How Steve Ballmer’s blind competitiveness will destroy the Clippers.

[OkcSinceSGA]

You CANNOT win a title without the draft. You CANNOT buy a title like you can in baseball by throwing money at things. Ballmer has a blind loyalty to Lawrence Frank, Lue, Kawhi. He is so desperate to always win, that he spent this summer doing media rounds talking about how he will never “tank” or be bad for any period of time.

He made it clear that he will not allow a rebuild. So in line with that philosophy, the Clippers have continued to give away draft picks, pushing their picks from 2026 or 2027 to basically 2030 now with the Harden trade.

But this incredible blind spot is likely to rob him of ever winning at a high level. It may be odd to theorize this, considering they came from an opposite kind of owner. One who never spent money, didn’t care at all about winning.

Ballmer has the opposite extreme mindset. Passion is great, desire to win is great. If it doesn’t include awareness or balance in team building (win now vs win long term) it will still lead to the same result (no title).

What would I tell Ballmer? It’s okay to be bad for a year or two while you make changes. It’s okay to develop young guys like Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate for a year or two. What really is the difference in winning 51 games and being out in the first round vs winning 40 and not making the playoffs?

The Clippers current plan should be now that they stupidly re-signed Kawhi 3 years early for no reason… to take a year off. Nuke the front office and coaching staff. Rest Kawhi a lot next year. The following summer they have 115+ million in cap space in a shiny new arena in LA.

Jayson Tatum, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell a have player options they are likely to decline for more money in this free agent class.

The goal next year would be to let Kawhi heal his knee, play the hell out of young guys to see if one of them pans out. Try out a few G league or undrafted guys looking for a gem. Basically make it one huge audition year for young talent since you don’t have valuable draft picks. Sign and trade PG who will pick up his player option, and let Harden walk.

Who cares about sunken cost. Let them go, hit the reset. Maybe you’ll get lucky and Kawhi will retire early.

[Mak]

Sounds good but it is not going to happen. Ballmer is not going into new arena with a G league squad. They will pay James and PG and run it back again and again.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Sounds good but it is not going to happen. Ballmer is not going into new arena with a G league squad. They will pay James and PG and run it back again and again.

Yes, you are probably right. But it’s also NOT the right move at all from a basketball standpoint.

[Dominator83]

You CANNOT win a title without the draft. You CANNOT buy a title like you can in baseball by throwing money at things. Ballmer has a blind loyalty to Lawrence Frank, Lue, Kawhi. He is so desperate to always win, that he spent this summer doing media rounds talking about how he will never “tank” or be bad for any period of time.

He made it clear that he will not allow a rebuild. So in line with that philosophy, the Clippers have continued to give away draft picks, pushing their picks from 2026 or 2027 to basically 2030 now with the Harden trade.

But this incredible blind spot is likely to rob him of ever winning at a high level. It may be odd to theorize this, considering they came from an opposite kind of owner. One who never spent money, didn’t care at all about winning.

Ballmer has the opposite extreme mindset. Passion is great, desire to win is great. If it doesn’t include awareness or balance in team building (win now vs win long term) it will still lead to the same result (no title).

What would I tell Ballmer? It’s okay to be bad for a year or two while you make changes. It’s okay to develop young guys like Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate for a year or two. What really is the difference in winning 51 games and being out in the first round vs winning 40 and not making the playoffs?

The Clippers current plan should be now that they stupidly re-signed Kawhi 3 years early for no reason… to take a year off. Nuke the front office and coaching staff. Rest Kawhi a lot next year. The following summer they have 115+ million in cap space in a shiny new arena in LA.

The goal next year would be to let Kawhi heal his knee, play the hell out of young guys to see if one of them pans out. Try out a few G league or undrafted guys looking for a gem. Basically make it one huge audition year for young talent since you don’t have valuable draft picks. Sign and trade PG who will pick up his player option, and let Harden walk.

Who cares about sunken cost. Let them go, hit the reset. Maybe you’ll get lucky and Kawhi will retire early.

The team across the hallway literally did just that in 2020

[UcanUwill]

He did make some Prokorov mistakes, but it's the Clippers. Come on Steve, all that Microsoft dough and you can't buy out Lakers from that weird family? Ballmar is the guy who should own that, or Manchester United or smth, not the Clippers, come on Steve, "ball" is in your name

[OkcSinceSGA]

You CANNOT win a title without the draft. You CANNOT buy a title like you can in baseball by throwing money at things. Ballmer has a blind loyalty to Lawrence Frank, Lue, Kawhi. He is so desperate to always win, that he spent this summer doing media rounds talking about how he will never “tank” or be bad for any period of time.

