their rotation. (Caron Butler at small forward, anyone?)
Moreover, signing with Donald Sterling used to be the equivalent of making a deal with the devil. Now, with the bright future of the Clippers, free agents will want to come and play. Who wouldn't want to team up with Blake Griffin?
Young Talent
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The Clippers are officially the ninth youngest team in the NBA, but that number is a little deceiving. Their eldest statesmen, 30-year-olds Brian Cook and Jamario Moon, are not essential members of the team's future.
Their core—Griffin, EJ, DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe, and debatably Al-Farouq Aminu—has no one older than 22.
Jordan is still raw offensively, but he is a solid defender and rebounder and improves every day. Bledsoe has been inconsistent, but he has the skills and athleticism to become a legitimate point guard. We don't yet know what will become of Aminu, but he has had some impressive moments.
If these guys all grow and mature together, they could become extremely dangerous and cohesive.
GM Neil Olshey
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The Clippers’ front office has been roundly criticized for the past gazillion years, and rightly so. It's drafted busts (Michael Olowokandi), signed knuckleheads (Baron Davis) and traded for scrubs (plenty fit this category).
But the Clippers finally have a general manager who seems to get it. While Neil Olshey has been with the team since 2003-2004, and is thus not blameless when discussing the Clippers’ struggles, he has recently been quite competent.
In the summer of ’08, Olshey became Assistant GM, and he was not only responsible for the drafting Blake Griffin, but he has also made other smart moves over the past couple years, such as the unloading of Davis (and his horrendous contract) for Mo Williams.
Former GMs Elgin Baylor and Mike Dunleavy were both rather inept, but now the Clippers have someone who can help them thrive.
