Chris Paul Trade Lifts Clippers Out of Lakers’ Shadows

It seems like everyone here in Los Angeles is talking about the Clippers, the other pro basketball franchise in town – the team in the shadows of purple and gold. The eugenicists in town are the people in the Clippers front office for building around superstar Blake Griffin to form a contender in the west as stars align in Hollywood under the shiny lights at Staples Center.

“I’m excited to be here in L.A. with this unbelievable franchise with so much history behind it,” Paul said. “Every one knows Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan signed his deal and my big brother, Chauncey Billups, who I’m excited to be playing alongside of. This is going to be an unbelievable experience.”

He’s a splashy acquisition, Chris Paul, and perhaps a ticket-seller for a franchise in competition with the town rival Lakers, who were in discussion to acquire the floor general. The folks, that is, except the diminutive Clippers faithful, were exasperated and vented on local radio stations to criticize commissioner David Stern. The owners were vindictive, stubborn and envy, and complained all night until Stern vetoed a deal that would have sent Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a draft pick to the Hornets, and Pau Gasol to Houston.

If the NBA had not owned the Hornets, during trade talks that were handled on behalf of the league, then the deal would’ve never happened. Denied once, the co-chairman Jim Buss is making all the personnel decisions it seems, and rather than discuss a potential deal with the Magic that could have sent Andrew Bynum and Gasol to Orlando for Dwight Howard, he and general manager Mitch Kupchak pulled out of the Paul sweepstakes.

The other day, after the NBA had blocked the trade – snatching back an early Christmas present – the trade speculations veered on the Clippers side, essentially Lakers were blocked as the owners and league should be embarrassed and regretful, realizing that the people running the business screwed the high-market franchise in the entertainment capital. It was a poor choice that ruined the integrity of the game, not to mention the Lakers chances in retooling as a dominant force in the West, the favorites in a town where purple and gold is highly exalted. He is a star point guard, and had desired to contend for a championship with any team in contention.


The trade, in conjunction with a vow to solely bring a championship to Los Angeles in a Clippers uniform alongside the big man Griffin, was satisfying and the change of scenery that Paul needed to finally play for a title. With the Lakers’ failed attempt to land Paul and their much-publicized trade that sent Odom packing to Dallas, there’s no telling what direction the Lakers are going. This is a startling team, more terrifying than vampires and scary movies that give people the chills, or scarier than reading author Stephen King. The red carpet is rolled out in front of Staples Center as the Clippers have stolen the spotlight in L.A. by assembling a bona fide tandem with Griffin and now Paul on board.

“This is not my day, by the way. This is the Clippers’ day,” Paul said to a swarm of reporters. “This is a humbling experience, and I’m so grateful and thankful to be here.”

The sleepless nights, for a man who rarely had any sleep in the craziest week, have long past after the Clippers acquired Paul Wednesday in a blockbuster deal with a high price. This extreme Hollywood makeover outbid their in-town rivals, but it was a gamble dealing rising star guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round draft pick to the Hornets. It’s all part of what should be an intriguing season for the Clippers. This is enough to have Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant, who recently was upset over his team’s decision to trade Odom to the Dallas Mavericks for a first-round draft pick in 2012 and an $8.9 million trade exception, speak publicly and be petrified not sure which direction the franchise is headed right now.

Then again, he likely won’t be satisfied unless the Lakers pursue in trading for Howard but all talks are that he’ll stay in Orlando. It’s considered a gamble, but the Clippers are aiming to win NOW and they see a bright future with lobbed passes to Griffin from Paul, who contributed in the Hornets turnaround. The Clippers, a team that was in need of significant star power this offseason, finally built a team of ferocity and promise, a renewed rivalry with their neighbor’s in purple and gold.

He walked to the podium with his agent, Leon Rose, who contributed in completing the unforeseen deal, dressed in his black suit, crimson tie and matching socks at his introductory news conference in the Clippers practice facility Thursday. Odd as it sounds, the Clippers acquired Paul in a four-player trade with the Hornets, outsmarting and outmaneuvering the Lakers and other suitors involved in trade rumors.

