As part of a three-way trade, the Los Angeles Clippers traded away Reggie Bullock, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and a second round pick in return for Austin Rivers. Yes, the son of their coach, Doc Rivers. Although Dave Wohl is the team’s general manager, as of June, Doc is the team’s president of basketball operations. Therefore, Coach Rivers has the final say these matters. In Rivers short time with the Clippers he is showing that he does not have what it takes to be a successful NBA general manager.
Bill Parcell’s famously stated, “If I’m going to be asked to cook the meal, I’d like to be able to pick the groceries.” Coaches (usually great coaches) want to be the general manager as well as the coach. It is an understandable desire, but one that does not always work out. Gregg Popovich is a phenomenal coach (probably the best I have ever seen), yet he is smart enough to work with the Spurs’ G.M. R.C. Buford. Yes, the same R.C. Buford that was the NBA’s Executive of the Year for the 2013-14 season.
Once the NBA forced Donald Sterling to sell the team, Doc received the power he desired; Doc can now pick the groceries, as well as cook the meal. But Doc’s moves have been akin to eating off of the dollar menu. His trades to date have not improved the team. In the loaded Western Conference, with the current construction of the team, it would not be surprising to see the Clippers get bounced out of the playoffs in the first round. Remember, this season was supposed to find the Clippers in the Western Conference finals, at worst. My contention is that we will look back at June of 2012 as the start of the decline of the Clippers. That is when Neil Olshey decided to take his talents to Portland. Prior to Olshey’s leaving, the team announced that they had reached a deal in principle to retain Olshey as the general manager; Olshey never signed the contract.
Doc Rivers was hired one year later, and he immediately had his say on personnel. So let’s analyze the moves made by Doc Rivers during his time with the Clippers.
The first major move by came roughly two weeks after Rivers was hired by the Clippers. Eric Bledsoe (who was under a rookie contract that was set to pay him $2.6M for the 2013-14 season) was the Clippers most highly coveted asset. Bledsoe was a guaranteed starter on most teams, so the Clippers would be able to get back some very good pieces by moving Bledsoe.
In July of 2013, as part of a three team trade, the Clippers traded Bledsoe and Caron Butler in exchange for Chris Dudley and J.J. Redick. Chris Dudley’s play with the Clippers was atrocious, so he was traded away (with a first-round) pick to the Milwaukee Bucks. In return, the Clippers received Carlos Delfino and Miroslav Raduljica. The Clippers cut both players one week later. Essentially, the Clippers traded Bledsoe, Butler, and a first-round pick for J.J. Redick.
Redick is a volume shooter that is very limited on the defensive side of the court. He really is a mirror-image of Jamal Crawford, a player the Clippers had signed one year prior. The reason you keep hearing about the Clippers’ deficiencies on defense has a lot to do with these two players.
Eric Bledsoe is the exact type of player the Clippers need; an explosive offensive talent with the ability to play tough, solid defense. I am not saying that the Clippers should have kept Bledsoe; I am saying that they jumped the gun by trading him prior to the season. Bledsoe was heavily sought after, so the Clippers could have waited to see what offers arose around the trade deadline.
The subsequent moves by Doc have been almost as bad. He signed Byron Mullens (fail), Stephen Jackson (obviously would be an epic fail), Sasha Vujacic (obviously would be an epic fail), Danny Granger (good move), Spencer Hawes (good move), Chris Douglas-Roberts (fail), Epke Udoh (fail), Glen Davis (weak), Hedo Turkoglu (fail), Jordan Farmar (cut to make room for Austin Rivers).
Hawes is the only good deal out of the bunch; Granger decided to sign with the Heat in the offseason. Wonder if that had anything to do with Doc not playing him last season? Doc the GM is killing Doc the coach. But the crown jewel was the trade for his son. So how did Austin do in his Clippers debut? He was 0-4 from the field, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and played atrocious defense. During his 11 minutes, the Cavs ran their offense directly at him, and he responded with a plus/minus of -18. Like Jackson and Vujacic, this move was an obvious epic fail.
If Doc continues to make these type of deals, I foresee the Clippers flaming out in the next three years. It would not surprise me to see Doc “step away from the game” as he waits for another team to come calling. The Clippers are on the precipice of becoming an elite NBA team; I am worried that Doc Rivers’ moves have guaranteed that they will not make it over the hump.
Do not be surprised if Doc trades for Kevin Garnett before the trade deadline. It would be a typically Doc trade, and one that would fit in with his other bad moves.
Into History 