David Friedman of the 20 Second Timeout provides a thorough (and thoroughly depressing) chronicle of major Clipper injuries, dubbing the Clippers the NBA equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle. Most of us don't need to be reminded - we've lived through each and every one of these devastating injuries - but for recent immigrants to ClipsNation, there's some good history here. I'm not sure what it says about the psyche of a Clippers' fan that we've lived through all this and stuck with the team. Loyal? Sure. Bright? Not so much.
Manning (torn ACL 26 games into his Clipper career) and Harper (same injury, 28 games in) remain the quintessential Clipper injuries. Quite frankly, the fact that EB played 6 relatively injury-free years for the Clippers before rupturing a measly Achilles (in the off-season no less) is barely worthy of this list.
And am I the only one that has noticed that the team's acronym (LAC) is just another mangled ACL? Coincidence?
So with no Elton Brand to start the season, how about we bring James Singleton back? Ooops. Too late. Jumpin' James has landed on one of the top EuroLeague squads, Tau Ceramica (item dated Aug. 4), where they need to replace new Houston Rocket Luis Scola. I really don't understand why Singleton didn't get more interest from NBA teams this summer, but then again I don't understand why he never got off MDsr's bench last season, so it seems there is much I do not understand.
Finally, I haven't really said anything about the Brevin Knight signing since it happened. I guess I've had other things on my mind. Anyway, in the couple of hours after we knew that Brand was hurt, but before we knew that Knight was signed, I said I didn't think there was any point to bringing in a 31-year-old point guard. I still feel that way more or less, but at least they didn't commit too much money or time to him (2/$4M). If nothing else, signing Knight makes it easier to deal Cassell to a contender for a prospect. It's not difficult to make a case for Knight as the best free agent point guard to change teams this summer - I mean, I'd sure rather have him than Chucky Atkins or Smush Parker, both of whom signed for more money. But as a leading Jared Jordan fan, I was kind of hoping the Clippers would take a chance on giving some minutes to a rookie from Marist. Of course with the age of Cassell and injury history of Knight, Jared could still get some significant time.