RealGM Analysis
2007-2008 Finish: 23-59
2008 Draft Picks: 7th, 35th
Pre-Draft 2008-09 Projected Starters:
PG Shaun Livingston
SG Cuttino Mobley
SF Corey Maggette
PF Elton Brand
C Chris Kaman
Key Reserves:
SF Al Thornton
PG Brevin Knight
SF Tim Thomas
What the Clippers Do Well:
The Clippers have a great team on paper, but their 59 losses last year would suggest otherwise. Most of those losses were due to major injuries to Shaun Livingston and Elton Brand, along with the buyout of point guard Sam Cassell, but the Clips have plenty of talented headed back next season.
Chris Kaman used the absence of Brand in the paint to have a monster year, averaging career highs of 15.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, and nearly doubling his career high with 2.8 blocks per game. Kaman proved that he was worth his gaudy contract by being a straight beast in the paint.
Along with Kaman?s big year, Corey Maggette used the potential contract year to his immediate advantage ? (he can and is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract this offseason). Maggette put up a team high 22.1 points per game and added 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
Rookie small forward Al Thornton proved to be worthy of stepping into the starting five if and when Maggette decides to test free agent waters. He finished his first year with 12.7 points and 4.5 rebounds, including a monster February that saw his minutes sky rocket and his production soar to 17.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Greatest Areas of Improvement:
Guards, Guards and More Guards
Sure, we hear that Shaun Livingston is on schedule to be ready to play next year, but who knows at what level. With only the aging Cuttino Mobley and Brevin Knight signed for next year to fill in the backcourt, the Clips need to use this Draft to add some new blood.
Big Man Depth
With the potential departure of Elton Brand ? early termination option ? the Clippers need to consider adding another big man to bang with Kaman in the paint. If Brand walks away, they only have Tim Thomas capable of playing down low under contract for next season which, needless to say, is inadequate.
Who?s Gone Number 7 Recently?
Over the past five years, solid starters have fallen to the seventh pick. There is no reason to believe the Clippers can?t select a player who can follow suit of the past five seventh picks and move into the starting five within two seasons.
2007
Corey Brewer, Minnesota Timberwolves
2006
Randy Foye, Boston Celtics (traded to Portland, then to Minnesota)
2005
Charlie Villanueva, Toronto Raptors
2004
Luol Deng, Phoenix Suns (traded to Chicago)
2003
Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls
Who Should the Clippers Target?
For more in-depth analysis and background regarding the players that the Clippers should target in this year?s Draft, click on each player name to be redirected to Christopher Reina?s Prospect Report piece.
Eric Gordon was one of the nation?s best combo guards all season long. His stock seems to be slipping, but he is capable of becoming a more dynamic version of Chicago?s Ben Gordon. This pickup would give the Clippers someone who might be capable of playing at point who can take over the game and score at will. He would also compliment the taller and more passing oriented Livingston to make one of the league?s most formidable backcourts.
If the Clippers decide not to go with an athletic scoring guard with their selection and begin to worry that Brand will leave the City of Angels, then they should strongly consider bringing in a rugged big man who knows the city and would immediately become a draw at the box office. UCLA?s Kevin Love is in the best shape of his life, and his high basketball IQ and strong outside game would compliment Kaman well and provide one of the funnier-looking starting frontcourts in league history ? just kidding ? okay, maybe I?m not. But Love would be a solid fallback plan if Gordon (or miraculously O.J. Mayo) is not available.
The Clips could also go another local route and take UCLA?s physically gifted Russell Westbrook. However, many aspects of his game mirror those of Livingston?s, which should make Los Angeles management shy away from this option at the point.
Who Do the Fans Want?
According to Andrew Perna?s Los Angeles Clippers Lottery Summit, an interactive column featuring the responses of true RealGM hoops fans hoping to add their two cents to the Clippers Draft discussion, the fans of Los Angeles have made it known that they would an upgrade at the shooting guard position. The consensus of Clipper Nation suggested whom they want with the seventh overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft:
O.J. Mayo, SG ? USC
Picks Over the Past Five Years
The Clippers have grabbed three key members of next season?s rotation in the past five years, including one of the best steals of the middle first round last year Al Thornton.
2007
Al Thornton, 14th
Jared Jordan, 45th
2006
None
2005
Yaroslav Korolev, 12th
Daniel Ewing, 32nd
2004
Shaun Livingston, 4th
Lionel Chalmers, 33rd
2003
Chris Kaman, 6th
Sofoklis Schortsanities, 34th
Previous Editions of the 30 Teams, 30 Days Series
30 Teams, 30 Days: Chicago Draft Preview
30 Teams, 30 Days: Miami Draft Preview
30 Teams, 30 Days: Minnesota Draft Preview
30 Teams, 30 Days: Seattle Draft Preview
30 Teams, 30 Days: Memphis Draft Preview
30 Teams, 30 Days: New York Draft Preview
Who do you want the Clippers to draft at number 7? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions.