Understanding the decision
Nerlens Noel headed to Milwaukee this summer
If you ask anyone who has had the worst free agency this offseason in the CSL they will probably shout out the L.A Clippers and then hold a moment of silence for the fallen franchise. Yes the Clippers have had a disastrous offseason so far there is not doubt about it, but it is not as if it has happened through their own decisions and lack of activity like the Philadelphia 76ers.
First it was Nerlens Noel a Clipper staple the past few seasons deciding that he would rather take less money and join one of the historically worst CSL franchises the Milwaukee Bucks and pair up with number one pick Brandon Ingram and try and build a young playoff hopeful team. Right decision? On the face of it possibly not at the time as the Clippers were on the up winning 50 games last year and proving they can hang with some of the Wests very best teams. We all know that Noel has been very quiet on social media since the decision and we have yet to hear from the Bucks management team on the free agency signing so his motives are very unclear.
Next up was the loss of Damian Lillard to the Miami Heat. The Heat a team many penned just a year ago as the best young team in the CSL have since made every single move possible to go from a guaranteed decade long contender to a middle of the pack full of similar one dimensional players they had before they even started this ‘rebuild’. So it was a complete shock that Lillard decided to head to the Heat and transform their outlook overnight. Lillard will be the face of the franchise alongside Ben Simmons. He will finally bring point guard play to a team that would have probably started Patrick Beverly as their point guard, yes a team that should be gearing up for a long time at the top of the East could have had Beverly as the starting guard. I am sure the Heat management have given off a huge sigh of relief for this pick up. Again it is not as if the Clippers did anything remotely wrong here. They had a solid deal for Lillard on the table from day one and he did not return their calls and instead decided to heat to the East coast.
Lillard decided to head to Miami during free agency
Which make me wonder. Why are players shunning the Clippers? Is something to do with Blackice’s management style? Hardly as he has always for better or worse tried to win (GM’s take note that is a good thing). Could it be the money? No both players took similar or less money to leave L.A. Then what could it be? What is the real reason players are moving from a 50 win team to go to situations that are worse or as of yet unproven. When you take a step back and think about it the answer is obvious.
Players do not want to compete in the Western Conference. This is a conference which has always been the better of the two for depth, talent and winners. It is the most active conference and it has produced the most CSl champions.
It is this very conference that is shaping the way the league dynamic is heading every single offseason. Just look at Oklahoma, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas and Utah as examples of teams and GM’s who are constantly fighting to be at the very top and have made some big moves this offseason. That’s not even counting the like of Memphis and Minnesota who have General Managers who are some of the savviest at getting the best out of their roster regardless of the talent there.
So the answer is obvious. Noel and Lillard simple did not want to go back to a team that has won 50 games last year because they knew that to even get a sniff at a run in the playoffs they would have to beat several of the teams I have just listed. Whereas in the Eastern Conference Detroit are stagnating and the conference itself is wide open and weaker. Heck 2 43 win teams were the bottom seeds last year. Now we know it would take Milwaukee and Noel to have a minor miracle to get in but if 43 wins gets you the 7th seed and you are then playing Indiana rather than Phoenix or Dallas aren’t you going to take that? Lillard and Miami will certainly be a 50 win team this year and have a great shot at getting through some of the inactive GM’s or oddball rosters to win the conference.
So when we all sit there and wonder why exactly has Lillard and Noel moved home. The answer is simple they wanted a chance at the title or at being a big player in the weaker conference.
Unfortunately for the Clippers they have been dismantled and hung out to dry. For a franchise that will continue to play the right way and never give up it is a tough situation but when you have a talented general manger like Blackice I would simply say that this free agency and offseason is not over yet and anything is possible.
2028