“I believe in this organization,” Paul said. “I believe in the players here, and I want to win. I want to win now. I’m so tired of doing everything else. I want to play.”

So when the Clippers announced Wednesday evening that they had landed an All-Star player, greatly considered the NBA’s best point guard, the folks in parts of the town jumped on board and journeyed on a joyride to Clipper Nation, a campaign that swept the Southland not long ago. If there’s a believer and loyalty felt in a town, where fans of the most ridiculed franchise in basketball are minorities, it would be Darrell Bailey. The arrival of a priceless point guard purges the doom that separated the Clippers from the rest of the franchises, releases the misfortune and curses that flirted with the sentiment of torture.

This team was never worth an argument or in conversations to evenly contend or compared to the other L.A. team, out of one’s mind and neglected in a town that root like hell for purple and gold. No one screamed loud for the Clippers, unless you were Billy Crystal or Clipper Darrell. Make no mistake, this is a Lakers town. The deal, as the Clippers were suitors after bidding on a superstar when potential bidders were rejected of a proposed three-way trade, is a way for them to fight for supremacy against their crosstown rivals. The one argument which can be publicized at this point is that many of the bleak faces can turn into smiles as the Clippers are on verge of perhaps a promising future.

As in the dreadful past for many of ill-spirited fans that has had to bear with the circumstances of humiliating losses, ill-advised draft picks which became busts and the lawsuit filed by former longtime executive Elgin Baylor, the Clippers cleansed any turmoil that torn down the team’s image. The quirky owner Donald Sterling has suffered from the wrath of embarrassment by the way he ran his mismanaged business. But now, by moving aggressively in pursuing Paul, he looks like the smartest businessman as the Busses behave like egomaniacs. In other words, the Clippers are the winners, as the Lakers are losers.

The season looms in Southern California and the Lakers’ car flags on vehicles proudly waves, but Clipper Darrell is a die-hard Clippers fan and cruise the streets with his custom painted car in the team’s colors. This offseason, despite that the Clippers are the minorities in a basketball town, they are not only sharing the same building with the Lakers but they are battling for bragging rights and domination. Because the Clippers brought in an All-Star in his prime, arguably the league’s best floor general, fans of the most unsettled franchise in sports can attend every home game and witness awe-inspiring hoops from Griffin and Paul, a pair of NBA stars that changes the landscape.

He, like many players without a profound supporting cast, had planned to leave New Orleans after next season but it wasn’t certain to whether he’d be playing in a Clippers uniform, particularly when Paul wasn’t ecstatic about the league shooting down the proposed three-way deal that would have sent him to the Lakers. So the team that no one ever imagined made the biggest splash at the expense of the Lakers, the most undaunted move since the Clippers relocated to their crosstown antagonist’s backyard in 1985. The buzz is still prevalent, as few wondered after Paul and Clippers general manager Neil Olshey announced that he had made a long-term commitment to the team.

“Why did I make a long-term commitment? Because I believe in this organization,” Paul said.”

Welcome the newest member, CP3, to L.A., where he’ll be playing in the same town of two superstars Kobe and Griffin.

“He’s not here to jump on a lily pad for two seasons,” Olshey added. “He’s coming here to be a part of the future of the franchise. He wanted to know there were pieces in place that would be with him long-term and that was a part of this deal. … It gave me the confidence to know that if we get this guy here and continue to do the right things, they’re all going to be here for the future and long-term.”

The Lakers-Clippers rivalry is good for the NBA, as the Clippers might be the most exciting team in the NBA this season, an epic theater for a sport that almost lost an entire season during a chaotic lockout. The reality is, although it seems strange that the Clippers assembled vastly the most entertaining and deepest squad, they were lucky to obtain Paul when the league’s boneheaded decision to veto the trade stopped the Lakers. The first word that came out of Griffin’s mouth when Paul arrived was “Lob City!” he said excitedly, stunned as he walked off the bus on his cellphone after spending much of the afternoon touring Los Angeles.