He made it clear that he will not allow a rebuild. So in line with that philosophy, the Clippers have continued to give away draft picks, pushing their picks from 2026 or 2027 to basically 2030 now with the Harden trade.

But this incredible blind spot is likely to rob him of ever winning at a high level. It may be odd to theorize this, considering they came from an opposite kind of owner. One who never spent money, didn’t care at all about winning.

Ballmer has the opposite extreme mindset. Passion is great, desire to win is great. If it doesn’t include awareness or balance in team building (win now vs win long term) it will still lead to the same result (no title).

What would I tell Ballmer? It’s okay to be bad for a year or two while you make changes. It’s okay to develop young guys like Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate for a year or two. What really is the difference in winning 51 games and being out in the first round vs winning 40 and not making the playoffs?

The Clippers current plan should be now that they stupidly re-signed Kawhi 3 years early for no reason… to take a year off. Nuke the front office and coaching staff. Rest Kawhi a lot next year. The following summer they have 115+ million in cap space in a shiny new arena in LA.

The goal next year would be to let Kawhi heal his knee, play the hell out of young guys to see if one of them pans out. Try out a few G league or undrafted guys looking for a gem. Basically make it one huge audition year for young talent since you don’t have valuable draft picks. Sign and trade PG who will pick up his player option, and let Harden walk.

Who cares about sunken cost. Let them go, hit the reset. Maybe you’ll get lucky and Kawhi will retire early.

The team across the hallway literally did just that in 2020

I think the bubble title definitely counts, but it’s an outlier for many reasons. It also took LeBron, the 2nd best player in history (even in his decline) and a fluky bonkers shooting run by AD. I personally think multiple teams such as the Clippers were mentally checked out that bubble. So even IF we count that, it’s insanely rare and not dependable. The Clippers don’t have a LeBron type iron man superstar.

[phanman]

So you want them to hit the reset and essentially tank when they just signed Kawhi to that 3 year extension? You do realize that they still owe the Thunder a swap in 2025 and a unprotected pick in 2026 after giving up their 2024 FRP this season right? Then you add in the picks they gave up to get Harden and your advocating for a team to tank without their own picks

All of these young prospects you listed in: Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate are not even close to being good enough to mail it in and go with this plan of yours. Then to compound on such an ridiculous idea, you want them to move into a brand new building with Kawhi + fringe/G league level players? What kind of plan is this?!?

Health is always going to be the #1 issue, but I don't think there is one credible GM/franchise out there that would rather develop the names you mentioned vs just resigning PG and Harden to give it another go under Kawhi's new contract timeline.

[TheGeneral99]

I mean they could have won a title if Kawhi actually played.

[OkcSinceSGA]

So you want them to hit the reset and essentially tank when they just signed Kawhi to that 3 year extension? You do realize that they still owe the Thunder a swap in 2025 and a unprotected pick in 2026 after giving up their 2024 FRP this season right? Then you add in the picks they gave up to get Harden and your advocating for a team to tank without their own picks

All of these young prospects you listed in: Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate are not even close to being good enough to mail it in and go with this plan of yours. Then to compound on such an ridiculous idea, you want them to move into a brand new building with Kawhi + fringe/G league level players? What kind of plan is this?!?

Health is always going to be the #1 issue, but I don't think there is one credible GM/franchise out there that would rather develop the names you mentioned vs just resigning PG and Harden to give it another go under Kawhi''s new contract timeline.

Yes. None of those young players are going to be superstars, but if 2 of them develop into starting caliber and you find a gem on a two way or something, now you have vital young role players while hunting for a much more reliable star player in free agency. I also think PG could bring a mid 1st round pick back in a S&T.

As for moving into an arena with “fringe” NBA players.. I mean are you advocating for the team to make money? Because I’m advocating for them to become a title contender faster. Also even in 20 win seasons the Clippers packed arenas… it’s LA. And running it back over and over with an aging, not good enough, severely injury prone core isn’t a sound strategy at all.

Some of those are pick swaps btw, but yes I’m advocating for a smart rebuild even with Kawhi being locked up. Through a combination of later draft picks, couple smart trades, and using the team as a farm team of sorts next year and auditioning a bunch of young guys.

[Jadoogar]

You CANNOT win a title without the draft. You CANNOT buy a title like you can in baseball by throwing money at things. Ballmer has a blind loyalty to Lawrence Frank, Lue, Kawhi. He is so desperate to always win, that he spent this summer doing media rounds talking about how he will never “tank” or be bad for any period of time.

He made it clear that he will not allow a rebuild. So in line with that philosophy, the Clippers have continued to give away draft picks, pushing their picks from 2026 or 2027 to basically 2030 now with the Harden trade.

But this incredible blind spot is likely to rob him of ever winning at a high level. It may be odd to theorize this, considering they came from an opposite kind of owner. One who never spent money, didn’t care at all about winning.

Ballmer has the opposite extreme mindset. Passion is great, desire to win is great. If it doesn’t include awareness or balance in team building (win now vs win long term) it will still lead to the same result (no title).

What would I tell Ballmer? It’s okay to be bad for a year or two while you make changes. It’s okay to develop young guys like Bones, Kobe Brown, Boston Jr, Kai Jones, Diabate for a year or two. What really is the difference in winning 51 games and being out in the first round vs winning 40 and not making the playoffs?

The Clippers current plan should be now that they stupidly re-signed Kawhi 3 years early for no reason… to take a year off. Nuke the front office and coaching staff. Rest Kawhi a lot next year. The following summer they have 115+ million in cap space in a shiny new arena in LA.

The goal next year would be to let Kawhi heal his knee, play the hell out of young guys to see if one of them pans out. Try out a few G league or undrafted guys looking for a gem. Basically make it one huge audition year for young talent since you don’t have valuable draft picks. Sign and trade PG who will pick up his player option, and let Harden walk.

Who cares about sunken cost. Let them go, hit the reset. Maybe you’ll get lucky and Kawhi will retire early.

The team across the hallway literally did just that in 2020

I think the bubble title definitely counts, but it’s an outlier for many reasons. It also took LeBron, the 2nd best player in history (even in his decline) and a fluky bonkers shooting run by AD. I personally think multiple teams such as the Clippers were mentally checked out that bubble. So even IF we count that, it’s insanely rare and not dependable. The Clippers don’t have a LeBron type iron man superstar.

Boston also did it in 2008.

[OkcSinceSGA]

I mean they could have won a title if Kawhi actually played.

Hmm.. where have I heard this before? Maybe the last 5 years?

[OkcSinceSGA]

The team across the hallway literally did just that in 2020

I think the bubble title definitely counts, but it’s an outlier for many reasons. It also took LeBron, the 2nd best player in history (even in his decline) and a fluky bonkers shooting run by AD. I personally think multiple teams such as the Clippers were mentally checked out that bubble. So even IF we count that, it’s insanely rare and not dependable. The Clippers don’t have a LeBron type iron man superstar.

Boston also did it in 2008.

Boston drafted Paul Pierce, Tony Allen, Rondo, Perkins etc that were starters or huge factors in that run. It was a mix of picking up guys with home grown talent. None of the Clippers “big 4” were drafted and all came late in their careers. The bottom line is if Ballmer thinks he can just win titles in free agency and trade while neglecting the draft and developing young guys in the margins, he’s going to lose forever.

[UcanUwill]

The team across the hallway literally did just that in 2020

I think the bubble title definitely counts, but it’s an outlier for many reasons. It also took LeBron, the 2nd best player in history (even in his decline) and a fluky bonkers shooting run by AD. I personally think multiple teams such as the Clippers were mentally checked out that bubble. So even IF we count that, it’s insanely rare and not dependable. The Clippers don’t have a LeBron type iron man superstar.

Boston also did it in 2008.

You can do it, but people who try to buy their way into NBA title, usually fail. This aint Europe, you cant just buy everyone you want, shortcuts in the NBA usually lead to dead ends.

[Patches Perry]

Your post indirectly eludes to a point that a lot of NBA fans overlook. It's very difficult to win a championship in the NBA without value contracts. The reason it's rare to buy a championship is because all you're doing is paying market value for talent, but since other teams are also spending roughly the same amount of money at mostly market value, you're not really gaining much of a talent advantage. In a lot of these situations, owners will buy their top talent and hope value talent just materializes with the remaining players, but that's just a hope and a prayer.

