Day 244

Fresh Start_244: Start the process
When Lob City was first introduced to the NBA, it took the league by storm. Now, Lob City is just an afterthought in Los Angeles, with the Clippers failing to get out of the second round in the last 3 seasons. With All-Stars Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan on roster, you would think that the team could have the talent to make a Western Conference Final or a NBA Final appearance.

Injuries the past two season have derailed the Clippers plans to make it past the 2nd round—this year possibly with the toe injury to Griffin. The question arising again, “how much longer do you keep this team together?” Well, Paul and Griffin are both free agents following next season, and you’d think it would be hard to keep both players even with the NBA’s expanded cap. Griffin might be the odd man out with the importance of Paul at the point. However, the Clippers could find themselves in a position where they don’t retain either of them.

To pile on to that, head coach and general manager Doc Rivers looks to be the leading candidate for the Orlando Magic general manger opening. So, the Clippers could find themselves without a coach and a general manager this season, and without two of their biggest players the following season.

Breaking this team down might not be the worst thing in the world. The Clippers are tied for the oldest roster in the league (29.9) and have players like Redick, Jamal Crawford that are big rotational players for the Clips and are getting up there in age. If the Clippers stripped the team down after the next season, while letting Redick go after this season and rebuilding this team. With the salary cap expanding it seems by the day; the Clippers will have no problem attracting free agents to L.A.

Los Angeles has been in the news closely associated with a Carmelo Anthony trade, and that might still be in the cards, while not putting much halt on the rebuilding project. Anthony is a free agent following the 2018-19 season. Carmelo is also great friends with Chris Paul which might help the Clippers retain Paul for a short period of time. If Anthony gets traded for Griffin in a probable 3-team trade (you have to match salaries in the NBA), and the Clippers sign Chris Paul to a 1-year contract to finish out of career with Melo, that team would still have enough talent and money to surround Paul, Melo, and Jordan to compete for a championship. I do think however, the Clippers will have to let Doc Rivers go to Orlando and sign a separate coach and gm moving forward to make this rebuild work. The roster in Los Angeles is interesting and competing for another year or two with a slightly different cast of characters is the best thing for the Clippers moving forward before knocking the whole building down.
Sources:(theringer.com, spotrac.com, basketball.realgm.com, espn.com)

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