I. Season Re-Cap 

2001-02 Record: 39-43 (.476) Despite the lack of experience on this Clips team, they just missed making the play-offs. Had they been in the east, the may just have made it to the finals. They certainly couldn't have fared much worse than the Nets did. The Clippers are young and they have an abundance of talent. But what's to keep them from bolting at free agent time like every other baller who has ever made it through clipper-land. Current Roster

Player             Date signed # of years total salary  misc  FA 
Obinna Ekezie .... 10/1/01     1            minimum           '02 
Tremaine Fowlkes ..2/23/02     1            minimum           '02 
Jeff McInnis ......2/26/00     3            minimum           '02 
Michael Olowokandi 1/29/99     4           $15,031,312   rc   '02 
Doug Overton ......3/4/02      1            minimum           '02 
Earl Boykins ......9/29/00     3            minimum           '03 
Elton Brand .......7/26/99     4           $15,783,136   rc   '03 
Corey Maggette ....7/12/99     4            $6,131,524   rc   '03 
Lamar Odom ........8/12/99     4           $11,444,345   rc   '03 
Eric Piatkowski ... 8/6/99     4           $10.2 million      '03 
Sean Rooks ........7/16/96     7           $13.44 million     '03 
Harold Jamison ....10/1/01     3            $1,950,000        '04 
Darius Miles ...... 8/8/00     4           $13,295,221   rc   '04 
Keyon Dooling ..... 8/8/00     4            $7,219,404   rc   '04 
Quentin Richardson  8/8/00     4            $5,098,295   rc   '04 

Boykins, Brand, Maggette, Miles, Odom, Piatkowski, Rooks, Jamison, Dooling, Richardson 

FREE AGENTS 

McGinnis, Overton, Fowlkes (restricted), Oliwakandi (restricted) 

II. Positional Anlysis 

Point Guard 

Jeff McGinnis, Keyon Dooling, Doug Overton, Earl Boykins, (Marco Jaric) 

McGinnis has made the sacrifice of playing for three years with the Clippers for the NBA minimum. He has been the one leader on this team who has held them together and kept them on ask. He's not gonna torch another team for 40, but he's strong on the ball, has size the NBA loves in PG's makes good decisions, and manages the flow of the game well. He is expecting to get paid this off-season. I'll be surprised to see them pony up for him. They've got Keyon Dooling, who has ridden the pine the past two seasons waiting for his chance. They also have Marco Jaric(30th pick in the 2000 draft), who has been playing in the EuroLeague for the past couple of seasons. Both of these players would be on rookie contracts next season. Together they would come cheaper than re-signing McGinnis. Boykins and Overton are both journeymen with limited games who provided spot duty behind McGinnis. 

Shooting Guard 

Eric Piatkowski, Quentin Richardson 

Piatkowski has actually went on record and said that he wants to be a Clipper for life. This has to be a first. The guy's a solid shooter. Ideally, he would be best coming off the bench in a swing guard role to provide outside shooting. He is the only veteran on the team to see substantial playing time. Richardson really came on last season. He showed range and all the athleticism that made him a big-time prospect coming out of DePaul. He even got some votes for the sixth man award. It wouldn't surprise me if he supplanted Piatkowski in the starting line-up. 

Small Forward 

Cory Maggette, Darius Miles, Tremaine Fowlkes, Lamar Odom 

Maggette is a tremendous athlete who could have used another season or two at Duke before coming out early two years ago. With that said, just on pure athletic ability he has been a valuable cog in the rotation, starting much of last year. Here's hoping he continues to develop into the take over the game kind of guard that the Clippers desperately need. Miles is just oozing with potential. He can play two or three positions on the court and knows what to do with the ball around the basket. He often gets compared to Kevin Garnett. If he adds some range to his shot and bulks up more, he might even lead his team to win a play-off series before "Da Kid." Fowlkes was an mid-season pick up on a 10-day contract and gave quality back-up minutes. Odom probably deserves to be mentioned before this point, but when he can't stay off the reefer and hurts his team by not being on the floor, there isn't much about his game to analyze this season. 

Power Forward 

Elton Brand, Obinaa Ekeezie, Harold Jamison 

Brand continues to show why he was worthy of the No. 1 pick two years ago. Averaging a double-double and making his first all-star appearance. He is the rock that the Clippers work there offense through. He can also move over and play the 5 when they go small. Ekeezie and Jamison seldom saw time off the bench. 

