With the departure of general manager Neil Olshey to the Trail Blazers, the Clippers' offseason has gotten off to a precipitous start with free agency looming. Before addressing the team's roster this summer, the Clippers will need to fill Olshey's role as the search has already gotten underway. The franchise hopes to build on major strides made this season after acquiring Chris Paul from the Hornets and advancing to the second round of the playoffs. Here's the latest news and stories making headlines out of the Staples Center…
- The Clippers could have easily retained Olshey if they had merely offered him a three-year, $2.25MM contract as he was only making $450K per season, writes Mark Heisler of Sheridan Hoops. Olshey's salary for the 2011/2012 season represented a figure lower than what some assistant coaches are paid and represented a trend for general managers under owner Donald Sterling. Elgin Baylor, who served as the Clippers' general manager for 22 years, was only making $350K at the end of his tenure in 2008.
- Heisler says Blake Griffin remains a 90% shot to remain with the Clippers long-term by signing an extension. Expect Griffin to command a max five-year, $90MM contract to keep him in Clippers' red, white and blue after being drafted by the team in 2009. The former Oklahoma star averaged 20.7 PPG and 10.9 RPG in 66 starts this season.
- A reunion between Lamar Odom and the Clippers may bode well for both parties, suggests Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. While Kevin Garnett would be a good fit for Los Angeles, Odom would be a more affordable option to replace Kenyon Martin, who is likely to move on after one season. Odom, 33 this fall, suffered through the worst season of his career after being traded to Dallas by the Lakers.
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