Now the Lakers, by virtue of trading the most valuable player on the market to Dallas for nothing in return, are in need of a big-man and a point guard to retool their aging, sluggish franchise. For once, the Clippers are on the rise, ready to take the throne away from the Lakers. This team is younger, hungrier and deeper as the other team in L.A. is on decline. So, as Howard was floating in trade rumors, the Lakers failed attempt could doom a team of perplexing riddles in the end.

With little guarantee of the Clippers possibly shifting into playoff mode since Paul arrived, fans are excited and believe in red and blue. The home of the Lakers has also become the home of the Clippers. Ah, yes, they gave up their youth and future with the mentality that winning now is their intention, and were willing to send the young assassin Gordon on a one-way ticket out of town. Right now the Clippers are winners. But really, what is evident is that the Clippers have not gave away a lottery pick since trading Baron Davis to Cleveland in exchange for Mo Williams and cleared cap space.

The best argument we can think of is that the Clippers were trying to clear salary cap space again, and knew they couldn’t afford to pay Griffin, Paul and Gordon, whose rookie contract expires after the season and he will become an unrestricted free agent. And let’s face it, he would have even tested the market and signed for a long-term elsewhere had he still been with the Clippers.

The emergence is near. Paul is a Clipper. The current state of this franchise is scarier and maybe the greatest point guard/center combo in L.A. since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabber.

Finally, Sterling can smile proudly from his Malibu home.

After All The Misfortune, Curses, Blake Griffin Captivates Hollywood

Blake Griffin's arms are so massive, on the bench press he performs 22 reps on the 185-lbs bench, a muscular specimen with strength as if he's Hercules or one of the world's strongest men who can incredibly pull a 7000 lb truck. As one of the tallest men in the NBA, he stands at 6-foot-7 with a humongous shoe size and remarkable wingspan.

Now, he is becoming one of the greatest forwards/centers in the NBA built with much physique and has improved his craft to dominate the paint at will, fully capable of mounting as the symbol in Hollywood, an adored icon in a city that embraces basketball more than any other professional sport. By the time the game is over, following a star-studded performance by Griffin, he routinely soothes his overworked body with ice packs wrapped around each knee and places both feet into a bucket with ice water.


Need I remind you that the Los Angeles Clippers were cursed and poorly ran for 34 consecutive seasons, knocked down by misfortunes and hapless injuries every time they assembled talent and solidified an incompetent roster? It was the early '70s when the NBA honored Buffalo an expansion franchise and proudly satisfied the fans near north of the border, an age when the team was known as the Braves to signify prior history in America, an age when the team endured an abiding curse, spiteful enough that sent the Clippers on a loathsome drought.

It was almost as if the defunct team in L.A. other than the Lakers had perished, and had been overshadowed by the mystique, tradition and celebrity of purple and gold. In any other town, the Clippers, no doubt, would've been accepted as a lone basketball franchise. But suddenly, the people residing in the entertainment capital are obligated to worship the other team in town, cheering rightfully so for the development of Clippers' star rookie Griffin, who is the attractive, precious star to adopt limitless publicity.

So now the Clippers, in one of their lovely seasons, are attractive and grabbing headlines on the front page of local newspapers. All of a sudden, as none of this was ever anticipated, the Clippers are filling in seats at Staples Center with Griffin as the bait. And for all the years of disheartened woes, the Clippers phenom is a ticket-seller, even if the fans predominately wear purple and gold and appreciate the Lakers. This season, therefore, signifies belief and aspiration, an onset of the Clippers recent progress in what has ultimately shifted into a fascinating turnaround.

