SB Nation User Blog: citizen bob

A big front line

citizen bob — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:10:53 -0000

Can Kaman, Camby and Randolph play together at the same time? The thought intrigues me plus Dunleavy seems to think it can work. I know that Randolph can pass the ball better than most power forwards in addition to having a very effective outside shot and pretty good dribbling skills. Camby is a great passer for a big man and also has a very deep shot. I don’t see these three players crowding the paint on the offense yet they would be very scary on defense. It shall be interesting to see.

Also consider the possibility of moving Thornton to shooting guard. He seems to have good lateral movement in addition to decent passing and dribbling skills. I think he likes the midrange and deep shots more than going to the hoop so a shooting based position may suit him. Our passing problems may not be so bad – keep in mind that Baron loves to hog the ball.

As for defense on the fast breaks, some teams may hurt us, but as we just saw in Philly and San Antonio has proven for years – if a big team can get back and block out the paint, they can stop the fast break. The trick is to hit the paint frequently on offense and force the opposing players to run further on the break. I think Thornton is very quick as is Baron. We should be able to hold our own. With such a tall and versatile team, we have enormous advantages at almost every position. I know Dunleavy would like that.

C = Kaman

PF = Camby

SF = Randolph

SG = Thornton

PG = Davis

Lets talk solutions - again

citizen bob — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:30:15 -0000

This game was a true heartbreaker. I don’t think in all my years of loyal Clipper adoration that I have ever seen a team more confused and less skilled than the team I watched tonight. We seem to have absolutely no idea what to do on any given play. The coaching has been plain awful – I can’t understand why Dunleavy is incapable of setting up an effective defensive strategy that our players can understand. Our offense stunk up the joint but our defense was plain embarrassing.

Individually we can both score and defend with the best of them. As a team, we have no idea what to do. Over the offseason, we accumulated a bunch of players that are not very good at team play. With the possible exception of Camby, our players seem to not be developing the defensive mindset required to be amongst the elite teams. We need to look at solutions. I understand the conservative nature of this website, but how long are we going to have to wait to see the obvious? We need a major insertion of intelligent basketball play to seriously compete in the long term.

The biggest problem with our team is Kaman. He is just not reliable. He is hardly ever intense on the court. Camby is a far better center and we desperately need a traditional power forward that is going to get a couple of rebounds and score some low post points. We don’t need an offensive monster, but we do need to control the glass much better than we have. As long as we lose Kaman we will have a better mindset as a team when the time counts. So once again let’s talk trades.

I wanted to get Iverson but he was snapped up by Detroit. So lets look at another realistic trade. Clippers trade Kaman, Mobley, Thomas and Hart to the Knicks for Lee, Crawford, Marbury and a first round pick. The Knicks are desperate to unload Marbury and the Clippers are desperate for a confident scorer. Either way, we keep our salary cap advantage next year. We get Lee to work the boards and we get Crawford to start the SG position. It doesn’t make us notably better in the short term, but it makes us smarter as a team and over time that will help us play Dunleavy’s system.

There are many other trades that can be proposed and I hope that the big minds on Clips Nation can move beyond the “lets wait and see” mantra and make some suggestions that can seriously change the dynamic of this lottery bound basketball club.

The Gauntlet has been thrown down...

citizen bob — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:37:31 -0000

I know I am rebelling against the party lines here, but I am angry and I am pissed off. Something has to change and change soon. The problems that have compounded over the past three years may just end the Clippers this year. Attendance at all three games has been pathetic and is looking like it will get far worse. The embarrassment I have endured so far this year (the year of dashed hopes) is intense – and before the comments come in that I should change allegiances – forget about it; I will stay a Clipper fan and I will get more and more pissed off – like any true loyal fan.

So maybe we should be thinking about making some changes. Why you say? Let’s discuss this for a second. Correct me if I am wrong but in the first three games, when Baron was not on the court, I did not see one single cohesive play run with a successful outcome. It was my impression that Dumbleavy is a play oriented defensive coach. Well so far the plays have sucked and the defense has been terrible. This is a worst case scenario and it is rapidly becoming reality. So what needs to change? The answer is very simple – either the coach needs to change or the team needs to change.

