Will the Grizzlies and Clippers ALWAYS suck? (+ Poll)

by Portland Dynasty on Jun 22, 2009 10:07 AM PDT

I just dove into some BlazersEdgers this morning and Ben's most recent intro got me thinking.... this years draft is headed by two of the absolute worst franchises taking the first and second round. The LA Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies, it is the teams who draft in those first few slots who land the NBA Greats! Orlando landed D.Howard, Cleveland landed LBJ, Chicago once landed Michael Jordan at #3, more recently D.Rose at #1 overall, and a lot of the success of so many franchises is based on being able to draft and keep an NBA Superstar.

Here is what Ben wrote this morning:

Let me just say that the single best development for the NBA this year is basketball agents finally realizing they shouldn't want their players drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies and then actively working to prevent that from happening by cancelling workouts, avoiding interviews and visits, etc. When guys who have worked THEIR ENTIRE LIVES for the dream of making the league and receiving that first big pay check, the one that has the potential to change THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY'S LIVES, are saying "thanks, but no thanks" to your team, coach, city, franchise and your entire crew... that speaks volumes.

I am sure that Blake Griffin is not Super-stoked to be the Super-star of the Clippers... total bummer. I mean, what if this lottery had been won by the Washington Wizards or his new home-town franchise the Blunder? He'd be so much more excited I bet... no kid wants to be on the losers, even if you believe in yourself and your ability to be a franchise changer... it still is a steeper climb up the mountain of greatness. Would you rather be Derrick Rose and be the next superstar in Chicago to fill the void left by Jordan.... or be Blake Griffin being drafted to be the savior of Team DogMeat (Clips, LOL)?

Winning is the cure for everything, but teams like the Clippers and Grizzlies would likely deal with mass exodus of RFA's UFA's if the team was somehow a winner for a season or two. I mean, do either of these franchises have anything that would keep a player like Blake Griffin past his initial contract? Maybe. Maybe not.... Talk amongst yourselves.

My question is this: IF by some amazing stroke of luck either the Grizzlies or the Clippers ended up landing in the Top #2 picks THREE seasons in a row, would it transform their franchise or simply set them up for short term successes?

Poll

My question is this: IF by some amazing stroke of luck either the Grizzlies or the Clippers ended up landing in the Top #2 picks THREE seasons in a row, would it transform their franchise or simply set them up for short term successes?

Transform the Franchise into a long-term winner

20 votes

Simply set up team for short term successes until those contracts are up

112 votes

132 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

until Dunleavy is gone and Memphis has a new owner they will suck, but I would bet that eventually they will be good

Truth never was or can be propagated by fire and sword - Albert Gallatin

Bayless sucks! Trade him; or at least stop the annoying bayless homerism. his best case is gilbert arenas which is something the blazers don't want and don't need. He was a KP mistake.

by Zaron5551 on Jun 22, 2009 10:49 AM PDT reply actions

If the Arizona Cardinals can make the Superbowl, then it's certainly possible that Memphis and LA wont suck (basketball wise, at least)

If you ever hear of someone punching out a girl scout and stealing her Samoas, it was me
- Mortimer

by Clevelander among roses on Jun 22, 2009 11:01 AM PDT reply actions

Easiest poll ever!

Harsh, but something will have to change in those organizations, cough:new owners:, before winning becomes a habit.

Joel Freeland=Stud

by hightide on Jun 22, 2009 11:53 AM PDT reply actions

Portland definitely is set up to be a long term winner.

Portland landed #2 LaMarcus Aldridge, then later got #1 overall Greg Oden (uh, not to mention All-Star B.Roy at #6 in the same draft as LMA)…. but Portland also has:

1.) An extremely well-funded billionaire owner who is competitive and wants to win.
2.) A state-of-the-art arena and top-notch facilities for the players
3.) A great fan base and home court advantage to help motivate players
4.) A history of being competitive.
5.) A rare group of players who love to win and will do anything (like stay together) to keep winning

All of those things can be overcome…. but I think each franchise needs to have at least three to be successful long-term. Good news for Portland is that they have all five.

by Portland Dynasty on Jun 22, 2009 12:53 PM PDT reply actions

I don't know... but the Wizards and the Bulls aren't that great either

Take away the Jodan years the Bulls franchise has been pretty awful. And the Wizards have no clear plan and haven’t for awhile. They seem to want to give all their cash to Arenas who (imo) is a second or third tier ‘star’

I’d wager there aren’t that many high lottery picks who land in great situations…

Blazer Fan

by leeroyjenkins on Jun 22, 2009 1:13 PM PDT reply actions

Chicago made the playoffs 10 times before drafting Jordan

Pretty sure taking away the best player in franchise history would look bad on almost every team, with the exceptions of LA and Boston.

