Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick will all be free agents this offseason and part of the Los Angeles Clippers' early success has been not taking what they have now for granted.

“Yeah, that (free agency reality is) all obviously there,” Griffin said. “And even on top of that, year after year, after experiencing (playoff disappointments), after feeling like we were close, and going back to when we first came together. I think I was 22 (years old), I'd just turned 22 (when Paul first started playing for the Clippers). DJ (Clippers center DeAndre Jordan) was about the same age. It was my second year in the league, lockout year, and like we have grown a lot over the course of the last five years.

“It's kind of amazing to think back to that time, but year to year you go through those ups and downs. A lot of heartbreak in the playoffs, obviously, well documented, well talked-about everything that we've gone through. And some of it has been, for lack of a better word, back luck. Injuries here or there. Some of it has been our own fault, but I think you go through a year like last year, where CP and I both get hurt, and you're not even really 100 percent to start with, and you cherish these moments, you cherish being a good team. Whether people want to admit it or not, we're a solid team.”

The Los Angeles Clippers' chemistry is better now than ever, particularly between Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

“Oh, no question (it’s) better now than ever,” Paul told me on Friday. “Like I'm saying, we both have matured so much, and our communication is amazing right now, so sometimes it takes time. That's what (happened) with me and BG, and there's nothing like it right now. We are having some of the most fun that we've had in our time together.”

Fatherhood has changed the dynamic between Paul and Griffin. Griffin and his longtime girlfriend had their second child in mid-September while Paul has a seven-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.

“I know for me, when I got my family and my kids it gave me a different perspective on everything,” Paul said. “To see Blake now, with two kids and stuff like that, I just - it's different, you know what I mean? You see the sense of urgency, you know what I mean? I think we both share that, and understand that we've got everything that we could ever want, as far as an unbelievable family, you get to play the game that we love, and have all the accolades, and now we just want that one thing (the title that has eluded them both).”

Paul and Griffin both suffered season-ending injuries in last year's playoffs.

“I think we both share that too,” Paul said. “When the injuries happened last year to me and him in the playoffs, you appreciate stuff a lot more. And so you just don't take it for granted anymore.”

Host Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) and Dan Woike of the Orange County Register (@DanWoikeSports) go in-depth on the Los Angeles Clippers.

They discuss Doc Rivers’ decision to start Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, their strong bench play (7:23), defensive success (20:44), their playoff struggles (30:44), what they could be facing in the summer of 2017 (47:05) and regular season expectations (1:00:30).

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Donald Sterling has settled his lawsuit against the NBA.

Sterling sued the NBA in May 2014, the day after his wife, Shelly Sterling, agreed to sell the Clippers to Ballmer following the exposure of inflammatory comments Donald Sterling had made about African Americans.

Bobby Samini, Sterling’s attorney, confirmed the resolution in an email to The Times.

“Donald is pleased with the outcome and is looking forward to focusing on future endeavors,” Samini wrote.

Sterling sought more than $1 billion in damages.

As part of the sale agreement, Shelly Sterling indemnified the league against litigation by her husband. About $1 billion from the transaction remained in an NBA-controlled escrow account pending the lawsuit’s resolution. That meant Sterling was, in essence, suing himself.

Blake Griffin grew up in Oklahoma but there have been no signs that he would have interest in playing for his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder, according to several sources.

Griffin has spent most of his career playing with one of the greatest point guards of all-time in Chris Paul and joining the Thunder would allow him to play with another special point guard in Russell Westbrook.

Griffin has an early termination option in his deal with the Clippers this summer.

Griffin is averaging 20.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.3 minutes per game through 12 games this season.

Chris Paul underwent LASIK eye surgery during the offseason.

Paul is shooting a career high 47.3 percent on his three-point attempts over the first 11 games of the season. Paul is shooting 91.4 percent on his free throws, which would also be a career high.

Paul turned 31 in May and is in his 12th NBA season.

Blake Griffin dismissed the notion that those close to him may recruit him to play for his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

"People that I talk to and my friends and family from back home, I think they're ... I would say true friends and family, where they know that my main focus is this season and this team," Griffin said. "And they know that I enjoy playing here and I love this team, coaching staff, everybody. So they know that that's my main focus. So I think they pretty much know not to bring that up."

Griffin hasn't yet considered the prospects of free agency.

"It's honestly nothing I even really think about," Griffin said to SiriusXM NBA Radio during the preseason. "Haven't had a conversation with anybody. That includes friends, family, agents, coaches, teammates. ... It's not a conversation I have. I got a lot of basketball left to play this year. I got a full season, postseason, still got some preseason. So that's on the back on my mind. I'll deal with that when the appropriate time comes. But right now isn't the time."