Coach Vinny Del Negro will meet with the media on Monday morning, and of course the conjecture is already underway regarding his return to the Clippers. This is the last year of his contract, and the knee-jerk talk has been that the Clippers needed to make a deep playoff run in order for him to get another chance with this club.
Part the behind-the-scenes talk is also that Chris Paul might want to have a voice in who the coach will be if he is to re-sign with the Clippers.
But Saturday, Del Negro had plenty of support from his players.
“You look at the body of work from three years ago when he was hired until now, we’ve made incredible strides,” Blake Griffin said. “But ultimately this is something that the front office has to handle, this being the last year of his contract and all that.”
“Coach did an outstanding job with all the pieces,” Paul said. “I remember last year it’s a blur now, even the phone calls before I even got traded here, trying to put all the pieces here. Our coaching staff did an outstanding job with what they were dealt. We win together, we lose together.”
Matt Barnes, the last piece of the puzzle to sign just before training camp, enjoyed one of the best years of his career.
“I think Coach did a great job. People don’t understand it’s hard to manage people like us,” Barnes said, drawing laughs. “Young men and people that have money and egos and family in their ear and friends in their ears. For Coach to put all of that on one page and get everyone to go for the same goal, really with a new team, and do it so fast, you’ve got to take your hat off to him.
“There were things said about this or that but anytime you play or coach in L.A., you’re going to be in a fish bowl. I think Vinny did a great job of managing the egos and managing this team and taking this team to a new level.”