Forgotten heroes
Okay, maybe heroes is a bit of stretch, but there are some players who haven’t been around lately that could be worth considering if other options are out of reach — due to either other teams taking them or a minimum contract not being enough.
I know the Clippers are good for backup bigs, but should they decide to value experience over youth and barely play the young rookie bigs (and they shouldn’t ignore Brice Johnson), they could take a gamble on someone like Carlos Boozer. Prior to his absence from the league last season, he averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds per game with the Lakers, which would be a nice, more stable return than hoping a rookie like Johnson adapts to the NBA straight away.
Similarly, veterans such as David Lee and Amar’e Stoudemire would offer more offensive help if Doc isn’t willing to look to a rookie.
Larry Sanders is an interesting idea if he returns to the NBA at some point for the rim protection he always provided, but whether he makes a comeback (especially any time soon) is unknown. Plus, with Speights at backup center already and possibly a few minutes for Stone here and there, there’s no room for him.
Another option would be Ray Allen returning to the NBA if he doesn’t go with the obvious option of the Warriors. The teams that Allen would consider are the Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs and Clippers. Should he go to the Clippers, it would be a solid capture for the bench, as he would provide instant, clutch offense.
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Allen certainly wouldn’t rely on speed or athleticism, especially after turning 41 this Wednesday, but there are four attributes that he would be able to deliver; his positioning, his shooting, his free throws and his basketball IQ.
He always had a great basketball mind, and the type of on the court attributes like three-pointers age better than anything else. Heck, I’m sure if you left Reggie Miller in the corner today and just told him to stand there for the entire game and didn’t have to run or play defense, but just to stand there and shoot when they get the ball, I’m sure they could still find the basket with a surprisingly alarming level of consistency.
So, should Allen want another shot at the league, I think he’d be an excellent fit on the Clippers. Although, it would feel like 2011 Boston with Allen, Pierce and Bass taking to the court with Doc Rivers on the bench. At the same time, adding another old, defensive liability in Allen (pairing with Pierce) has obvious drawbacks.
Another ex-Celtic who I’d love to see back in the league, and that I can’t argue a case for after the recent signing of Raymond Felton, would have been Nate Robinson, who I’ve always liked and felt the Clippers shouldn’t have cut in 2015, especially when they were so short of depth that year.
Now, after considering some old heroes, let’s look at the Clippers’ top need — a new wing.
Next: Is the grass greener?