Center 

Michael Oliwakandi, Sean Rooks 

Oliwakandi finally put together a season that may take the title" wasted no. 1 pick" away from his name. He is a restricted free agent and it remains to be see whether the Clippers will do what is necessary to keep him. Rooks adds maturity to this team and can back-up both the 4 and 5, but was hit with the injury bug this season. They certainly could use his experience out there on the court. 

Coaching/Management 

Elgin Baylor, has done a good job of bringing young talent into the organization in the last few years. He has also shown a very shrewd ability to make draft day deals. However, The Donald (Sterling) has been frugal and refused to open up his pocketbook and keep players, which forced Elgin to make his annual trek in late May to the NBA headquarters for his usual seat at the draft lottery. The Donald needs to make a statement to the rest of the young talent on his team by opening up the wallet for either McGinnis or Oliwakandi this off-season. Alvin Gentry is a marginal coach at best. But like Phil Jackson, smart enough to put good players on the floor and let them do their thing. They could do better, but Donald would have to pay for it. I am sure he's content with the value he gets from Gentry. 

III. Draft History 

• 2001 - Tyson Chandler, Dominguez HS Sr. (2)
• 2000 - Darius Miles, Lincoln HS Sr.(3); Quentin Richardson, Depaul (18); Marco Jaric, (30)
• 1999 - Lamar Odom, Rhode Island (4); Rico Hill, Illinois State (31)
• 1998 - Michael Olowokandi, Pacific (1); Brian Skinner, Baylor (22)
• 1997 - Maurice Taylor, Michigan (14);

IV. Team Needs

Back-up Center, Back-up Power Forward, shot-blocker, scorer

V. My Selection

DaJaun Wagner, G, Memphis

He's drawn comparisons to Iverson, a little bigger than Ivy is, however. (and, hopefully will be more open to the whole practice concept). Potentially could have been a higher pick had he entered the draft right out of high school. Some mock drafts have him falling to the bottom of the lottery. Unlike the other players that the I've considered for this slot, Wagner has proved he can score on the D-1 level. The others are strictly based on potential and it's difficult to gage

VI. Other Players Considered

Qyuentell Woods, SF, Northeast Mississippi CC

Rumor has is that the Clippers will take him with one of their picks and ship him to the Lakers. Some say he's the next T-Mac. Some mocks have him going at no. 3 or no. 5. Unless a deal is in the works, I'd be surpised if he goes before Miami at no. 10

Nickoloz Tskitishvili, C, Italy

Has the NBA body and skills that scouts are drooling over, but is young (19) and hasn't seen much action with his Euro team. But his draft stock is soaring in large part due to the success of Gasol and Turkoglu.

Amare Stoudemire, PF, Cyress Creek HS

NBA body, a lot of upside. But like Woods, I see the Clips shying away from picking players on unproven-potential.

Curtis Borchardt, C, Stanford 

NBA body. The Clips like him. Would be the shot-blocking back-up at the 4 and 5 that they are looking for. Would also provide good insurance if they are unable to keep Oliwakandi past next season. I hesitated at taking him at 8 because he I fear he could be the next Eric Montross, Todd Fuller, or Chris Mihm. I also think that he will still be there at no. 12.

VI. Who Team Will Probably Take

Ideally, the should deal at least one of these picks and Odom for some experience players who are ready to contribute now. I gather that the team really likes Borchardt, Wagner, and Stoudemire. If the Knicks decide against Chris Wilcox they just may go with Brochardt. Stoudemire has an injured shoulder that is prohibiting from working out for teams, hurting his draft status. If he's available, and unless one of the top players slide, I would imagine that the go with Wagner here. Although, there is a chance they could go with Hillarrio or Tskitishvili if either is available.

VII. Other Off-Season Moves Team Should Make

I don't see Overton returning. Fowlkes will return if they can get him for the minimum. I'm a big McGinnis fan and think they should re-sign him and extend Oliwakandi this off-season. However, neither of them is worth the maximum. Odom should be dealt while they can still get value for him. His baggage could potentially be cancerous. This is a down free-agent years and unless some options are exercised there are not really many players, if any, he will receive the maximum.