Mark Cuban doesn't give a "s-t" about the Clippers

 "I mean I don't hate the Clippers" said the outspoken Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban. "That's a strong word. I don't hate anyone on the Clippers. I pretty much hate anybody that doesn't have a Mavericks or Dallas across their chest. With that said, I don't give a s-t about the Clippers".

These were the strong words Cuban used before the highly anticipated match-up between the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks which concluded in a Clippers 104-88 blowout victory.

Mark Cuban hasn't been shy about voicing his animosity about the Clippers which stemmed from the Deandre Jordan saga that occurred in July in which Deandre, after verbally agreeing to sign with the Mavericks, spurned them to return to the Clippers to the relief of Clipper fans. It was a move that undoubtedly screwed the Mavericks in every way as they crumbled down from contender, to possible playoff contender to lottery team over one summer. The Mavs needed Deandre but he chose his "home", the Clippers. Consequently, every time the Clippers are mentioned to Cuban the only response is one of agitation.

"You can change the players, you can change the owner, but the Clipper are who they have been"

Cuban comments in they eyes of many clearly seem foolish since the Clippers of 30 years ago would have never got the kind of bench performance that they got from them against the Mavs. Not to mention, it also feels a like Cuban seems to be jumping on one of the NBA's most popular bandwagons which is hating on the Clippers. Damascus cousins, after LA's game the opening night, let out his frustration to the media.

"I hate the Clippers, I honestly do" said Cousins to the media in the King's locker room.

The Clips have been one of NBA's most disliked teams from a while now with the teams technically heavy, ref-chirping style getting on the nerves of many opposing payers. The fact that CP3 and Blake Griffin are so heavily endorsed doesn't seem to help much and from the looks of things the Warriors are not the only team with a target on their back.

With the NBA season underway this will unlikely be the last time that something bitter is said about the Clippers but with Cuban's Mavericks set to struggle this season, ultimately, it feels like he needs to let past grudges go. If this means he needs to pull out the generic "next question please" every time the Clippers are mentioned than so be it, regardless, you cannot dwindle on the past forever.

Clippers Exercise Option On Wilcox

The LA Clippers have announced officially that they intend to excessive the team option on C.J Wilcox.

Wilcox has seen spare, limited minutes in his time as a Clipper, only averaging 2.0 points and 0.4 assists in 4 minutes. He appeared in only 21 games last season for the Clippers. Despite the lack of playing time Doc as sung the praises of the young guard and has said he's shown improvement since last year.

During the 2016 summer league, Wilcox had a strong showing with averages of 14 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 32 minutes of play. Although the Pleasant Grove native is unlikely to receive much more time this season with the Clippers bench getting even deeper over the summer the fact his option has been exercised means the Clippers see a bright future in the sharpshooter from the University of Washington.

What player will man the 3 for the Clips?

With Matt Barnes being traded to the Grizzlies over the summer the common expectation among Clipper fans was that Paul Pierce would step in and fill in the void at the 3 position. However, with only weeks to go until the start of training camp rumours are starting to swirl about Wesley Johnson, another wing player the team acquired over the summer, being a possible contender to start at the 3.

The reason Johnson may be up for consideration for the starting spot is primarily due the fact Doc would want to save Pierce's legs for the post-season where The Truth can work his magic.

"I don't want to overuse him, I know that. I don't even know how we're going to use him yet. I'm going to play him at (power forward) a lot, but what I want him to be is healthy in the playoffs. So however we can figure that out, that's what I'm going to try to do. I'm really looking forward to it." said Rivers.

If this comes to fruition, he may be placed in a forward power position alongside Josh Smith, Lance Stephenson, Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers, the report added.

Either way, the fact that the Clippers have this much depth to play around with is likely to make them much more dangerous this upcoming season as they prepare to start the journey again to win the NBA's ultimate goal.