I understand that we need more time, but changes also take time and I have seen nothing at all to make me feel like more time will have any effect. Even if Camby is a superstar, he will not be enough. Let’s face a hard reality Clipper fans – WE HAVE THE LEAST INTELLEGENT TEAM IN PROFFESSIONAL SPORTS. This is not a statement of hate, it is one of reality. IQ has never been a prerequisite for this team and it is finally catching up with us. Kaman, Thomas, Ricky Davis, Mobley and Thornton are all very slow witted individuals (I met Thornton recently hence his addition). I love these guys but they are as incapable of running a cohesive play as Maggette was last year. If Dumbleavy is unable to coach his team and Sterling is unwilling to modify the team – then we need to get rid of Dumbleavy. If we are going to keep the coach, we need to get rid of at least two of the least intelligent members of the squad in exchange for more intelligent members of the NBA community.

Personally, I think we should change both but realistically you can change the coach yet keep the players and still have a low IQ team. Our only real option at this point is to trade Kaman. He cannot handle the double team and is constantly slacking on offense. He has no idea of spacing and seems to catch the ball in the worst spot on the floor every single time (when he catches the ball at all). He has mad skills (maybe more than any other Center) but he is lazy and unfocused. These things cannot be cured overnight. He will continue to play in spurts for the rest of his career. We have five years and $50M invested in this dude and if he continues his awful play we will be stuck with him for that entire period. Right now he is a huge gamble and the time for us to unload him is soon or possibly never. Sorry Chris we gave you many chances and the verdict is in - you are incapable of being a second option on any NBA team.

I know Clipper Nation has shot down my suggestion of Kaman & Mobley for Iverson (a guy that has very high IQ) plus Denver’s $10M trade exception (I wanted to use it on Al Harrington – another high IQ player) – so lets hear some solutions in this thread and not just criticism of my writing skills. We need high IQ players so who should we seriously look to get – make your suggestions or start your blog by stating why we don’t need IQ athletes. The gauntlet has been thrown down Clipper Nation.

Time to consider a change?

citizen bob — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:52:49 -0000

I know it is very early in the season, but maybe the time has come to look at the real potential of this team and how it can become better in the short term. Outside of a miracle, we really need to consider a trade and in my humble opinion we should start with Mr Flippy.

The truth is that Kaman is too unreliable to be a solid NBA player. He has potential and some mad skills for a big man, but he is devoid of any form of killer instinct. He takes the easy way out too often and I for one am struggling to keep optimistic after last years performance combined with poor Olympic play and a horrible start to this season. So maybe it is time to trade him and move on.

With Camby in the lineup, we are still set at the Center position. I say we make a trade with Golden State for Al Harrington. He is not my favorite player, but he has the skills and is in the doghouse with Nellie. At least Harrington has some form of killer instinct. I think in the current environment, GSW may be open to this straight up trade.

Furthermore, it seems that Mobley’s career with the Clips cannot end soon enough. He is a solid player and still has some talent, but he sucks as a wing player and he sucks as an outside shooter. We need more aggressive players in the SG position. I would love to trade Mobley (maybe even Mobley and Kaman for Allen Iverson) as I just don’t see how he can be a solid player for us this year. I am so desperate for a solid outside presence; I would even consider Novak at the SG position.

If we got AI or Harrington our team would become much faster and much smarter – and that will translate to more victories. We have Kaman and Mobley as expendable trade assets, and now is time for Dunleavy to shine. I love the Clippers, but it looks like it is going to be a brutal season with this current lineup. After last season, who of us can seriously keep positive if we get a repeat? If we can’t get it together by 2010, we will never get the marquee players regardless of cap space. We need to figure things out now and cross the 2010 bridge when we get to it.

PG = Davis, Taylor, Hart

SG = R Davis, Gordon, (maybe Iverson)

SF = Thornton, Novak

PF = (Harrington), Thomas

C = Camby, Skinner

The Blazers have passed on Shaun

citizen bob — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:13:44 -0000

Seems a shame for Shaun, but the Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard has stated that they are passing on him. Maybe he is not as healthy as we hoped. Shaun was an experiment to start with and this injury does not appear to be career ending. I still believe in raw talent and in three years this injury is likely to be a distant memory. If I am right, he will be impossible to get if we dont do it soon. Maybe it is time to talk with his manager again.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2008/09/blazers_will_not_sign_shaun_li.html

The muddy water that is Shaun Livingston

citizen bob — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:31:09 -0000

I thought Art Thompson III was a Clipper fan. Why then is he suggesting that Shaun Livingston join the Lakers? He says that Livingston is playing 5 on 5 and looking good. I thought clipschamps saw him play and was unimpressed. This makes no sense at all. Does anybody know something accurate about Shaun Livingston? Please basketball gods, dont let Shaun defect to the Fakers and become one of the best guards in the game. I don't know if I could ever forgive Clipper management for letting this fish fall off the hook.

