Monthly Archives: June 2014

Veteran guard Willie Green is waived after two seasons with the club

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Willie Green

Willie Green/photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers on Sunday announced they have waived guard Willie Green.

Green appeared in 55 of 82 games during the 2013-14 regular season. He averaged 5.0 points and 15.8 minutes.

Green, 32, is a veteran of 11 NBA seasons. He has a career scoring average of 8.5. He averaged a career-best 12.4 points in 2007-08 with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Green played two seasons with the Clippers. He averaged 6.3 points in his first season with the club in 2012-13.

C.J. Wilcox looking forward to playing with Chris Paul

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C.J. Wilcox (left)/photo by Associated Press

It wasn’t surprising to hear C.J. Wilcox talk about playing with point guard Chris Paul after the Clippers on Thursday drafted him with the No. 28 pick in the first round.

“Everyone watches Chris Paul; he’s the best point guard in the game,” said Wilcox, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of University of Washington. “He came and worked out with us up in Agoura Hills one time and it was good to see him in person, good to go against him and compete against him.

“I think that helped me get a sense of how he plays in person. I’m really excited. I know he’s really good at finding guys and getting in good positions to succeed. I think that’s going to help me in the long run.”

Will the Clippers select Michigan’s Mitch McGary on Thursday?

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Mitch McGary

Mitch McGary/photo courtesy of University of Michigan

I’ve seen more than one mock draft predict that the Clippers will select Mitch McGary with their No. 28 pick in the first round of Thursday’s NBA Draft.

These are just guesses, of course, but it’s worth telling you something about him just in case it comes to fruition. McGary – a 6-foot-10 post – averaged 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds as a freshman for Michigan and was named to the NCAA Final Four all-tournament team.

His sophomore season was hectic, to be sure. He played in just eight games because he had back surgery and averaged 9.5 points and 8.2 rebounds. Then, during the NCAA Tournament – he was not playing – he tested positive for marijuana and was facing a one-year suspension had he stayed at Michigan.

McGary is a big guy at 260 pounds, and could give the Clippers some depth in the post.

Assistant coach Tyronn Lue accepts job as associate head coach with Cleveland

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Tyronn Lue/Photo courtesy of NBA.com

The way things are going, coach Doc Rivers is going to have to find an all-new staff to assist him next season. With associate head coach Alvin Gentry already having accepted a similar post with the Golden State Warriors, assistant coach Tyronn Lue on Monday accepted the job as associate head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to a report on YahooSports, which cited league sources.

Lue had been an assistant under Rivers for five years, the first four when both were with the Boston Celtics.

It will be interesting to see what Jared Dudley’s role will be next season

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Jared Dudley

Jared Dudley – Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

Jared Dudley has the ability to do some things on the basketball court. As recently as the 2011-12 season he averaged 12.9 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns – both career-highs. But whereas he averaged 31.1 minutes that season, he averaged just 23.4 this past season for the Clippers, when he averaged 6.9 points and 2.2 rebounds. He did shoot a respectable 36 percent (81 of 225) from 3-point range, however, so he does have value.

Dudley is signed for next season for $4,250,000, so the 6-foot-7 small forward will be back unless he is traded. Just 28 – he’ll be 29 in July – Dudley still has several years left to play. It will be interesting to see what his role is for the Clippers in 2014-15.

Forward Danny Granger still has something to offer Clippers

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Danny Granger

Photo by Associated Press

Danny Granger, a 6-foot-8 small forward, was once a high-scoring player who averaged as many as 25.8 points during the 2008-09 season with the Indiana Pacers. He was nowhere near that player when he signed with the Clippers in early March. Playing for his third team this past season – Toronto and Indiana being the other two – Granger averaged 8.0 points for the Clippers in 12 regular-season games, during which he averaged 16.2 minutes. He averaged only 10.3 minutes and 2.6 points in 13 playoff games.

But it should be noted that at times Granger showed flashes of what made him a fine player who, from the 2006-07 season through 2011-12, averaged 13.9, 19.6, 25.8, 24.1, 20.5 and 18.7 points, respectively.

Since Granger is still just 31, he would be a good guy to keep on the team. He seemed to work well within the team, and appeared to be a good guy in the clubhouse. That he still has the ability to score quick points because of his shooting prowess – he has a career 3-point shooting percentage of 38.1 – makes him a valuable commodity.

Granger has a player option of $1,316,809 for the 2014-15 campaign.