Odds & Ends: Clippers, Heat, Blazers, Pistons

Here’s today’s look around the Association..

• Eric Patten of NBA.com sat down with colleague Scott Howard-Cooper and chatted about the Clippers.  So far, Howard-Cooper gives the club high marks for the offseason that they’ve had.  Their sole objective this summer was to retain Chris Paul, and they got him to sign by landing Doc Rivers as coach.  While J.J. Redick is getting a lot of attention, he also notes that Darren Collison is a smart signing at a very reasonable price.
• Even though the Heat say that they don’t plan to use the amnesty clause on anyone, their stated openness to using the taxpayer mid-level exception makes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel think that they might amnesty someone.  Adding a player at the taxpayer midlevel right now would cost around $15MM total for next season, so they’d likely look to ease their tax bill if they went that route.
• Trail Blazers General Manager Neil Olshey told reporters that Dorell Wright was the top wing the team targeted in free agency, writes Mike Richman of OregonLive.com.  Portland signed Wright to a two-year, $6MM deal earlier this month.
• The Pistons wisely showed restraint during this summer’s free agent frenzy, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.