Donald, it's good to have you back! The thought of you building a winning franchise was nice but we all new it was too good to be true.
A day after their head coach signaled that the Clippers wouldn't make the playoffs, the team traded Marcus Camby (#2 in rebounds & #7 in blocks in the NBA) for guard Steve Blake & forward Travis Outlaw.
It would have been one thing if the Clippers got back significant talent or draft picks. Instead both Outlaw & Blake will probably leave this summer if they don't get moved before Thursday's trade deadline. Also, both players do not fill a gaping hole on the Clipper roster.
Blake is a decent backup PG- but do they envision him taking minutes away from Telfair or recently-signed Bobby Brown? Outlaw is recovering from another major injury- is he going to take minutes away from Thornton, Butler, or Gordon?
This move only makes sense from a cap perspective since it clears an extra $1.3M off of their salary cap (Camby makes $7.65M & Outlaw/Blake make $8.9M) this summer. In addition, the Clips save $2M in incentives owed to Camby. So let's be clear, this move was about saving $2M this year and shaving $1.3M off of their cap.
With this move, & Coach Hughes' comments about the team not making the playoffs, their season is effectively over. It's never a good move to tell competitive athletes that they're not going to make the playoffs. Furthermore, you're sending the wrong signal to Gordon & Blake, who will be deciding in a few years if they want to continue with the Clippers. And where does this leave Kaman & Davis, who are in the prime of their careers and are now facing 20 pointless games. How do you think the team felt on Monday when Camby left the team dinner after his agent called to tell him that he had been traded? These indirect financial consequences are probably worth more than the $1.3M the Clippers will shave off of their salary cap.
A culture of failure, coupled with the Camby trade, won't entice free agents to sign with the Clippers this summer.
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