ImageImageImageImageImage

Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM

Moderators: TrueLAfan, og15

User avatar
esqtvd
RealGM
Posts: 10,948
And1: 3,947
Joined: Jun 24, 2017
Location: LA LA LA LAND
Contact:
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#121 » by esqtvd » Mon Nov 13, 2023 8:46 am

just sayin'
not making excuses but


Read on Twitter
Image Are We Having Fun Yet?
Clemenza
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,126
And1: 4,283
Joined: Jan 21, 2013
Location: California
   

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#122 » by Clemenza » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:02 am

Looks like another case where the front office and Ballmer aren't on the same page with the coaching staff. Lue's post game comments sounds like he wanted nothing to do with the Harden trade. But Ballmer can't help himself but to chase washed up has-beens. This team had to show something in the Brooklyn Nets game but when we looked even worse after the Knicks game we all knew something wasn't right. I think we had something going at the start of the season then we brought in another passive nonchalant aging star and another Marcus Morris plus the coaching staff had no plan on how to create and offense around 4 ball dominate players- which is probably impossible in the first place. If this continues to spiral out of control, sit or send Harden home, trade either PG or Kawhi or maybe both for a haul of pics and roll from there. Just have the kids run up and down the court and play hard with Westbrook. I don't even care anymore
og15
Forum Mod - Clippers
Forum Mod - Clippers
Posts: 47,769
And1: 29,486
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Location: NBA Fan
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#123 » by og15 » Mon Nov 13, 2023 1:54 pm

KL2 wrote:We’ve gone from we’ll be all right to the players not listening to coach?

Read on Twitter


Read on Twitter

We have to understand how not easy it is to play for YEARS one way, and then just out of the blue, you have to consistently play a different way every possession. You can't just wake up and start that, it's not about effort or commitment even at this stage, because patterns become second nature. Players aren't deliberately trying to not do what the coach said, everything on the court is easier said than done.

We knew the fit was shaky, what they have found out and we have found out is that the fit is even worse than expected. Now people just think the solution is, "just figure it out", sorry, but that's not how it works when hooping at the highest level.

Paul George hit it right on the head when he says:
Paul George added that the Clippers have too many ballhandlers.

“I think it’s just, when you got a lot of ballhandlers, a lot of playmakers, and I think just from guys used to having it, you’re used to hanging around and getting the ball after rebounds, after steals. Whereas before, you have those guys who would get out and know they got to be in front of the ball to stretch the floor out and be ready to catch and shoot in transition plays,” said George.


Now, if you have training camp and drill this down, you start to make things more habitual. In the Clippers training camp, George and Kawhi weren't focusing on being floor runners because they were the secondary ball handlers. Westbrook wasn't focusing on being a co-point guard because he was the point guard. They just spent weeks on playing a certain way together a way they haven't even fully fleshed out yet, and then boom, a whole wrench is thrown into the mix.

This is going to be a whole mindset shift, this is stuff that's going to require a lot of PRACTICE. You're not going to just jump into game and figure this stuff out by just playing more games, you have to learn it first, then fine tune it in games. They haven't learned what playing together looks like yet, and if they do, it's weeks away.

It's both a case of familiarity AND re-learning how you play and breaking habits which aren't actually bad habits, but simply don't function with the current situation.
User avatar
MartinToVaught
RealGM
Posts: 15,219
And1: 17,275
Joined: Oct 19, 2014
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#124 » by MartinToVaught » Mon Nov 13, 2023 3:20 pm

We've been told "be patient, give it time, just wait until x happens" for three years now and the goalposts have moved so many times, they're now orbiting Earth. Time's up. The entire team needs to be rebuilt from scratch, starting with the front office and coaching staff.
Image
og15
Forum Mod - Clippers
Forum Mod - Clippers
Posts: 47,769
And1: 29,486
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Location: NBA Fan
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#125 » by og15 » Mon Nov 13, 2023 4:41 pm

MartinToVaught wrote:We've been told "be patient, give it time, just wait until x happens" for three years now and the goalposts have moved so many times, they're now orbiting Earth. Time's up. The entire team needs to be rebuilt from scratch, starting with the front office and coaching staff.

Well, the situation has changed over the years, so yea, it is what it is, what do you want people to do? Overhaul the roster and have instant finals? Of course things will have wait times, that's life whether we like it or not.

