Empty the Bench

The Donald Sterling era has not been kind to Clippers fans from Buffalo to Los Angeles. Since the real estate mogul acquired the team in 1981 for $12.5 million they have been a depressing paradigm of hopelessness. This has never been what you would call a “proud franchise,” but few professional sports teams can match the level of futility that has become synonymous with these Clips. The team moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and since then they have managed a better record than the crosstown Lakers just twice and made only four playoff appearances – meeting hasty elimination in the first round thrice.

After a 16-year drought the team made the postseason under Larry Brown in 1992, but lost in the first round to the Utah Jazz. They made the playoffs again the following season and were met with another first-round thrashing, this time at the hands of Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. After a few more poor seasons Los Angeles managed to sneak into the playoffs in a weak West with a losing record in 1997. Once again, they were swept by the Jazz in the first round.

The pathetic product trotted onto the court has been the product of a combination of poor management and stubborn refusal by the stingy Mr. Sterling to invest in the Clippers. Injuries and misfortune have played their role, sure, but Mr. Sterling’s stinginess has been primarily responsible for the dismal state of this team.

It appears he’s finally trying to shed his image as an owner who just doesn’t give a shit.

In the last few years the Clippers have opened a state-of-the-art practice facility in Playa Vista, they’ve brokered new television deals with local stations, they’ve appeared on national television more than ever before and they’ve signed a few free agents. Don’t look now, but the Los Angeles Clippers might actually be trying their hand at competitiveness.

Things appeared to turn around for this beleaguered franchise in the 2005-06 season, when they made a nice playoff run with the leadership of stud PF Elton Brand. That season they went all the way to the Western Conference semi-finals, losing to the Phoenix Suns in seven games. They posted their first winning record in 14 seasons and things were looking up. But a number of injuries kept them out of the postseason the last two years. The newfound momentum was petering out. Just days ago they were threatening to hit bottom again with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette looking to bolt.

Queue hometown hero Baron Davis: franchise savior.

After the jump: The Clips are suddenly a fun team to watch…

Davis, the former All Star point guard, will be the first significant free-agent signing from outside the organization since Bill Walton in the late 1970s (well, unless you count Cuttino Mobley – I don’t). Davis is expected to sign a contract in the neighborhood of five years and $65 million. When guys like Gilbert Arenas are breaking the $100 million threshold this summer, that’s a bargain price for a bona fide superstar.

And even better, it’s said that Baron was lured to the Clippers because of the opportunity to play alongside Elton Brand, so it appears Brand will be staying in town. That will give the Clippers their best one-two punch since they moved from Buffalo and it makes them immediate playoff contenders.

There has never been any question about Baron’s skills, but poor shooting and chronic back problems plagued him early in his career. In recent seasons he has quieted those concerns with improved efficiency. He played all 82 games for the Warriors this year, averaging 21.8 points, 7.6 assists, 4.7 boards and 2.3 steals on 42.6% FGs and 75% FTs.

Davis is an absolute bull going to the basket and an excellent passer who will give this team an offensive identity. He’s also a proven playoff performer who showed he can carry a team on his broad shoulders in the 2007 postseason.

His arrival is just in time to reinvigorate a Clippers team that had only five players under contract (Cuttino Mobley, Tim Thomas, Brevin Knight, Chris Kaman and Al Thornton) before striking this deal. They now have a very solid core to build around with Baron at the point, Brand at power forward, the improving Chris Kaman at center and the promising youngster Al Thornton at small forward. Of course, this means that Corey Maggette will be shown the door and they have a hole at shooting guard after the aging Mobley.

There’s still a lot of work to do, but the Clippers finally have a bright future for the first time since, well, since I started following the NBA. They’re suddenly a team that should be a lot of fun to watch, too. Be happy, Clippers Nation. This was a major coup.

Related: Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers