Insider article: California Love

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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6961313/nba-how-other-california-nba-teams-the-lakers

 

By Chris Palmer, ESPN The Magazine

 

California leads the nation in a lot of things: population, Electoral College votes and probably public schools in debt. Why should it be any different when it comes to NBA franchises? Cali boasts four NBA teams but to most fans it's the Lakers then everybody else. Well, the times they are a-changing. With an aging roster and a bloated payroll, the Lakers' hold on the California "state title" could be over. The three other teams in the golden state are getting restless and loading their rosters with the some of the best talent their respective franchises have seen in years. But these perennial also-rans have a lot of work to do to close the gap on the Lakers' dominance.

 

Let's be realistic, though. The Clippers, Warriors and Kings will never have the tradition and aura of Jerry Buss' storied franchise, but it's entirely possible that one of the teams could be better than the Lakers in two to three years. So let's take a look at what California's three "other" teams can do to challenge the Lakers' supremacy as the best team in the state.

 

Los Angeles Clippers

 

Personnel needs

The biggest move the Clippers made last season was trading away Baron Davis and a lottery pick (which resulted in No. 1 overall selection Kyrie Irving) for Mo Williams. While Williams was a slight upgrade he's not the long-term solution at point guard. With so much talent to work with, a top-flight, pass-first point guard could be a game changer for the Clippers. With a young, athletic lead guard handy in the pick-and-roll and capable of operating at any tempo, the Clips would move one step closer to a team as opposed to a collection of young talent. Eric Bledsoe is a nice fit but by no means an elite floor general. The Clips' other glaring weakness is at small forward. Not so certain second-year man Al-Farouq Aminu is the answer, but he could be prime trade bait. The ho-hum Ryan Gomes, who managed just 7.2 points in 27 minutes per game, isn't the answer, either.

 

Franchise needs

 

More than anything the Clippers need a makeover -- image rehab to the nth degree. It seems every year L.A.'s other team rolls out the idea that they're the "new" Clippers. Well, the only thing that's ever new is the roster. The mentality and the results scarcely change. Slogans won't cut it. The Clippers reveal a new one every year. When was the last time the Lakers had a slogan? Exactly. You don't need a slogan when you're winning championships. The Clips also need less Donald Sterling. Fans identify him as being a tight-fisted owner who could care less about winning. His heckling of Baron Davis last year just reinforced the laughingstock persona the Clippers are so desperately trying to ditch. They will not get another Blake Griffin in Sterling's lifetime, so they can't afford to waste the career of their most promising franchise player ever.

 

Player most needed to develop

 

DeAndre Jordan. The fourth-year big man has made considerable strides with regard to his footwork, aggressiveness and work habits. But he still has a ton of room to grow. Jordan has the potential to become an absolute defensive menace and with Griffin, form one of the most formidable frontcourt tandems in the league. With a huge wingspan and serious hops, his strength is blocking shots; he clocked in at a career-best 1.8 rejections, good for 10th best in the league last season. Jordan shot 68 percent from the field but attempted just four shots per game. Most of his made FGs came on dunks or close-range putbacks. Jordan must develop at least one go-to move as well as a counter move. His goal should be to average a double-double, which is hardly unreasonable for someone with his ability. With considerable improvement he could turn out to be the steal of the 2008 draft.

 

Keep an eye on: Eric Bledsoe

 

Bledsoe could develop into a Derek Fisher-type, a non-superstar who becomes a franchise cornerstone. Bledsoe's speed, strength and willingness to learn make him a valuable asset to the Clippers. He's among the most underrated players 21 and under in the league.

 

Short-term outlook

 

As configured, I expect the Clippers' roster to experience heavy turnover from spots four through 12. That's par for the course for the Clippers, but that's going to have to change if they want to seriously contend with the Lakers and other Western Conference titans. But what's different is that they've got the best nucleus that they've had in 10 years with Griffin, Bledsoe and budding superstar Eric Gordon. With a smart trade for a legit small forward, in two years the Clippers could finish with a better record than the Lakers.