Los Angeles Clippers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Paul George May Miss The Clippers’ “First 10” Games

October 13th, 2019 at 12:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers has offered a little more insight into when Paul George might make his regular season debut for his new team, tweets Mark Medina of USA Today.

Rivers told reporters Saturday that George “is not going to be here for the first 10.” If that holds true, it would mean his first game will be no earlier than November 13 at Houston.

It’s the latest clue on the rehab plan for George, who still doesn’t have a set timetable for recovery after offseason surgery on both shoulders. George said late last month that he would definitely miss the team’s October games and was hoping for a return “in the November range.”

Western Notes: Valanciunas, Rockets, Johnson

October 12th, 2019 at 5:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Jonas Valanciunas is dealing with foot soreness, though David Cobb of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link) hears that there is no structurial damage in the center’s foot. The big man played for Lithuania in the FIBA World Cup and it’s possible the quick turnaround to training camp contributed to his soreness. Valanciunas won’t suit up for the remainder of the preseason, as the Grizzlies are opting to provide him with rest so that he’s fresh for the regular season.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said “there’s always challenges” when it comes to setting the regular season roster, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 relays (Twitter link). D’Antoni added that he feels getting to a nine-man rotation will also be difficult, since he believes Houston has “about 11-12 guys that can play.”
Spurs first-rounder Keldon Johnson, who turned 20 this weekend, has impressed his veteran teammates, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. “I remember those days,” Rudy Gay said. “It’s amazing what he’s accomplished at this young age and to be out here playing with somebody like me who has been here since dinosaurs were playing basketball.”
Patrick Beverley is back at practice at suffering an undisclosed injury earlier this week, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times reports. The point guard re-signed with the Clippers this offseason on a three-year, $40MM deal.

Clippers Waive Terry Larrier, James Palmer Jr.

October 11th, 2019 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have removed a pair of players from their 20-man preseason roster, announcing today that Terry Larrier and James Palmer Jr. have been released.

Both Larrier and Palmer signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the Clippers in August and participated in the team’s training camp last week. Larrier, a 6’8″ forward out of UConn, appeared in two games for the Clippers during the preseason, while Palmer, an undrafted 6’6″ shooting guard out of Nebraska, played in three preseason contests for the club.

Neither Larrier nor Palmer has played in the G League before, so the Clippers could look to make them affiliate players. If they spend at least 60 days with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario – L.A.’s NBAGL affiliate – they’d be eligible for Exhibit 10 bonuses worth up to $50K.

The Clippers now have 18 players under contract, including 14 with guaranteed salaries and two on two-way deals.

Clippers, Lakers Would Be Frontrunners If Iguodala Gets Buyout

October 11th, 2019 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Woj and Lowe think Raptors guard Kyle Lowry would generate a lot of interest on the trade market if Toronto becomes open to moving him. Both ESPN experts believe that Lowry’s one-year, $31MM extension actually makes him more appealing as a trade chip, since he wouldn’t be just a half-season rental. Lowe speculates that teams like the Heat, Pistons, and Clippers might have interest, while Woj singles out the Timberwolves as another potential fit.
According to Wojnarowski, both the Grizzlies and Andre Iguodala are willing to be patient when it comes to a potential trade or buyout. Woj likens Iguodala to MLB pitcher Roger Clemens, who often signed late in the season during the final few years of his career. “Iguodala’s fine with seeing what the landscape looks like and then jumping in on the season a little later,” Woj said. “Because you’re signing Andre Iguodala – or trading for him – for the postseason.” Woj added that the Lakers and Clippers would be the favorites to land the former Finals MVP if he’s bought out.

[SOURCE LINK]

Clippers Atop ESPN's Future Power Rankings

October 10th, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Kevin Pelton and Bobby Marks (Insider link) unveiled their annual “future power rankings” for NBA teams today, and the Clippers earned the No. 1 spot on that list after placing 21st a year ago. It’s the largest single-year jump in the decade-long history of the rankings, Pelton writes.

Mann Had Clippers Connections; Leonard May Not Play In Preseason

October 5th, 2019 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Second-round pick Terance Mann had plenty of Clippers connections before the team drafted him with the 48th pick in June, writes Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Team scout Leo Papile served as a mentor to Mann and has known him since age 13, while Mann’s mother used to coach at Northeastern and frequently took her sons to watch the Celtics when Doc Rivers was running the team.
The Clippers aren’t sure if Kawhi Leonard will play in any preseason games, but Rivers doesn’t believe it matters, Greif tweets. “You can make the case no, because you’re getting your reps in practice, you are playing live,” Rivers said. “He played the whole practice today that was live. But will he not play one [preseason game]? I don’t know that, he probably will play one, but I would say I’m not that concerned, either way.”

California Notes: Green, Harkless, Training Camp, Kings

October 5th, 2019 at 1:22pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Warriors enter this season a slightly different version of the dominant Golden State squads from recent years. While mainstays Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson remain, the departure of Kevin Durant and a slew of new faces has changed the landscape in Oakland.

While Thompson’s outlook is unclear given his recovery from a torn ACL, the presence of Curry and Green — to go along with the new addition of D’Angelo Russell and others — keeps the Warriors in the discussion of top Western Conference teams. However, given the roster turnover, Green says adjusting to the new personnel has been a focal point early in training camp, ESPN’s Nick Fridell writes.

“Just the lack of familiarity,” Green said. “You get used to a certain thing for so long, and then it’s not that. The normal reads that you would make, just kind of second nature, you got to make sure they’re there. It’s just a lot more making sure everyone’s on the same page, or getting there. Everybody’s not on the same page, which is to be expected, so just getting everybody there is the difference.”

Check out more notes related to California teams:

The change within the Warriors‘ organization has not been limited to just the players. Anthony Slater of The Athletic explores how Golden State’s coaching staff is getting acclimated, especially defensive specialist Ron Adams, who remained with the team but in a reduced role.
Ethan Strauss of The Athletic writes that despite the perception of the Warriors acquiring Russell just to eventually trade him, Golden State is operating under the belief that the All-Star guard will be a fixture of the team for the future.
Given the Clippers‘ active offseason, the addition of Maurice Harkless flew under the radar. However, now that training camp has begun, Harkless is hoping to stand out as an effective role player, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Like about a month ago when we first started meeting together as a coaching staff, you start thinking, ‘Oh, we got Mo Harkless.’ We have more on our team. And then you watch what he can do,” head coach Doc Rivers said.
While superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are set in stone, along with Patrick Beverley and Ivica Zubac as starters, other positions for the Clippers will feature training camp competition. Jovan Buha of The Athletic examines all the competition in L.A. and how the team’srotation may shake out.
After finishing just outside the postseason picture last season, the Kings entered the offseason looking to acquire veteran players who have experience in a winning culture. As Jason Jones of The Athletic writes, the additions of Cory Joseph, Trevor Ariza and Dewayne Dedmon all aligned with that goal.

Shamet Will Play Often At Point

October 4th, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Landry Shamet and rookie Terance Mann are the main backup options to Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley despite having backgrounds at the wing positions, Mirjan Swanson of the Orange County Register relays. Coach Doc Rivers believes Shamet will emerge in that role. “Landry will play point a lot this year,” Rivers said. “There’s no doubt about that. Because he can do a lot of things that very few guys can do, (Stephen) Curry-like. He can push it up, throw it and run and still score.”

Ballmer Determined To Build New Arena Despite Lawsuits

October 4th, 2019 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer plans to build a new arena in Inglewood, Calif. despite lawsuits that essentially pit the franchise against Knicks owner James Dolan, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reports.

Dolan is the executive chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden, which has owned the Forum — the former home of the Lakers — since 2011. The Forum is located in Inglewood and still hosts numerous events. MSG has two lawsuits pending, according to Youngmisuk, including one against the city of Inglewood and its mayor over building a new arena adjacent to the Forum.

Ballmer told reporters, including Youngmisuk, that he’s unfazed by the legal challenges. He’s eager for the team to have its own arena, rather than sharing one with the Lakers. The target date to move into the proposed arena is 2024, when the Clippers’ lease with Staples Center terminates.

“We are going to open that arena one way or another,” he said.

Ballmer invested $100M in the city of Inglewood last month. The investment was created as part of the city’s new arena development agreement and is focused on community programs.

Commissioner Adam Silver, who supports Ballmer’s plan to build the new arena, has talked to both owners about the legal action but isn’t ready to step in and settle the dispute.

Ballmer believes he’ll prevail in the end.

“We’re on a path where we think we can build the arena, whatever happens in the litigation,” he said. “We’re moving along. … The other side is just trying to slow us down a little bit. … I’m not sure they understand what they’ve gotten themselves into, from my perspective in the sense that we’ll just keep going.”

L.A. Notes: Leonard, L. Williams, LeBron, Bradley

September 30th, 2019 at 11:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Kawhi Leonard understands that he has an opportunity to make history by leading a third team to an NBA title, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Robert Horry and John Salley both won rings with three franchises, but neither played a starring role like Leonard did in San Antonio and Toronto. He’s a team leader now for the Clippers and has a chance to bring a championship to the city where he grew up.

“That would be a great accomplishment,” Leonard said. “That feat would be something to talk about once I’m done playing, and being able to do that in my hometown would be amazing. Growing up, [Staples Center] was one of the first NBA arenas I ever went to. So to do all of that here would be special. But we have work to do first.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

The addition of Leonard and Paul George will mean a reduced role for Lou Williams, but the three-time Sixth Man of the Year is ready to adapt to whatever is necessary, relays Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Even though he came off the bench, Williams often ran the offense and served as the top scorer late in games. Having two stars on hand means those duties will now be shared. “At the end of the day, I am a sixth man, I am a backup,” Williams said. “No matter how much you dress it up, no matter how much history I’ve made, no matter how many special things I’ve done off the bench, I’m still a backup and I understand that to the core of me.”
Clippers coach Doc Rivers tells Arash Markazi of The Los Angeles Times that he briefly quit the team in 2013 after former owner Donald Sterling vetoed the signing of J.J. Redick. The incident happened less than a week after Rivers was hired, and he changed his mind when Sterling relented the next day.
LeBron James is ready to prove he’s still among the league’s elite players after the longest offseason of his career, Vardon writes in a separate story. LeBron’s summer included shooting “Space Jam,” working on his game and spending time with family and friends, but for the first time in 13 years it didn’t include the playoffs.
Avery Bradley has quickly emerged as the Lakers‘ most feared defender, observes Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Bradley is glad to be back in Los Angeles after ending last season with the Grizzlies. “This is a whole new opportunity for me to prove myself each and every night,” he said. “There’s no bigger stage than this. Each and every night, every opportunity I get I’m going to try to prove, to show the world I’m the best perimeter defender in the NBA.”