Jose Calderon a Clipper?

e've heard murmurs throughout the summer regarding the potential departure of Jamal Crawford, although things had fallen quiet until a new round of rumors surfaced earlier this week. The New York Knicks and Miami Heat are among the teams said to be interested in acquiring the 35-year-old scoring wing, but are either of them a match for what the Clippers are looking to take back in a trade?
While I wouldn't mind it if the Clips were able to nab Josh McRoberts in exchange for Crawford (they do have a man-bun quota to fill now that Spencer Hawes has been jettisoned into the sun), Lucas Hann has already broached that topic here. Another name mentioned as a possibility for the Clippers is Knicks point guard Jose Calderon. Might there be real legs to this one? Jose seems to think so.

Honestly, if the Clippers wanted anything of real substance in a trade centered around Crawford, they probably already missed their opportunity. Nothing against Jamal, of course, but he's 35, struggled with injuries last season and endured one of the worst shooting seasons of his career (39.6% from the field, 32.7% from three). Considering he gives you very little outside of scoring, the idea that he may not be able to score at a high level anymore is a little worrisome.

New York famously acquired Calderon (and his hefty salary) along with a few other spare parts and draft picks in exchange for Tyson Chandler last summer. Calderon didn't exactly enjoy a career-year with the Knicks, but he was only fit for 42 games due to an Achilles injury. In the time he was on the court, the 33-year-old contributed 9.1 points and 4.7 assists per game on excellent 41.5% shooting from deep.

How's the potential fit with L.A.? If the Clippers were to pull the trigger on a Crawford-for-Calderon (plus C.J. Wilcox, due to salaries) deal, one would imagine the Spanish guard would slide in as the No. 2 PG behind Chris Paul. Calderon's best days may be in his rearview mirror, but he's clearly still capable of running an offense and knocking down the longball.

The main hangup here might be Calderon's contract. He's got two years remaining on a deal he initially inked with the Dallas Mavericks back in 2013, and will earn well over $7 million per year through the 16-17 season. That's quite the financial commitment to an older guy that may not play more than 15 minutes a night and probably couldn't stay in front of a stationary chair on defense. However, he remains a steadying presence on offense that also helps space the floor. You can never have enough shooting, you know.

Unless the ultra-confident Austin Rivers has magically improved a ton during the offseason, Calderon would likely still be an upgrade at the position over he and Pablo Prigioni. Not to torment ourselves with this miserable hypothetical, but I think I'd feel quite a bit more comfortable with Calderon running the show in the event of a Chris Paul injury.
The Clippers' championship window is wide open right now, which means age may not be a major factor when it comes to adding periphery pieces around the young core of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and CP3. Given how quickly the Crawford trade market seems to have dried-up, can the Clippers do any better than Jose Calderon?

LA Clippers sign Argentine veteran Pablo Prigioni

 The Los Angeles Clippers signed guard Pablo Prigioni on Thursday.

Prigioni agreed to the deal in principle two weeks ago with the Clippers, who signed the Argentine veteran for the veteran's minimum of $981,000.

The 38-year-old Prigioni averaged 4.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season for the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. He signed with the Knicks in 2012 after a lengthy career in Spain and Argentina.

Houston traded Prigioni to Denver last month, and the Nuggets waived him.

Prigioni played well against the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs last season, particularly impressing coach Doc Rivers with his defense. Prigioni also could back up Chris Paul as a point guard.

Clippers waive Jordan Hamilton

Clippers reserve guard Jordan Hamilton will not be staying with the Clippers for the upcoming season as it has been announced that the team has waived him.

Hamilton had non-guaranteed deal for next year worth 2.7 million. He now hits the market as a free agent and could be useful for a team looking to add some wing depth to it's roster.

Pierce says Clippers gave him best "championship Opportunity"

Paul Pierce said Tuesday he feels the Los Angeles Clippers give him the best shot at another title before he retires.

Though the newly re-signed DeAndre Jordan grabbed headlines after discussing his decision to return to L.A. and spurn the Dallas Mavericks at the last minute, Pierce also made a notable move, leaving the Washington Wizards after one season to join the Clippers.