Here's the thing about rebuilding, it's never anywhere as difficult as people think to just plummet it all and start again and get picks, etc. Sucking is one of the easiest things to do in the NBA. You can throw away all your picks and recoup them pretty easily when you just start trading players away for fun. Here's the other thing, old man Ballmer is not building a new arena and all that in order to bring in a 20 win team at the onset, so there's really no point in us whining and complaining about that, it's not happening.
RingoKid
Junior
Posts: 340
And1: 62
Joined: Oct 29, 2023

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#126 » by RingoKid » Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:07 pm

Hand Harden the keys cos he's the system yall bought and let him have his 'hold my beer' moment...

...and buy plenty of popcorn. Don't worry about salting them. Let the tears do that.
KL2
Analyst
Posts: 3,278
And1: 1,769
Joined: Jul 09, 2019
Location: California
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#127 » by KL2 » Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:07 pm

og15 wrote:We have to understand how not easy it is to play for YEARS one way, and then just out of the blue, you have to consistently play a different way every possession. You can't just wake up and start that, it's not about effort or commitment even at this stage, because patterns become second nature. Players aren't deliberately trying to not do what the coach said, everything on the court is easier said than done.

We knew the fit was shaky, what they have found out and we have found out is that the fit is even worse than expected. Now people just think the solution is, "just figure it out", sorry, but that's not how it works when hooping at the highest level.

Paul George hit it right on the head when he says:
Paul George added that the Clippers have too many ballhandlers.

“I think it’s just, when you got a lot of ballhandlers, a lot of playmakers, and I think just from guys used to having it, you’re used to hanging around and getting the ball after rebounds, after steals. Whereas before, you have those guys who would get out and know they got to be in front of the ball to stretch the floor out and be ready to catch and shoot in transition plays,” said George.


Now, if you have training camp and drill this down, you start to make things more habitual. In the Clippers training camp, George and Kawhi weren't focusing on being floor runners because they were the secondary ball handlers. Westbrook wasn't focusing on being a co-point guard because he was the point guard. They just spent weeks on playing a certain way together a way they haven't even fully fleshed out yet, and then boom, a whole wrench is thrown into the mix.

This is going to be a whole mindset shift, this is stuff that's going to require a lot of PRACTICE. You're not going to just jump into game and figure this stuff out by just playing more games, you have to learn it first, then fine tune it in games. They haven't learned what playing together looks like yet, and if they do, it's weeks away.

It's both a case of familiarity AND re-learning how you play and breaking habits which aren't actually bad habits, but simply don't function with the current situation.


I agree it’s not going to happen overnight. I have little faith it’ll come together in time for this season even.

It’s hard to build familiarity when players don’t know who they’re going to play with one game to the next. Or defined roles being taken away from one breath to the next.

I just thought it was funny how quick Lue changed his tune. Laughing like he’s the only one who gets the inside joke to putting the blame on the players for not playing the way he’s told them too.

You can’t put together the oldest and least athletic team on the block and expect them to run the way Lue wants them too. Players aren’t the only one who need to change their mindset.
Wammy Giveaway
Starter
Posts: 2,483
And1: 1,121
Joined: Jul 30, 2013
Contact:

We Could Be Looking At A Clean Slate 

Post#128 » by Wammy Giveaway » Mon Nov 13, 2023 5:54 pm

Clemenza wrote:If this continues to spiral out of control, sit or send Harden home, trade either PG or Kawhi or maybe both for a haul of pics and roll from there. Just have the kids run up and down the court and play hard with Westbrook. I don't even care anymore


Westbrook may not look to stay. He may request a trade as well; he's not interested in playing for a tanking team anymore, not after his past experience with the Lakers. Clippers may end up losing all their All-Stars anyway.

Think about this: before the Harden trade, an estimated thirteen players were heading to free agency after this season. After trading Morris, Batum and Covington, the number went down to six looking to leave. It's very possible the amount of players leaving could skyrocket to the maximum 15. The rumor I'm hearing is that Ballmer may decide to, if they choose to blow the team up, acquire expiring contracts that end this season so that he enters into the new arena with zero contracts. This would force Clippers to look at the undrafted, summer league and overseas players.
User avatar
MartinToVaught
RealGM
Posts: 15,219
And1: 17,275
Joined: Oct 19, 2014
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#129 » by MartinToVaught » Mon Nov 13, 2023 6:03 pm

og15 wrote:
MartinToVaught wrote:We've been told "be patient, give it time, just wait until x happens" for three years now and the goalposts have moved so many times, they're now orbiting Earth. Time's up. The entire team needs to be rebuilt from scratch, starting with the front office and coaching staff.

