With the 38-year-old point guard (Steve Nash) off the market, snagged by the other NBA team in town, the Los Angeles Clippers passed on the available 39- and 36-year-olds (Jason Kidd, Ray Allen) among experienced backcourt free agents and opted instead of the 35-year-old playmaker (Chauncey Billups) and the 32-year-old shooter (Jamal Crawford).
The way things have been going, this has to qualify as a youth movement, doesn’t it?
Broderick Turner at the Los Angeles Times broke the reported deals for Crawford and Billups that shape some other moves for L.A., too:
Crawford, an unrestricted free agent who opted out of his $5.2 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, has been offered a spot by the Clippers. He is expected to sign a three-year, $15.7 million contract, according to the executives.
Billups, who played in just 20 games last season with the Clippers before suffering a season-ending left Achilles tendon surgery, will sign a one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.3 million if he reaches bonuses, the executives said.
With Crawford and Billups reaching deals with the Clippers, L.A. cancelled the visit they had planned for free agent shooting guard Ray Allen on Friday.
The Clippers struggled to plug their shooting guard spot next to All-Star Chris Paul, with Billups a decent alternative till he got hurt and free agents Randy Foye and Nick Young filling in afterward. Crawford could log longer minutes there, though he might still be best off the bench; he was the league’s Sixth Man award winner with Atlanta in 2010.
haha a typical bobcats game 48-92
lol I was thinking the samething good ole bobcats
OMG, TOO MANY GUARDS. CRAWFORD IS A GOOD FIT, BUT CAN HE GET ENOUGH MINUTES WITH CHRIS PAUL, CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, RANDY FOYE, NICK YOUNG, ERIC BLEDSOE??? CLIPPERS REALLY NEED A BIG 7 FOOTER MAN TO BACK UP DEANDRE JORDAN. THIS TEAM IS TALENTED AND IF THE PUZZLE FITS RIGHT, THEY CAN COME OUT OF THE WEST. THEY STILL HAVE BLAKE GRIFFIN, LAMAR ODOM, KENYON MARTIN, CARON BUTLER, RYAN GOMES, BOBBY SIMMONS., REGGIE EVANS, SOLOMON JONES, I JUST HOPE VINNY DEL NEGRO IS THE RIGHT COACH. LARRY BROWN WONT BE A BAD IDEA…LOL
Foye and Young are free agents…
Too bad half of the names you said are free agents
The Clips will let Young, Foye and Simmons walk and they really need to re-sign Evans. Look for them to go after Ian Mahinmi of Dallas or Kaman to back up Jordan.
How late are you? Foye and Young are free agents, so is Bobby Simmons. Ryan Gomes is barely gonna see the floor, I guarantee it. Larry Brown also got signed to SMU to coach for the Mustangs.
Kidd to the Knicks means Foye to Dallas and more than likely Young to the Lakers. There goes two former Clips! Look for Simmons to be a late signee back to Clips if by anyone at all.
Actually they don’t have Martin, Gomes, or Simmons. Reggie is an unrestricted free agent. Solomon Jones is so gone he’s not worth mentioning. With Crawford they will probably try to make a trade including Foye and/or Young + a draft pick for a back-up center.
i think you are right about the extra big man. if blakes game improves like i hope it will (post,defense,free throws) they will be a big time contender. The only problem with the clippers is staying healthy lots of injury prone players on there list.
that mean that ray allen is goin 2 miami
Theres no way hes going there.Yes he wants to contend but the heat are only giving him a 3.1 mill contract while the celtics would be giving him 6 mill per year.also he wants to be in the sarting lineup
No, he’s got all the $ he needs. Like many before him (such as Shane Battier this year) he will sacrifice the $ for one more ring
He already knows he will get less and probably be coming of the bench but he is still considering going to miami, Riley is great with pitches but it ultimately boils down to does he want to stay a celtic.
Allen is probably just a backup in case miller retires but i do not think they actually need him. The heat would be better off with a center
Although teams have a tendency now to play outside the box I mean i never saw bosh as the starting center for a championship team.
I hope allen goes to a team that will at least see the conference finals even if that means celtics miami or anywhere else
Yep. No way he’s going to Miami
buddy hes in miami
Two Shooters instead of just One… good move Clips.
Come on Aschburner, I just read your last degrading article about the Raptors. So how come you didn’t mention how the Timberwolves failed to get their guy Jamal Crawford, smh. You sir, are a phony, no “offence”
Gr8—so Nick Young can play where he belongs-as the 12th guy on the bench
i agree only if he is the 12th guy on the bench ( north pole league). Wish he would stop shooting like he mj every time he jumps on the court and makes 1 of 10
yay clippers (/.\)
WaaaaaaaaaaaaaaT a great job by clips.. Boston already replaced Ray with JTerry. Now Ray Bay to south Bay believe it.
