May 2003 Los Angeles Clippers Wiretap

Kandi a lock for Miami?

Mar 31, 2003 8:01 AM

Michael Olowokandi is a lock to land in Miami according to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune. Olowokandi, who was supposed to command a salary near $10 million dollars a season, has watched his stock plummet due to inconsistent play and injuries.

Pat Riley, who has always coached teams with a dominant post player, is said to covet the seven-footer.

Olowokandi meanwhile, is said to have already purchased a home in Miami.

Chicago Tribune

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, NBA

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That Miller doesn't fit is puzzling

Mar 30, 2003 10:00 AM

Miller is 27 and will become a restricted free agent this summer. He could sign for big money with another team ? say, if John Stockton retires in Utah, where he played college ball ? and the Clippers easily could deem it too expensive to match, and he's gone. End of Miller experiment. After one season.
     
"Who knows?" Miller said.
     
Elgin Baylor is the Clippers general manager who thought Miller would be the perfect addition. Which is not to blame Baylor. Most everyone else figured it was a smart deal.

Deseret News

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Brand wants to play again this season

Mar 28, 2003 8:15 AM

Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Times reports: Elton Brand wants to play again before the regular season ends and hopes to re-sign with the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason.

Brand, who has missed the past month with a stress fracture above his left knee, hopes to be cleared to play again on Monday.

He also hopes to return to the Clippers next season with a big-money deal.

"The thing is, with me, everything seems to work out. Even with the tough times we've had this season, there's a light at the end of the tunnel."

Finally, Brand thinks their is a chance that Clippers Owner Donald Sterling will finally open up his wallet this summer.

"I think, if there's ever a time, it could be this summer," he said. "I know the Clippers' track record isn't good. I know everyone is not going to be here next season, but if we could keep this core group together ... "

Los Angeles Times

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

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Miller has not worked out well for L.A.

Mar 26, 2003 9:02 AM

Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times reports: Andre Miller was thought be the piece that would put the Los Angeles Clippers over the top but things haven't worked out.

Miller has averaged only 6.8 assists per game compared to a league-leading 10.9 last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His stats are also down in scoring, rebounds, shooting percent, and steals per game.

This has frustrated Miller.

"I look at this as a wasted season," Miller said. "A season that expectations weren't met. We didn't take advantage of the opportunity in front of us.

"I didn't get any better here. I've tried to make people better, be a team player. That's all you can ask."

This article speculates as to why Miller has struggled, with the offense the Clippers run the biggest reason.

Still, the season is lost for the Clipps and the real question is whether or not Miller will re-sign with them.

This summer, Miller will be a restricted free agent and it has been speculated that he will sign with the Utah Jazz if John Stockton decides to retire.

If Utah makes an offer and Miller signs their offer sheet, the Clippers would have 15 days to match or lose him for nothing.

Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor is dissapointed but wants Miller back next season.

"It hasn't worked as well as he or we anticipated," Baylor said. "He's a better player than he's shown. I still have a lot of confidence in the guy. I think he's going to be the player we expect him to be."

Los Angeles Daily News

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

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Jazz post 3rd win in a row

Mar 23, 2003 9:26 AM

Jerry Sloan didn't want to hear about the Los Angeles Clippers' woeful shooting, or the Jazz's comfortable advantage throughout much of Saturday night.

All Sloan seemed interested in after Utah's 88-73 victory over the Clippers at the Delta Center was what he sensed the Jazz did not do, and boy is it ever a long list.
     
Cut well. Take good shots. Seem to care.
     
And that's just for starters.

Deseret News

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Clippers' free agent tour visits

Mar 23, 2003 9:24 AM

The Los Angeles Clippers' free agent tour rolled into Utah Saturday night, fresh from a visit in their last game by the Denver Nuggets.

Denver and Utah could have the most money to spend on the free agent market this summer, and the Clippers will have the most big-name free agents, so the L.A. players have answered a lot of questions about their future in the past week.

Elton Brand and Lamar Odom, who will be restricted free agents this summer, and center Michael Olowokandi, an unrestricted free agent, are eyeing the Nuggets, among other teams.

"You have to consider anybody that needs a small forward," Odom said, knowing Denver needs one. "My loyalty is to the Clippers as long as I'm here, but there"s also a business side of basketball. I'll make the best decision for Lamar Odom."

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Standard-Examiner

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Jazz run wild on Clippers

Mar 23, 2003 9:23 AM

The last time an NBA team was this bad, they folded.

The Milwaukee Hawks shot 22.9 percent for a game 49 years ago to set a record for futility that stands today, and the team dropped out of the league at the end of the season.

Standard-Examiner

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Jazz Put Clamps on Clips

Mar 23, 2003 9:21 AM

From the moment he walked into the locker room Saturday night, Jerry Sloan could see this one coming. The intensity of the last couple of games was gone, the coach said. The concentration was absent.
   
The Jazz were walking straight into the teeth of a . . . well, an easy, cruise-control victory, as it turned out.

Salt Lake Tribune

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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DJ won't speculate about keeping job

Mar 22, 2003 9:25 AM

Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Times reports: Clippers interim head coach Dennis Johnson isn't going to worry as to whether or not he gets to keep his job on a full-time basis next season.

"I will not go crazy," said Johnson, who is 3-7 since replacing Alvin Gentry as coach March 3 and was passed over in favor of Gentry a few years back. "I've seen it happen. I played too many years in this league to worry about a contract. I just try to coach. I love the fact that I'm the coach. I love to tell 12 people what to do. Between the lines, they have to listen to me."

With many of the Clipper players in a similar situation because of their impending free agent years, it seems that Johnson and his players have a lot in common.

"Am I in the same position as everyone else?" he said, repeating a question. "No. I'm happy with what I'm doing. On paper, I guess it's like everyone else's situation, but I am going to get a job somewhere in the league next year.

"Do I want to stay here? Yes. The answers will come from the top. I'll put in my work, I'll do the draft [prospects camp] in Chicago and run the summer league team [at Long Beach State] and let whatever it is that happens happen then."

Los Angeles Times

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

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Clippers go for 2 victories in a row

Mar 22, 2003 9:03 AM

The Clippers make their final visit this season to Salt Lake City on Saturday to play the Utah Jazz. Last month, they snapped a 28-game losing streak in Utah.

They will try to put together back-to-back victories for the fourth time this season. They beat the Denver Nuggets, 91-78, on Wednesday. The Clippers have strung three victories together only once en route to a 22-46 record.

Orange County Register

Tags: Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, NBA

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Poise will secure Jazz a playoff berth

Standard-Examiner

Kandi: "All my options are open"

Los Angeles Times

Clippers on display

Rocky Mountain News

Shareef Batters Rookies as Hawks Beat Clippers

Jason Walker/RealGM

Loss has Cartwright steaming

NBA labels Boston gas scare a 'prank'

Finally, the Clips win

ESPN

Clippers show Gentry the door

Gentry given the boot

Stress fracture for Clipper's Brand