It’s an interesting question for the Clippers because Sterling will seemingly never go away, but Memphis has developed a playoff contender before, including a 50 win team. They stupidly hired Chris Wallace as GM, once they figure out he is awful at his job and hire a competent replacement they will figure out a way to get all that young talent on the same page.

Portland looks good now, but several seasons ago they had a horrible front office, horrible contracts, and even passed up a once in a lifetime player like Chris Paul. Judging teams at their lowest points isn’t exactly the smartest idea.

That Steve Nash is exactly the same as Kirk Hinrich, but worse.
by NBA Observer on Apr 8, 2009 12:23 PM CDT

by Ozzie Montana on Jun 22, 2009 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Judging at low points isn't good

But look at their high points. That’s sort of the gist of the whole post. The Clippers: historically speaking, making the playoffs was the high. The Grizz aren’t much better. The Blazers were DOWN, but they also had a long history of winning years. The playoffs were expected and usually made. For my lifetime, they’ve still only missed the playoffs four or five times. That’s not winning a championship every year, but that’s not Clips territory.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jun 22, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd like to add to bob's point that Portland ....

…. really wasn’t bad for that long of a period.

We had the 41 – 41 season, which was considered poor by the standards we were used to, but certainly isn’t dipping into the dregs of the league. Then we did nose dive to the 21 win season. But since then it has been a steady progression upward. Arguably, the previous two seasons to this year, while not great, at least featured young players with a bright future who we could all get excited about. If you don’t count the two bookend 41 win seasons, POrtland was really only a bottom tier team for two seasons. That’s not what I would consider long suffering for a fanbase.

hakkaa päälle !

by timg56 on Jun 22, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions

Clips yes, Griz no

Clips will suck until the team is sold, Griz have some talent, enough to make a run at the playoffs in a few years…

Proud member of Duck nation!

by skywaker9 on Jun 22, 2009 1:41 PM PDT reply actions

I'm not sure.

The Clips went out of their way to acquire talent. They’re just not performing for various reasons. Management at least tried.

I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich

by hobobob on Jun 22, 2009 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes and yes

They will both suck forever due to having moronic owners and their toxic karma

by southern oregon on Jun 22, 2009 2:35 PM PDT reply actions

Clippers: Yes. And I hope so because the owner is a douche. Grizzlies: No

They made an offer to Josh Smith last season that the Hawks matched. If that had gone through, that would have been a pretty good core with Conley, Mayo, Gay, Smith, Gasol, and some serviceable bench guys (at that time, since then they have further diluted the talent). Now they are still one or two big pieces and a few better bench guys (come on, Darius was a joke) away from being a playoff team. If Wallace doesn’t screw up this draft and just takes Rubio and/or trades down for him for a piece he can use, they are one step closer. I have Memphis and OKC as the up and coming young teams right now. But Dallas can reboot quicker than people think, and of course another young team could also accidentally land the jackpot.

by Norsktroll on Jun 22, 2009 3:50 PM PDT reply actions

The poll is missing an important option

They will still stink. High draft picks don’t guarantee short or long term success.

2 hot 2 stop it

by dan_the_man on Jun 22, 2009 5:01 PM PDT reply actions

A team has to have a long term plan

if they are just playing the lottery, then they are going to always be very mediocre to bad. The running joke about where the clippers players will be long term has never changed. The unfortunate part is that they simply quit caring about the game how many top prospects have the clips had that almost seem like they were ruined as a player because they went there. The great Danny Manning never seemed right after donning a clipper uni. The griz,,,,,,,,,,simply about the benjimans.

I try to help with everything," Fernandez said. "If the coach says go rebound, I go rebound. I work for the team.

""If I'm playing this game to get media and attention, I shouldn't be here," Aldridge said. "I'm here to play basketball, and do what I can do to help this team win."

His stare became blank. It was apparent he was back in that place, on the Rose Garden's logo, picking up Aaron Brooks as the crowd nervously roared.

by Dragonage on Jun 22, 2009 11:55 PM PDT reply actions

Memphis seems to be worse off

Players seem to be shunning them more then anyone. LA has the big city and things for the players to do in their spare time to avoid hating it so much. But LA Clippers would have a hard time winning a championship until a change of owner and management.

"Knowledge will get you from A to B. Creativity will get you anywhere." Einstein

by Garden of ODEN on Jun 23, 2009 3:22 AM PDT reply actions