24
Jan
2008
Memo to Donald Sterling: Shut Up!
Stories like these really irk me. I mean, they really get me fired up. If you are in your waning days of “football mode” and have yet to tune into the NBA, let me explain what I’m about to talk about. Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has gone out publically and said that he will make a change if head coach Mike Dunleavy doesn’t “turn this thing around”. Currently, the LA Clippers are 13-25 and last in the Pacific division. I can understand how under a normal team’s circumstances, this comment by the owner would be somewhat acceptable.
However, we’re talking about the Los Angeles Clippers. This team has been a complete joke for the last 20 years. Who has been the general manager for the last 20 years? Elgin Baylor. Who has been the owner? Donald Sterling. Who has been the head coach for the last few years, years in which the young Clippers took Phoenix to Game 7 in the playoffs? Mike Dunleavy. So you’re going to tell me that NOW you feel that you can make a change? You didn’t want to make a change for 15 plus years that Elgin Baylor kept showing up at draft lottery shows to see if he could get the highest pick for his sorry roster?
Mike Dunleavy is dealing with two starters being injured and unable to play; Sean Livingston and Elton Brand. Sean Livingston is a tall, lanky point guard who is up and coming in this league. He lacks offensive skills right now, but has the ability to shut down opposing point guards. That’s important in the west when you have guys like Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Baron Davis, and Deron Williams. Elton Brand is a top 8-12 player every single year. He also plays the important position of power forward in the west. So there is a reason the Clippers are struggling. I’m not going to say that Mike Dunleavy should get a free pass forever and ever just because he got the Clippers to be relevant for the past few years. But the guy is trying to shoot a gun without bullets! Give him a chance to reload his roster and if he’s still struggling, then feel free to call him out.
Similar to Dunleavy’s public response, I’d love to see the Clippers go out and get another coach. There is no one out there right now, no one, who could do a better job with a Clippers team decimated by injuries than Dunleavy. Donald Sterling should go back to keeping his mouth shut and let people who know basketball run the basketball team. End of story.