Who Stays A Clipper in 2016-17?
- Updated: May 12, 2016
Sometimes it’s just easier to look ahead than behind. Especially when what’s been behind, hasn’t been all that great.
46 years in the team’s existence and not a single one has ended with an appearance in the NBA Finals. Or the Conference Finals for that matter. And the end to this last season, might have hurt the worst.
With that being said let’s go ahead and look forward shall we because that paragraph alone is enough for even Cubs fans to sympathize.
Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan will all be back next season. Let’s end the banter and just tell it like it is, breaking up the core of this team after the way it got eliminated this season would simply be idiotic.
But who will surround the talented trio?
J.J. Redick will definitely be back and his shooting will be much needed. Redick led the league in three point shooting percentage at almost 48% and that ability to spread the floor is incredibly underrated in the team’s offense.
The team’s fifth starter is more of a mystery. Jeff Green is a candidate some fans wouldn’t mind to see in that Small Forward spot but his contract is expired. The Clippers did acquire the 29 year-old’s bird rights in their trade for him in February so they do have the best chance of re-signing him from the financial front. Also what about Luc Richard Mbah a Moute? He started 61 games for the team in that spot this season, but his contract is expired. Will the defensive stalwart be brought back?
Another player the Clippers hold bird rights to is the NBA’s only 3-time winner of the Sixth Man of the Year Award Jamal Crawford. Crawford however is 36 years old and will likely demand over $5 million a year. Will he still be worth that kind of financial investment for much longer? Another bench scorer that could hit the free agent market is Austin Rivers. I’m going to make a pretty strong guess that he will be returning, and not because of his dad. His game has clicked on since his trade to Los Angeles and I doubt he will be willing to leave a place and group where he clearly fits in.
Let sift through the rest of the bench quickly. Wesley Johnson, likely gone. Jeff Ayres, gone. Pablo Prigioni, gone. C.J.Wilcox and Branden Dawson, developmental projects. Depends on how Doc uses his two draft picks in this season’s draft but between the two Wilcox certainly seems safer.
Then there’s Paul Pierce. If Pierce retires, it would save the Clippers over $3 million in cap space this upcoming season. With much of the club’s money going to the trio mentioned above, this team needs money like that for players that will actually contribute. Much respect to the future Hall of Famer but it was clear this season that he just didn’t have it anymore. Averaging career lows in points, assists, rebounds and steals per game along with lows in three point and field goal percentage in 2015-16 should spell the end to what was a magnificent NBA career.
At this point only one guy on this team hasn’t been talked about yet, the toothless wonder Cole Aldrich.
Credit to OC Register: Cole Aldrich
What Aldrich did for Los Angeles this last season was incredible, but it won’t show that way on the stat sheet. Only averaging 5.5 points 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game isn’t anything flashy. But in the games where he was asked to step up, he most certainly did. Like getting 21 points, 18 rebounds and 5 steals against Utah in April or 19 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks against Sacramento in January. His presence was noticeable from a team that needed a true backup big man. If financially possible the Clippers will bring back the 27 year old Jayhawk. Last season he received just over $1 million in compensation for his work on the court, but this offseason he is expected to get a bit of a raise. Only time will tell if he will be returning back to the Clipper but in my opinion if the price is right, bring this guy back.
Next season here’s who I see remaining a Clipper:
Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick, Jeff Green, Austin Rivers, Cole Aldrich and C.J. Wilcox.
Well Clipper fans that’s all I have to say about the team’s current roster heading into next season. It should be more than interesting to see what Rivers does with the team’s draft picks as he isn’t exactly known for playing rookies very often (See Wilcox/Dawsen).
Do you agree with the decisions I’ve made? Who stays and who goes? Let us know @calisportsnews and @caylward23.
Thanks for reading along Clipper Nation and keep coming back to CaliSports News for all your offseason Clipper coverage.
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