Well, the situation has changed over the years, so yea, it is what it is, what do you want people to do? Overhaul the roster and have instant finals? Of course things will have wait times, that's life whether we like it or not.

Here's the thing about rebuilding, it's never anywhere as difficult as people think to just plummet it all and start again and get picks, etc. Sucking is one of the easiest things to do in the NBA. You can throw away all your picks and recoup them pretty easily when you just start trading players away for fun. Here's the other thing, old man Ballmer is not building a new arena and all that in order to bring in a 20 win team at the onset, so there's really no point in us whining and complaining about that, it's not happening.

The roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place. Making a trade that's obviously bad isn't a valid excuse to then handwave its inevitable consequences away. Every loss with Harden is more proof of the front office and coaching staff's failure, and they all should have been fired after last season anyway.

Instant Finals? To quote Jim Mora: "I just hope we can win a game!" It would take a miracle for this team to even make the play-in. This season's going to end with OKC getting the #1 pick at our expense, as if we haven't been humiliated enough.

This might be a 20-win team or worse next year if we run it back with the current roster all on terrible new contracts. Old man Ballmer is going to have a very hard time selling tickets for this mess. The new arena is a long-term investment. It's not going to shrivel up and fly away if we don't field a roster of players who used to be awesome eight years ago.
Image
User avatar
MartinToVaught
RealGM
Posts: 15,219
And1: 17,275
Joined: Oct 19, 2014
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#130 » by MartinToVaught » Mon Nov 13, 2023 6:11 pm

KL2 wrote:You can’t put together the oldest and least athletic team on the block and expect them to run the way Lue wants them too. Players aren’t the only one who need to change their mindset.

I don't even buy that Lue wants them to run. No matter who's playing, we've been watching the same slow isoball from 1992 for years now. "It's the players' fault for playing too slow" is just what Lue's rolodex of excuses happened to land on after this game. It'll be a different excuse after Denver beats us by 40.
Image
User avatar
madmaxmedia
RealGM
Posts: 11,890
And1: 6,840
Joined: Jun 22, 2001
Location: SoCal
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#131 » by madmaxmedia » Mon Nov 13, 2023 6:43 pm

KL2 wrote:
og15 wrote:We have to understand how not easy it is to play for YEARS one way, and then just out of the blue, you have to consistently play a different way every possession. You can't just wake up and start that, it's not about effort or commitment even at this stage, because patterns become second nature. Players aren't deliberately trying to not do what the coach said, everything on the court is easier said than done.

We knew the fit was shaky, what they have found out and we have found out is that the fit is even worse than expected. Now people just think the solution is, "just figure it out", sorry, but that's not how it works when hooping at the highest level.

Paul George hit it right on the head when he says:
Paul George added that the Clippers have too many ballhandlers.

“I think it’s just, when you got a lot of ballhandlers, a lot of playmakers, and I think just from guys used to having it, you’re used to hanging around and getting the ball after rebounds, after steals. Whereas before, you have those guys who would get out and know they got to be in front of the ball to stretch the floor out and be ready to catch and shoot in transition plays,” said George.


Now, if you have training camp and drill this down, you start to make things more habitual. In the Clippers training camp, George and Kawhi weren't focusing on being floor runners because they were the secondary ball handlers. Westbrook wasn't focusing on being a co-point guard because he was the point guard. They just spent weeks on playing a certain way together a way they haven't even fully fleshed out yet, and then boom, a whole wrench is thrown into the mix.

This is going to be a whole mindset shift, this is stuff that's going to require a lot of PRACTICE. You're not going to just jump into game and figure this stuff out by just playing more games, you have to learn it first, then fine tune it in games. They haven't learned what playing together looks like yet, and if they do, it's weeks away.

It's both a case of familiarity AND re-learning how you play and breaking habits which aren't actually bad habits, but simply don't function with the current situation.


I agree it’s not going to happen overnight. I have little faith it’ll come together in time for this season even.

It’s hard to build familiarity when players don’t know who they’re going to play with one game to the next. Or defined roles being taken away from one breath to the next.

I just thought it was funny how quick Lue changed his tune. Laughing like he’s the only one who gets the inside joke to putting the blame on the players for not playing the way he’s told them too.