The best form of value contracts are rookie contracts and max contracts for generational players. With the former, you could have an all-star caliber player playing for like 10 million salary. With the latter, generational players are worth so much more than the max but obviously aren't allowed to be paid more than the max. This is also why you see generational players usually playing for top teams. It's also why max contracts for top 10-15 players are not really a great bargain (although sometimes necessary to keep a team intact).

I'd say 8 or 9 out of every 10 NBA champions if not more will have at least 1 or 2 really bargain contracts from a key contributor.

[phanman]

Yes. None of those young players are going to be superstars, but if 2 of them develop into starting caliber and you find a gem on a two way or something, now you have vital young role players while hunting for a much more reliable star player in free agency. I also think PG could bring a mid 1st round pick back in a S&T.

As for moving into an arena with “fringe” NBA players.. I mean are you advocating for the team to make money? Because I’m advocating for them to become a title contender faster. Also even in 20 win seasons the Clippers packed arenas… it’s LA. And running it back over and over with an aging, not good enough, severely injury prone core isn’t a sound strategy at all.

Some of those are pick swaps btw, but yes I’m advocating for a smart rebuild even with Kawhi being locked up. Through a combination of later draft picks, couple smart trades, and using the team as a farm team of sorts next year and auditioning a bunch of young guys.

You can still develop young guys with the big 3 resigned. Once again, your point would have a much stronger base to stand on if any of those guys listed were even remotely worth throwing in the towel and tanking for internal improvement. It's easy to say they should find a more reliable star player in free agency, but just how often do you think those guys get traded? - Let alone, one that would willingly sign up to be Kawhi's running mate with all his injury concerns. PG is worth a whole lot more than middling FRP, even with his sporadic play and injury woes.

It's not about the team making more money, it's about the excitement around a team. You don't move a franchise and just decide to tank in year 1. That is probably the worse decision one can make. Lakers fans or just opposing fans filling the arena is precisely why they are moving to San Diego.

PG and Harden is the best it's going to get in LA, and they're way too invested to just mail it in. Letting these guys walk is the opposite of a smart rebuild. Let's be real here this Clippers' front office doesn't have great track record of hitting late picks. I really fail to see how they become even close to the level of team all of their FRPs until 2028 are under the control/owned by another team.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Yes. None of those young players are going to be superstars, but if 2 of them develop into starting caliber and you find a gem on a two way or something, now you have vital young role players while hunting for a much more reliable star player in free agency. I also think PG could bring a mid 1st round pick back in a S&T.

As for moving into an arena with “fringe” NBA players.. I mean are you advocating for the team to make money? Because I’m advocating for them to become a title contender faster. Also even in 20 win seasons the Clippers packed arenas… it’s LA. And running it back over and over with an aging, not good enough, severely injury prone core isn’t a sound strategy at all.

Some of those are pick swaps btw, but yes I’m advocating for a smart rebuild even with Kawhi being locked up. Through a combination of later draft picks, couple smart trades, and using the team as a farm team of sorts next year and auditioning a bunch of young guys.

You can still develop young guys with the big 3 resigned. Once again, your point would have a much stronger base to stand on if any of those guys listed were even remotely worth throwing in the towel and tanking for internal improvement. It's easy to say they should find a more reliable star player in free agency, but just how often do you think those guys get traded? - Let alone, one that would willingly sign up to be Kawhi's running mate with all his injury concerns. PG is worth a whole lot more than middling FRP, even with all sporadic play and injury woes.

It's not about the team making more money, it's about the excitement around a team. You don't move a franchise and just decide to tank in year 1. That is probably the worse decision one can make. Lakers fans or just opposing fans filling the arena is precisely why they are moving to San Diego.

PG and Harden is the best it's going to get in LA, and they're way too invested to just mail it in. Letting these guys is the opposite of a smart rebuild, but lets be real here this Clippers' front office doesn't have great track record of hitting late picks regardless. I really fail to see how they become even close to the level of team all of their FRPs until like 2028 is under the control/owned by another team. I

You are speaking from the perspective of someone that hasn’t endured 20+ years of mostly bad Clippers seasons. I’m speaking as someone who was there for the Olowokandi era. You have no concept of how fun this team is, because it’s been miserable to watch mostly for many years outside of a few stretches. The 2019 Clippers were much more “fun” to watch than this.