As it seems, with all the latest streaks of wins for an organization that has never withstood so much love, ghost and evil spirits are no longer a burden on a franchise with hopelessness in the past. One of the differences with the Clippers, finally garnering typical fans and not bandwagoners, I hope, is Griffin's rapid growth. If they continue to dazzle a cult of passionate populace in Los Angeles, after inheriting a talented brand of players in potentially a promising recovery since their unbelievable postseason achievement in 2005, it's simple to assume that the limelight solely belongs to the Clippers.

Nobody here in Los Angeles, a place used to customary rituals of the gorgeous event in the spring that ignites a glorious festivity at Staples Center, is talking about the second-best team? That event in the spring would be the playoffs obviously, and as long as the Clippers play consistently and compile wins, they'll be eligible to contend in the postseason and can encounter the dream matchup against their cross-town rivals the Lakers in an appealing battle.

This after the Clippers endured a sequence of downcast seasons, failed lottery draft picks that were ill-advised selections, dreadful memories of awful trades, and lastly, cheesy offers given to free agents who eventually opted to leave for the riches or the betterment of advancing to new heights with a playoff contender. But the Clippers, especially after putting together a plethora of victories lately with their pedigree, are much-improved with the contributions of prolific guards that create scoring opportunities in the paint for Griffin. As a menace underneath the basket, he manipulates inside with his size advantage and vertical leaps near the rim, delivering off the drive and on the post.

At this point, no matter how much he's overshadowed, he's not only a rookie sensation, but a sensational star that the NBA truly adores. Normally, if the NBA tries selling its sport to an alarming audience, it comes from the influx of star players. After all, it's an association built on superstars, which seems to grab the attention of fans, captivated by the celebrity of breathtaking stars, such as Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and LeBron James. It's an industry that redefines itself as talent transcends to elevate television ratings and ticket sales, and culturally the NBA survives by the superstars it features, a strategy worthy for marketing its product each season.

And this is why Griffin is an attraction in the NBA, a gifted star born to install life in an uneventful sport at times and produce excitement. And he has done that, ever since ascending as a godlike player to entice the media after nearly each game, particularly following his magnificent 47-point spectacle for an NBA season-high over the Indiana Pacers. So now, it's logical to conceive that he is the Rookie of the Year hopeful among all candidates, specifically the hottest character in the league.


At age 21, Griffin is a unique breed and the tallest player in the middle. He's a ubiquitous forward on the floor and can levitate and literally pulverize defenders in the interior. At such a young age, he's not fully matured or a charismatic leader, and even with lack of experience, he still plays like an All Star. There's no doubt in my mind, quickly developing into a newborn legend, that he should be voted in to play for the All Star Game, a fun event for the fans as the players are usually determined by popularity and how the general public votes.

By reputation, in the meantime, the Clippers are a disoriented franchise and lost a number of players in the past, good players at that. See, there are times, such as this season when he and Baron Davis weren't blending in as player and boss and exchanged words in verbal altercations, for which Sterling has a stubborn mind and refuses to satisfy the players he employs with richer deals. This season, already, if we can recall, Davis was unhappy and demanded a trade elsewhere.

But of late, he seems as if he's content with the Clippers and has been sizzling in scoring. The constant gossip, despite his unhappiness with the team earlier in the season, is true if you are thinking of his recent contributions scoring-wise. Yet he joined the Clippers a few summers ago to unite with Elton Brand, who reneged on staying true to his word when he said he'd be willing to return but instead fled Los Angeles to sign an enormous deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, he is finally playing at the highest in his lifetime.

This is because Griffin is getting touches and inevitably is taking control with his size and sturdiness. This is because he has a dynamic force to depend on inside the post, a dominant forward at last replacing another potent forward. With the luck of being alongside Griffin, he's averaging 14.6 points per game and plays at the most 30 minutes a night, but has shot 46.5 percent from the floor. Meanwhile, the third-year guard Eric Gordon is a town savior for Clippers' lovers, and fans have fallen wildly in love with the smart-minded, streaky scorer. What makes him newsworthy is that he can drive in traffic, not afraid to penetrate and throw in a reverse layup over the taller defender.