You can’t put together the oldest and least athletic team on the block and expect them to run the way Lue wants them too. Players aren’t the only one who need to change their mindset.


Well if Minnesota has actually figured out a way after last season, never say never. :lol:
og15
Forum Mod - Clippers
Forum Mod - Clippers
Posts: 47,769
And1: 29,486
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Location: NBA Fan
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#132 » by og15 » Mon Nov 13, 2023 7:41 pm

MartinToVaught wrote:
og15 wrote:
MartinToVaught wrote:We've been told "be patient, give it time, just wait until x happens" for three years now and the goalposts have moved so many times, they're now orbiting Earth. Time's up. The entire team needs to be rebuilt from scratch, starting with the front office and coaching staff.

Well, the situation has changed over the years, so yea, it is what it is, what do you want people to do? Overhaul the roster and have instant finals? Of course things will have wait times, that's life whether we like it or not.

Here's the thing about rebuilding, it's never anywhere as difficult as people think to just plummet it all and start again and get picks, etc. Sucking is one of the easiest things to do in the NBA. You can throw away all your picks and recoup them pretty easily when you just start trading players away for fun. Here's the other thing, old man Ballmer is not building a new arena and all that in order to bring in a 20 win team at the onset, so there's really no point in us whining and complaining about that, it's not happening.

The roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place. Making a trade that's obviously bad isn't a valid excuse to then handwave its inevitable consequences away. Every loss with Harden is more proof of the front office and coaching staff's failure, and they all should have been fired after last season anyway.

Instant Finals? To quote Jim Mora: "I just hope we can win a game!" It would take a miracle for this team to even make the play-in. This season's going to end with OKC getting the #1 pick at our expense, as if we haven't been humiliated enough.

This might be a 20-win team or worse next year if we run it back with the current roster all on terrible new contracts. Old man Ballmer is going to have a very hard time selling tickets for this mess. The new arena is a long-term investment. It's not going to shrivel up and fly away if we don't field a roster of players who used to be awesome eight years ago.

I don't disagree with, "the roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place", but it is where it is now, we've expressed our gripes about it, but we can't rewind. There's not much productive discussion we can have on the hypothetical or Ballmer just blowing it up the season before a new arena, so no point in us really bothering with that.

It is where it is now, and we also know that Ballmer is not taking a tanking team to his new arena. Rebuilding is generally a minimum 3-4 year project to just become a playoff team. Ballmer is not going to open a new arena to win 20-25 games for 2-3 seasons, because he definitely won't sell tickets with that.

Rebuilding of course has more potential and options, no doubt, but we have to face what the team is right now and deal with that. Luckily, there's always a future time to rebuild, and there's always some other generational star coming down the pipeline, so not rebuilding now does not in any way prevent you from doing it later. Clippers traded a lot of picks, but 2025 is a pick swap, 2027 is a pick swap and 2029 is pick swap top 3 protected. Seconds can be recouped using any decent players on decent contracts. Ageing stars can and will still recoup draft capital for you, even Kyrie can get a decently young players, a 1st and Two 2nds.
ERClips
Junior
Posts: 261
And1: 338
Joined: Nov 27, 2021
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#133 » by ERClips » Mon Nov 13, 2023 7:50 pm

og15 wrote:
MartinToVaught wrote:The roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place. Making a trade that's obviously bad isn't a valid excuse to then handwave its inevitable consequences away. Every loss with Harden is more proof of the front office and coaching staff's failure, and they all should have been fired after last season anyway.

Instant Finals? To quote Jim Mora: "I just hope we can win a game!" It would take a miracle for this team to even make the play-in. This season's going to end with OKC getting the #1 pick at our expense, as if we haven't been humiliated enough.

This might be a 20-win team or worse next year if we run it back with the current roster all on terrible new contracts. Old man Ballmer is going to have a very hard time selling tickets for this mess. The new arena is a long-term investment. It's not going to shrivel up and fly away if we don't field a roster of players who used to be awesome eight years ago.

I don't disagree with, "the roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place", but it is where it is now, we've expressed our gripes about it, but we can't rewind. There's not much productive discussion we can have on the hypothetical or Ballmer just blowing it up the season before a new arena, so no point in us really bothering with that.