Gaaaaah!
everyone is going to bandwagon on the clippers -___-
Ya thats what happens in sports
a lot of people already joined the bandwagon when paul joined. I doubt jamal crawford and Billups will add many more BW fans
Wow we’re even more serious of a squad now. Odom & Crawford coming off the bench?! That’s deadly…
deadly???? dream-on.
They were already 5th in the west without a real SG. Watch top 3 in the west next year!!!
Both are former sixth man of the year, if they play to their potential they will be deadly. Clippers as of now probably have one of the best bench in the league, Mo Williams, Bledsoe, Odom, Crawford, Martin.
mo williams was part of the odom trade….. you must be a true clipper fan staying up to date
Top 3? Maybe, Aside from OKC and SA i dont really see another team contending unless the Lakers wake up.
Deepest bench? That would prob still go to OKC or surprisingly Miami if they can make cole more consistent and miller comes back or Ray allen joins them.
That’s a deep backcourt with Paul, Billups, Foye, Crawford. Young. Who’s gonna lose minutes? or some might see minutes at the 3 behind Caron Butler. Do they still have Ryan Gomes?
Foye and Young are both FAs. Unlikely either will be back next year. although Nick Young may still call the same building home.
first!!…
Clips Coming Prepared for next season
Clippers are getting better but cant get far in the playoffs.
soo true
i agree… the Clips are getting more guards to match-up against their rival Lakeshow. smh. Nash/Kobe vs CP3/Billups/Foye/Crawford/Young ? come on!
getting really excited about the next season..
now only boston and miami as ray’s option. but boston is pushing for terry now right? then that leaves miami? ooh scary thought.
No only beacuse Allen wants to play and not sit on the bench if h goes to the heat. I dont see it happening
clips – great jo love crawford and playing with paul finally allows crawford the freedom at two look out okla
great decision by clippers, cos Ray prolly wasn’t gonna choose y’all anyway…Now all that’s left is for Heat to find their own replacement and cancel theirs, see if he won’t wanna go back to Boston. And when he does, Boston will trade that a$$
Nice pickup. Someone else to create a shot other than Paul! Odom is key. He can backup either Butler or Griff, and they can go big/small. Hopefully Chanucey can stay healthy and Nick Young can become good! Clips V Lakers should be awesome games for the next couple of years. Clips on the rise and once BG gets an offensive game, it could be Clips V Thunder for the next 6-7 West finals!
if Dwight will go to LAKERS west will be doom even clippers cant be match even the OKC.
They bout to get nash so with the sallary cap or the new rule they wont be able to afford Dwight Howard unless get rid of Gasol or Bynum
With the addition of Crawford, I think the Clippers will be better than last year for sure. Their problem was that they didn’t have formidable way of scoring off the bench besides Mo Williams, but he didn’t fit well as a SG with Paul. With Paul, Billups, and Crawford they can interchange at any position and are all scoring threats. I’m not sure how well the Clipps 3 point percent was last year, but I see it getting better and giving more space for Griffin to work with. Good move for the Clipps overall.
By any position I meant either position. Just correcting myself.
YESSS! Clippers are making good moves. Adding more size was a must because their 2 spot was always outmatched due to size, except young. Now we got ODOM who will most likely try to get back in his groove to prove to everyone, HES BACK. Can wait to see more additions to the team.
Kobe’s getting his 6th next year. &&’ Yeauh.
Kobe & Nash. Just Stop. That’s Done.
Starting Line up. Can be an allstar team ‘tf.
PG- Nash
SG- Kobe
SF-Artest ( World Peace.)
PF- Gasol (or david west if they trade)
C- Bynum ( of course no one needs cry baby D. howard faking injuries b/c he wants to be traded.)
Rather West come sorry gasol
The Cilpper’s are making some very good additions so far. Adding Odom, and Crawford is great. Then factor in the Billups signing, and the Clipper’s are making smart choices. If Billups wouldent have been injured for almost the whole season, and would have been there for the second round of the playoffs, after giving that team a chance to play together, and learn to win together, and finish ball games, then who knows where the Clipper’s would have ended up. I am very happy with the way the team is headed. I’m looking forward to seeing whats next.