Pierce, 38, is now on his third team in three seasons and chasing a second championship ring. He grew up in Inglewood, Calif. and said he saw the Clippers as an opportunity to return home and finish his career on a high note. He will also reunite with head coach Doc Rivers, with whom he won a title in Boston in 2008.

“I’m at the point in my career where it’s winding down,” Pierce told media on Tuesday during a press conference for the Clippers' free-agent signees. “I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted another opportunity to win a championship. I thought just being here would be a great fit. I’m a veteran. I could be another voice in the locker room and I can just pretty much fill any role that they need me to play.”

Josh Smith is officially a Clipper

After 2 years of having a fairly limited bench the new Clipper bench is started to round out and look much deeper than in years past. After adding essential and important pieces in Wesley Johnson, Lance Stephenson and Paul Pierce the Smith addition is latest addition in the series of free agent triumphs.

Clips snagged a one time borderline all star for the vet minimum. A bargain price. Smith was reportedly persuaded to join the Clips since his role there was perfectly carved out for him. Be the primary back-up for Blake Griffin. If Smith stayed with Houston he would have likely ended up as their third string PF.

Smith spent the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks, where he was often overlooked for All-Star consideration despite posting solid statistics across the board. He signed a four-year, $54-million contract with the Pistons in 2013 to help form a massive front line alongside Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, but the experiment was a bust Smith thrived coming off the bench in Houston and was a big part of the Rockets' comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of Game 6 — nearly matching the Clippers' 15 points in the quarter —as the Rockets rallied from a 19-point deficit to tie the series.Smith then collected 15 points in Game 7, helping Houston become just the ninth team in NBA history to win a series after trailing three games to one. This is a great pickup of for a rejuvenated Clipper bench.

Rivers Returns to Clips

The Clippers made it clear after the season ended they wanted to bring back both DeAndre Jordan and Austin Rivers.

That job is now complete, as the Clippers re-signed Rivers on Monday, just a few days after finalizing Jordan’s new deal to stay in Los Angeles.

Rivers averaged 7.1 points, two rebounds and 1.7 assists in 41 games last season for the Clippers, who received Rivers in a three-way trade midway through last season, sending Reggie Bullock to the Suns and Chris Douglas-Roberts and a 2017 second-round pick to the Celtics.

But last year’s story for Rivers was more about what he did when the regular season ended.

He put on a show more than once in the playoffs, scoring 16 points in Game 4 of the first round against the Spurs to help the Clippers win in San Antonio, and, most notably, scoring 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go with six rebounds in 23 minutes against the Rockets in Game 3 of the second round.

Rivers, who had never played in the postseason before last season, averaged 8.4 points on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor and 37.1 percent shooting from 3-point range in 14 playoff games.

Clippers add Cole Aldrich

 The Clippers’ Kansas connection continues to run deeper.

After bolstering the depth at the small forward spot with former Kansas Jayhawk Paul Pierce, the Clippers moved on to big-man depth by adding former Jayhawk center Cole Aldrich.

Aldrich averaged 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season for the Knicks, posting career highs in both categories.

Much like recent Clippers signee Wesley Johnson, Aldrich was a coveted pick from the 2010 NBA Draft. Aldrich went No. 11 overall, getting his draft rights traded from New Orleans to Oklahoma City, where he spent his first two seasons in the league.

DeAndre reverses decision, decides to sign with Clips!!!

DeAndre Jordan, after verbally agreeing to a four-year max deal with the Dallas Mavericks last week, has made an about-face, re-signing with the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal ESPN sources say was completed Thursday morning shortly after midnight ET at his house in Houston.

The contract with the Clippers also is a four-year max deal that will be worth an estimated $88 million, sources told ESPN. Jordan can opt out after three years.

The Clippers quickly confirmed the deal with tweet.

LA ClippersVerified account‏@LAClippers

Home is where your is. #WelcomeHomeDJ

A Clippers contingent that included coach/team president Doc Rivers, owner Steve Ballmer and star teammates Chris Paul and Blake Griffin descended en masse on Houston to get Jordan back, meeting him at his house.