It is where it is now, and we also know that Ballmer is not taking a tanking team to his new arena. Rebuilding is generally a minimum 3-4 year project to just become a playoff team. Ballmer is not going to open a new arena to win 20-25 games for 2-3 seasons, because he definitely won't sell tickets with that.

Rebuilding of course has more potential and options, no doubt, but we have to face what the team is right now and deal with that. Luckily, there's always a future time to rebuild, and there's always some other generational star coming down the pipeline, so not rebuilding now does not in any way prevent you from doing it later. Clippers traded a lot of picks, but 2025 is a pick swap, 2027 is a pick swap and 2029 is pick swap top 3 protected. Seconds can be recouped using any decent players on decent contracts. Ageing stars can and will still recoup draft capital for you, even Kyrie can get a decently young players, a 1st and Two 2nds.


This is absolutely a perfectly valid take on our situation.
So MTV instead of repeating the same things over & over & over & over do you have any constructive suggestions on how to address the team situation as currently constructed? Other than firing the coach & front office.
How to maximize the strengths while minimizing the weaknesses
og15
Forum Mod - Clippers
Forum Mod - Clippers
Posts: 47,769
And1: 29,486
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Location: NBA Fan
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#134 » by og15 » Mon Nov 13, 2023 8:01 pm

KL2 wrote:
og15 wrote:We have to understand how not easy it is to play for YEARS one way, and then just out of the blue, you have to consistently play a different way every possession. You can't just wake up and start that, it's not about effort or commitment even at this stage, because patterns become second nature. Players aren't deliberately trying to not do what the coach said, everything on the court is easier said than done.

We knew the fit was shaky, what they have found out and we have found out is that the fit is even worse than expected. Now people just think the solution is, "just figure it out", sorry, but that's not how it works when hooping at the highest level.

Paul George hit it right on the head when he says:
Paul George added that the Clippers have too many ballhandlers.

“I think it’s just, when you got a lot of ballhandlers, a lot of playmakers, and I think just from guys used to having it, you’re used to hanging around and getting the ball after rebounds, after steals. Whereas before, you have those guys who would get out and know they got to be in front of the ball to stretch the floor out and be ready to catch and shoot in transition plays,” said George.


Now, if you have training camp and drill this down, you start to make things more habitual. In the Clippers training camp, George and Kawhi weren't focusing on being floor runners because they were the secondary ball handlers. Westbrook wasn't focusing on being a co-point guard because he was the point guard. They just spent weeks on playing a certain way together a way they haven't even fully fleshed out yet, and then boom, a whole wrench is thrown into the mix.

This is going to be a whole mindset shift, this is stuff that's going to require a lot of PRACTICE. You're not going to just jump into game and figure this stuff out by just playing more games, you have to learn it first, then fine tune it in games. They haven't learned what playing together looks like yet, and if they do, it's weeks away.

It's both a case of familiarity AND re-learning how you play and breaking habits which aren't actually bad habits, but simply don't function with the current situation.


I agree it’s not going to happen overnight. I have little faith it’ll come together in time for this season even.

It’s hard to build familiarity when players don’t know who they’re going to play with one game to the next. Or defined roles being taken away from one breath to the next.

I just thought it was funny how quick Lue changed his tune. Laughing like he’s the only one who gets the inside joke to putting the blame on the players for not playing the way he’s told them too.

You can’t put together the oldest and least athletic team on the block and expect them to run the way Lue wants them too. Players aren’t the only one who need to change their mindset.

Fast or Slow, both work
Realistically they didn't build a running team, and there's actually nothing wrong with that, faster pace isn't inherently better than a slower pace, and in the playoffs, being able to execute at a high level in the half court is even more critical. All that matters is being able to execute what you do effectively. Denver is 28th in pace and one of the best offenses in the league, and they were 23rd last season and won it all, but they have the personnel to destroy half court offenses (and have Jokic). The Clippers also have personnel to destroy half court offenses, but that only works if you personal fits together and is fluid (have spacing).

In the Clippers current situation where the guys don't know how to really play together in the half court, then yes, running would give them more opportunity to attack before the defense is set and can help their offensive effectiveness. Of course being a running team isn't simply about sprinting down the floor and hoping (sometimes Westbrook does this), that can just lead to being a turnover prone team (eg: worse version of Warriors organized chaos).