Chris Paul to me looks out of shape don’t get me wrong he’s a great player but he puts the clippers like he did New Orleans in a difficult position it’s weird but the Clippers to me looked like an entirely different team once Chancey went out Crawford is the best fit for this team. The clippers need to sign Crawford he’s in excellent NBA ready shape and he’s hungry Crawford in my opinion is the answer the clippers need he’ll take pressure off Paul and Griffin in crunch time. Crawford is under rating and I think the California sun will shine a brighter light on his talents. Clipper fans should demand Jamal Crawford he’s played for New York he understands the how to play for a big market team and like I already said he’s ready. I like Foye but he’s undersized the only undersized players I want on my team are point guards. Jamal Crawford Clippers fans tell them you want Crawford!
Lakers big offseason move – Steve Nash
Clippers big offseason move – Jamal Crawford
Pretty sure the Lakers are winning that one. Billups doesnt count until we know for sure he can still play. This injury of his has ended careers at his age.
im extremely impressed with the clippers. They have a very talented and very deep team now. Hopefully they can put it all together and make a serious run, because i would love to see Chris Paul get a ring. I doubt it happens this year but maybe next??…
They need a new coach rushhhh
Paul, Billups, Butler, Griffin, Jordan, Young, Crawford, Martin and Odom.. be carefull
Don’t forget Foye also..
Paul, Billups, Odom, Griffin, Jordan – 2nd Team Bledsoe, Crawford, Butler, Evans, (fill in the blank) – Foye, Simmons, Young gone
lololo…. dream on, they are NOT going anywhere.
LOVE THIS MOVE
ray allen coming down to south beach ray allen is taking his talents to south beach hahaha
Wow, even after the Nash trade.. Clips will be a superior outfit… ridiculously deep! Odom, Crawford, Evans, Young, KMart, Bledsoe, Foye.. & starting with Griffin, Jordan, Butler, Paul, Billups… watch out West!
meaning Mr. Jesus Shuttlesworth goes to Miami?
Nick Young a FA? The Clips might not pick up his option now. Nick need to sign with the Bulls they need scorers and ball handlers
Chauncey! Hope you will be healthy the whole next season, 2012-13,
and play some minutes at point-guard (backing Paul) as well as
2 guard and even sometime at 3, specially during the closing
minutes of the fourth quarter. Help this young team in various ways.
this is a excellent move.chauncey billups is great pg and an extreme compliment to cp3 this is championship contention jamal crawford is a great shooting guard last yer the clips had real depth now they have great depth better than last year particularly in the backcourt the battle of l.a is what everyone needs to look out 4 this season
it dnt matter! everybody still need to worry about my Oklahoma City Thunder !!! We still young, more talent! and they think this old steve nash gonna do anything lol plzzz watch this season.
Clipper are doing one of the best jobs in the NBA of creating a dynasty, making smart moves and filling in holes. Only two more moves are holding them back and thats finding a litttle more depth in the 4 and 5 with BG, DJ, AND LO.
As for the Lakers, i dont believe getting Nash was a smart move. It is alot of money and he will only be able to play 3 years max. It will take Kobe atleast one year to get used playing without the ball so much, which leaves them two chances to win before Nash is done and Kobe makes the transistion into the upper 30′s where he wont be able to carry and team anymore. Aswell with those two chances, it will still be tough to get past OKC and San Anotnio.
Predicition in three years, Nash will unfortunatly reitre without a ring, and the Clippers will become the new team from L.A. to contest at the top of the west every year.
NBA Finals 2013 LA Clippers vs Miami Heat LA wins 4-3
NBA Finals 2014 LA Clippers vs Brooklyn Nets LA wins 4-2
Twolves sure needs some guards.
im not aware of all the details but i can’t understand why the clippers have traded kaman the all star caliber C they NEED instead of deandre jordan. dunks ? friendship with griffin ? no hate here, i like d. jordan is an explosive player, talented shot blocker, nice guy but so limited compared to kaman. kaman is like what 15/20 ppg 10rpg 2/3 apg, solid fundamentals and pretty good IQ basketball. i CANT understand, excepted if the hornets wanted him agressivly in the paul trade package
if Ray Allen land in south beach,back to back to back championship is coming to south beach..
Cuban got what he asked for, GREEEEEEEEEEED will crush you every time, he allowed a team (chemistry) to be broken up chasing a bird in the bush with one (actually) several in his hand, what a DUMB move, lots lost letting all star players & a group of players that could start anywhere in the league go. Looks to be not so smart after all GREEEEED !!!
OMG. DISASTER COMING ON LA CLIPPERS!!! What i think the clippers need is a 2 or a 3 guard that can play good def to the kobe`s, ginobili`s, durant`s and even a harden types of players that are pretty much loaded in the west. thas why they didnt win a game in the spurs series. chauncey billups is a good defender but i think age pretty much slows him.
