Can the Clippers shake off the laughing stock image?
August 11th 2008 09:06
Elgin Baylor has been a busy bee this season revamping the cellar dwelling Los Angeles Clippers. Baylor pulled a fast one in the signing of Baron Davis, but lost the faces of the Clippers, Corey Maggette and Elton Brand, to the Golden State Warrors and the Philadelphia 76ers respectively.
It didn’t take long at all for Baylor to get his redemption and make the LA Clippers one of the most championship ready NBA teams coming into the 2008-2009 season, on paper of course.
Following the shock signing of Brand by the 76ers, Elgin Baylor took advantage of the Denver Nuggets’ desire for less salary cap space and acquired defensive extraordinaire Marcus Camby for the right to trade second round draft picks (read: nothing).
Camby only reaches the ball when he blocks or rebounds it, allowing Cuttino Mobley and new signing Ricky Davis to do what they do best, score.
With Maggette moving up the Californian coast to sign with the warriors, the Clippers suddenly saw a supply of their points disappear. With that came the signing of journeyman Ricky Davis.
Davis mainly has a one dimensional game but his scoring and athleticism will go a long way for the Clippers and his guts and flamboyancy should make him a fan favourite with the club for as long as he is there.
Then comes the signing of veteran big man Brian Skinner, a demon on the boards, Skinner will serve as a solid backup to Camby and adds extra size, strength, experience and depth to the Clippers.
Baylor then pulled off two seemingly insignificant trades; Brevin Knight to the Utah Jazz for Jason Hart and getting Steve Novak from the Houston Rockets for a second round draft pick.
Both Novak and Hart give instant and solid depth to the Clippers’ backcourt and should make a decent impact on the off chance that either Cuttino Mobley or Ricky Davis are injured.
The most significant signing for the Clippers’ this off season has to be Jason Williams. The 10 year veteran has proved himself to be one of the premier point guards in the NBA and while he has been signed to play second fiddle to Baron Davis, Elgin Baylor should receive another GM of the year award for finding the perfect collateral to the oft injured superstar.
The Clippers have a reputation for being the laughing stock of the NBA, that might be a reputation that changes as of this season.
It didn’t take long at all for Baylor to get his redemption and make the LA Clippers one of the most championship ready NBA teams coming into the 2008-2009 season, on paper of course.
Following the shock signing of Brand by the 76ers, Elgin Baylor took advantage of the Denver Nuggets’ desire for less salary cap space and acquired defensive extraordinaire Marcus Camby for the right to trade second round draft picks (read: nothing).
Camby only reaches the ball when he blocks or rebounds it, allowing Cuttino Mobley and new signing Ricky Davis to do what they do best, score.
With Maggette moving up the Californian coast to sign with the warriors, the Clippers suddenly saw a supply of their points disappear. With that came the signing of journeyman Ricky Davis.
Davis mainly has a one dimensional game but his scoring and athleticism will go a long way for the Clippers and his guts and flamboyancy should make him a fan favourite with the club for as long as he is there.
Then comes the signing of veteran big man Brian Skinner, a demon on the boards, Skinner will serve as a solid backup to Camby and adds extra size, strength, experience and depth to the Clippers.
Baylor then pulled off two seemingly insignificant trades; Brevin Knight to the Utah Jazz for Jason Hart and getting Steve Novak from the Houston Rockets for a second round draft pick.
Both Novak and Hart give instant and solid depth to the Clippers’ backcourt and should make a decent impact on the off chance that either Cuttino Mobley or Ricky Davis are injured.
The most significant signing for the Clippers’ this off season has to be Jason Williams. The 10 year veteran has proved himself to be one of the premier point guards in the NBA and while he has been signed to play second fiddle to Baron Davis, Elgin Baylor should receive another GM of the year award for finding the perfect collateral to the oft injured superstar.
The Clippers have a reputation for being the laughing stock of the NBA, that might be a reputation that changes as of this season.
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