Iso isn't the enemy
There's nothing inherently wrong with being a more isolation heavy team in the midst of other wrinkles in your offense (Clippers have some great flex/elbow sets), but it has to make sense with your personnel. Effective heavy isolation requires of course players who can isolate, that's an easy check, but it also requires excellent spacing to maximize that method.

Westbrook, even before Harden was a spacing problem. Clippers played some poor teams, so it didn't get tested much, but teams played off Westbrook to contain the paint and to decrease space for PG and Kawhi when they isolated. Zubac is a C and not a spacing big man, but Westbrook when it comes to spacing is functionally like having another C or non perimeter big on the court. He makes up for some of that with pushing and pace (but this is also why the playoffs become an issue for him because teams game plan this away).

Westbrook has zero off ball gravity, teams will do things like guard him with a big, or sag way off him and close both scoring and passing angles. Sometimes people complain about some of the decision making of PG and/or Kawhi with the ball, but they aren't paying attention off-ball to see how the way Westbrook's man is guarding him is leading to the spacing, ball movement and fluidity issues.

Harden actually has off-ball gravity despite not moving off the ball much and sometimes not being quick to catch and shoot after the pass. He's still a capable shooter and is respected as such, so the defender will stay close to him, he won't be guarded by a big, and no one is going to be sagging way off him and clogging scoring paths and passing angles.

The issue becomes everyone together. These guys would need a 3PT shooting big. In an ideal world as we all know, you have to choose between Harden and Russ, and you give them a shooter as the other guy. In an even more ideal world, you have the three or them, a shooter, and a spacing/rim protecting big (yea those are easy to get).
ERClips
Junior
Posts: 261
And1: 338
Joined: Nov 27, 2021
 

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#135 » by ERClips » Mon Nov 13, 2023 8:25 pm

Which really means one of Russ or Harden to come off the bench and be replaced by who? Of our current options that’s Mann. I personally like Kobe as an option too because he’s actually a PF who can shoot. Don’t think he’s gonna be a liability on defense either. Moussa has become our backup C because of Mason being out but he could also be the smallball C you mentioned as well. He doesn’t floor space with outside shooting but moves well and gets inside the paint for putbacks and second chance rebounds. Zu definitely needs another Clipper inside going for offensive rebounds. It always seems like it’s him alone surrounded by 3-4 other guys from the other team.

I hate that Bones has been dropped and sidelined as a casualty of all this. Not sure what to do to get him back in unless Harden or Westbrook aren’t available or maybe Norm too? Bones is best as a point guard though
User avatar
MartinToVaught
RealGM
Posts: 15,219
And1: 17,275
Joined: Oct 19, 2014
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#136 » by MartinToVaught » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:06 pm

og15 wrote:I don't disagree with, "the roster should have never been overhauled this way in the first place", but it is where it is now, we've expressed our gripes about it, but we can't rewind. There's not much productive discussion we can have on the hypothetical or Ballmer just blowing it up the season before a new arena, so no point in us really bothering with that.

It is where it is now, and we also know that Ballmer is not taking a tanking team to his new arena. Rebuilding is generally a minimum 3-4 year project to just become a playoff team. Ballmer is not going to open a new arena to win 20-25 games for 2-3 seasons, because he definitely won't sell tickets with that.

Rebuilding of course has more potential and options, no doubt, but we have to face what the team is right now and deal with that. Luckily, there's always a future time to rebuild, and there's always some other generational star coming down the pipeline, so not rebuilding now does not in any way prevent you from doing it later. Clippers traded a lot of picks, but 2025 is a pick swap, 2027 is a pick swap and 2029 is pick swap top 3 protected. Seconds can be recouped using any decent players on decent contracts. Ageing stars can and will still recoup draft capital for you, even Kyrie can get a decently young players, a 1st and Two 2nds.

There's a big problem with the argument that we can't rebuild going into the new arena: it relies upon the assumption that this team will be good next year with Kawhi, PG, Harden, and Russ. There's no reason to believe that. They're never going to fit together and they're all well past their prime. We have no assets to meaningfully improve their supporting cast. I could easily see them being a 20-win team or worse because that's what they're already playing like as we speak, and they're going to be older and slower next year. Also, even if the team isn't awful next season, that still doesn't mean they'll be inspiring enough to sell tickets. If Ballmer is letting the new arena dictate these shortsighted moves without considering what happens if/when they don't work out, then he isn't a good owner.

