The return of Blake Griffin to the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency is less certain than Chris Paul's, according to sources.

Griffin will be a free agent for the first time in his career this summer. Griffin signed a super-max extension in July of 2012 a year before he would have become a restricted free agent.

Griffin's personality could lend him to consider the decision privately instead of taking a series of public meetings.

The Clippers can offer Griffin one additional guaranteed season and 7.5 percent raises.

According to Steve Ballmer, the Clippers don't have any interest in blowing up their roster.

"I love those guys, and I want those guys back," Ballmer said.

The Los Angeles Clippers expect Chris Paul to re-sign with them on a five-year deal worth more than $200 million.

Paul, however, could still take a number of meetings in a public process before ultimately re-signing with the Clippers.

Paul is president of the union and recently completed work on a new collective bargaining agreement. Among the new provisions is a change to the over-36 rule that will favor him.

When Paul was a free agent in 2013, he re-signed with the Clippers on a five-year, $107 million contract in which he didn't take any meetings with rival teams.

When Chris Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in December of 2011, Blake Griffin was only 21 years old and felt somewhat intimidated. Griffin said there was never a "Who's team is this going to be?" issue. Paul said the thought never occurred to him either. 

"They both made a concerted effort this past summer to figure each other out," says a source who requested anonymity to discuss the relationship. "They've matured that way. They know they want the same thing. They're also very different."

According to several teammates, Paul is a demanding teammate and insists they absorb criticism at any moment.

"He just can't be wrong," says a member of the Clippers. "But if I had to go to war, I'm going with Chris every day. I just wish he was wrong more. I wish he would say, 'My fault.'"

Teammates do say that Paul has mellowed as he's aged.

The Clippers, however, are "the most complicated team" one recent veteran said he's ever been on.

Blake Griffin will be a free agent for the first time this offseason and the Los Angeles Clippers want to re-sign him. The Clippers will also contend with the free agencies of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick.

Griffin is out for the playoffs with a toe injury.

"Griffin is still a significant part of the Clippers' future. Management remains committed to signing him to a long-term deal this summer, league sources tell me," said Adrian Wojnarowski in a video essay.

"In a lot of ways, Griffin has been most loyal to the Clippers' brand. He has never had wanderlust, never floated ideas about leaving town. Truth be told, he's accommodated Paul in every way. Broadened his own game, grown as a leader and taken a lot of unfair finger pointing and blame once the All-Star point guard became the face of the franchise."

Wojnarowski also said "it's hard to imagine a split with Griffin."

Doc Rivers is unlikely to leave the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason regardless of the result.

Rivers is owed more than $22 million over the next two seasons and still has the confidence of Steve Ballmer. 

The Clippers also recently promoted Lawrence Frank on a long-term deal to be executive vice president of basketball operations.

Ballmer, Rivers and Frank have rebuilt the Clippers' front office and scouting department.

Austin Rivers is expected to return to the Los Angeles Clippers' lineup for Game 5 against the Utah Jazz.

Rivers has missed 11 games with a hamstring injury.

Their series against the Jazz shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 5 tied at 2-2.

Rivers has been a key part of the Clippers' bench.

Blake Griffin will miss the remainder of the playoffs with an injury to the plantar plate of his right big toe.

Griffin suffered the injury in Game 3 of the first round.

Griffin had averaged 25.0 points per game during the first two games of the series.

Griffin will be re-evaluated upon the team’s return to Los Angeles and will see foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel.

Staples Center has a number of statues of former Los Angeles Lakers with Shaquille O'Neal joining Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West.

If a member of the Los Angeles Clippers ends up with a statue, it is likely to be Chris Paul.

“I ain’t gonna lie to you, I haven’t drove by those statues yet,” Paul told The Undefeated late Tuesday night in an exclusive interview. “I don’t come in that way. No, I don’t come in that way. Where are they at, by the way? Are they in the front? We come in that back way. …

“I would love to have a statue. Love it. Absolutely. But there is a lot of work to be done before that’s the case. With those guys out there, you think about leaving a lasting imprint. It’s bigger than the game. All those guys out there have done that.”

Paul was asked to describe what his time with the Clippers has been like.

"We’ve had our ups and downs and things like that. I think we have some unfinished business."

Paul can become a free agent this offseason.

"That is the last thing on my mind. My mind right now is about how we’re going to beat Utah."

Doc Rivers wants to keep the core of the Los Angeles clippers together this offseason. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick will all be free agents this summer.

“Here's my argument to (the question of whether all that luxury tax is worth it),” Rivers told USA TODAY Sports recently. “Let's say we don't win this year — which I think we will, (but) let's say we don't. Do you give up on a 50-win team that has proven that they're really close (to winning it all), or do you hang in there and keep trying to maybe make changes around (the core)?

“I always use Utah as a great (example). Thank God Karl Malone and (John) Stockton didn't listen to people, you know what I mean? They fell (in the playoffs), and kept trying and kept trying. And finally, late in their careers, they finally broke through to the Finals. They didn't win it (all). But you know, that's the pursuit. I just think it's so easy to (say), 'Hey, they should break up,' from the outside. And I think that's such an easy opinion.”

The Clippers could have $140 million in salaries and $56 million in luxury tax payments next season if they re-sign everyone.

Rivers is three years into a five-year deal worth more than $50 million.

Paul George and Chris Paul have been named the NBA's Players of the Month for April.

George averaged an NBA-high 32.8 points and added 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists as the Pacers went 5-1 in April to clinch a playoff spot for the sixth time in seven seasons. 

Paul averaged 21.2 points, 9.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in April while the Clippers went 5-0.