Several of the Clippers contingent remained after the end of the meeting, staying until he was to sign the deal, which the center was first able to do at 12:01 a.m. ET Thursday when a leaguewide moratorium was lifted.

The meeting didn't last long, a source said. The group talked about the issues at hand, and then the atmosphere changed to resemble a locker-room scene, including cards and video games.

New Clipper Paul Pierce and veteran guard J.J. Redick also were among those to join Wednesday's meeting, sources said, with Pierce tweeting a photo of what appeared to be Jordan signing the deal.

DeAndre reportedly completely shut out the Mavs during the process and made no attempts to respond to texts or calls from Cuban or Parsons.

 Sources told ESPN that the unprecedented fluidity of Jordan's free agency had convinced the Clippers they needed to stay at Jordan's side until he formally signed the new contract, given that Jordan had already changed his mind once in this process.

Jordan had verbally committed to the Mavericks for a four-year, $80-plus million max deal.

A Clippers source said Jordan initiated his change of heart a few days ago.

"He reached out to us and said, 'I changed my mind.' There was no convincing here," the source said.

Jordan was scheduled to leave on a 10-day Caribbean cruise Thursday.

Cuban and lead Mavericks recruiter Chandler Parsons arrived Wednesday in Houston along with Jordan's primary agents from Relativity Sports -- Dan Fegan and Jarinn Akana -- who sources say were excluded from the Clippers' early-evening meeting with their client, although Akana was present during the signing.

Sources said Jordan reached out to Griffin and Rivers on Monday to say he had changed his mind about joining Dallas, prompting L.A.'s late push.

Free agents are traditionally considered off-limits once they strike verbal agreements with teams during the NBA's annual moratorium period.

Paul cut short a Caribbean vacation with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to make the meeting.

Paul was emotional during the meeting, a source in the room told ESPN's Chris Broussard. Paul told Jordan he had no idea he felt negatively about him and that he thought they were "brothers."

Paul said he'd work to get Jordan more involved in the offense and that the Clippers couldn't move forward without him.

Cuban arrived in Houston on Wednesday as Dallas tried to fend off the Clippers' threat, sources said. The Mavs, sources said, had been promised another face-to-face meeting with Jordan at some point Wednesday before he made a final decision.

On Monday, though, Jordan had called Griffin and said he'd been having second thoughts about his decision over the weekend. Griffin urged him to call Rivers, who then began calling Clippers players and organizing a meeting Wednesday, in the hopes of getting Jordan to change his mind before the league wide moratorium ended.

Griffin flew to Houston on Tuesday to have dinner with Jordan, sources said.

Paul -- whose reportedly strained relationship with Jordan has been pinpointed as a factor in the center's initial decision to take Dallas' offer -- was among those pushing hardest in recent days for Jordan to change his mind, sources said.

The NBA's moratorium period at the start of July every year is designed to allow the league to calculate the precise new salary-cap and luxury-tax figures for the coming season.

But teams and players are allowed to come to verbal agreements during the moratorium starting July 1. The first seven days of 2015 free agency produced a frenzy that saw roughly 70 free agents come to terms on new contracts.

This was no doubt one of the craziest, most memorable days in NBA free agency history and thankfully Clipper fans can rejoice at the days results. DJ IS STILL A CLIPPER!!!!

Former Laker Wesley Johnson agrees to sign with Clippers

The Clippers agreed on Tuesday to sign former Laker wing player Wesley Johnson on a minimum veteran contract lasting one year.

The contract cannot be officially signed until Thursday.

Johnson, who is coming off a couple fairly solid seasons in LA has always been knocked for his lack of consistency and not living up to his potential however he's a solid, athletic player with room to grow. He's coming of a season which he average 9.9 points per game and shot 35 percent from three point territory.

The Clips now have 10 players under contract but still need to add a few more bench pieces including a point guard and a back-up centre and are still in desperate need for a c=starter at the 5 due to DeAndre's departure from LA.

