Mo

by DocD on Feb 28, 2011 10:43 PM PST

Mo Williams is good. So the dude fought off the Clippers jinx... sprained his ankle in his first game in a Clippers uniform and actually came back in and played well. I am a little concerned about the ankle, but I thought he was very impressive. I kept hearing that Mo is not the playmaker that Baron Davis is, and that may turn out to be true, but the guy can pass and set things up. Mike Smith kept saying that VDN should pull him because he was playing on one foot, but he kept him in because he could see that he could control the team. He was a leader out there on his first day. When Bledsoe was in there, turnovers were immediately up and the offense was chaos.

I think Mo Williams may be the perfect point for this team. Clearly the lob is still in play with him. He can set up Blake and Deandre, he can feed Kaman in the post, and he can hit a 3 way more effectively than Baron could. The key is for the Clips to get some chemistry. Once EJ gets healthy, that will be a fun backcourt to watch along with Griffin. I also believe Kaman will be an important piece because of his solid shot and good post up game.

Another loss to a bad team tonight, but things look promising!

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Mo looked good, and the lob is definitely here to stay

But at this point, I think the Clips should try to shop Kaman next off season, and develop DJ.

Kaman is slow, and he doesnt really look to good out there. On an up tempo team like this one, he is more of a liability than an asset.

by NewCavsfan on Feb 28, 2011 10:59 PM PST reply actions

DJ recorded 5 fouls in his first 18 minutes of the game (good for 10 fouls per 36.) And this is not a new or unique development. He can’t be counted on to make free throws down the stretch and teams have empoyed the hack-a-DJ strategy. This is also DJ’s third year in the league so I think we need to assume that DJ is what he’s is by now and there’s not a lot more you can do to “develop” him. Throwing all your eggs in one basket by trading away Kaman and going with DJ seems like an unecessary gamble.

LAC created cap space by trading Baron so trading Kaman for a starting SF no longer seems urgent. If the Clippers want to be a serious basketball team you have to do this right. Keep both Kaman and DJ. They fill two different holes and teams need backup centers anyway. Use the cap space to sign Kirilenko. Extend Gordon in the off-season. If the front office/Sterling is not willing to do things like this to put out a winning product then we’re all just wasting our time here anyway.

by Michael White on Mar 1, 2011 7:52 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Trading Kaman

I was all for moving Kaman for an upgrade at the SF position but given recent events I’ve changed my mind. Kaman’s expiring contract is the #1 piece of the Paul or DWill 2012 campaign. The Clips should have enough cap room to upgrade the SF position. If they can be reasonably healthy they should be able to contend for a playoff spot next year. And if during the season it becomes obvious that Paul or DWill will not extend their contracts you try to make a trade with Kaman’s $12M expiring contract and the 2012 Minny pick as the centerpieces. Throw in Bledsoe, Aminu, Foye’s expiring contract. Maybe move Mo to a third team and take back a bad contract from NJ or the Hornets. Whatever it takes.
Trading Kaman this offseason for a SF ( let’s say Iguodala) would improve the team but it eliminates them from getting Paul or DWill. And just adding Iggy probably doesn’t make the Clips a real threat. I hate waiting but it seems reasonable the Clippers could make a few moves to be playoff contenders and one major move to become really dangerous. The question becomes is Olshey the guy that can do it?

by Beasel on Mar 1, 2011 9:02 AM PST up reply actions

This is the plan I've been preaching.

If we can nab Tayshaun, AK-47, or even Battier, then we will have the SF hole filled and can then get the truly elite PG we would need to make us title contenders.