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2008/08/20/why-not-shaun/#more-1363

The final piece of the puzzle

citizen bob — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:38:37 -0000

I probably shouldn’t repost, but I had a suggestion nobody but the wise ClipperSteve read and he didn’t hate it (a first for me). Clipper Nation is so focused on the pot of gold at the end of the 2010 rainbow, we forget to remember our history – we are the perennial team free agents use as a bargaining chip to get themselves better deals with other teams. Let’s not let this happen to us again in 2010. Why not instead consider the idea of becoming great now and cross the 2010 bridge when it comes.

To improve our team immediately, we should consider a trade of Mobley and Thomas for either Vince Carter or Allen Iverson. Carters contract finishes in 2011 and Iversons in 2009. If we get either of these stars we become an instant contender. We have Camby and Davis now, but probably not in 2010. Clippers Nation will celebrate our newfound legitimacy today instead of sometime down the track.

I know many readers here want to splurge in 2010, but let history be a guide – the very best free agents will probably not sign with the Clippers. Consider that if Nowitski is signed by one team, Dallas will have almost $20M to spend. If Lebron leaves Cleveland, they will have $20M to spend. Most of the free agents of 2010 are expensive already – when so many teams have money to burn, expect the contracts to be excessive, even for mediocre talent. With so many teams in the hunt, what is the probability the Clippers with end up with another desperation signing?

If we sign Vince Carter, we will have approx $13M first year salary to spend in 2010 and $17M first year salary in 2011. If most teams overspend in 2010, we will be in a friendlier market in 2011. Similarly, if we get Iverson, we contend this year and are major players in 2009 and 2010 (and maybe even have the chance to resign Iverson for $10M py in his final contract).

This year we made something out of nothing. Lets do it again at least twice over the next three years, not just blow our load in 2010 and maybe end up without a superstar. We have our superstar, his name is Baron Davis and if we get one more major piece, I feel the words Clippers and Contenders may finally go together. Go Clips!

Is there any way to still get Azubuike?

citizen bob — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:01:48 -0000

I was just thinking that Buike is the ideal fit for our team in so many ways. He is versatile for multiple positions and a real talent on the way up. Plus he is only $3M. There must be some way we can buy him from GSW. They matched but even Buike says that he will get more opportunities in LA. They dont need him so he must be for sale - if the price is right. Maybe we can package Thomas, or a pick, or some other incentive. I know trade rules play a part, but not sure how. What does the bored Clipper community think?

Is Eric Gordon a SG or a PG?

citizen bob — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:05:15 -0000

Gordon is projected to be a SG but has said in interviews that he prefers to play PG and he played that position in high school. He may be a great player, but I strongly doubt he will be a superstar SG. Think of Kobe or Allen or even LeBron (this year maybe). He is just too small and although he is super-fast and strong, there are many faster and stronger players at that position. If he wants to succeed, the probability will be so much greater at PG. If we get the chance, I think we should force him to play PG for his first year at least regardless of whether we end up with Azubuike. I understand that this restricts flexibility but we need to think of the future more than just for today. We have a chance to be the best in 2010 if we are well prepared.

When I watched that first Summer League game, the thing I noticed most about Gordon was the similarities between him and Baron Davis. They have wide shoulders, love to shoot from deep, can penetrate and run through screens, are be good rebounders (they both can leap) and are fast as hell. Obviously, Gordon is not Baron – but keep in mind Baron will be his mentor. Remember the effect John Stockholm had on Deron Williams? Baron can teach Gordon to be like him. This is an opportunity we can’t pass on if we are serious about the future. Baron gets injured too often and we need him or someone like him on the court at all times. Consistency is so important for a team like the Clippers (it decimated us last year).

