Rivers makes grade with roster this time
Jordan’s return and coach’s off- season moves could take Clippers further.
Canada . . . China . . . the Western Conference finals.
Only one truly qualifies as foreign territory for the Clippers, whose preseason itinerary includes stops in Vancouver and Shanghai and whose postseason journey could take it further than any team in franchise history.
Playing into late May and beyond would all be made possible by that successful soiree in Houston twoweeks ago.
The Clippers got center DeAndre Jordan back in one of the wildest flip- flops inthe history of free agency, and the rest of the conference had a problem. Abig one.
The return of Jordan gave the Clippers a defensive dynamo to go with the indomitable Paul Pierce and the makings of an actual bench that includes versatile newcomers Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson.
Oh, and let’s not forget All- Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, both still in the prime of their careers.
Jordan staying put was
just what the you- know- who ordered for a franchise coming off two epic playoff chokes while being beset by questions about the roster building capabilities of one Glenn Anton “Doc” Rivers.
Rightfully criticized for much of his first two seasons as his team’s de facto general manager, Rivers now deserves to be honored for the work he has done in the last month revamping his roster.
There are no trophies for winning the summer, but Rivers should allow himself a few celebratory clicks on the Bleacher Report sendup of “The Wolf of Wall Street” featuring his team. It’s an uproarious15 seconds showing a defiant Leonardo DiCaprio ( with Jordan’s superimposed head) announcing that he’s not leaving his firm, delighting a gleeful gallery of colleagues including Rivers, Paul, Griffin and Pierce.
There was a reason Clippers shooting guard J. J. Redick went from giving his team an F- minus to an Aplus for its efforts in free agency. Several, actually.
Rivers rectified his decision to bring in Spencer Hawes over Pierce last summer by trading Hawes and landing Pierce for roughly half the amount he would have commanded from the Washington Wizards.
He signed a serviceable backup center in Cole Aldrich, a stronger rim protector than the player he replaces.
He traded for the wing defender his team lacked in Stephenson, one of the league’s most electrifying young players before a sideways season with the Charlotte Hornets that may have been more attributable to bad fit than character flaws.
Rivers reached into the bargain bin and snatched Smith, a former borderline All- Star. He signed a versatile forward in Wesley Johnson, who largely underachieved as a Laker but might be moved to greater production in a winning environment.
And yes, he brought back son Austin Rivers, the reserve guard whose front and-center play in three playoff games helped sustain the Clippers’ postseason push.
This bench gives the Clippers far more flexibility and reliability than last season, when they essentially went eight- deep in the playoffs.
Doc Rivers made these upgrades while working with fewer financial resources than a mom- andpop bookstore. Maybe somebody should let him take a crack at the Greek economy.
That’s not to say there aren’t issues. There always are.
Pierce turns 38 in October and is coming off a season in which he averaged a career- low 26.2 minutes per game. Will the 17- year veteran require a maintenance program to stay productive and ready for the playoffs?
Stephenson and fellow shooting guard Jamal Crawford are both best with the ball in their hands. Can they coexist on a second unit that will also feature Austin Rivers, or will the Clippers finally be forced to trade Crawford?
Smith is a strong allaround player except for his three- point shooting, which was encouraged as part of the Rockets’ analytics minded approach. Can Doc Rivers afford to give someone making 28.5% of his threes for his career similar freedom?
There’s also the matter of the occasionally fractious relationship between Jordan and Paul. Rivers contended the rift was overblown but acknowledged it needed addressing during the Clippers’ famed encampment inside Jordan’s home the night he backed outof his commitment to the Dallas Mavericks.
One thing is certain: Jordan’s decision to return automatically solved some of the team’s biggest concerns.
Lose Jordan and the Clippers might have been the sixth- or seventh- best team in the West. Now they’re a threat to defending champion Golden State, fortified San Antonio and still- dangerous ( health permitting) Oklahoma City.
A team that has never made it past the second round of the playoffs could be going places. Is there an emoji for heading to the conference finals?