The Los Angeles Clippers quietly filled out their roster with three veterans who should help LA take a step forward next season. Not necessarily help them step any closer to an NBA Title specifically, but certainly an incremental step forward in the least. The Clippers didn’t make any moves you would categorize as major this summer, but each of the three moves they did make could certainly be categorized as solid. Chris Paul, the prize of last year’s off-season drama in Clipper-land, actually said the moves were outstanding. He was overstating things some, but that’s his job I guess as a leader.
This from a conversation with Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype:
How do you feel about the Clippers’ offseason additions? Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Chauncey Billups…
CP: We had a big offseason. Our front office did an outstanding job bringing some players in. I’m excited to get back and play with my teammates.
Were you active recruiting players?
CP: Yeah, no question. I talked to Grant, talked to Chauncey, talked to Jamal… Talked to just everybody I possibly could.
What was your pitch to convince those guys?
CP: My thing was, first of all, this is a first-class organization. Our front office and our staff is one of the best in the league. I also was just telling them how fun it would be to play with me, Blake [Griffin], DeAndre [Jordan] and Caron Butler.
The pitch Paul might have also used to convince Hill, Crawford and Billups to sign in Los Angeles might have been calling the Clippers a poor-man’s version of the Miami Heat. The Heat would probably be the most fun to play with, if you’re trying to sell fun to an an aging vet like those three guys, but if Miami doesn’t have room come out here and play with Blake and I. We’ll even throw in a promise that DeAndre Jordan is getting better, and will be more than just a shot blocking big man who scores only on lob plays next season.
The Clippers will be better with those three players, but I’m not sure they’re considerably better. Meaning I don’t see Grant Hill or Chauncey putting the Clips over the top. The Thunder aren’t scared either. But the moves were better than doing nothing; Mo Williams was replaced by Jamal, Chauncey comes back healthy now, and you’ll hope to get something consistent from Grant Hill. If Chris Paul’s satisfied with it, who am I to judge.