Deandre Jordan, Mavericks reach agreement on contract

Its a dark day for Clipperland. Deandre Jordan is leaving the Clippers for the Dallas mavericks. A public announcement, first made at ESPN.com has revealed that Jordan signed an $80 million dollar max deal contract that includes a player option after the third season.

During his 7 year tenure at the Clippers, Jordan managed to ascend to being the 3rd wheel in the Clippers pecking order behind Paul and Griffin. He became an all NBA player but clearly was fed up with being stuck in Paul; and Griffin's shadow. The chance to be a "franchise player" for the Mavs and to return to his home state of Texas seemed to much an offer to refuse for DJ. By leaving the Clippers he left more money, stability and a bigger chance to win on the table.

"I think he's going to become our best player for years to come" said Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Jordan also met with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks but he did seem very convinced by their pitches and what they had to offer him.

Jordan finished first in the league in field goal percentage (.710) and rebounds per game (15.0) in 2014-15. He was the first player to do so in back-to-back seasons since Wilt Chamberlain in 1971-72 and 1972-73. Jordan's field goal percentage was the second-highest in NBA history behind Chamberlain's .727 in 1972-73.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers over the past few seasons had believed in Deandre and m,entored him into the defensive force he is today but it seems Deandre wanted more than his niche roll despite being one of the best in the NBA at rebounding and rim protecting.

While Jordan averaged a career-high 11.5 points per game last season, he shot 39.7 percent from the free throw line and is a 41.7 percent shooter there for his career. "Hack-a-Jordan" has become a common practice for opponents, but the Clippers are 12-0 during the regular season when Jordan attempts 14 or more free throws.

With the Clippers losing DJ they are in  a tough situation as they have no centre and barely any money to offer a new one. The only way they may be able to do so is through a sign and trade for a player like Kosta Koufas. This is a tough blow for the Clips but if they manage to stick things out hopefully they can sign a big name player  when the cap rises after next season and move on from the loss of Deandre.

Clippers centre Deandre Jordan being highly sought after by teams around the league

It's likely going to be a busy summer with Deandre Jordan who is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer once free agency starts.          

There's no doubt he has been highly sought after
by teams, particularly the Knicks, Mavericks, Bucks and Lakers with the Mavericks emerging as the frontrunner teams to sign him that is not the Clippers. Deandre earned the right to receive this kind of interest after having a career year for the Clips and becoming an All-NBA centre.

Jordan first meeting will be with the Mavs on Wednesday. The Knicks and Lakers will meet him later in the day. The Clippers will meet with him last. The meeting will involve Doc, Steve Balmer and a video presentation.

There have also been reports that Kobe Bryant called DJ and laid a pitch to convince him to change halls at the Staples Centre and join the Lakers, also, reports of Chandler Parsons hanging out with the Texas-born Deandre to help recruit him. Although the free-agency has Clipper fans on the edge of their seats it's important to remember that no team in the league can offer Deandre more money and security than the Clips.

Acquiring Lance Stephenson is only the beginning for the Clips

On a surface level the trade the Clippers made for Lance Stephenson involving the removal of Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes doesn't seen like a game-changer.  Especially with him coming off a disaster of a season with the Charlotte Hornets. However, Lance's arrival indicates the start of a new era for the Clippers along with their logo and uniform changes. A new era.

Despite peoples doubts, this could be the trade that saves the clips' future, the acquisition that finally pushes them over the top. The Clippers needed toughness and a feisty guard who could play defence and Stephenson excelled in this role in Indiana. He also brings an ability to create his own shot and handle the ball. Although these qualities dwindle during his time with the Hornets if he can re-discover his Pacer form this will be a fantastic move for the Clips, easily the best Doc Rivers has made during his rocky time as Clippers President of Basketball Operations.

It has been made clear that Stephenson wasn't suited to be a top option in an offense but maybe better as a 3rd or 4th and that's what he would be in the Clippers' clear-cut hierarchy. Stephenson's struggles last season were well known. His  production fell to just 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game with 37.6 percent shooting from the field and 17.1 percent from three point range (a decline of 18 percent from the previous season).