"Buckle your seat belts, folks. This one's going down to the wire." -The inimitable Ralph Lawler.

by Gordon for President on Mar 1, 2011 10:17 AM PST up reply actions

Well Said MW - I completely agree

Now as Eric Gordon prepares to return, it’s time to enjoy watching the team that’s here right now. When healthy, this should be the best Clippers squad we’ve seen the last five years.

by ClipCat on Mar 1, 2011 9:53 AM PST up reply actions

i agree

Kaman will start to show why he was an All-Star last year. He can counter the double teaming of Blake while DJ is no offensive threat. Not sure how long they can afford him with re-signing EJ and Blake, but he is a much better fit than DJ, and simply a much better player

by DocD on Mar 1, 2011 10:02 AM PST up reply actions

+1

by homercles on Mar 1, 2011 3:46 PM PST up reply actions

Keep Kaman..........

I’ve never been an advocate of trading Kaman. I agree with MW above that what we see from DJ now is what we can expect from here forward. He is a good back-up center, but not accountable enough on offense to be a starter.

I always want to give Gordon, Mo, Blake and Kaman time to work together before passing judgement on the trade of Baron. My initial thoughts that are if he stays fit and shoots hte ball well, he will be good for us. Sure he’s not as creative or skilled as Baron was, but I think he will still be very serviceable.

I hate to say it, but if Mo, Gordon, Blake & Kaman get going, there is no need for a high scoring SF. We would get enough points from those 4. Will Gomes shine as the glue guy when we have 4 other scorers on the court? (It was very difficult for me to type that!!)

by Natedog1977 on Mar 1, 2011 8:33 PM PST up reply actions

I think your last point was the rationale for signing Gomes

"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

by Jax on Mar 1, 2011 8:52 PM PST up reply actions

Of course it was the rationale

but that doesn’t mean it was rational.

Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)

by mikey p on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions

No

Start Moon, bring Gomes off the bench (if necessary).

Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)

by mikey p on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions

Emphasis on the "if necessary"

by homercles on Mar 2, 2011 10:01 PM PST up reply actions

Mo was basically Baron last night...

Made some big shots, missed some big shots. Good for a couple highlights. I don’t think we can really judge him until EGJ Thizzface Supreme comes back. I’m hoping he is extremely ready to let Eric have first crack at fourth quarter scoring once he returns. Mo still looked a step slow, but I liked his level-headed demeanor, and you can tell the guy is a gamer. I was hoping for a debut similar to Sam Cassell’s in seattle in 2005, anybody remember that? Sam just took over in the fourth, doing thing’s I’ve never seen any Clipper do before or since. Mo wasn’t quite that impressive, but it doesn’t look like there will be too much of a drop-off (if any) from Baron to Mo, so the trade is looking good in my eyes.

Yay yay.

by KamanHomie on Mar 1, 2011 11:48 AM PST reply actions

no you can only judge this trade 2 and a half years from now

if the team does nothing (which I suspect), then this was just another DTS slimey move

if the team actually signs a SF and gets a big time FA then this is a good trade.

Blake Griffin is coming, hide your MBengas

by bacek on Mar 1, 2011 12:44 PM PST up reply actions

I'll judge this trade whenever I damn well please...

I’m familiar with the monetary aspects of the trade, don’t you worry. I was talking more about a Baron and Mo comparison rather than the cap ramifications.
Don’t forget, they’re supposed to resign DeAndre with that money too.
Also, this is not completely related, but the recent spin on Clipper related stories has been hilarious to me. You read one article saying the Clips gave up a first round pick in the deal, proving they are no longer reliant on rookie contracts and willing to spend money in free agency. You read another article saying the trade just saves the Clippers money and they gave up a first round pick to do it. I even read that article that lambasted DTS for giving 1000 tickets away to underpriviledged kids, because the parents of those kids will have to pay and buy concessions or something like that ( I know DTS is a dirt-bag, and he needs to lay off the self-promotion as it completely counterproductive, but the guy gets a raw deal in the media just like the Clippers do).
Lastly, you should go watch some Brian Skinner youtube videos, whoever you are that is reading this.

Yay yay.

by KamanHomie on Mar 1, 2011 5:08 PM PST up reply actions