2020 until playoff choke, 2021 playoff run, Dec-Feb this year are really the only “Fun” times of the Kawhi era. Maybe the 42-42 2022 run where the team wasn’t good but competed every night also.

As for you “can develop” young talent while keeping the core, sure a smart team could. But the Clippers aren’t smart and literally don’t play these guys even a minute, or even garbage time usually.

So it’s a literal dichotomy of them either playing an aging, injury team, ball pounding, not entertaining team that isn’t good enough to win… or playing young talent to develop them. They won’t do both.

As for the actual talent, I disagree. Kobe, Boston, Miller decimated the G League and were in MVP race. I realize it’s just the G League, but clearly they can play basketball. Bones has already shown he can be a contributing bench player and his defense was way better this year. They aren’t going to be stars but I guarantee you 2 of those 4 can be mid level starters some day.

These type of finds and development are vital to ANY team wishing to contend. Zubac for example was signed for just 7 million per year, an incredible value. The team needs several situations like that. As for PG being worth more than a mid 1st, good.. then let’s trade him for more. That’s literally how the 2018 Clippers built this 213 era. With a smart Blake Griffin trade

[life_saver]

There are no set rules on how to win a title...there are lot of different ways. You can build through draft or you can win through signing big Free Agents or you can even have a good draft and leverage young players to acquire stars like Clippers did in 2019. Luck plays a big factor and Unfortunately for Clippers, Kawhi hasn't been fit for playoffs in 4 out of 5 seasons. 2021 was probably their best chance..I think they would have won the title if Kawhi didn't get hurt.

[phanman]

You are speaking from the perspective of someone that hasn’t endured 20+ years of mostly bad Clippers seasons. I’m speaking as someone who was there for the Olowokandi era. As for you “can develop” young talent while keeping the core, sure a smart team could. But the Clippers aren’t smart and literally don’t play these guys even a minute, or even garbage time usually.

So it’s a literal dichotomy of them either playing an aging, injury team, ball pounding, not entertaining team that isn’t good enough to win… or playing young talent to develop them. They won’t do both.

As for the actual talent, I disagree. Kobe, Boston, Miller decimated the G League and were in MVP race. I realize it’s just the G League, but clearly they can play basketball. Bones has already shown he can be a contributing bench player and his defense was way better this year. They aren’t going to be stars but I guarantee you 2 of those 4 can be mid level starters some day.

These type of finds and development are vital to ANY team wishing to contend. Zubac for example was signed for just 7 million per year, an incredible value. The team needs several situations like that.

I mean I get it, but once again you don't just decide to let 2 all-star caliber players walk to develop Kobe. Boston or Miller. These guys aren't exactly young and if they weren't good enough to crack the rotation for Lue in the RS then they simply just aren't good. Using G league stats is a giant waste of time because the talent disparity is so just so glaring.

You also just proved my point admitting that the Clippers aren't exactly smart and don't have that track record of internally developing guys. Hoping that a few of these prospects turn into a mid level starter is just a losing strategy through and through. Any way you slice it, without James and PG back next season, the Clippers would be down in the cellar with the likes of Blazers.

I don't disagree that they need to find way to develop younger talent on the cheap, but that has to go hand-in-hand with having the marquee guys to slot them around.

[KGtabake]

What the hell.
Dude. It's the Clippers.
They have never won anything.
Nobody was taking them seriously before him.
There are still a lot who don't take them seriously.

The man builds a world class arena and takes you away from the shadow of the Lakers.
The man will not stop if he doesn't make them Champions.
No matter how many times he will fail, he will keep coming.
It doesn't take a genius to see this.

Be thankful that this guy decided to buy the Clippers back then and not some other team.

[TheGeneral99]

I mean they could have won a title if Kawhi actually played.

Hmm.. where have I heard this before? Maybe the last 5 years?

I mean facts are facts:

2020: Bubble...team was out of shape and blew a 3-1 lead to Denver.
2021: Kawhi gets hurt in the 2nd against Utah and the Clippers still win and take the Suns to 6. If Kawhi was healthy they easily win that year.
2022: Kawhi got hurt in game 4 of the 1st round and missed the playoffs.
2023: Kawhi misses season and playoffs.
2024: Kawhi plays 1 game in the 1st round so far.

So essentially he's only played in 1 full playoff run in 5 years and that was in the bubble.