Essentially, Stephenson’s career wasn't meant to continue in Charlotte. But it’s not as though his athleticism, versatility and defensive abilities have suddenly disappeared.

If the trade doesn't pay off and Stephen continues with his rough form then due to the fact he has a team option at the end of the season means the Clips can let him go if things go awry. This is a contract year for lance and he needs to play well if he wants a long term, stable contract. It was a move the Clippers needed to make. Lets just hope it pays off.

LA Clippers to Play Raptors in Preseason Game in Vancouver as part of NBA Canada Series

The Los Angeles Clippers will play the Toronto Raptors in a Preseason game on Oct 4th. The game will take place at the Rogers arena in  Vancouver as part of the 4th annual NBA Canada series. This marks the first time the Clippers franchise has taken part in the series and is also the organisations first visit to Vancouver in over 10 years. 

The NBA Canada series will feature 5 teams - Clippers, Raptors, Bulls, Timberwolves and Wizards playing games in various locations all over Canada. It is also worth mentioning the Clippers organisation will be taking part in the NBA global games series in China during the 2015-16 Preseason with them playing the Charlotte Hornets in Shanghai.

Paul Pierce a Clipper?

In the summer of 2014  the Clippers tried to lure Paul Pierce from the Nets to Lob City but ultimately ended up being unsuccessful in their attempts. Pierce ended up signing with the Wizards.

There are now rumours that Pierce will opt out of his Wizards contract and although theirs a chance of his retirement, indications are strong that he may sign with the Clips on a veterans minimum deal. This was reported by nba.com's David Aldridge and is very believable since we know Clippers coach Doc Rivers coached Pierce for nine seasons in Boston.

Clippers lack wing depth and would love to have Pierce's late game shot making, something they haven't had from the wings for a while. Although Matt Barnes performed admirably at SF this season he is not Paul Pierce. If the Clippers do finally do manage land Pierce he could  be the piece that pushes them over the top.

DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul named to NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE first team

The National Basketball Association announced today that Los Angeles Clippers’ Center DeAndre Jordan and point guard Chris Paul have been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. It is Jordan’s first defensive team honour and Paul’s fourth consecutive year on the first team and the fifth overall time in his career. Jordan received 187 points (84 First Team votes, 19 Second Team votes), while Paul garnered a total of 170 points (67 First Team votes, 36 Second Team votes).

joining Jordan and Paul on the NBA All-Defensive First Team are forward Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs (242 points), forward Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors (229 points) and guard Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies (207 points).

Jordan led the NBA in rebounds per game (15.0), defensive rebounds per game (10.1) and was fourth in blocks per game (2.23). His 1,226 rebounds in 2014-15 were the fourth-most rebounds by any player in the NBA in a single season since 1985-86 and is the most in Clippers franchise history.

Paul was second in the NBA in total steals (156) and fifth in steals per game (1.90). He has led the NBA in steals in six of the past eight seasons. According to data from Synergy Sports, Paul ranked first in the NBA this season in isolation situations, allowing only 0.565 points per play in such scenarios. Paul was previously named to the  NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2009 and was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2011 and 2008.

The NBA All-Defensive Second Team consists of New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (47 First Team votes), Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (44 First Team votes), Warriors center Andrew Bogut (33 First Team votes), Washington Wizards guard John Wall (7 First Team votes) and Spurs forward Tim Duncan (5 First Team votes).

2014-15 NBA All-Defensive First Team

Position Player / Team 1st (2 pts.) 2nd (1 pt.) Total Points Forward Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio 116 10 242 Forward Draymond Green, Golden State 107 15 229 Guard Tony Allen, Memphis 88 31 207 Center DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers 84 19 187 Guard Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers 67 36 170

2014-15 NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Position Player / Team 1st (2 pts.) 2nd (1 pt.) Total Points Forward Anthony Davis, New Orleans 47 61 155 Guard Jimmy Butler, Chicago 44 44 132 Center Andrew Bogut, Golden State 33 36 102 Guard John Wall, Washington 7 53 67 Forward Tim Duncan, San Antonio 5 54 64

(NBA.COM)