7/17 ESPN Insider - Clippers to match

[OutletPass]

Has Sterling finally seen the light?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford Thursday, July 17
Updated: July 17
10:59 AM ET



Also see: New Free Agent Watch | Updated Depth Charts

A $200 million megaton bomb just dropped on Clippers owner Donald Sterling's home.

Sweet justice.

After years of penny pinching on his team, Sterling got the wake up call we've all been waiting for on Wednesday.

Michael Olowokandi flew the coup. Elton Brand, Andre Miller and Corey Maggette served Sterling with their two week notices. If Lamar Odom could've, he would have followed them right out the door.

The news for Donald couldn't be worse. The agents for Brand, Miller and Maggette appear to all be playing by the same script. It's a nasty one.

Andre Miller
Point Guard
Los Angeles Clippers
Profile


2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
80 13.6 4.0 6.7 .406 .795



Miller's offer sheet from the Nuggets is the gold standard. It includes a 25 percent signing bonus, payable up front. It includes a provision to have 70 percent of his salary paid on Oct. 15. Brand and Maggette are believed to have signed similarly structured deals though Brand's also may include a maximum 15 percent trade kicker.

In effect, 33 percent of a six-year offer could be made payable immediately.

Do the math and then sit down for the sticker shock. Brand's offer (Heat) was for six years, $82 million. Miller's was for six years, $51 million. Maggette's (Jazz) was for six years, $45 million. If the Clippers truly intend to match all offers as Clippers vice president Andy Roeser reaffirmed in a statement Wednesday night, then Donald's looking at an up front payment of $58.7 million to keep his three players.

That's a lot of dough for Mark Cuban, let along Scrooge Sterling.

Now here's the great part. There is evidence that ghosts of NBA past, present and future may have visited Sterling in the night.

Off the record, sources inside the Clippers have told Insider, the L.A. Times, the Salt Lake Tribune and the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the team will likely match Brand's and Maggette's offer. Miller is as good as gone. There is also evidence that the team is working to lock up Odom. And while we're at it, the L.A. Times is confirming what Insider first reported late last week, that the Clippers are pursuing restricted free agent Gilbert Arenas as well.

Has Sterling lost his mind? Or after all of these year, has he finally seen the light?

If you think about it, what Sterling may be contemplating isn't all the revolutionary. The Clippers, per NBA rules, have to spend money. The minimum salary cap number for this year is $32.8 million. Even if the Clips match both Maggette's and Brand's deals, they're still under the minimum salary cap number -- the team is still a whopping $12 million under the cap.

Gilbert Arenas
Point Guard
Golden State Warriors
Profile


2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
82 18.3 4.7 6.3 .431 .791



If Sterling really wants to go for it, there are scenarios where he could pay both Odom and Arenas starting salaries of $7 million per season and still have one of the lowest payrolls in the league. All it would take is the Clips either not picking up their option on Wang Zhizhi or trading one low-priced player like Marko Jaric, Quentin Richardson, Chris Wilcox or Keyon Dooling to a team with cap space for a future first-rounder and the Clippers would be set for the next six years with a payroll that would likely never incur a luxury-tax penalty.

A starting lineup of Arenas, Maggette, Odom, Brand and Melvin Ely with Richardson, Jaric, Dooling, Wilcox and Chris Kaman coming off the bench certainly isn't the Lakers -- but it still remains the most talent-packed young team in the league. With the long-term security that would come with the contracts and with a respectable coach like Mike Dunleavy at the helm, the Clippers could rise from the ashes this summer.

Of course, it could all be a pipe dream. Sterling had a chance to lock up Brand last summer and screwed it up. Every time it appears that the Clippers are ready to turn a corner, they slam into the wall instead.

But, for one day at least, let Clippers fans dream a little dream about Sterling running through the city square in a night shirt promising to buy a Christmas goose for the poor Tiny Tim fans of the NBA. They deserve it.
Around the League


I'll quit waxing on the Clips in a minute. But first there are a few holes that could be shot in the dream. One, Brand's agent, David Falk, is insisting that Sterling said he wasn't going to match any offers for Brand. The L.A. Times claims that Falk told the Clippers to either max out Brand, or let him leave. "Elton expects Donald to honor his word," Falk said. If the Clippers match, "Then he'll have broken his word." We'll see.

The Clippers may be pursuing Arenas, but that doesn't mean they'll get him. The Washington Post is reporting that Arenas flew to Washington D.C. on Wednesday to meet for a second time with GM Ernie Grunfeld and coach Eddie Jordan. According to the report, Arenas is very interested in playing in Washington and the two sides could come to an agreement as early as today.

"He is very interested," Arenas's agent, Dan Fegan, told the Post. "The . . . attractive thing is the system that Eddie Jordan runs. It's a free-flowing system that could really show Gilbert's strengths."

Arenas has made statements in the past that he really wants to remain on the West Coast. His dream job would be in L.A., but the Clippers probably haven't made an offer and even if they did, it's doubtful that they can pay Arenas what Washington can. The Wizards have enough cap space to offer him a deal starting at just over $8 million a year. The Clippers would likely have to start him at $7 million, an offer he turned down in Denver.

Fegan claims that playing in the East is growing on Arenas. "One of the attractive things for Gilbert is that he thinks he can be an all-star [in the East] in a couple of years," Fegan said.