I like what I saw of Eric Gordon, but at the SG position he will be a liability on defense. He tries for every steal and will kill the team if he plays this game with veteran shooters. At PG he has more flexibility to work on his natural skills relating to steals. He has lots of potential in this area. At PG he will be able to spread the defense (have you seen the depth on his three? wow) and post up smaller PG’s. We need a PG of the future (Liv didn’t do it) and I think we should see if Gordon will fill the role. He is very young and still learning the game. We can teach him to pass and run plays. He is better learning from Baron than staying in college. Plus Azubuike is better right now at SG and has played with Baron already. (Anthony Randolph just scored 16pts and 8 rebounds as a point-forward in Summer League – How many SF’s do they need?).

Finally, I believe that Kaman should be starting PF. He never seems to be able to get good position against centers and Camby has had much more success. Kaman likes to start his move far from the bucket and that better suits a PF. As long as his jumper improves it is worth a shot - one he never had while playing with EB. Plus Camby can mentor Jordan – they are also very similar and I would be delighted if Jordon became the next Camby. We should be thinking about 2010 and making sure our young talent is solid enough and consistent enough to become contenders or dare I even say Champions.

If we get Azibuke...

citizen bob — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:04:46 -0000

Hi all – I have been watching for a while and decided to make my first post.

Should the Warrior decline to match on Azebuki (which is likely considering the just signed Louis Williams to an offer sheet and still are yet to sign Ellis or Beidrins) I think the Clippers should seriously consider a trade with the Knicks for David Lee and Jerred Jefferies in exchange for Tim Thomas and Josh Powell (if needed). The Knicks are so desperate to get rid of Jefferies, they may even throw in a protected pick. I know many of the readers here hate Jefferies bloated contract, but we need to keep in mind that this guy is 6-11 and can play SF – just not as a starter (not yet at least). I see only pro’s for this deal that I will list below:

1. Tim Thomas is lazy on defense and immediately becomes the weakest link in the defensive chain. He cannot match up with any SF in the league and hurts the team 99% of the time he is on the court. Jefferies will be very versatile if allowed to play reasonable minutes in a team offense as opposed to the Knicks everybody for themselves offense. He will be a vast improvement over Thomas and will be a solid backup for Thornton. Plus did I mention he is 6-11 and can dribble as a point forward?

2. Powell is solid but no comparison for David Lee (who is the real reason for this trade). Along with Fazekas and Jordan as PF/C backups, Lee will be able to log reasonable minutes and cover for either Kaman or Camby when injured. I don’t need to really discuss the reasons we need Lee, as this has been covered plenty in past posts in this forum.

3. Jefferies contract is bloated but so is the contract we gave Tim Thomas. We do lose $7M off our cap in 2010 but we still have $20M from Mobley and Camby to shop with. Let’s go for Nowitski or Bosh with this cash.

Azibuke is the catalyst for this deal. I would only do it if he joins. The truth is that GSW fans love this kid – probably because he is really good. He has a quick and solid three point shot and I believe he should play starting SG with Mobley off the bench. I would play Gordon as the backup PG because he is quick and strong. If we can teach him to be a PG (and he believes he can do it) then this would allow him to become elite instead of just another undersized SG. Let Baron teach him and watch him grow. He is a real talent and we need to nurture this. If he sucks this year, we still have Brevan.

That leaves the team as follows:

PG = Davis, Gordon, Knight

SG = Azibuke, Mobely, Taylor

SF = Thornton, Jefferies, Williams

PF = Kaman, Fazekas, Powell (maybe)

C = Camby, Jordan

This is a pretty good team – especially on the defensive end. Baron will be the team leader and primary scorer with Camby his deputy. We will have new veteran leadership and established go-to guys. Defense is the key to a running game and Davis is the master of this style. He likes Azibuke and that is why I would promote him to starter. Mobley off the bench will also help us be productive and controlled when starters rest. Along with Gordon, Jordan, Jefferies and Fazekas, we now have a pretty deep bench. Either way, I see more optimism this year than any year since the Clips moved to LA. Let’s hope GSW plays along, then let’s make this trade and look to a bright future (do I dare to hope…?).

More Jerred Jefferies here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAf6GtUTCzc