Why it’s Not Time to Blow up the LA Clippers
By Sean Mason
With a big free agency upcoming, we don’t think it’s time to blow up the LA Clippers.
This December will be the six year anniversary of the greatest day in LA Clippers’ history: the day the team acquired Chris Paul in a blockbuster trade with the then New Orleans Hornets. Without a doubt, the Clippers most success has come over the last six seasons. But, they have failed to reach the conference finals in any of those seasons.
Many have called for the departure of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, or a complete rebuild, but I am telling you, there is another viable option, a more reasonable approach.
It’s not time to blow up the LA Clippers, but rather bring the band back for one more run. Each of the last two seasons have ended with injuries to Blake Griffin in the playoffs. Chris Paul was also hurt two seasons ago. Almost every season, injuries have afflicted the Clippers.
It’s been six seasons, but only two of those seasons are actual failures. Two seasons ended with injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and the other was the Donald Sterling fiasco.
Bring the LA Clippers Back
Why should LA trade Blake Griffin or let him walk in free agency? In 2014, he finished third in the MVP voting and in 2015 Bill Simmons considered him an “untouchable player”. So why would anyone want to let him go? Because of a few injuries? The NBA is a star driven league, and letting a player with the talent that Blake Griffin has walk away during the prime of his career would be an enormous mistake.
You can make the similar case about Chris Paul. Paul is older than Griffin, but he’s coming off of an amazing season and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Paul finished with averages just above 18 points and nine assists per game, which was better than. He also led the team in PER with a rating of 26.2. He’s one of the best point guards in the league, and letting him walk away would be a huge mistake.
It’s not time for a rebuild. Bring the band back together for one last run.