Whatever the Los Angeles Clippers did on the court this season was overshadowed by the terrible Donald Sterling incident that was leaked during the postseason. Now there is massive ownership question moving forward that might serve as a distraction for the team moving forward.
In regards to the actual basketball, the Clips posted the third best record in the Western Conference but still stumbled in the playoffs failing to get past the semifinals. L.A. has their core of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in tact but needs to improve the depth of their roster in hopes of trying to get over the hump.
Los Angeles Clippers (57-25 last year)
2014-15 Projected Depth Chart:
C: DeAndre Jordan
PF: Blake Griffin
SF: Matt Barnes/Jared Dudley
SG: J.J. Redick/Jamal Crawford/#Willie Green/Reggie Bullock
PG: Chris Paul/^Darren Collison
NBA Free Agents:
^PG-Darren Collison (PO)
#SG-Willie Green (TO)
SF-Danny Granger (UFA)
PF-Glenn Davis (UFA)
SF-Hedo Turkoglu (UFA)
C-Ryan Hollins (UFA)
2014-15 Team Salary: approximately $70.2 million
Team Needs:
1. Frontcourt Depth:
For the second straight summer, the Clippers have zero depth in their frontcourt behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. L.A. signed Glenn Davis late in the season to provide a serviceable option inside but he is a free agent. Since the Clips are already well over the salary cap, they only have their mid-level exception or veteran’s minimum to try and find a solid post player to backup Griffin or Jordan. They could also try and dangle Jared Dudley to fill this void.
2. Backup Point Guard:
Darren Collison will more than likely opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent since the final year year of deal is worth just slightly less than two-million dollars. The Clips must either re-sign Collison to a more lucrative contract or find a cheaper replacement which seems to be the more practical approach.
3. Make a run at LeBron:
Is it realistic that the King could come to L.A. and join the Clippers, NOT the Lakers. The Clips need to at least put feelers out there to see if LeBron would sit down at the table and listen to a sales pitch. IF LeBron were interested, a sign and trade must go down that would have to include either Griffin or Jordan with other pieces.
OTHER NBA OFF-SEASON TEAM NEEDS PAGES:
ATLANTA HAWKS
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.