Griffin, no doubt, is a far more superior player and steals the excitement away from his teammates, but Gordon plays efficiently with his own style and attempts his pull-up jump shots or explodes to the rim and somehow finishes on the play he creates himself. That, after all, was very telling that he improved as a proficient basketball star, born and raised in a town that adores its hoops. Nearly every kid in his home state is introduced to the sport and begins to take part in basketball at such a young.

That was what Gordon decided in his childhood, and now it has benefited, not only himself but his family as well. All of this gives Griffin a valuable supporting cast that allows him to minimize exhaustion or even lesson the risk of injuries. Without him, the Clippers' nucleus declines and they can return to the old days, when Los Angeles suffered from disappointment and mortification. When he occupies the fans, he normally leaps into the air and throws down a monstrous dunk. He averages a double-double regularly from his rebounds and points scored.

While the Clippers future seems brighter, eternally Los Angeles will still always be a Laker town, no matter how much the Clippers excel, no matter if Griffin takes over the spotlight and no matter if they advance to the playoffs. For the Lakers, a franchise that eclipses the Clippers with plenty of championship banners hanging from the rafters, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are the symbolic features of Los Angeles. For now, if not forever, the Lakers are the social activity in a diverse town, a common ritual that arouses the population here in L.A., leaning strictly on purple and gold as a way to extend a tradition and exhilarate the fond culture.

That's not to say the Clippers won't be recognized, though. If Griffin is the future plan and Los Angeles intends to reload around him, the team will always draw attention, as folks really enjoy his display regularly. It should come as no surprise that there are actually a few Clippers' fans. One of the noticeable maniacs is Clipper Darrell, a crazed fan sporting red and blue apparel. Quite regularly, Billy Crystal attends Clippers' home games at Staples Center on the rotated floor, of course.

Shhhh!!!

It seems he's a well-known fan of the other team in Los Angeles, which is not the preferred team. The Clippers were once disregarded by the entire city, until the 2005 season after the Lakers were dispatched from the playoffs in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. That is when it was called Clipper Nation. Is Clipper Nation back? It's a bit too early to tell, but at this rate the fans can awaken and rename it Clipper Nation, even if Lakerland sounds fitting. So, as if all the misfortunes and curses have disappeared into the darkness, from a span that included 1994 to 2004 when the Clippers had 10 picks in the first 10 selections of the NBA Draft, Griffin is the savior in a town where Southern California Got Talent and beholds the newest talented star.

There's no telling what the future holds, but as of now, Griffin is the future.

Needed Big Man

When big men Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla were out for the season with injuries, the Portland Trailblazers were needed with a big man in the paint besides power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Now just recently, the Blazers just made a deal to ship off point guard Steve Blake and forward Travis Outlaw to the Los Angeles Clippers for center Marcus Camby.

I really think this is a great trade for Portland. For the Clippers, it’s okay for them. The Clippers, I believe, were trying free up some cap space. Now they can use their two guards in Baron Davis and Steve Blake now. And with Travis Outlaw, he may be the starting small forward but I think he’ll be the backup for Rasual Butler most probably.

As for Portland, they can be powerful in the paint now. Marcus Camby has been an asset in the boards with the Clippers all season. He has been averaging twelve rebunds per game and can also score a bit, too, with about eight points per game. Camby will move from power forward with the Clippers to a center with Blazers, going in front of Juwan Howard. He and Aldridge will be the big men on the floor and the Blazers were in much need of one.

Now they finally have one. And with Brandon Roy coming back soon, the Blazers can be dominant in these 30 games remaining. It was a pretty beneficial trade for both side, mostly favoring Portland, though. We’ll see how it works out for both teams now.

Say Your Prayers Clippers, as Griffin May Just Be a Savior

Whether it is cursed spirits existing somewhere in their secret locale or just a core of players who have weak bones and can’t last an entire season, there is an elusive notion that the Los Angeles Clippers in the landscape, where purple and gold confetti covered the streets not so long ago, made headline news in the front pages of local tabloids at the NBA Draft once again.

