2011 NBA Free Agency

[Eye]

Uh, don't look now, but the Clippers have sold out their season tickets entirely and are starting up a waiting list.

Fine, but why do you care? Sterling makes money, not you.

I am a fan of rhe teams I like whether the arena is half full or not and whether they're aren't as many fans compared to other teams or not.

[LeGooo]

Full arenas mean nothing. The Warriors always do well in attendance, and in the last 18 years have made the playoffs once and have the second worst win percentage (ahead of the Clippers)

[Still MIGHTY]

Uh, don't look now, but the Clippers have sold out their season tickets entirely and are starting up a waiting list.

Congrats, you're finally getting people to go to a Clipper game that aren't Bill Simmons or Laker fans looking for the cheap ticket.

The Clippers aren't "overtaking" the Lakers in anything for a long time. I've always seen the Clippers as sort of a little brother. I'm happy to see them do well, but when their fans start to get annoying or have these grandiose dreams, the big brother Lakers are there to keep them in their place. Lakers: 16 titles. Clippers: goose-egg. It'll be fun, but again, no "overtaking" for a long while.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I think these are L.A. Times scans, but they're so hilarious and bad. I'm more familiar with the NY Times Sunday quarter page or so ads, but these are even better because they're full page:

Donald Sterling -- and the idea that he's ever going to field some kind of NBA dynasty -- cracks me up. Again, happy to see the Chris Paul trade for Clippers fans' sake, but this doesn't feel tangibly all that different from when he made the big Elton Brand signing and then did nothing for a while after that.

EDIT: $1,600 a month to buy into the Sterling brand? I can only hope I find myself living in L.A. needing a place to live!

[LeGooo]

The Clippers aren't "overtaking" the Lakers in anything for a long time. ever

[LeGooo]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

[DarkJourney]

I agreed with some other in saying watch Paul leave the Clippers for the Lakers after his contract is up. Now that would be hilarious.

[Billy B]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

I don't think you're giving Griffin enough credit. He was 12th in the league in scoring and 4th in rebounding last year as a rookie. You can definitely make a good case for him being a top 10 player in the NBA.

[truepg]

I wonder, where Mo Williams stands now among CP3 and Billups? What are the Clippers going to do with him?

[rams80]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

I don't think you're giving Griffin enough credit. He was 12th in the league in scoring and 4th in rebounding last year as a rookie. You can definitely make a good case for him being a top 10 player in the NBA.

Let's Go Oakland9 has a burr in his bonnet regarding LightsOut and by extension the Clippers. Pay his posts on the matter no heed.

[Lights Out]

Again, happy to see the Chris Paul trade for Clippers fans' sake, but this doesn't feel tangibly all that different from when he made the big Elton Brand signing and then did nothing for a while after that.

Elton Brand was a good player. Chris Paul is a top-five player in the NBA right now. Pretty big difference there.

Is this team a title contender immediately? Probably not, although weird things can happen in a strike year (like last time, when the 8th-seeded Knicks went to the Finals). But as the team continues to add complimentary pieces and build depth, the Clippers could very well be the best team in the West in a couple years.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Again, happy to see the Chris Paul trade for Clippers fans' sake, but this doesn't feel tangibly all that different from when he made the big Elton Brand signing and then did nothing for a while after that.

Elton Brand was a good player. Chris Paul is a top-five player in the NBA right now. Pretty big difference there.

Is this team a title contender immediately? Probably not, although weird things can happen in a strike year (like last time, when the 8th-seeded Knicks went to the Finals). But as the team continues to add complimentary pieces and build depth, the Clippers could very well be the best team in the West in a couple years.

I'm thinking specifically of these Clippers, who lost in the second round of the playoffs in seven games to a very good Suns team.

They had superstar-level Brand, big-balls Cassel, Cuttino Mobley and a core of young guys like Kaman, Livingston and Maggette. That was also supposed to be the next great Clippers team, but it didn't happen.

I'm not saying any of this to be overly down on the Clippers and their fanbase's enthusiasm. Just instead to caution against any talk of long-term success for this team. If you're a Clippers fan, I'd expect at this point you're okay with settling for one- or two-season stretches of good basketball followed by four or five of rebuilding. It's just the Clippers way.

[TheOldRoman]

Elton Brand was a good player. Chris Paul is a top-five player in the NBA right now. Pretty big difference there.

