Los Angeles Clippers NBA Trade and Roster Rumors: Doc Rivers Wants to Keep the Team's Core Together
Los Angeles Clippers head coach/president Doc Rivers wasn't the architect who brought Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordon together to form "Lob City." But he molded them into the cohesive unit they are right now.
The Clippers have been legitimate title contenders for the past few seasons now. Unfortunately, they always fall short in the playoffs. The team's in the mix once again this year, however, this may be their last chance to win a championship with the current core because Paul, Griffin and starting guard J.J. Redick are going to be free agents this summer.
The Clippers can re-sign all three of them, but they will have to pay a lot to do that.
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Well, Rivers doesn't seem to mind and he believes that they should keep the core together no matter what. He even came up with a very good example of why they shouldn't break up the team.
"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," Rivers said, according to USA Today.
Of course, he forgot to point out that Stockton and Malone did not earn ridiculous sums of money during their playing careers.
Both Paul and Griffin will likely ask for the max, and that's around $35 million and $30 million per year, respectively, according to USA Today. Redick is also expected to get a contract that will pay him approximately $18 million annually, so the Clippers will be investing almost $85 million annually to keep those three. And don't forget that Jordan, Jamal Crawford, Wesley Johnson and Austin Rivers are also under contract.
The Clippers did manage to string together four consecutive 50-win seasons, though. Perhaps that can convince team owner Steve Ballmer to break the bank.