"Just wait for the new arena, then we can finally rebuild" sounds to me like the latest iteration of "be patient, give it time, wait until x happens," followed by nothing ever changing for the better and the goalpost being moved again on when we're allowed to expect anything from this franchise.
Image
User avatar
MartinToVaught
RealGM
Posts: 15,219
And1: 17,275
Joined: Oct 19, 2014
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#137 » by MartinToVaught » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:18 pm

ERClips wrote:So MTV instead of repeating the same things over & over & over & over do you have any constructive suggestions on how to address the team situation as currently constructed? Other than firing the coach & front office.
How to maximize the strengths while minimizing the weaknesses

Bringing in a new front office and coaching staff is my constructive suggestion. The current front office and coaches made this mess, so they can't be expected to fix it.

I think we're well beyond the point of minor lineup changes and trades around the margins having any real effect. The best I can come up with is benching Harden, but even that's just a band-aid - it's not like we'd be getting RoCo, Batum and the picks back. We'd still be a worse team than we were before the trade.
Image
User avatar
esqtvd
RealGM
Posts: 10,948
And1: 3,947
Joined: Jun 24, 2017
Location: LA LA LA LAND
Contact:
     

Re: Game #9: GRIZZ (1-8) @ LAC (3-5) SUN 11/12 12:30 PM 

Post#138 » by esqtvd » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:29 pm

ERClips wrote: repeating the same things over & over & over & over do you have any constructive suggestions on how to address the team situation as currently constructed? Other than firing the coach & front office.



no
Image Are We Having Fun Yet?
Clemenza
Lead Assistant
Posts: 5,126
And1: 4,283
Joined: Jan 21, 2013
Location: California
   

Re: We Could Be Looking At A Clean Slate 

Post#139 » by Clemenza » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:36 pm

Wammy Giveaway wrote:
Clemenza wrote:If this continues to spiral out of control, sit or send Harden home, trade either PG or Kawhi or maybe both for a haul of pics and roll from there. Just have the kids run up and down the court and play hard with Westbrook. I don't even care anymore


Westbrook may not look to stay. He may request a trade as well; he's not interested in playing for a tanking team anymore, not after his past experience with the Lakers. Clippers may end up losing all their All-Stars anyway.

Think about this: before the Harden trade, an estimated thirteen players were heading to free agency after this season. After trading Morris, Batum and Covington, the number went down to six looking to leave. It's very possible the amount of players leaving could skyrocket to the maximum 15. The rumor I'm hearing is that Ballmer may decide to, if they choose to blow the team up, acquire expiring contracts that end this season so that he enters into the new arena with zero contracts. This would force Clippers to look at the undrafted, summer league and overseas players.

You have to figure that Russel will want to start, play his style, not leave LA again, plus not to mention that most teams have their point guards already in place and into the future. He might have some suiters post all star break, but there's alot of conditions when adding a guy like Russ
User avatar
esqtvd
RealGM
Posts: 10,948
And1: 3,947
Joined: Jun 24, 2017
Location: LA LA LA LAND
Contact:
     

Re: We Could Be Looking At A Clean Slate 

Post#140 » by esqtvd » Mon Nov 13, 2023 9:40 pm

Clemenza wrote:
Wammy Giveaway wrote:
Clemenza wrote:If this continues to spiral out of control, sit or send Harden home, trade either PG or Kawhi or maybe both for a haul of pics and roll from there. Just have the kids run up and down the court and play hard with Westbrook. I don't even care anymore


Westbrook may not look to stay. He may request a trade as well; he's not interested in playing for a tanking team anymore, not after his past experience with the Lakers. Clippers may end up losing all their All-Stars anyway.

Think about this: before the Harden trade, an estimated thirteen players were heading to free agency after this season. After trading Morris, Batum and Covington, the number went down to six looking to leave. It's very possible the amount of players leaving could skyrocket to the maximum 15. The rumor I'm hearing is that Ballmer may decide to, if they choose to blow the team up, acquire expiring contracts that end this season so that he enters into the new arena with zero contracts. This would force Clippers to look at the undrafted, summer league and overseas players.

You have to figure that Russel will want to start, play his style, leave LA again, plus not to mention that most teams have their point guards already in place and into the future. He might have some suiters post all star break, but there's alot of conditions when adding a guy like Russ



I think Russ would retire rather than play for a noncontender

He signed for nearly nothing just to get home
Image Are We Having Fun Yet?

Return to Los Angeles Clippers