What the Clippers need to do now is snatch Dwight from the grips of the Lakers and Nets… Unfortunately, that would come at the cost of Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan… But! (before y’all throw a hissy fit) Dwight impacts the game more than either of them… or even both of them together… IMO
C- Dwight
PF- K-Mart
SF- Caron
SG- Chauncey
PG- CP3
Bench:
C- ?
PF/SF- Lamar Odom
SG- Jamal Crawford
PG- Eric Bledsoe
guyss just saying Nick LEWIS IS ON THE 76ERS NOW ……….
SORRY NICK YOUNG LOL
To those questioning Vinny Del Negro who is still very early on as a head coach you are fools. To those writing off Lamar Odom based on how he ended with the Lakers and how his time in Dallas went you too are fools, To those who don’t think Jamal Crawford will be reborn with the Clippers you are fools. To those questioning the resigning of Chauncey Billups you are beyond idiots. Sure the Clippers are not stocking up young and up coming talent but in my opinion it is wise for the Cippers to strike while the irons hot. If they are going to make a run at winning at least the West they are going to need veteran leadership and long proven talent. I feel the Clippers as constructed with Vinny Del Negro as head coach are good enough to win the West. Beyond that I can not say I am confident but anything is possible.
With an organization that has had the ineptitude and bad luck the Clippers have had they sure as hell do not need to worry about three or four years from now. They need to make a run now while they are closer than they have ever been to truly contending for a title.
On a side note people are always talking about where head coaches learned the game and how to coach it. Vinny learned from an all time great head coach. That does not ensure he will succeed but it sure as hell does not hurt his chances of doing so. People need to lay off the man. He is very early on in his career and he in my opinion has done more than an admirable job. Has he been a top tier head coach? N
To those questioning Vinny Del Negro who is still very early on as a head coach you are fools. To those writing off Lamar Odom based on how he ended with the Lakers and how his time in Dallas went you too are fools, To those who don’t think Jamal Crawford will be reborn with the Clippers you are fools. To those questioning the resigning of Chauncey Billups you are beyond idiots. Sure the Clippers are not stocking up young and up coming talent but in my opinion it is wise for the Cippers to strike while the irons hot. If they are going to make a run at winning at least the West they are going to need veteran leadership and long proven talent. I feel the Clippers as constructed with Vinny Del Negro as head coach are good enough to win the West. Beyond that I can not say I am confident but anything is possible.
With an organization that has had the ineptitude and bad luck the Clippers have had they sure as hell do not need to worry about three or four years from now. They need to make a run now while they are closer than they have ever been to truly contending for a title.
On a side note people are always talking about where head coaches learned the game and how to coach it. Vinny learned from an all time great head coach. That does not ensure he will succeed but it sure as hell does not hurt his chances of doing so. People need to lay off the man. He is very early on in his career and he in my opinion has done more than an admirable job. Has he been a top tier head coach? No but he has been above average and has shown that he learns from his mistakes. It is his willingness to accept his weaknesses and grow from them that will ensure he succeeds at the top of his profession. Whether that is with the Clippers or not I
To those questioning Vinny Del Negro who is still very early on as a head coach you are fools. To those writing off Lamar Odom based on how he ended with the Lakers and how his time in Dallas went you too are fools, To those who don’t think Jamal Crawford will be reborn with the Clippers you are fools. To those questioning the resigning of Chauncey Billups you are beyond idiots. Sure the Clippers are not stocking up young and up coming talent but in my opinion it is wise for the Cippers to strike while the irons hot. If they are going to make a run at winning at least the West they are going to need veteran leadership and long proven talent. I feel the Clippers as constructed with Vinny Del Negro as head coach are good enough to win the West. Beyond that I can not say I am confident but anything is possible.
With an organization that has had the ineptitude and bad luck the Clippers have had they sure as hell do not need to worry about three or four years from now. They need to make a run now while they are closer than they have ever been to truly contending for a title.
On a side note people are always talking about where head coaches learned the game and how to coach it. Vinny learned from an all time great head coach. That does not ensure he will succeed but it sure as hell does not hurt his chances of doing so. People need to lay off the man. He is very early on in his career and he in my opinion has done more than an admirable job. Has he been a top tier head coach? No but he has been above average and has shown that he learns from his mistakes. It is his willingness to accept his weaknesses and grow from them that will ensure he succeeds at the top of his profession. Whether that is with the Clippers or not I can not say but he will be a top coach one day.
Still thinks they need a solid C and defensive SG/SF for Kobe and other stars.. like a Avery Bradley type..
DJ should improve his offense even a decent hook or drop step.
With LAC current roster I think Zone D will be the best way to go…best against post-ups and 1-on-1…