LA Clippers: Which Clippers Are the Greatest of Their Era?

LA Clippers GOTE 2000-2009: Elton Brand

Arguably the player who really helped bring the LA Clippers back into the spotlight, Elton Brand gets named the GOTE for 2000-2009, which is effectively the pre-Blake 2000s. After two very good seasons with the Bulls, he was traded to the Clippers in 2001 and set off on a rampage throughout the 2000s.

Brand proved able to score effectively and rebound incredibly well, while contributing on the defensive end and providing solid midrange shooting. His shot blocking was high-level, with a 6 year run of >2 blocks per game.

He was everything you wanted out of an old-school power forward, and in 2005-06 he became an MVP candidate, with a statline of 24.7 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. Though he would ultimately not be chosen for the award, Clippers fans will always remember his elite play that season.

Brand was named to the All-Star team twice, the first Clipper since Danny Manning to be picked for the team. With Brand, the Clippers went 241-333. That may not sound like much, but for a team that was struggling to latch onto any kind of success, the hope – including a long playoff run in 05-06 – that Brand helped bring to the table felt fantastic.

Honorable mention goes to Corey Maggette. The 6’6 swingman played with the Clippers from 2000-01 to 06-07 and was another part of the excitement of that mid 2000s Clippers team. In 04-05 he had arguably his best season, putting up 22/6/3.4. As a running-mate alongside guys like Elton, Maggette will always be remembered by Clippers fans, and not just as a commentator.