Although the Clippers are hampered with misadventures, they lucked out by hitting the jackpot to sustain the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and selected Blake Griffin. At least, in a disastrous era, Griffin can resolve any fragile collapses and dismiss any jinx spirits.

Whatever spirits hunt the Clippers of excelling with bundles of talented stars and potential stars in the near-future, it is not the Sports Illustrated magazine covers or video game appearances on front covers.

As the Clippers vividly are convinced that Griffin’s presence is a turning point in the near future, consider the Clippers a curse. A miserable past doesn’t pose as bad luck to the towering 6-foot-9 power forward, and if there is anyone who can shake off humiliation and stress among a sully owner, Donald T. Sterling, Griffin is the legitimate specimen to rearrange dysfunction and produce fruition among a forlorn team.

Over the years, disadvantage has bestowed more downsides to their talent, which has languished in delivering eminence. In this past season, the Clippers failed to amass twenty wins, and ended a downcast season with an abominable 19-63 record. It wasn’t even enough wins to preserve the ninth seed, to come up one spot shy of playoff contention.


In what may have been the Clippers finest selection ever, Griffin might be the answer to their prayers. After all, he was a dominant force at Oklahoma, and his presence allowed the Sooners to establish a burgeon culture among one of the premier schools in college basketball.

In his sophomore season, Griffin guided the Sooners to an impressive 30-6 record, and advanced to the national quarterfinals, but unfortunately finished shy of capturing triumph. From there, he carefully weighed options and decided to forgo his junior season to turn pro.

Luckily, the Clippers are welcoming in the gigantic 20-year old prospect. And, assuming he’ll translate dynamic capabilities, similarities that were applied efficiently in college, the Clippers are getting an instrumental piece to deter opposing teams from often fleeting to the rim.

With Griffin’s height advantage, he will isolate and pose a threat to a number of teams. Even though the team is cursed, it doesn’t mean Griffin will experience the same type of despair. In fact, he might be the one player needed to boost confidence and rebuild a team that is not confident into a tough-minded team, and the Clippers can maybe snap out of their recent afflictions.

The Clippers have moved one step forward in signing Griffin, an NBA-ready prospect who can blossom in the spotlight and emerge into a forceful forward. He is even versatile, in which he can start as a center with unmitigated athleticism and tallness to overpower players under the basket. Already, he is tremendous in grabbing rebounds, a strength that highlighted Griffin as the best available pick in this year’s draft.

The masses are familiar with Griffin as a college superstar and recognized that he led the nation in rebounding and double-doubles. Devoted college basketball fanatics are also aware of him producing 22.7 points and 14.4 in the final season with the Sooners.

Now the question is can he translate it to the NBA level? Can he handle all the hoopla about their misfortune in the past? Joining a team like the Clippers only indicates bad things to come in the near future, right? Normally players suffered from mind-blowing injuries whenever they joined the Clippers.

By examining each injured patient, indeed the first thing that comes to mind is a curse, which leaves Clippers fans suspicious of negative spirits. Suddenly, it turned into a team of patients, and not a team of players who could expose ascendancy with their stamina talent. Fans should now be obligated of jumping onto the wagon and screaming on the Lakers, as Clippers Nation was neglected a long time ago.

That means selecting and signing Griffin is a good sign.

For people who still believe in the Clippers and aren’t convinced a curse has distorted prosperity, he’s a positive vindication in the future.

These days, they are considered to be in their revamping stages, a development that seems to have lasted since Clippers Nation outlived Lakerland in 2005 playoffs, when the Lakers were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, and weeks later fans started sporting red, admiring the Clippers as if they were first priority all season.

Still, they won’t have the advantage of stealing headlines, but Griffin might give them the edge needed to reestablish into contention form.

Say your prayers.