Another Clipper unrestricted free agent, Eric Piatkowski, claims he won't be back in L.A. this season. Piatkowski has been talking with the Rockets and Cavs. "We've come to the realization that I won't be back with the Clippers," Piatkowski told the L.A. Daily News. "I thought it might be nice to finish my career in Los Angeles, but the franchise hasn't had contact with us. It is obvious that they're not interested, and so we'll move on."

Brad Miller
Center
Indiana Pacers
Profile


2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
73 13.1 8.3 2.6 .493 .818



Another big, unsigned free agent, Brad Miller, will visit Denver and Utah in the next few days. Miller has been unhappy with the Pacers' initial contract offer and is trying to find more money somewhere else. Both the Nuggets and Jazz have enough money left to give Miller a big pay raise.

"We know Brad's probably not very happy with us," Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird told the Indianapolis Star. "He wanted to get this deal done right away. But we wanted to get Jermaine out of the way. Now we can concentrate on Brad. We're doing everything we can to get Brad Miller -- and Reggie Miller -- back in a Pacer uniform."

Miller's friend, Jermaine O'Neal, said he expected Miller to re-sign in Indiana. "He really wants to come back," O'Neal said. "We have a good tandem."

The New York media is getting restless. Now that the Knicks appear to be out of the running for any major free agents, the trade talk is in full swing. On Monday the rumor (shot down by Danny Ainge) was that Antoine Walker was heading to the Knicks. Today, the New York Times and New York Daily News claim that the Sixers and Knicks are talking about a swap that would ship Keith Van Horn to New York. According to the Daily News, the Sixers, desperate for some size in the paint, would get back Kurt Thomas and Charlie Ward. The New York Post also got in the scrum, claiming that the Knicks had rekindled talks with the Hawks about Theo Ratliff. However, it's unlikely that the Hawks pull the trigger on anything until the sale of the team is complete.

Scottie Pippen
Guard-Forward
Portland Trail Blazers
Profile


2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
64 10.8 4.3 4.5 .444 .818



It seems like Scottie Pippen isn't convinced that he should end his career in Chicago. He reportedly has discussed deals with the Grizzlies, Mavs and Spurs despite the fact that the Bulls reportedly offered him their full mid-level exception.

Pippen talked with Grizz owner Michael Heisley on Wednesday. "I had a great conversation with (Heisley)," Pippen told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "I really respect what he's trying to do in Memphis. He explained his goals, and it gave me an opportunity to hear his vision. It was a very good meeting."

Summer Love

You never want to be too quick to make judgments in the summer league, especially when young players are involved. That's why the reports in the New York media the past few days about Maciej Lampe being a bust were flat out ridiculous. He's 18, played in Division 2 in Spain and missed almost all of the Knicks minicamp with a contract dispute with Real Madrid. You're not going to give him any time to adjust? He was awful his first game, decent in his second and had his real coming out party during game three versus the Mavs on Wednesday. Lampe dropped in 21 points in three quarters, grabbed four boards, hit two 3-pointers and showed that he's getting more comfortable playing with his back to the basket here at the Reebok Summer Pro League. The Knicks played him at center quite a bit on Wednesday and Lampe was aggressive fighting for position and showed several polished low-post moves around the basket. After the game, Lampe said he still has a long way to go. "I can still play a lot better than that," he said. "I want to grab ten rebounds tomorrow, that is my goal."

Speaking of the Knicks, Frank Williams and Mike Sweetney were also very impressive on Wednesday. Williams had 35 points on 10-for-21 shooting. Sweetney had 20 points and 13 boards on 7-for-12 shooting. Sweetney's aggressiveness on both ends of the court have everyone impressed, but Williams, despite his great numbers, isn't doing what the Knicks want him to do -- pass the ball. For the second straight game, Williams handed out just two assists.

Prep star Lenny Cooke sat out his second straight game on Wednesday. His agent, Ken Glassmen, is furious claiming that the Celtics promised him lots of playing time if he agreed to come to camp with them. Glassmen claims he's been told by other players in the Celtics camp that Cooke played extremely well in minicamp. However, Celtics sources maintain that while he was impressive in his one-on-one skills, his inability to pick up the team's sets and his inexperience playing organized ball hurt his chance to actually get any minutes.

Kwame Brown finally got aggressive on Day 3, dropping in 15 points and grabbing 13 boards. Of course, he did most of his damage to second-round rookie Sam Clancy. But Brown did appear much more active on Wednesday and stayed away from wandering out the perimeter where he's proved ineffective the first two games.

Out in L.A. at the Summer Pro League, Ronald Murray is trying to prove to the Sonics that they don't need to sign a veteran point guard. Murray, who was acquired in the Gary Payton trade from Milwaukee, has been spectacular at times during the games. On Wednesday he had 37 points on 12-for-20 shooting and has shown a nice knack for running the point. "He's shown that he can score," coach Nate McMillan told the Seattle Times. "He is a guy that you could probably use in special situations. If you need a basket, he's someone who can break down a defense and create his own shot." But what he needs to prove is that he can run the point effectively. He's only averaging 2.4 apg. He'll need to average more if the 6-foot-2 second year player hopes to see the light of day in Seattle.

[MFFL]

I'm interested in seeing what the Clips do - will the franchise change direction or will it continue to be the yearly launch pad for free agents?

[Drbio]

Maybe Elgin has finally cracked through teh dimwitted Sterling skull. It is an interesting article. I was surprised to see that they could match all three offers and still be under the minimum cap requirement. That's unbelievable. And if it all hinges on waiving Wang.....duh! Sterling would be an idiot not to do so.