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Are we a playoff team?

We asked for change and progress and what did we get? Instead of Obama we got the off-brand Indian guy from Harold & Kumar that works in the white house.... Brian Cook, Ryan Gomes and if we're lucky, Adam Morrison?! I'm sorry but if we don't acquire an elite to decent level small forward, as I see it, we will absolutely not be making the playoffs.

We can't begin to consume our minds with the belief that the addition of Blake Griffin actually being on the floor this season as the only key to play-off salvation. Nor can he be held accountable if we don't make the playoffs. What can Blake possibly average? 15pts 8 rbs a game? We can't forget that he's pretty much replacing the leagues fifth best rebounder, in former starting PF Marcus Camby. Blake Griffin may very well make the three other starters along with the new addition rookies much better. I actually believe he will. I'll drink the Kool-Aid. But improve by how much? Seven games? Eight games? Ten games?! I'll say Blake Griffin gives us a ten game improvement over last years performance. That means we'll be a 39-43 record team that won't be close to making the playoffs in the competetive west.

What's that you say? The Phoenix Suns lost Amare Stoudamire and Carlos Boozer left the Utah Jazz? Well just when things looked like it was going to be our time to shine, Phoenix added Josh Childress and Hedo Turkoglu and the Utah Jazz now have Al Jefferson with Paul Millsap backing him up at PF. That window of opportunity was shut on our face as quick as it opened. Both those teams improved after their all star players left.

Now what? Who do we sign that can put us over the top? I don't know. But I sure will act like I know and give my two-sense like everyone else here (no offense clipsnation family). I don't see anyone worth signing to the SF position thats worthy of starting. We should look to signing small forwards who are on stacked teams or who have fallen out favor with their current team. Here are some names and their situations:

Richard Hamilton /Detroit Pistons- With Ben Gordon making $10 million a year and only playing the SG position (Stuckey and Bynum handling the PG position) that leaves Richard Hamilton making $11.6 million a year as your back up SG. Or vice-versa Whoever starts, you have a pretty expensive back-up coming off the bench. You basically have a bench guy on a non-championship roster getting paid more than Odom! We would easily be able to accommodate Richard Hamilton with the available cash and a gaping hole in the SF position.

Tayshaun Prince/ Detroit Pistons- Anyone who watched summer league witnessed up and coming SF Austin Daye or if you had a fantasy team Jonas Jerebko was a name you became familiar with. The point is if they don't move Richard Hamilton, Detroit can accommodate Hamilton by starting him at the 3 with two capable young backups which makes Tayshaun Prince expendable.

Andre Iguodala/ Philadelphia 76'ers - Part of having amazing rookie talent is having star quality production at a rookie price. Just ask the Oklahoma Thunder. Evan Turner measures out to about 6'7" and can play the 1,2, or 3. He looked pretty good in summer league and if Philadelphia feels that he can start at the SF position, I would welcome Iggy with open arms. Chances are they're back court will look like this: Holiday/PG, Turner/SG, IGGY/SF with Louis Williams/PG, Willie Green/SG, and Kapono/SF backing-up their respective positions. If Evan Turner struggles at the 2 and shows comfort at the 3, we'll still be there to swoop IGGY our cashnet.

Luol Deng/Chicago Bulls- Not sure why, but every year a rumor of Luol Deng getting traded comes out and nothing happens. If nothing happened for lack of takers, here we are.

Danny Granger- an interesting rumor that I read somewhere went like this: With the emergence of Paul George/SF and Lance Stephenson/SG (not a PG), Indiana feels they want to trade Granger for an elite level PG. Rumors started with Chris Paul for Danny Granger. When Chris Paul became untouchable again, Baron Davis's name was being floated around that would have Granger plus one being swapped for Baron Davis and draft picks. The SF position would be handled by Paul George and Mike Dunleavy. For Granger, I can see a wise Larry Bird asking for the world for a dynamic small forward at the cheap price of about $10 million a year.

Last Resort... absorb somebody's contract..

Miluakee Bucks- They have a stockpile of capable threes... Chris Douglas Roberts, Corey Maggette, John Salmons, Michael Redd G/F, Carlos Delfino G/F, Ersan Illaysova, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.... I'll take anybody but Maggatte.

Wilson Chandler / New York Knicks - Wilson chandler may or may not be on the market.

Bottom line we need help. West Coast teams with worse records than ours have done pretty well so far in this free agency/ draft. Sacramento looks good with Dalembert, Cousins (the summer league monster), & Tyreke Evans. Golden State signed David Lee. Brandon Wright and Biedrens will be returning this year. Minnesotta released Al Jefferson allowing Kevin Love to be the starting C enter with Michael Beasley to his side and Wesley Johnson in the middle..

Do you seriously think with what we currently have, we'll do better than Houston,New Orleans, Memphis, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, or Portland? No. We still need to improve.

PS...Don't start with this Tracy McGrady nonsense. We're trying to win games not sell tickets. He will not drop 25/5/5. It isn't 2002. Its 2010. The guy is over the hill.


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