Brand Injury Could Put Clips Back In Cellar

When Elton Brand went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon this past week, he brought the hopes and dreams of the entire Clipper Nation down with him. Two years removed from being a game away from a date with the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Clippers once again appear to be destined to be…well, the Los Angeles Clippers – the cellar dweller of the Pacific Division and quite possibly the Western Conference. They had Clipper Nation fooled for a couple of years, but with Elton Brand expected to be on the shelf for at least four months, it appears Bill Simmons opted out of his season ticket package at the best possible time.

Elton Brand put the Los Angeles Clippers back on the map. His 20.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game accounted for nearly 25% of their scoring and rebounding and his defensive presence in the paint was immeasurable. Assuming rookie Al Thornton becomes the backup to Corey Maggette on the wing while Chris Kaman holds down the fort at the center position, it appears the only suitable back-ups to replace the All Star power forward are Tim Thomas, much traveled veteran Aaron Williams, and unproven big man Paul Davis. Tim Thomas is a natural wing player, whereas Aaron Williams and Paul Davis have a combined 73 starts amongst themselves - all of which belong to the thirteen-year veteran journeyman Williams.

With this injury occurring so late in the off-season, Elgin Baylor’s hands appear to be tied. Many serviceable big men have already been inked to deals throughout the NBA landscape, including Mikki Moore to Sacramento, Jamaal Magloire to New Jersey, Darko Milicic to Memphis, and Joe Smith to Chicago. The remaining available free agents to fill this roster void are slim, headlined by aging former stars P.J. Brown, Chris Webber, and Dikembe Mutombo, the already cast-off Melvin Ely, and the oft-overweight Mike Sweetney. But is signing one of these guys to a multi-year deal even worth it? The much maligned Baylor will certainly be tempted. But the answer, in short, is no.

The injury to emerging point guard Shaun Livingston last season was disheartening. This injury to Elton Brand is downright devastating. With the Los Angeles Clippers in a pivotal position, they must decide the direction of the franchise future by either dealing for a suitable big man to replace Elton Brand in the talent-heavy West, or begin the fire sale and plan for the future around Chris Kaman, Shaun Livingston, and Thornton.

Sam Cassell is in the final year of his contract and both Elton Brand and Corey Maggette can opt out of their contracts following this season. While it is now unlikely that Elton Brand will walk away from a guaranteed $16.4M following this crushing injury, it is not unreasonable to think Corey Maggette can get more than the $8.4M option he has in line for the 2008-09 season. If Rashard Lewis can get a max contract, why can’t Corey Maggette get more than $10M per season?

Assuming Corey Maggette will walk, the best move that Baylor could make prior to the season would be to finally deal the longtime Clipper in exchange for a serviceable big man. Corey Maggette has been the focus of trade talks many times over the past two years. His prowess as a scorer at the wing position makes him a valuable commodity that many teams covet. At the prime age of 27, now is the time Baylor must cash in on the longtime Clipper small forward before it is too late to acquire equal talent in return. Tim Thomas and Al Thornton can handle the wing position for the Clips, while Corey Maggette can finally escape the constant murmur of trade talk out of Los Angeles.

Although highly unlikely due to the fact they share the same city, a deal that would send Corey Maggette across the hall to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kwame Brown would appear to make the most sense. Of course, under the NBA’s trade rules, small parts like Will Conroy would have to be included to make the salaries match. But Kwame Brown would be a short term fix for the Los Angeles Clippers since he is in the final year of his contract, and would pair with Chris Kaman as a very young exciting frontcourt tandem. For the Los Angeles Lakers, they would insert the talented small forward into the starting lineup between Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom while freeing up minutes in the paint for the emerging Andrew Bynum.

Unless Baylor and the Los Angeles Clippers are able to pull of a deal similar to the one stated above, it is painfully obvious that they won’t be making the playoffs in the powerful Western Conference this season. The optimal train of thought is to find a short term stopgap for the hole created by the injury to Elton Brand while considering the long term plan for the future of the franchise. With youthful keepers including the recovering Shaun Livingston, powerhouse Chris Kaman, and newcomer Al Thornton, the Los Angeles Clippers have a strong foundation for the future, but still need to make a deal in order to be competitive this season. Otherwise, as they await the return of their franchise player, you can count on this year’s version of the Los Angeles Clippers to be far more reminiscent of the good old cellar-dwelling Los Angeles Clippers of the past.

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