HANG TIME, TEXAS – Remember how things used to be with the Clippers? They were the NBA’s version of the groundhog, coming out on rare occasion only long enough to see their shadow and then going back into hibernation.
Not anymore, Punxsutawney Phil-breath.
After a thoroughly enjoyable 40-26 season that earned them the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and then a stirring seven-game first-round playoff series win over Memphis, the Clips have hardly spent the summer relaxing on the beach.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times says they have boosted their bench with another addition:
The Clippers and free-agent Ronny Turiaf have agreed to a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract worth $1.146 million, said NBA executives who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Turiaf, a 6-10, 245-pounder, will be a backup power forward and center for the Clippers.
He becomes the fifth big man for the Clippers – behind starters DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin and reserves Lamar Odom and Ryan Hollins – the 13th player on the roster.
Turiaf played his first three NBA seasons with the Lakers.
He played for the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat last season.
Turiaf played in 12 playoff games with the NBA champion Heat, seven as a starter.
He averaged 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 10.1 minutes in the postseason with the Heat.
If you’re keeping up at home, the productive summer has seen the Clippers re-sign Chauncey Billups, traded for Odom, reeled in free agent Jamal Crawford, convinced veteran Grant Hill to look past his friendship with Steve Nash and the glamour of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers to sign on with L.A.’s once-junior franchise.
And most significant, they signed Griffin to a five-year, $95 million contract extension, and are looking to lock up Chris Paul next. And managed to do it all after Neil Olshey bailed as general manager to go to Portland.
All things considered, Turiaf is small piece that who will fill out the bench. But isn’t it further proof that Clipper Nation is now a real, thriving destination?
clippers are stacked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Needed steady veteran leadership, and have it with Grant Hill.
Definately will be worth watching…….who figured anyone would ever say that considering the past?
they were worth watching this past season… but now i believe their a real title condender.. them, lakers and thunder in the west
Clippers will be 2013 NBA Champions GO CLIPPERS!!!
wait, kenyon martin is not on the team anymore???
nope,hes a free agent who hasnt picked up a contract yet
I prefer K-Mart and Jeff Evans to Turiaf and Hollins
the new bench mob
Don’t be suprised if Dwight Howard goes to the Clippers on the trade deadline next year.. Clippers have good pieces to trade for Dwight & still keep CP3 & must see BG! were gonna at least win 1 ring the next 5 years! we not seeing no HEAT, no Lakeshow, no Mavericks (who fell off) we have a good amount of WINNING veterans to beat SA Spurs. Not even OKC, they got nuthin’ on us! we already beat em’ 3-1 season series last yr. just put Grant Hill on KD & its a wrap!! we coming for that gold!
CP3 on game 4 loss to Spurs in WCSF: “I wanna win, to all Clipper fans…. This ain’t it… trust me!”
We’re coming thru next season like a tornado!
you obviously know nothing about the nba if u think the oldest player in the league can stop kevin durant and your just a sorry heat hater and jealous because they won it all. theres no way the clips can beat the heat
youre an idiot. clippers dont have any pieces to trade for howard, theyd have to include paul or griffin. even if they did get howard, the clippers will still be the B-team of LA
Yes, “B- team”… Idiot, we finished 1 game behind the healthy lakers last year. And yes, there are trade options outside of CP3 or BG. Now go back to a laker board, and stop paying attention to us….
You’d be stupid if Clippers can get Howard without BG or CP3, jdub. Who would they give? Turiaf and Hollins and Crawford? Yeah right. We’ll go back to the Laker board once you hop off this clipper bandwangon est. 2011.
lbj trade is ruined. What that mean now, no title for Heat 2013?
they’ll be in the mix but i am not sure if they are truly contenders
I would prefer to Have Kenyon Martin rather than Rashard Lewis..to be ready just in the case that Howard move to LA or OKC!!!
Oh come on, 30 second ad for a 21 second highlight and before every replay I see another ad? Seriously??
Listen i dont care about this. Heat is the worst also come on look at the knicks they have felton amare brewer novak and much more. No one cares about lin knicks will win finals goooooooooooo knicks
The heat are the worst yet they won the finals so what that mean about everyone else and raymond felton ha thats a joke we already had the mvp and wade and bosh now we got shuttlesworth and lewis and justin hamilton knicks have no chance
Wow I love blind fans that throw out all common sense to say their team is the best and is surely going to win it all this year.
@ the knicks winning ……. keep dreaming cause its not happening this year
@ clippers winning well they have a better shot than the knicks but its no cakewalk with OKC, LA, Spurs, Grizzles, and maybe even the Warriors if they stay healthy.
Even I, a die-hard Laker fan must admit that, on paper, the Clippers are definitely stronger and deeper than they were just last year! Barring another season-ending injury to any one of the important ‘cogs-in-the-wheel’, the Clippers will definitely better their 40-26 record of last year!
GO LAKERS .. NO CLIPPERS ..
LAKERS ONLY .. GO LAKERS
Ronny Turiaf- A poor man’s Jordan Hill. Already on the Vet minimum track! Bad signing!
Howard To the Heat come on think you will win a tittle and Carmelo Do it for a fellow Syracuse guy go to the heat win a tittle come on SU Will be proud
they dont have the funds….. however if they both sign a vets minimum they would be able to… and besides its impossible…. coming from a heat fan
D-Howard will not go to the Heat . Howard wants the money ad chanc to win title… so untl he gets thats tems wl be wondering
Turiaf? I guess he could be a bruiser but Lamar Odom? That was totally random, Odom is done, got that Kardashian bug.
KENYON MARTIN SHOULD GO TO HEAT
Well, not ALL Miami Heat players from last year are willing to stay. Great move, Turiaf
where’s lbj post now? #rofl
lbj was too busy to post because he had to re-work his Dwight Howard to Miami trade, now that it can’t include Turiaf. Lol.
the heat still on top without him soooo
All you are a bunch of morons!
Clippers just got bunch of nice free agents, that’s nice so they can challenge the Lakers and thunders when playoffs comes
If I`m Clippers GM I` would pursue Phill Jackson.
that would seal the deal.
We don’t eed Howard so no need to bring him up when you talking about the heat. We got ray and Lewis good luck guarding the heat now. Who they go leave open ahhhh, not LBJ not DW3 not CB and def not RAY.
It’s pretty simple, u play a zone and u have to get inside lebrons head like Jason Terry did. Learn played great in the finals but I still don’t think he can close a game. As long as ref call it fair this time okc will beat the heat. Kd is extremely mad and will comeback better then ever and if there’s anybody out there that can guard lebron one on one it’s Durant. U know as long ad refs don’t put him in foul trouble for stupid calls.
wow the haters just flock to any good news about the clippers. The pieces are all their to win, it’s really just up to blake griffin developing (not to mention rehabilitating) and deandre jordan living up to his contract. We can use another stopper for the likes of durant/james, but who doesn’t? I would have preferred aaron gray to ronny turiaf, but turiaf is a good defensive player.
For the laker fans and all that are reading. Yes I am a clipper fan ever since Norm… there is no bandwagon riding out here on the west unless they are Laker fans. If orlando was willing to make trades with the lakers without them geting Bynum (would have went to the Cavs), then how the hell can you say the clippers don’t hve enough trade peices. package: Jordan, Caron or Lamar or both, that is enough by itself.. throw in a draft pick… Oh and by the way we don’t need a 3rd team because we would still have a bench squad… and Orlando would have a really good team as well. better then anything they could get from another team even with a 3 team deal.. Buyers beware He is here in L.A. for a reason and well in the past few years when the Lakers envite someone out for a talk they end up the the red and blue… We have had the best off season… and it can only get better… with or without Howard we have to be in the top 2-3 in the west… Get on board or get dunked on…
not all miami players from last year willing to stay? or they did not stand a chance to stay? Turiaf did nothing on last season! Cant step up during Bosh injured!
you have grant hill, ronny turiaf, hollins, and odom, and you call that stacked?? lmao wow .. poor clippers fans.. and you wonder why cp3 wont sign an extention??? just move to anaheim pleaseeeeeeeeeee
He didn’t sign so he can resign next year for more money…
CLIPPERS WILL NEVER WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
Cubes!!! pick up K-mart….dallas to the NBA finals!
dirk, finals MVP!