Is this team a title contender immediately? Probably not, although weird things can happen in a strike year (like last time, when the 8th-seeded Knicks went to the Finals). But as the team continues to add complimentary pieces and build depth, the Clippers could very well be the best team in the West in a couple years.

Yeah... no. He's a great player, but not near the top five anymore. Injuries have slowed him down and he is no longer the best PG in the game.

[highlanders08]

Elton Brand was a good player. Chris Paul is a top-five player in the NBA right now. Pretty big difference there.

Is this team a title contender immediately? Probably not, although weird things can happen in a strike year (like last time, when the 8th-seeded Knicks went to the Finals). But as the team continues to add complimentary pieces and build depth, the Clippers could very well be the best team in the West in a couple years.

Yeah... no. He's a great player, but not near the top five anymore. Injuries have slowed him down and he is no longer the best PG in the game.

If you wanna throw the argument out there that Derrick Rose is the best PG in the game that's fair. But really it's 1.a) 1.b ) cause Rose is the best scoring point guard where as CP3 is the best pure point guard.

And if he's not in the top 5 he is definitely very close.

[Rockstar Matt]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

Blake is one of the most overrated players in the league. It's a good thing he has CP3 on his team, because he cannot create his own shot. But, he is not better than Pau Gasol. I don't know why people keep saying that.

Also, when he said, "I'm excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it" did any of you think that was a prepared statement he made for when he was to be introduced by the Lakers?

[floydnimrod]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

Blake is one of the most overrated players in the league. It's a good thing he has CP3 on his team, because he cannot create his own shot. But, he is not better than Pau Gasol. I don't know why people keep saying that.

Also, when he said, "I'm excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it" did any of you think that was a prepared statement he made for when he was to be introduced by the Lakers?

I agree, but (not that you're saying this) Griffin has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA. He's not there yet (he has some things to improve on), but I don't think he has a long way to go, given he stays healthy. If you take age/potential out of the picture, I'd take a handful of PF's over Griffin right now. Not saying that won't change, (I think it will change in the next 3-4 years), but right now, I would not consider him one of the best players in the league. That said, I can't wait to see the Clippers in the playoffs very, very soon.

[Rockstar Matt]

Did Chris Paul really say "Luckily we play in arenas with high ceilings" stfu

Blake Griffin is the most overrated player in the league. Cool dunks =/= great player. I'm not denying that hes a good player, but certainly not in the top 10 where ESPN's NBA Rank put him

Blake is one of the most overrated players in the league. It's a good thing he has CP3 on his team, because he cannot create his own shot. But, he is not better than Pau Gasol. I don't know why people keep saying that.

Also, when he said, "I'm excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it" did any of you think that was a prepared statement he made for when he was to be introduced by the Lakers?

I agree, but (not that you're saying this) Griffin has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA. He's not there yet (he has some things to improve on), but I don't think he has a long way to go, given he stays healthy. If you take age/potential out of the picture, I'd take a handful of PF's over Griffin right now. Not saying that won't change, (I think it will change in the next 3-4 years), but right now, I would not consider him one of the best players in the league. That said, I can't wait to see the Clippers in the playoffs very, very soon.

I agree. He's not one of the best right now, but he very well could be in a few years. He has a huge upside. The Clippers will be a playoff team for however long CP3 is there. But as soon as he leaves, (and do any of you truly believe he won't test free agency after his two years as a Clipper, especially considering he could sign with his prefered team, the Knicks, or his second team the Lakers?) the Clippers will struggle. Again.

[Lights Out]

Actually, the Knicks ruined their cap situation by signing Tyson Chandler to a big contract. And the Lakers aren't in a much better position unless they somehow find a way to move Kobe's albatross of a contract. The Clippers themselves were one of CP3's preferred trade destinations, and own his Bird rights, meaning they can extend him for five years and pay him more than anyone else. I wouldn't say it's anywhere near a certainty that he'll leave as a free agent.

[loogodude90]

Wow, Ronny Turiaf is on the Wizards now? Shows how ridiculously out of the loop I've been this NBA off-season.

[evanmaldonado]

LOL to this interview stern had with ESPN. Doesn't understand the conflict between acting as an owner and being commish? Is he honestly a ing moron?