30 in 30? LA Clippers

The question in regards to the Clip Joint? Do you believe in Jason Hart? We all know about Baron Davis. We know what magic he can do. And he'll make the team great. When he's around.

But if he's not? There are plenty of parts who can work magic, but if you're a team without a competent frontman? You fall off the cliff. They have three good two guard options, Al Thornton, Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman.

They can make the playoffs if the Baron can get 75 games. But if it's only 48?

Then we can safely disregard this team.

Leave it to the Clippers to do something incompetent...

You have a player of star-level caliber. He's coming off an injured ankle, but he noticed that his team's rolled up and got themselves a superstar. And his beard? Dreamy.



So, you're intrigued. But people are tempting young Elton Brand. Golden State is offering life-changing money. Philadelphia is offering 80 million dollars to join the Samuel Dalembert and Andre Iguodala. All you've got? A chance to capture the hipster's hearts and Baron Davis... well you know.

Donald Sterling's people should have known. The heart wants what the heart wants. And if the rumors are true? The heart was still leaning toward Los Angeles. But apparently for five million dollars, the kingdom was lost.

What had come to hurt the Clippers’ chances of retaining Brand has been the organization’s refusal to offer anything but a "take-it-or-leave-it" deal since Golden State made its $90-plus million offer. People close to Brand say that "it pissed him off," and made him question his original desire to stay a Clipper.

So where does the Clip Joint go from here? Easy. They lost Corey Maggette. They lost Elton Brand. There's one option left.


And a little birdie told me he could play the point too.

That's a callback people!

Andrew!

And suddenly? The LA Clippers are contenders.

Really. There are the usual caveats of health and well-being. I mean, I can figure that the Baron is going on the injured list. But now the Western Conference has a new combatant for the Western Conference title.

And it's the L.A. Clippers of basketball. Yeah. They do exist.

But Baron Davis took 5 years and 65 million dollars to join a re-upping for less money Elton Brand. And now the Clippers have 40% of a fantastical basketball line-up. Add to that Chris Kaman and the small forwardological magic that is Al Thornton? They have 80% of goodness.

Now Cuttino Mobley and Eric Gordon are kind of the same archetype. But if Gordon shows that his Mushmouthery can avoid the rookie wall, the undersized super-scorer 2 that has no defense won't be of any real concern. And if they can find a way to get Quinton Ross back? They're in great shape rotationally.

But they're the L.A. Clippers if basketball. They'll mess it up.