Clippers Watch 2012 (Draft Tracker)

[beantownboy171]

There have been a few threads already expressing concern over the draft pick we received in the trade for Kendrick Perkins. The pick belonged originally to the clippers and is top-10 protected for the 2012 NBA.

On Wednesday the clippers officially traded for Chris Paul. They gave up SG Eric Gordon, C Chris Kaman, F Al-farouq aminu and a 1st round selection from Minnesota to acquire Paul who is widely considered the best point guard in the game.

It will be interesting to see how this effects that status of our draft pick going forward. The clippers will almost certainly finish outside of the top 10, meaning the pick will be ours and the question now is less so will they make the playoffs but what seed will they be?

I'm going to try to provide updates on this thread all season long to keep everyone up to date on where we stand.

This draft is especially deep and EVERY draft position counts. DA may try to package our two first rounders together to jump up higher and grab the player he wants. The value of a package involving, lets say the 15th selection and the 24th selection would be dramatically higher then the 19th selection and the 24th selection.

Here is the clippers roster as of (12/15/2011):

PG: Paul - Billups - Bledsoe - Ahearn
SG: Williams - Foye - Warren - Leslie
SF: Butler - Gomes - Major
PF: Griffin - Thompkins
C:  Jordan - Hubbard

Los Angeles Clippers 2012 Schedule: (12/15/2011)

Dec. 25   at Golden State
Dec. 28   at San Antonio
Dec. 30   Chicago
Jan. 1   Portland
Jan. 4   Houston
Jan. 7   Milwaukee
Jan. 10   at Portland
Jan. 11   Miami
Jan. 14   Los Angeles
Jan. 16   New Jersey
Jan. 17   at Utah
Jan. 18   Dallas
Jan. 20   Minnesota
Jan. 22   Toronto
Jan. 25   at Los Angeles
Jan. 26   Memphis
Jan. 29   at Denver
Jan. 30   Oklahoma City
Feb. 1   at Utah   
Feb. 2   Denver   
Feb. 4   at Washington
Feb. 6   at Orlando
Feb. 8   at Cleveland
Feb. 10   at Philadelphia
Feb. 11   at Charlotte
Feb. 13   at Dallas
Feb. 15   Washington
Feb. 16   at Portland
Feb. 18   San Antonio
Feb. 20   at Golden State
Feb. 22   Denver
Feb. 28   Minnesota
Mar. 1   at Sacramento
Mar. 2   at Phoenix
Mar. 4   at Houston
Mar. 5   at Minnesota
Mar. 7   at New Jersey
Mar. 9   at San Antonio
Mar. 11   Golden State
Mar. 12   Boston
Mar. 14   Atlanta
Mar. 15   Phoenix
Mar. 17   Houston
Mar. 18   Detroit
Mar. 20   at Indiana
Mar. 21   at Oklahoma City
Mar. 22   at New Orleans
Mar. 24   Memphis
Mar. 26   New Orleans
Mar. 28   Phoenix
Mar. 30   Portland
Mar. 31   Utah
Apr. 2   at Dallas
Apr. 4   Los Angeles
Apr. 5   at Sacramento
Apr. 7   Sacramento
Apr. 9   at Memphis
Apr. 11   at Oklahoma City
Apr. 12   at Minnesota
Apr. 14   Golden State
Apr. 16   Oklahoma City
Apr. 18   at Denver
Apr. 19   at Phoenix
Apr. 22   New Orleans
Apr. 24   at Atlanta
Apr. 25   at New York

*All back-to-back games have been highlighted in red*

Current Record: 0-0
Division Rank: --
Conference Rank: --
League Rank: --

Current Draft Slot: ---

I also urge people to post any draft speculation they'd like in this thread, scouting reports, player rankings etc. This thread should be used for all sorts of draft speculation as we gear up to the deepest NBA draft in recent memory.

[beantownboy171]

That stretch in mid-march when they have 9 games in 12 days is going to be tough. We face them right at the start of it.

[PosImpos]

They'll be a middle seed in the Western Conference, perhaps with home court advantage in the first round (wonder how that'll work with the Lakers also in the playoffs).

[beantownboy171]

They'll be a middle seed in the Western Conference, perhaps with home court advantage in the first round (wonder how that'll work with the Lakers also in the playoffs).

I'm going to direct this towards you, but anyone who knows the answer can jump in as well. How is draft order determined for the teams in the playoffs? Is it by seed or record?

[PosImpos]

They'll be a middle seed in the Western Conference, perhaps with home court advantage in the first round (wonder how that'll work with the Lakers also in the playoffs).

I'm going to direct this towards you, but anyone who knows the answer can jump in as well. How is draft order determined for the teams in the playoffs? Is it by seed or record?

always by record

[Kane3387]

6th seed.

Here are projections for the West.

OKC
DAL
SA
LAL
MEM
LAC
POR
DEN

[bbd24]

They'll be a middle seed in the Western Conference, perhaps with home court advantage in the first round (wonder how that'll work with the Lakers also in the playoffs).

I have Dallas, L.A.L, Spurs, Thunder, Denver, & Portland all ahead of the Clippers.  Where do you have them ?

At best, I can see a 7th seed. They're competing with Memphis, Houston, & Phoenix for that 7th & 8th seed, IMO.  A suprise team like a Golden State/Utah could damage their plans as well.

[GreenShooter]

They'll be good but looking at their roster and schedule, that's a lot to ask of a team with not much of a bench. Butler could break down and if Griffin gets hurt....
We'll just have to wait and see how they blend.
Prediction: 6 seed.

[bbd24]

They'll be good but looking at their roster and schedule, that's a lot to ask of a team with not much of a bench. Butler could break down and if Griffin gets hurt....
We'll just have to wait and see how they blend.
Prediction: 6 seed.

Add in the lack of training camp, playing together, etc.  That seed comes down to the 7th, 8th, or 9 range.

[GreenShooter]

First month of the season should be interesting as they only have 4 easy wins.
I'd like that pick to be around 14th, which is where I projected it before the trade.

[JBcat]

TP for a well put together topic.

I really think the Clippers could be fighting for the #1 seed barring if they still healthy and things fall their way.   They have some assets they could move to shore up some depth and could still sign someone like a Reggie Evans to help in the frontcourt.  

Paul has never played with anyone as good as Griffin (possible Stockton/Malone like combo).  The Hornets with Paul have finished with 46, 37, 49, 56 wins the last 4 years, and that is with a subpar supporting cast.   Put a legit budding superstar next to Paul in Griffin, and other solid pieces such as Butler, Jordan, and Billups they could be right there at the end.

I also see the Lakers and Spurs potentially worse than last year being a year older, with the Mavs (loss of Chandler could hurt) and Thunder staying near the top.

[PosImpos]

They'll be a middle seed in the Western Conference, perhaps with home court advantage in the first round (wonder how that'll work with the Lakers also in the playoffs).

I have Dallas, L.A.L, Spurs, Thunder, Denver, & Portland all ahead of the Clippers.  Where do you have them ?

At best, I can see a 7th seed. They're competing with Memphis, Houston, & Phoenix for that 7th & 8th seed, IMO.  A suprise team like a Golden State/Utah could damage their plans as well.

Thunder
Mavs
Lakers
---
Clippers
Grizzlies
Spurs
Blazers
Nuggets


The Clips are gonna win a lot of games just by pick and rolling a lot of young, inexperienced teams to death.  CP3 / Griffin / Jordan pick and rolls against the Cavs / Bobcats / T-Wolves / Kings / Warriors / Raptors / Pistons / Wizards of the league is just unfair.